Rev Chisholm on debating God's gender (Gleaner letter)

Reverend Clinton Chisholm's reasoning is usually interesting at times, here is another of one of his musings in the form of a letter to the editor. He had taken a break it seems from writing, good to see him in action again........

he wrote:

The Editor, Sir:

The New York Times best-selling novel The Shack by William Paul Young is an interesting story of a man's encounter with God, manifested as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the novel God, the Father, is a Black woman; God, the Son, is a Jewish man and God, the Holy Spirit, is an Asian woman.

For the person who is unfamiliar with literary techniques this all sounds like blasphemy. The writer seemingly anticipates this indictment and takes some of the sting out of this charge when he has God, as Father, make a critical statement to the main human character - who was completely baffled at this unconventional manifestation of God as two women and a man.

The Black woman said "MacKenzie, I am neither male nor female, even though both genders are derived from my nature. If I choose to appear to you as a man or a woman, it's because I love you. For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me 'Papa' is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily back into your religious conditioning." (p. 95).

The under-appreciated fact in thinking about God is that all descriptions of God are in non-literal language. The Bible gives us some useful and informative models or images of God but the models or images must not be confused with the reality behind them. It is easy to convince the average Christian that 'God as Shepherd' or 'God as rock' is figurative or non-literal language which seeks to make a point about some aspect of God's being or behaviour. It is harder to convince the average Christian that 'God as Father' is also non-literal and figurative.

Source of our existence

The gendered term 'Father' is incidental to the real point of the language, namely, that God is the source of our existence and that He cares for us. The same is true for the implied 'God as Mother' language of Deuteronomy 32.18, "You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth."

The greater frequency of the biblical imagery of 'God as Father' than 'God as Mother' is no doubt due to the patriarchal nature of Old Testament society but in reality God transcends gender and so is, literally, neither male nor female.

(reprinted with permission from Prayer Warriors Magazine, June, 2010, 11-12).

I am, etc.,

CLINTON CHISHOLM

clintchis@yahoo.com

Tjenbé Rèd defends its position on Stop Murder Music and Sizzla following damning French article

Release n°TR10INT11D

Sirs,

In accordance with Article 13 of the French Law of 29 July 1881 on press freedom,

we are asking you to publish the attached right of reply without delay.

In fact, in an article dated 18 August 2010, headed «GayLobby Has Concert Cancelled», you maintain the following statements in particular.

«In their crusade against Jamaican artists who have performed homophobic lyrics, the gay lobby has just won a new victory. The Sizzla concert, which was scheduled for Saturday evening at the Palavas arena, has just been cancelled by the organisers. While the artist did sing «kill the queers, my big gun gonna shoot» in 2001, he subsequently committed himself in 2007, in writing, like other artists of the Caribbean island it had its eyes on, never again to sing this type of sulphurous and totally unacceptable lyric during their tours. And, as far as we know, Sizzla has never been found in breach of this.

Gay and Lesbian groups had already had one of his concerts cancelled last November in Victoire 2 concert hall, supposing - without real proof - that he was not sticking to his commitments. The Tjenbé Rèd association, which was not contactable yesterday, had been calling for pressure on the local authority of Palavas not to host the singer. At the same time, it has drawn up a

blacklist of about a dozen singers, against whom it has done all it can to get their gigs cancelled.»

It seems to us we need to pick up on some inexactitudes.

1. The aim of the international Stop Murder Music (SMM) campaign, for which Tjenbé Rèd is a French coordinator, is not to cancel concerts, but to lead certain singers of Reggae Dancehall to cease their calls for murder and to sign and respect the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA).

2. There is no proof that the Sizzla concert scheduled for 21 August had been cancelled because of the press release published on the 5th by several human rights organisations. Had the ticket sales of this concert gone as successfully as expected? Already in 2008, Sizzla’s people had accused the SMM campaign of being responsible for the cancellation of several concerts, when in fact the singer had been more banally refused entry at the frontier because of a problem with his visa!

