Black LGBTs low presence on SMM issues

Some controversy here but it is needed if we are to examine our roles and positions in the "fight" as some say for equality in Jamaica.

With all the exchanges taking place on Buju Banton's music and the strong opposition from the seemingly all white powerful gay lobby and rightly so I might add towards this kind of music, it is of note that there are very few voices from the black GLBT community overall, be it African Americans of GLBT people from other Caribbean nations. I strongly believe it has to have a black element as well so as to dispel the wide spread perceptions of homosexuality in Jamaica as an import.

All the more reason for the anti gay lobby, Buju Banton with supporters and the naive amongst us to suggest and or believe that it is these "white people" who are forcing their "nasty lifestyle" on Jamaica. Yes, believe it or not there are people in modern day Jamaica who buy into this perception and hence the race card and other possible controversial issues come up. What is also of interest is that this perception runs across classes, religion and levels of education. Just check out some of the Jamaican chat forums and threads across the Internet and even at the Gleaner where people go to town with there comments backing Buju and some of the anti gay rhetoric. Other major current affairs do not command the volume and types of responses as whenever homosexuality in Jamaica is brought up.

However issues such as the differences in how financially well to do mostly white GLBT groups trump on certain mainstream gay issues like gay marriage and prop 8 while bread and butter issues such as their own survival of working class GLBT persons of African descent overlooked in some instances in the US.

There are a few black GLBT voices that have been added during this present SMM reinvention in the US as I call it in recent times especially at the ground level in the form of protests at some of Buju Banton's planned concerts. Are they relegated to or wish to be involved in only front line duties in this effort? that question is yet to be answered in my mind but I would much prefer to see GLBT persons of African descent in this fight as well especially Jamaicans gay or straight of whatever stripe who are just interested in justice, fairness and tolerance. Our low level of interest in this matter too is of concern to me as it's not about silencing Buju Banton or other artists but arriving at a level of tolerance. Many seem to have a feeling that we may not "win" the battle as I have heard some say, there is no battle for me as far as I am concerned it just doing what's appropriate. We cannot sit by and just have a casual interest in matters like these especially the Charter of Rights debate and the smoke screen gay marriage discussion.

I feel that non gay Jamaicans including the anti gay lobby ought to watch how these issues are handled as subversion or repression of rights to one group can eventually spread to anyone else if and when required to achieve whatever political end.

Of note the cancel Buju page hardly has any black GLBT members either from Jamaica or the diaspora in the UK, USA or Canada for that matter and it begs the question whether we are patriotic or just forgetful of Jamaica once we leave the shores in the case of GLBT Jamaicans who are abroad. Yes I agree that one may leave to get a better life but certainly one ought not to just forget ones nation to the point of failure to participate in matters of pertinence to your fellow countrymen left behind in the struggle. It also looks pitiful as if foreigners seem to be more interested in our cause than we ourselves.
Never have we seen the kinda of a response to anti gay rhetoric from Jamaica so uniformed and pronounced there needs to be more support from the ground up.

Don't get me wrong I am 100% in support of some of the points of view taken by the campaign which is to arrive at some level playing field in discussing the issues of murder music and tolerance inclusive of recognition and rights, we can always agree or disagree as to the methods employed to get there.

Overall I think we as the Jamaican GLBT community have become to relaxed because of a false sense of security, yes the incidents of homophobic abuse may be tapering off for this year but what about vigilance and avoiding future considerations for same we should never discount the possibilities of the craziness that can occur. I have been criticised for being an alarmist but I am real about matters like this, one cannot have ones head in the clouds.

Think on these things folks.

H