The Family and Uganda's Anti-Gay Legislation
by Ralph E. Stone‚ Dec. 02‚ 2009

A secretive, privately-funded group known as “The Family” or "The Fellowship," one of the most powerful, well-connected Christian fundamentalist movements in the United States has used its influence and funds through the Family’s African outreach programs to support a proposed Ugandan law that would impose the death penalty on "repeat offenders" engaging in gay sex.

How did this draconian law come about? In March of this year, American anti-gay activists traveled to Uganda for a conference that pledged to “wipe out” homosexuality. Seven months later, David Bahti, a Ugandan lawmaker and a member of the Family sponsored the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009.” The proposed legislation is so severe that it may indeed wipe out gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Ugandans.

Uganda already punishes gay intimacy with life in prison. The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009” would penalize anyone who “attempts to commit the offence” with up to seven years in jail. Additionally, a person charged will be forced to undergo an invasive medical examination to determine their HIV status. If the detainees are found to be HIV+, they may be executed.

The Family had converted Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to its anti-gay brand of Christianity. The organization’s leader, Doug Coe, calls Museveni the Family’s “key man” in Africa. The Family and other anti-gay groups have long viewed Uganda as a laboratory to experiment with Christian theocracy.

Museveni was once the poster child for African democracy. But lately, under his guidance, horrific war crimes have been committed in the Great Lakes region of Uganda, and continuing human rights violations are claiming the lives of millions.

With passage of “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009,” the 20-year-old Musevene regime, supported by the United States and many European governments, would disavow many international treaties on human rights. This proposed law would allow for extradition of homosexuals living in other countries back to Uganda--violating current international norms.

It is estimated that half of Uganda’s annual budget comes through international aid. The United States Government must investigate the abuses of human rights and to re-evaluate the United States support of the Musevene regime, especially in light of this proposed anti-gay legislation.

List of prominent Family members

This is a partial member list focusing on well-known and influential members of the Family.

Members currently in the US Congress
Name Position Notoriety
Sam Brownback[1][81] Sen. (R-KS) Chair of Senate Values Action Team
James Inhofe[1][81] Sen. (R-OK)
Jim DeMint[1][81] Sen. (R-SC) Chairman of Steering Committee
Chuck Grassley[81] Sen. (R-IA) Former Chairman of Finance Committee
Richard Lugar[4] Sen. (R-IN) Former Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee
John Ensign[1][81][82] Sen. (R-NV) Involved in sex scandal
Tom Coburn[1][81] Sen. (R-OK) Acted as go between for Sen.Ensign and his mistress and her family.
Mark Pryor[1][81] Sen. (D-AR)
Bill Nelson[1][81] Sen. (D-FL)
John Thune[81] Sen. (R-SD)
Mike Enzi[81] Sen. (R-WY)
Joe Pitts[1][81][82] Rep. (R-PA) Chair of House Values Action Team; Member Committees on Energy & Commerce, Sec. & Coop in Europe
Todd Tiahrt[83] Rep. (R-KS)
Frank Wolf[24] Rep. (R-VA) Member of House Appropriations Panel[1]
Zach Wamp[1][24] Rep. (R-TN)
Mike McIntyre[24] Rep.(D-NC)
Bart Stupak[1][82] Rep. (D-MI) Author of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment for the Affordable Health Care for America Act that would ban federal funding for abortions.[84]
Michael F. Doyle[1] Rep. (D-PA)
Heath Shuler[1] Rep.(D-NC)
Jerry Moran[1] Rep. (R-KS)


Members currently serving as state governors
Name Position Notoriety
Mark Sanford[69] Gov. (R-SC) Involved in sex scandal


Current Family members formerly serving in the executive branchName Position Notoriety
John Ashcroft[85] Attorney General AG under G.W. Bush; Also Sen. (R-MO), Member CNP
Dan Quayle[86] Vice President Also former Sen. (R-IN)
James Baker[4] Secretary of State Served under G.H.W. Bush
Robert "Bud" McFarlane[87] National Security Adviser Iran-Contra conspirator; served under Reagan
Ed Meese[88] Attorney General Served under Reagan; also Member CNP
Charles Colson[89] Special Counsel Watergate conspirator; served under Nixon; joined the Fellowship after leaving executive branch; served time in prison
Melvin Laird[24] Secretary of Defense Persuaded Ford to pardon Nixon[24]


Current Family members formerly in the US CongressName Position Notoriety
Don Nickles[33] Sen. (R-OK) Also Member Council for National Policy
Mark Hatfield[4] Sen. (R-OR) Chairman of Appropriations Committee
Pete Domenici[81] Sen. (R-NM)
Dan Coats[85] Sen. (R-IN) Promoted Faith-Based Initiatives
Chip Pickering[69] Rep. (R-MS) Involved in sex scandal
Tony P. Hall[90] Rep. (D-OH) Also UN ambassador for hunger issues under G.W. Bush


Current Family members formerly in the US militaryName Rank Notoriety
John W. Vessey[4] Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
David C. Jones[91] Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Also member Council on Foreign Relations


Historical members

The following Family members are all deceased.
Name Position Notoriety
Richard C. Halverson[1] US Senate chaplain "[O]ne of the first to join the Fellowship under found Abraham Vereide in the 1950s."[1]
Richard Nixon[87] US President Joined Family after presidency[87]
Gerald R. Ford[92] US President Pardoned Richard Nixon; also Member CFR
Strom Thurmond[24] Sen. (R-SC) opponent of civil rights
Herman Talmadge[24] Sen. (D-GA) opponent of civil rights
John C. Stennis[4] Sen. (D-MS) opponent of civil rights
Absalom Willis Robertson[24] Sen. (D-VA) Father of Pat Robertson
Arthur F. Burns[92] Chief of Federal Reserve Served under Nixon
Frank Carlson[93] Sen. (R-KS) Kingmaker for Eisenhower
Harold K. Johnson[94] Gen., Chief of Staff of the Army