California Lawmakers Call on Obama to Stop Torture and Murder of Iraqi LGBT

This is great news. Following the example of the Los Angeles City Council . . .

"Forty-five members of the California Legislature, led by Senator Mark Leno and the LGBT Legislative Caucus, have called on the Obama Administration to prevent the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Iraq. The lawmakers sent a letter to the Administration late last week encouraging the United States to take immediate action to stop the violence against LGBT Iraqis.

"Disturbing reports of the torture, beating and killing of LGBT Iraqis have surfaced in recent months as part of an effort led by police officers to “clean up” Iraq by getting both beggars and gays and lesbians off the streets. This year alone, 63 people, most of them men and boys suspected of being gay, have been tortured or killed as a result of religious decrees against LGBT people in Iraq."

Read the rest of the press release on Sen. Mark Leno's site.

Letter to Obama:

CA Legislature Letter to Obama on Iraqi LGBT Persecution

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Hopefully with more and more U.S. governmental officials speaking out against these human rights violations, Obama and his administration will be moved to act. Just recently, the State Department issued a statement against it, but I found it to be rather passive and nowhere near meeting the responsibilities that we, as the occupying country of Iraq, should be fulfilling.