3. Sizzla’s violations of the RCA are comprehensively documented, contrary to what you have indicated, surprisingly rehashing some propaganda from those concerned.

Sincerely,

For Tjenbé Rèd (Afro-Caribbean association for the struggle against all forms of homophobia, racism and AIDS)

Chair,

David AUERBACH CHIFFRIN

06 96 05 24 55 (West Indies)

06 10 55 63 60 (France)

+596 6 96 05 24 55 (international call to French West Indies)

+33 6 10 55 63 60 (international call to France Mainland)

Fax: 01 76 50 59 79

contact@tjenbered.fr

[1] 18 août 2010 - Midi libre - Les lobbies gays font annuler le concert

http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2010/08/18/MONTPELLIER-Les-lobbies-gays-font-annuler-le-concert-1349680.php5

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100818-99.pdf

[2] 31 décembre 2004 - OutRage! - Stop Murder Music: Dancehall Dossier

http://www.petertatchell.net/popmusic/Dancehall-Dossier-FINAL.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2004/20041231-99.pdf [en]

[3B] 19 August 2010 - Stop Murder Music Campaign: Concert by homophobic singer Sizzla cancelled - Joint press release from Tjenbé Rèd, OutRage! and Couleurs gaies (Metz LGBT Centre) - Press release No. TR10INT11B

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-00.pdf [fr]

[3A] 5 August 2010 - Stop Murder Music Campain - Sizzla in France: «Shoot queers»?! (Signatories send out an alert to human rights organisations in Languedoc-Roussillon) - Joint press release from OutRage! (London), Tjenbé Rèd, Girofard (Bordeaux LGBT Centre), Couleurs gaies (Metz LGBT Centre) - Press release No. TR10INT11

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-00.pdf [fr]

[4C] 13 May 2008 - Open letter to the mayors and those in charge of the concert halls to be visited by Sizzla during his French Tour - Press release No. TR08POL04B

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-05.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-01.pdf [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-01.html [fr]

[6] List of RCA violations by Sizzla in Europe and Jamaica

Sizzla Kalonji (the stage name of Miguel Collins) has repeatedly violated the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA) which he is said to have signed on 15 April 2007, but which he denies.

A) On 11 May 2007, the VP Records label distributed via its website a compilation called «Bill Back», produced by E.21st Production, including an extremely violent song by Sizzla, «Head Out».

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/d_history_2007.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081218-59.pdf

B) On 13 June 2007 in Berlin (Germany), 17 or 18 June 2007 in Paris (France), 20 June 2007 in Milan (Italy), 22 June 2007 at Bari-Modugno (Italy), 30 June 2007 in Zurich (Switzerland) and 3 July 2007 at Bordeaux (France), Sizzla performed his «Nah Apologize» piece, which he himself calls «an anthem». Less than two months after his supposed signature on the RCA, he thus proved he had no intention of respecting this signature. When it came to the point of singing the refrain, he extended the microphone towards the crowd, slyly avoiding pronouncing the term«battyman» (bugger) himself, letting the crowd sing it for him.

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/d_history_2007.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081218-59.pdf

18 June 2007 - Video of the performance of Nah Apologize in Paris

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2b7um_sizzla-paris-nah-apologize-to-no-ba_music

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070618-89.pdf

23 June 2007 - Sizzla Kalonji 22 June in Bari

http://www.soundsystem.it/vai.asp?articleID=131

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070622-99.pdf

3 July 2007 - Video of the performance of Nah Apologize at Bordeaux

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h3nf_sizzla-bordeaux-3-07-07_music

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070703-99.pdf

Lyrics of Nah Apologize:

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/u_lyrics_nah4.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070613-69.pdf

