MCC Moderator Calls for Immediate Actions
In Response to Jamaican Anti-Gay Mob Violence
MCC's "CALL FOR LOVE CAMPAIGN" To Mark Valentine's Day
With International Embassy Actions; E-Mail Appeals, Prayer Vigils
February 5, 2008Dear MCC Leader:I feel an unusual sense of urgency about the message of this e-mail.Even though the time frame is short, I am writing to encourage you and your congregation to join me in celebrating love in a powerful and meaningful way on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2008, by helping end the unremitting hatred and violence directed against our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters in Jamaica.For many years, LGBT people in Jamaica have faced a horrific campaign of harassment, intimidation, violence, ostracism, hate crimes and even death. Time Magazine described Jamaica as "the most homophobic country in the Western Hemisphere.:Now the situation has taken yet another deadly turn -- and we must band together and bring international pressure to stop the violence.On Tuesday night, January 29, 2008, an anti-gay mob invaded a private home in Greenvale, Manchester (Jamaica). The mob attacked three gay men inside, beating them and hacking them with machetes. Two of the men have been hospitalized with serious injuries; one had his ear cut off. One man remains unaccounted for and is feared dead.This is only the latest in a long series of hate-filled crimes against LGBT Jamaicans:-- During Easter of 2007, another mob surrounded a church in Mandeville during the funeral of a gay man. They trapped the mourners inside, chanting, "We want no battyman {sic} funeral here. Leave or else we are going to kill you."-- Before that incident, three gay men at Montego Bay's Carnivale were viciously attacked with knives and beaten with a manhole cover.-- On Valentine's Day of 2007, a mob trapped four gay men inside a pharmacy. They narrowly escaped with their lives, but not before being pelted by the crowd. Even the local police hurled insults at the very men they were charged with protecting.I am inviting you to use this Valentine's Day, February 14, a day devoted to love, to help end the hatred against LGBT people in Jamaica.
THE VIOLENCE MUST END AND IT MUST END NOW!
I am calling on political and religious leaders, as well as people of goodwill around the globe, to unite to end the violence against LGBT people in Jamaica. Now is the time for clergy to rise up in their pulpits and put an end to the condemnation of gay people that so often gives rise to and "justifies" these violent and unprovoked outbursts. We are often polite and diplomatic in our calls for study groups to search the Scriptures and explore our traditions. The time for polite exploration is over. LGBT people in Jamaica are in fear for their lives because people of faith are using the Bible to justify violence.
ANTI-GAY BASHING IN THE NAME OF
RELIGION MUST STOP AND IT MUST STOP NOW!
If you are a political leader or member of the police force, I am uniting my voice with the voices of the membership of J-FLAG (Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays) in demanding that you take seriously your constitutionally-mandated and sworn duty to protect all Jamaican citizens equally. Gender identity and sexual orientation are not reasons to suffer the perpetuation of unprovoked violence and vigilante-like raids.
THE SILENCE OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MUST END!
WE MUST ALL SPEAK UP NOW FOR THE UNIVERSAL RIGHT THAT
GUARANTEES THE SAFETY OF ALL CITIZENS IN EVERY LAND!
Love, mercy, compassion, mutual respect, generosity and kindness must become for all of us more than the subjects of Sunday sermons or Bible Study classes -- they must become the mandates of our daily lives; the principles by which we live together.
"One Love, One HeartLet's get together and feel all right..."
Jamaican songster Bob Marley wrote those lyrics because he wanted the violence and hatred between peoples to end.
