Ghost of a flea: Arc of tyranny

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April 18, 2005

Arc of tyranny

Hatred as an element of the struggle; a relentless hatred of the enemy, impelling us above and beyond the natural limitations that man is heir to, and transforming him into an effective, violent, seductive and cold killing machine.
- Che Guevara

Article 303a of the Penal Code of that noted workers paradise, Cuba punishes "publicly manifested homosexuality" with three months to one year in prison. Worth remembering the next time some self-satisfied ersatz-progressive vacationer decides to wax lyrical about Cuban health care and the nastiness of the United States.

ILGA is advised by a Cuban exile that "publicly manifested" can mean anything taken as a public indication of homosexuality, e.g. clothing or behaviour or transvestism. Application of this law has been very uncertain, due to the difficulties of interpretation. (Advice received November 1999)

Funny how much this map of sodomy laws so closely resembles a map of "the arc of tyranny". I imagine we could produce maps for lack of reliable enforcement of property rights, lack of religious freedom and poor rates of literacy among women that would show a similar disposition of countries.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at April 18, 2005 09:03 AM

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Tracked on April 18, 2005 10:28 PM