C) On 7 July 2007 at Cologne (Germany) Sizzla came out with homophobic remarks at a press conference at the end of the Summerjam Festival: «If you found a family, you give respect to your mother. If you go to other men, you draw her reputation into the dirt… A man must decide whether he wants to be a piece of dirt or a proud man – it’s as simple as that.»

http://www.queer.de/news_detail.php?article_id=8467

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080320-99.pdf

D) On 25 December 2007, along with Capleton, Sizzla violated the RCA by performing, among others, To The Point, during a GT Taylor Christmas Extravaganza in Jamaica:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fgiG2oz7ac

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20071225-89.pdf

http://www.stopmurdermusic.ch/reitschule/stopmurdermusic/Texte/CapletonbreaksRCA-Video.pdf

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081104-89.pdf

Lyrics of To The Point:

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/u_lyrics_to_the.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070617-99.pdf

E) On 31 March 2008, the German LSVD association reported this evidence of an activist in a Jamaican human rights organisation, according to which Sizzla has continued to perform his Murder Music in Jamaica. «Since signing the RCA Sizzla has performed the songs at local concerts. What he does is that he does not say the homophobic content but puts the mike to the audience who then shout it out.... I do believe that it adds up to the same thing.»

http://www.lsvd.de/fileadmin/pics/Dokumente/Homosexualitaet/Sizzla_FactSheet.pdf

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080331-99.pdf

F) On 26 February 2010, in Zimbabwe, denied having signed the RCA. The Sunday Mail -«I understand you were made to sign some documents that forbid you from singing anti-gay songs when you are in Europe. What is your position on gay relationships?» Sizzla - «The preachings and teachings of the Most High say that it is not right for a man to be with another man or a woman with another woman. All of us wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the union of a man and woman. Family is a basic unit in society./ I support the royal family set-up of a king and a queen./ I did not sign any papers, it is just an agreement I have with certain promoters - it is their system. I cannot stop singing those songs because there is a message in those songs which people should hear.»

http://www1.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=4928&cat=3

http://i-reggae.blogspot.com/2010/02/after-10-years-king-sizzla-finally-made.html

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100227-89.pdf

G) On 1 April 2010 in South Africa, Sizzla declared: Mail & Guardian (0’58): “... What do you think about South Africa’s Constitution [which protects LGBT people’s rights]? In your lyrics sometimes you speak about homosexuality, and… you don’t seem to be a big fan of it, and some people have actually called you homophobic.” - Sizzla (1’16): “Well I speak the truth and it will cost what it will. Here is the right and the wrong and [some people will] continue to do the wrong still. Constitution is for the leadership of the people and I do believe the people should be led in the ways of the Most-High, the principles of the Most-High, and we as African people, Black people, we are spiritual people. We are of the Bible. And there is principles of the Bible that we do abide by. So… if the Constitution in South Africa gives authority for homosexuals and lesbians… Well, it is from those who are ruling but I think it will be way aware to step away from the principles of the Most-High and leading the people because we see homosexuals and lesbians as corruption. So… I’m not criticize but just speak the truth… I’m not with homosexuals and lesbians. I think it is really corrupted and it’s corrupting our youth after day… and it’s… stepping from the part… we… of life… of the right justice...”

http://www.mg.co.za/multimedia/2010-03-31-rhetorical-rasta

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100401-89.pdf

English translation of this French original text. In the event of any differences between the English translation and the French original, the French text shall prevail. Translated by T. E

NY-Based Co-Founder of J-FLAG sees no need for same sex-marriage,

“Breaking the Sexual Silence” at UWI opens dialogue on Gays & Lesbians
Oonya Kempadoo & Thomas Glave at the Arts Lecture Theatre, UWI

Ok, so my Bajan and yard readers drew me to this some time ago and are mad I didn't highlight it before so here it is.

You readers yuh see? hmph,

I accede to your demands, (smile), peace and love.

