The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Recently, we wrote the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell, concerning a December 19, 2016, vote at the United Nations pertaining to the appointment of a so called Independent Expert (IE) on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in the person of Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn.

We expressed to Mr Mitchell that while we denounce violence against all persons, we are concerned that the words “violence” and “discrimination” are being distorted to mean any view that does not support the LGBT ideology. Further, we pointed out to Mr. Mitchell that, by his own admission, Professor Muntarbhorn has made it clear that he will use his appointment to advocate for and promote the LGBT ideology.

Mr. Mitchell did not give us (and still has not given us) the courtesy of a response, so we forwarded to The Tribune our correspondence to Mr Mitchell, which was kindly covered in your very next newspaper publication. Therefore, Mr Mitchell was forced to respond. Regrettably, however, in our view, Mr Mitchell’s response was disingenuous and misleading in several respects.

First of all, Mr Mitchell sought to downplay the vote by saying that it was procedural in nature. If the vote was merely procedural in nature, perhaps Mr Mitchell might wish to explain to the Bahamian public why there was such deep and passionate division between member countries, so much so that the vote was won by a very slim margin. Mr Mitchell knows fully well that what was at stake in the vote was whether Professor Muntarbhorn’s appointment would be confirmed or deferred in order to investigate what legal basis, if any, existed for his appointment. After its initial vote in favour of the appointment of Professor Muntarbhorn and his pro-LGBT ideology, on December 19, 2016 The Bahamas again voted along with the slim majority to confirm the appointment without deferment.

Second, Mr Mitchell misapplied and twisted the meaning of our country’s constitutional commitment to Christian values by citing it as the reason The Bahamas voted in support of Professor Muntarbhorn. What Mr Mitchell fails to realise is that The Bahamas’ vote in favour of Professor Muntarbhorn is actually a betrayal of our Christian values because the LGBT ideology that the professor has vowed to promote is contrary to the Christian values which the overwhelming majority of Bahamians hold to.

Mr Mitchell surprisingly ignores the fact that a majority of CARICOM countries voted against Professor Muntarbhorn’s appointment. Instead, he boasts that The Bahamas stood with countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union and voted for his appointment. So we are forced to ask: What pride is there in standing with countries that are stripping away rights and freedoms of people who do not support LGBT ideology? Increasingly in these countries it is considered hate speech to call homosexuality a sin, and pastors like us are being fined and imprisoned for doing so.

We therefore maintain our view that in the United Nations votes that dealt with the appointment of Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, The Bahamas’ support for his appointment misrepresented the views and values of the overwhelming majority of Bahamians. Therefore, rather than feeling pride, Minister Mitchell should feel shame about the misrepresentation.

PASTORS Cedric Moss, Alfred Stewart, and Lyall Bethel

Nassau,

January 3, 2017.