To boycott or not to boycott

With the present San Franciscan boycott of Red Stripe Beer, Myers Rum and Blue Mountain coffee on in earnest without abatement any time soon tempers are flaring as to how to proceed with the issue on one hand JFLAG the nation's second and only operating LGBT rights advocacy group says "NO" to any argument of a boycott at this time.

They believe it may have serious implications on the ground for suspected LGBT persons safety and security. There is proof that confirms so, the EAGALE boycott which was well publicised last year was said to be the cause of an increase in attacks on gays and lesbians here, more so on lesbians, as before most victims of homophobic violence on record were gay men. A reported 9 lesbians in all came formally through JFLAG's crisis intervention system to seek help and to rebuild their lives. One couple in particular had to flee their home following threats and a subsequent breakin from a group of persons living in their area. There were anecdotal reports of several more who however chose to privately handle their respective issues.

See JFLAG's blog for more on those reports: http://www.jflag.blogspot.com/

There have been some debate as to how to proceed, some argue we should go ahead with the boycott and support it fully while JFLAG on the other hand says we shouldn't as there maybe awful outcomes. They claim that a reversal of a major milestone may be forthcoming by this boycott action as Red Stripe Beer one of the targets of the ban had refused to fund Jamaican dancehall artists and events that host them that promote violence of any sort, a decision they did not take lightly as they make millions from these same artists sponsorship and events.
Many artist though upset at the time of the decision literally changed their tunes.

A commendable move probably but were the organizers of the boycott aware of this and did JFLAG do enough to publicise this "achievement?"
I guess maybe everything can't be made public knowing our caustic environment here on homosexuality and the attendant issues.

The rest of the country in the meantime are up in arms about it, saying that foreigners are dictating how we should handle our affairs and that gays are imposing their "dirty lifestyle" on us according to one radio talkshow host.

The organizers mainly one Michael Petrelis says he did contact JFLAG before making the decision to proceed with the boycott according to his blog: http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/ the "Rum Dump" as it is nicknamed was said to be a success in the two public events that took place

I don't think a boycott is the way to go at this time what other backative can the organizers give us here in Jamaica in case it goes out of control? and seeing our tense our political and social climate is right now anything is possible. People are angry at the political system, worried about bread and butter issues such as jobs and bills etc. To plant a lighted match in an oilfield is not a wise move.

The organizers in my view are too far removed from the reality to greatly grasp and appreciate how explosive this can get, with politicians as well looking for any item that can greatly accrue popularity unto themselves well this could be one of them as we have seen before, Prime Minister Golding's remarks both here and abroad.

Maybe we as in all the potential players ought to meet and carefully examine this issue while it is early days yet.

Just my two cents

Peace and tolerance

(views are not neccesarily those of SCJ and its team)