Noted author and Professor Thomas Glave participated in a discussion forum at the University of The West Indies lecture theatre in June of 2010, The panel was very broad-based, it included Oonya Kempadoo, she’s a British-Guyanese author who did the very popular “Buxton Spice,” and Professor Jane Bryce of the LLS reveled to the audience what Oonya may well be undertaking before the year is through.




Mr. Glave on his feet - Facebook comments ranged from accusing the St Augustine Campus to being a haven for homosexuality while others indicated that love and all its differences should be respected.

The Binghamton University lecturer believes that the idea of marriage is a concept forced on to the world by a primarily heterosexual society and if gay couples are content then don’t marry.

In looking at the increasing phenomenon of same sex marriage, Glave also mentions how Barbados is seen by many as ‘the gay capital of the Caribbean’ with Trinidad close in rank.

Professor Glave also read an excerpt from his short story collection, “The Torturer’s Wife,” which created a stir in the audience with its use of raw language {CLICK ON FOLLOWING LINK FOR AUDIO};-

Middle-class Jamaican man from St Andrew has a crush on a fisherman from St Thomas and fantasises about sex with him – yet he considers himself not gay…

The linked items take you to audio clippings of Mr. Glave's presentation, please follow the links embeded in the photos to the original source for the full article on the discussions.

Staying Negative: How an Unexpected Antiretroviral Result Is Reshaping the Battle Against AIDS:

Success of a vaginal microbicide gel reveals how HIV-prevention strategies can emerge from progress in treatment

By Lynne Peeples

When the first positive results of a research trial for an antiretroviral-based vaginal microbicide gel were announced at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna this July, it marked a significant thinning of the line between HIV treatment and prevention. The same agents that had been designed and developed to slow the virus's proliferation within the human body now had the potential to be used to help bar it from successfully setting up shop in the first place.

The findings also suggested that the line between HIV-negative and HIV-positive might soon become much thicker, especially in the developing world, where the virus is mostly spread through heterosexual sex.

"In Africa, one in 10 girls contracts HIV by the time she's 16," notes Yasmin Halima, director for the Global Campaign for Microbicides. "But by the age of 24, one in two will have the virus. This is why these results are so very appealing."

The promising preventive gel, which cut infection rates among participating women in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal by 39 percent, contained 1 percent of the antiretroviral (ARV) medication tenofovir, the same drug commonly taken in pill form as part of a standard HIV-treatment regimen. Its apparent safety and success also bodes well for other up-and-coming ARV-based prevention therapies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

"We need a dramatic increase in the prevention agenda to get down to our goal of 1 to 1.5 million new global infections every year," says Paul De Lay, deputy executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), adding that the pandemic's annual global growth is currently stabilized at close to 3 million new infections. An estimated 22.4 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa and 3.8 million people in South and Southeast Asia currently live with the virus.

Meanwhile, the money being devoted to AIDS prevention and treatment across the world has also flatlined, forcing careful choices to ensure the "best value for our money," he says. "We can't just treat our way out of the problem. And we can't waste money on interventions that may not be valuable."

The last two decades of strikeouts in microbicide prevention studies could have put this particular strategy into question. In fact, some of the gels tested actually appeared to raise the risk of transmission. But none of these earlier options contained any active ARV drugs.

"It's been a long road, and there have been disappointments," says Halima. "But we now know a lot more about HIV. And we've been able to use that technology not only to develop very effective treatment strategies but also to help reduce the onward transmission of HIV."

"Of course, getting from a p-value in a clinical trial to a microbicide in the hands of a woman is another long journey," she notes.

To translate this breakthrough into something with real public-health impact, researchers need to confirm the findings and address a long list of new questions introduced by them: What is the best dosage and concentration? Could other ARV drugs do better? And what kind of delivery mechanism will best ensure that at-risk women actually use the preventive treatment? Although women in the trial applied the microbicide gel before and after sex, for example, a daily application or long-lasting vaginal ring might fare better.

