General News of Friday, 8 July 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-07-08Sam George, Sheila Bartels engage in social media fight over anti-LGBTQ bill
Sam George and Sheila Bartels have taken at swipes at each other on social media
Sheila Bartels accuses Sam George, anti-LGBTQ bill proponents of financial inducement
Sam George hits back at Sheila Bartels
Ablekuma North MP tags colleague as doing the devil's bidding
Two Members of Parliament have taken to social media to fire salvos at each other over the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, which seeks to impose legal restrictions on
Read full article.LGBTQ rights.
In a recent interview with Nana Aba Anamoah of Starr FM, Ableikuma North MP, Sheila Bartels, alleged that proponents of the bill have an ulterior motive.
According to the MP, the proponents of the anti-LGBTQ bill in actuality are seeking for the legalization of homosexual rights and seek to achieve such through a reverse psychology tactic.
“Because anytime I raise it and tell people that this is the path when they are doing it, you know the devil is a cunning animal. He will not do it for you to know that this is the agenda we are pushing and eventually we are going to go there,” she said
According to the MP, she would rather prefer discussions on LGBTQ rights be ignored as tolerating such discussions only fuels calls for its legalization.
“I am also of the opinion that we have to let it sleep because when you want acceptance of anything, it starts first with you introducing and engaging in getting people to talk about it. You know very well that it will start with anger, people are going to be disgusted and all of that,” she added.
She further alleged that proponents of the bill may be benefiting financially from pushing such an agenda.
“There are phases people go through and then, eventually, it will get to acceptance. I am of the opinion that some of these people have been paid to start this campaign so that we have to create a law that is against LGBTQI. We want to get people who are LGBT to be jailed or to do this and that.
“I think people have been paid because LGBTQ is something that is an agenda and their agenda is not for us, you and I. It’s for our children and our grandchildren if they let us begin to engage now. Create laws now. Once you create the laws, eventually loopholes will come in. Somebody will say okay, the law says when two boys are sitting in a room and someone goes to report XYZ, then the person should go to jail,” she alleged.
Hearing the allegations by the Ablekuma North MP, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, who is a lead proponent of the bill, took to social media to call out Sheila Bartels.
“Your silence on the floor of Parliament actually sounds more intelligent than these effusions of yours. I take my work seriously and do not tolerate silly commentary from uninformed persons. I look forward to the debates in the House,” a livid Sam George wrote.
Taking the social media course on the matter, Sheila Bartels took to her Facebook page to hit back at Sam George.
According to her, she should not be mistaken for a pro-LGBTQ rights person.
“For the record, I am 100% thick-blooded, tongue-talking, prayerful missionary in the work of winning souls for Christ. If you choose to read into my position with Sam Dzata George as support for LGBTQI+, you couldn’t be more wrong!” she stated.
Reiterating her earlier allegations, the female MP said, “If you have studied ways to acceptance of something considered taboo and morally disgusting, you will see that what Sam George is doing, is leading many "as an angel of light" straight into the hands of the orchestrators!”
She further quoted portions of the Christian bible to back up her position, adding that the proponents of the bill are in actual sense doing the bidding of the devil.
Not willing to back down, the outspoken Sam George responded via his Facebook page by describing Sheila Bartels’ comments as "unintelligent and embarrassing raving."
“If you have studied ways to acceptance of something considered a taboo and morally disgusting, you will see that what Sam George is doing, is leading many "as an angel of light" straight into the hands of the orchestrators!” Sam George retorted.
On the use of bible verses to back her allegations, Sam George likened the Ablekuma North MP to the devil, saying, “Quoting the Bible as a means to show intelligence or justification for your warped guff is akin to the devil quoting the Bible during his temptation of Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:6. My response to you is Matthew 4:7.
“It is not insulting and uncouth to state the fact of your intelligent silence on the floor of Parliament as compared to your dense blabbering on this subject matter. It is called FACTS. And just so we are clear, leave the President out of the grime you find yourself in. He has his plate full due to the failure of your kind in his government.
“Simple advice, I am not one to be toyed with. Focus on being able to articulate the wishes of your Constituents on the floor of Parliament and don't just be a shabby back up vocalist bellowing aye aye to every discourse in the House,” he added.
The anti-LGBTQ bill is a proposed law in Ghana that would introduce wide-ranging restrictions on LGBT+ rights.
The private member’s bill is being pushed by some MPs and members of civil society.
In his reaction to Sheila Bartels, Sam George who has been at the forefront of advocating for the approval of the bill said “We would pass the Bill and shame you and your twisted ilk. Pay attention to how work is done in Parliament.”
GA/BOG