I want that, too, with all my heart. And I believe the day can come when we can live together as one human family. It is because I believe that so strongly and because of the urgency of this moment in history, that I am asking MCC leaders and churches to join hands with people of goodwill globally and take three steps to end anti-gay violence in Jamaica:
ACTION STEP ONE:+ Mark the upcoming 40 days of Lent as a time of focused and intentional prayer for the LGBT community in Jamaica. Pray for an end to violence and hatred, and that those in political and religious leadership will have the courage needed to speak and act for equality and justice and peace among the people of Jamaica. Commit to daily prayers in your personal life and to public prayers during worship services throughout Lent.ACTION STEP TWO:+ Send an e-mail to The Honorable Dr. Kenneth O. Baugh, Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica, at
mfatjam@cwjamaica.com. Tell him that you, like he is, are a person of faith. Call him to accountability for the well-being of all Jamaican citizens, both as an elected leader and a person of faith. Let him know the eyes of the world are watching what is happening. Demand an investigation at the highest levels of the Jamaican government into this latest round of violence against gay people, including the delay in police arrival and the failure to yet again hold anyone in the mob accountable.ACTION STEP THREE:* Join MCC's international "Call For Love Campaign" on Valentines Day, February 14. For many years, MCCers have observed Valentine's Day with protests, demonstrations and press conferences calling attention to the inequality of marriage laws for LGBT people in countries around the globe.This year we are dedicating Valentine's Day, February 14 -- a day devoted to love -- to taking a stand against hatred. On Valentine's Day, people of goodwill will demonstrate, protest and hold press conferences at local Jamaican embassies, consulates and high commissions. Events are already scheduled for Toronto, New York City, and Miami -- with still more cities to be announced momentarily.On February 14, we'll call for love to prevail and an end to the violence and hatred against our bothers and sisters in Jamaica, especially.Here's how you can participate:1. If you are close to one of the Jamaican embassies, high commissions, or consulates listed below, organize a CALL FOR LOVE rally at one of the sites. Make signs. Call on the government of Jamaica to investigate the hate crimes and to protect the rights of LGBT Jamaicans. Offer prayers. Hold a moment of silence to remember LGBT people killed and harmed by hatred. If you are not in range of an embassy, use a central location that will enable many from your area to participate. Write to
GlobalJustice@MCCchurch.net and we'll send you "10 Action Steps For Organizing A CALL TO LOVE Public Event." 2. Invite other churches, synagogues, mosques and temples to join in this CALL FOR LOVE, along with community organizations, LGBT rights groups, and human rights groups.3. Invite the media and press to your public action. Give voice and visibility to the plight of LGBT Jamaicans.
"As it was in the beginning (One Love)
So shall it be in the end (One Heart)"
-- Bob Marley
May our actions and our prayers on February 14th make it so.
+NancyRev. Nancy L. WilsonModeratorMetropolitan Community ChurchesP.S. If you schedule a CALL FOR LOVE Valentine's Day event for your area, or if you have further questions, please write to
GlobalJustice@MCCchurch.net. Be sure to let us know when you schedule your event -- we'll promptly send you a sample press release that you can use to promote your event to the media in your area._________________________ J A M A I C A_________________________ EMBASSIES AND HIGH COMMISSIONSNOTE: "High Commission" indicates the embassy of a British Commonwealth nation that is located within another British Commonwealth nation.AUSTRALIAHigh Commission of Jamaica8 Leonora St, Earlwood Sydney, New South Wales 2206 CANADAHigh Commission of Jamaica Standard Life Building 275 Slater Street Suite 800, Ottawa, OntarioKIP 5H9Consulate of Jamaica303 Eglinton Avenue EastToronto, Ontario M4P 1L3DENMARKConsulate of JamaicaTagesmindevej 8Gentofte, Denmark 2820ENGLANDHigh Commission of Jamaica1-2 Prince Consort RoadLondon SW7 2BZGERMANYEmbassy of JamaicaSchmargendorfer Strabe 32 Berlin, Germany 12159Consulate of JamaicaBallindamm 1 Hamburg, Germany 2000PHILIPPINESEmbassy of JamaicaTesoro Building, 5th Floor1325 A. Mabini Street, Ermita Manila, Philippines 1000SOUTH AFRICAHigh Commission of JamaicaPretoria, South AfricaTelephone: 27 12 362 6667 or 27 12 366 8500(Call for street address.)UNITED STATESEmbassy of Jamaica1520 New Hampshire Avenue N WWashington DC 20036ConsulatesATLANTA (area)Consulate of Jamaica1823 Chedworth LaneStone Mountain, GeorgiaBOSTONConsulate of Jamaica351 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115CHICAGOConsulate of Jamaica4655 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 201Chicago, Illinois 60653DALLASConsulate of Jamaica3068 Forrest Lane Dallas, Texas 75234 HOUSTONConsulate of Jamaica7737 Southwest Freeway, Suite 580 Houston, Texas 77074LOS ANGELESConsulate of Jamaica8703 Venice Boulevard, Vienna Medical Clinic Los Angeles, California 90034MIAMIConsulate of Jamaica842 Ingraham Building25 South East Second AvenueMiami, Florida 33131NEW YORK CITYConsulate of Jamaica767 Third Avenue, 2nd & 3rd FloorsNew York, NY 10017Telephone: 212-935-9000PHILADELPHIAConsulate of JamaicaPO Box 24174 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19139Phone: 215-313-9508(Call to locate physical address,)RICHMONDConsulate of JamaicaPO Box 15101 Richmond, Virginia USA Phone: 804-2624453(Call to locate physical address)SAN FRANCISCOConsulate of JamaicaSan Francisco General HospitalDept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery1001 Potrero Avenue, 1N1 San Francisco, California 94110
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This statement prepared in conjunction with the Global Justice Team of Metropolitan Community Churches, Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Chair.