Optimizing the gel to achieve protection for up to 70 or 80 percent of users would be ideal, notes De Lay. Additional studies will continue for at least the next couple of years. If a product could be rolled out in the developing world by 2013, he suggests it would be an "incredible accomplishment."

Meanwhile, results from ongoing PrEP studies that are evaluating the HIV protection offered by tenofovir alone and in combination with another ARV should become available in a year or two. "If it works as a gel, undoubtedly it will work as an oral drug," predicts De Lay. Subsequent production of the drug for prophylaxis would be expected to happen somewhat faster than for the gel, since it wouldn't need to be newly manufactured.

The idea of using treatment as prevention is not completely new. Keeping HIV viral loads low with early and consistent ARV treatment has a side benefit regarding transmission: people with low HIV viral loads are less likely to infect HIV-negative sexual partners or drug users.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has also been significantly reduced with ARVs. "What we're really doing is looking to see if there is a relevant way to adapt that for sexual and blood-borne transmission," says Mitchell Warren, executive director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition.

The ultimate HIV-prevention strategy might be a combination of tactics, suggests Warren. "We could think about it just like we do reproductive health and family planning," he says. "We have barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms, oral and injective contraceptives, spermicidal gels and surgical procedures."

The surgical procedure in this case would be male circumcision—another strategy that is starting to get scaled up in the developing world.

"There's never going to be a one-size-fits-all approach," adds Warren. "To achieve prevention for all, we are going to have to be very specific. For some people, PrEP is going to be critical to break the back of the epidemic; for others, it will be the gel."

A challenge to gay parenting: Children should be reared by both sexes (Observer Letter)

Dear Editor,

There are some things that, as a Christian, I find most revolting to my sensibilities. And yet I must tolerate their existence, for they exist only because God has made it possible. I also am only too painfully aware that it is within this same realm that I am who I am. This realm is the freedom of choice - a God-given right. I demand my right, who am I to deny someone else his right?

A proper constitution is predicated on these rights and freedoms. It seeks to create a framework within which we can exist as a community where we enjoy equal rights and freedoms. Laws should protect the fundamental rights of an individual to act within his God-given freedom of choice, while limiting such actions as would infringe on another person's rights. This is a function of government, not of the church, yet the church operates on much higher principles, which would often mean that it would not extend its activities to the limit of the laws of the land. Its jurisdiction extends only so far as persons choose to accept its teaching. This is as God would have it. The church's primary function is to preach the gospel for a witness. It informs the world of God's ideals and persuades people to accept. It does not seek to achieve its goals through legislation.

Unless an action can be proved to have an undesirable effect on another uninvolved individual, it should remain within the purview of the actor to decide. If knowledge of the activity comes to light, then the church may reserve the right to take what it deems as appropriate action to censure the activity, as it may be contrary to a vow the individual may have made. If the individual finds nothing wrong then he may persuade the church to change its position. If the church will not change, then the individual needs to move along and find a church that supports the activity, or start one's own congregation.

My reading of the Bible makes the practice of homosexuality wrong. It in no way supports same-sex marriage. The biblical definition of marriage is the legal union of a man and woman. Secular definitions are not required of opposite sexes for a marriage to occur. In fact, marriage has been used to describe many non-human unions. During the 1970s in Jamaica there was a high incidence of goods being married, due to severe shortages of major staple goods.

It is common knowledge that words and their definitions are like formulae that can be applied to a vast array of situations with the principle remaining the same. Of course, for each situation the implications are not necessarily the same. And while I would not lose my sleep if the word marriage is used to describe the union of two persons of the same sex, I'm concerned about the issue of children and the implications of not enjoying the benefit of being trained by both sexes. And except in the case of death, should having access to both sexes be a right of children?

