Europe in 20 Years?

Dear France, Germany, the U.K., The Netherlands, et al,

This could be you one day. (Caution: I found these photos to be disturbing, although not graphic.):

Two gay teenagers were publicly executed in Iran on 19 July 2005 for the 'crime' of homosexuality. The youths were hanged in Edalat (Justice) Square in the city of Mashhad, in north east Iran. They were sentenced to death by Court No. 19.

Iran enforces Islamic Sharia law, which dictates the death penalty for gay sex.

One youth was aged 18 and the other was a minor under the age of 18. They were only identified by their initials, M.A. and A.M.

They admitted -- probably under torture, London-based gay human rights group Outrage! suggests -- to having gay sex but claimed in their defence that most young boys had sex with each other and that they were not aware that homosexuality was punishable by death.

Some reports say these two may have forced sexual acts upon a 13-year-old boy. Seyd, the queer vegetarian from Dallas, however, notes that an Iranian friend says the Iranian government often invents such stories to keep the United Nations off their back. (U.N.? What us worry?)

While I have advocated in the past corporal punishment for serial, repetitive child molesters, I would have a hard time hanging an 18-year-old and a minor (who is either 16 or 17) for sex with a 13-year-old, forced or not -- particularly when the practice is so common in the region. Towleroad links to another article that provides more details on this angle.

Need I remind you that the official name of the country is: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran. Translated, that's the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Despite the depressing news, I am bolstered by the response of OutRage!. At least there are others who see the threat posed by these bastards.

"This is just the latest barbarity by the Islamo-fascists in Iran," said Peter Tatchell of the London-based gay human rights group OutRage! "The entire country is a gigantic prison, with Islamic rule sustained by detention without trial, torture and state-sanctioned murder.

"According to Iranian human rights campaigners, over 4,000 lesbians and gay men have been executed since the Ayatollahs seized power in 1979. Altogether, an estimated 100,000 Iranians have been put to death over the last 26 years of clerical rule. The victims include women who have sex outside of marriage and political opponents of the Islamist government.

"Last August, a 16 year old girl, Atefeh Rajabi, was hanged for 'acts incompatible with chasity.' Britain's Labour government is pursuing friendly relations with this murderous regime, including aid and trade. We urge the international community to treat Iran as a pariah state, break off diplomatic relations, impose trade sanctions and give practical support to the democratic and left opposition inside Iran," said Mr Tatchell.

The OutRage! press release includes a sample e-mail to send to the Iranian government and to elected officials in countries who trade with Iran. The United States is not one of those countries.