Charles Evans
charock01@yahoo.com

AIDS Virus in Semen Distinctly Different than in Blood

AIDS Virus in Semen Distinctly Different than in Blood

Researchers have discovered distinct differences between the AIDS virus in semen, compared to blood. Scientists say the AIDS virus might undergo changes in the genital tract that are important to understand for preventing the spread of HIV. Rather than looking at HIV in the blood, the scientists suggest it might be more important to look at the behavior of the AIDS virus in semen.

“If everything we know about HIV is based on the virus that is in the blood, when in fact the virus in the semen can evolve to be different, it may be that we have an incomplete view of what is going on in the transmission of the virus,” said senior study author Ronald Swanstrom, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics and of microbiology and immunology at the UNC School of Medicine."

Researchers used genome sequencing to find the difference between the AIDS virus and semen and blood.

Targeting AIDS Virus in Semen Could Stop Transmission

Swanstrom says, “When we looked at sequences in the blood, we hardly found any that were the same, it was a very complex and diverse population. But when we looked in the semen, suddenly we were getting the same sequence over and over again.”

There were distinct differences between HIV in semen, compared to the AIDS virus in blood, that had to do with surface gene coding- called envelope or Env - that contain information for HIV replication. The difference between the virus in semen and blood could be significant because the researchers found HIV replication takes much longer to occur in semen versus blood.

It takes longer for T cells to replicate in the seminal tract, while several of the viruses rapidly expanded over a short period of time. Compared to blood, the AIDS virus in semen was found to be fairly homogenous, found when the researchers analyzed cytokines and chemokines that keep HIV activated.

The researchers are now exploring exactly what's really happening in semen that's different than in blood, in hopes of unraveling how HIV is transmitted. Understanding the nature of the AIDS virus in semen could lead to the ultimate goal of stopping the transmission of HIV altogether.

Submitted by Kathleen Blanchard RN

Man wins refugee status in Canada

A openly gay man who is married to his partner has won a bid for refugee status due to concerns his life may be in jeopardy if he is deported to his native Jamaica.

Marlon Cunningham, 45, who lives in Toronto, had his refugee case thrown out in September 2009 after a member of the immigration and refugee board failed to consider all the evidence at his hearing.

Cunningham filed an appeal to the Federal Court of Canada and was granted another hearing last week.

Justice Frederick Gibson said the IRB member didn’t consider information on the treatment of homosexuals in the Caribbean.

The member “erred in discounting reports of violence against homosexuals in Guyana,” Gibson said in his decision.

“The failure to consider relevant evidence would be sufficient to grant a judicial review,” he wrote.

Cunningham married a fellow Jamaican in July 2009 and is active in the Jamaican-Canadian community, court heard.

“He faces risk if returned to Jamaica,” Gibson wrote.

He said a failure to acknowledge new evidence or take it into account can lead to Cunningham facing “a personalized risk of persecution or a risk to his life.”

He faces “cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if returned to Jamaica,” the decision said.

The board has recognized that gay men and women are targeted in Jamaica.
ENDS

notes:
Some of the comments on the story's page from the Toronto Sun are not so kind however as many persons are critical of the immigration system in allowing LGBT persons refugee status.

Here are a few, please go the article for the full story plus comments:

Some comments include:

So what if he gay. He is not canadian so send him home. He knew about the treatment of "his kind" at home so too bad!!!!!!

Justified I suppose... so is the boat on its way with Tamel Tiger Terrorrists full of gay guy?
Canada..... open for whatever comes our way!

Is it only white Europeans that get grief and hassle trying to get into your country, after all we helped build your nation. Do you have to be gay or Jamican or Nigerian with a false passport or have HIV. There is thousands of skilled Europeans and law abiding immigrants trying to get to Canada but get treated like shit. After what happened with the Nigerian your immigration people should have been sacked, i wonder when the next innocent person gets killed because of your ass-holes in immigration!

Another shining example of our immigration system. Good thing the feds have tons of money to spend on scum like this. Canada is the sucker country of the world and every freak or criminal in the world knows it. How very Canadian.
Well, I guess the feds with have to give the queers a bit more money for queer fest next year now that there is one more. Just an absolute joke when there is so many deserving people all over the world who would love to come here and be part of Canada but you have to be queer or better still a Chinese thug to be allowed here.
Just another low class Jamician to come here and live off welfare and then kill someone and go to jail.

Canada. Door mat and Dumping ground for the world. You Canadians are mugs. Really mugs.

What a pile of bull sheet. They have got to be kidding. No wonder the refugee system is so screwed. So are we, we pay for this type of crap. This should be appealed, big time, and this scam artist held in detention until a decision is made.

If you are critical of Canadas immigration system, fine. If you fell like people abuse the refugee process, that's ok too. If you're upset about crime commited by Jamaicans in Canada, that's certainly an issue. But you cant use those reasons to pretend like Gays aren't spefically targeted, including by law enforcement. One imbecile said "Feb 1 2008 was the last reported incident involving homosexual prejudice". Did this fool know that homosexual acts are ILLEGAL in Jamaica, and punishable with prison sentances, and hard labor? You don't consider THAT homosexual prejudice?? You see, when people have to lie to make their point, it is because the truth won't suffice..........

So if I understand this, the The member “erred in discounting reports of violence against homosexuals in Guyana?" Wasn't this about a Jamaican refugee? He's born in Jamaica. What the hell does Guyana have to do with it? Perhaps the member erred in discounting reports of violence against homosexuals in Iran or any other country this guy doesn't live in. Sounds like someone was looking for any excuse to toss out Immigrations decision doesn't it. Hey,.....I want an inquiry!

You must be kidding. Now we are providing refugee status to a gay Jamaican?
Who will stop this madness?
Who will return the common sense to our Gov't?
He was gay before he got here. He was not the only gay man in Jamaica.
They may not be as "progressive" as Canada but why should that be a basis for allowing refugee status?
I just shake my head and wonder about who makes these dumbass decisions.
If he is not comfortable being gay in Jamaica, then apply to enter another country legally.
Canada must stop being the pasty of the international community.
Oh well, lets get ready for the ship of Sri Lankans off B.C.'s coast. Bet all will claim to be "gay" now.

It's the same old story claimed by every refugee trying to get into Canada; the land of milk and honey. If you send me back I will be persecuted by everyone, blah, blah, blah. How did these people manage to live 25, 30 or 40 years in seemingly robust health in a country that is now trying to kill them? It's very simple to concoct a story that can't be checked out and these applicants know this as do the lawyers and immigration consultants that coach these people. It is so simple to beat Canadian refugee laws these people just chuckle in disbelief. With our lax refugee system and people knowing they won't be turned away, who can blame them? A sucker is born every minute and thy name is Canada. Wait, the boat from Sri Lanka, everyone gets in.

"Dudley Do Right"....your an idiot. I bet you're some white idiot making an ignorant comment based on CRAP!!! Have you been to Jamaica? Have you seen first-hand how openly gay individuals are treated? I BET NOT!!! I HAD A FRIEND MURDERED IN DEC 09. House was set a blaze, tormented for months as he walked down the street, death threats to family......so please if your going to comment on anything...KNOW THAT FACTS!! HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT ACCEPTED IN JAMAICA!! And the reason you don't hear about it is because it's not something they are going to broadcast to the media. Please tell me a story where you've heard of gay men being murdered in Toronto at the same rate as Jamaicans!!!!

Dudley Do Right originally commented -
What insanity! Our Immigration and Refugee Systems are totally broken. There is as much chance for a homosexual to experience violence in Jamaica as there is in Canada. The last reported attempt at violence in Jamaica, against homosexuals, occured February 1, 2008, where nobody got hurt except for their feelings.
Don't judges look up this information or do they just believe the word of the proponent for the refugee claim?

More comments from the piece go HERE

As for me I am not particularly interested in simply running away from Jamaica because someone makes a threat at me or even worse, we going to have to make up our minds, I have been outed publicly several years ago and even threatened several times but I chose not run down the underground railroad as an excuse to lef yaad. There is nowhere like home even if it is problematic but tell me where in world isn't?
One can live it down and come back again, I am living proof of that, I guess it's how mentally strong one is as well, so much so that I learnt over the years that many who hit out are merely hiding behind active homophobia their own struggle with their sexuality and percieved notions about male homosexuality in our context, so one hits out publicly then practices privately.

(trust mi, a nuff a dat a gwaan)

Over the years though many clients (JFLAG years) and friends I know leave mainly due to feeling a sense of security elsewhere and the cause of justice and equality is far more balanced than our jurisdiction has offered over the history of this nation although attitudes are painstakingly slow in changing. Of course where death threats are present in some cases the consideration is understandably stronger to relocate or sometimes they do not second guess to grasp the opportunity.

No offence to those who chose to leave and taking into account the differing views contending I do not see a reason to at this time to leave no matter what, stay the course and live it out to the end I say, not run away to someone else's country to face the kind of commentry as seen above, remember there are homophobes there too. Who will stay and fight, this issue of staying or leaving Jamaica because of homophobia and related issues has always had rigid a split with some persons otping to even go the route of martyrdom if required though that group is in the minority, there are however strong views on both sides.

Besides there aren't good men like a yaad men out there comically said by many as well who use that as a reason to stay. To each his own eh?

Peace and tolerance.

H

Sizzla Concert Cancelled in France ..................

JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM TJENBÉ RÈD | COULEURS GAIES

(LGBT CENTRE METZ)

Fort-de-France - Metz, Thursday 19 August 2010
Press release No.TR10INT11B
_

Sizzla was supposed to appear at Palavàs-les-Flots (South of France) the 21st of August. In 1998, this singer of Jamaican Reggae-Dancehall called for «burn the Whites in Jamaica», following his crooning in 2001 to «shoot queers, my big gun goes boom». He signed the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA) on 15 April 2007, which was supposed to put an end to these lyrics. However, he later showed no intention of respecting it and performed «Nah Apologize».


In a communiqué of 5 August 2010

[1], four human rights organizations in France and UK suggested to human rights organizations in South of France that they should, in particular, open up a dialogue with Sizzla’s fans. This dialogue will not now take place as we learned from the local newspaper Midi Libre (Wednesday 18 August)

[2] that the organizers of the concert scheduled for the 21st have decided to cancel it. We were sorry to note on this occasion that Midi Libre had asserted that «Sizzla has never been found in default» after having signed the RCA. In fact, he increased his public homophobic utterances between June and December 2007.

Sizzla is still scheduled to appear at the Élysée Montmartre on Friday 24 September 2010 at 19:00hrs. Just for the record, this venue happened to host the Que Fuerte Paris Gaypride Party on 26 June this year.

We once again demand that those singers highlighted by the international Stop Murder Music campaign (of which Tjenbé Rèd is a coordinator in France) should sign and respect the RCA. These include Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Capleton, Elephant Man, Sizzla, TOK and Vybz Kartel as well as Mavado, Dr Evil and Leftside.


Pour Tjenbé Rèd

(Association afro-caribéenne de lutte contre les homophobies, les racismes & le sida),

le président, David AUERBACH CHIFFRIN

contact@tjenbered.fr - +596 6 96 05 24 55 - +33 6 10 55 63 60

English translation of this French original text. In the event of any differences between the English translation and the French original, the French text shall prevail. Translated by T. E.

19 août 2010 - Campagne Stop Murder Music - Un concert du chanteur homophobe Sizzla annulé - Communiqué commun Tjenbé Rèd | Couleurs gaies (Centre LGBT Metz) - Communiqué de presse n°TR10INT11B

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-00.pdf [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-09.pdf [en]

_

[1] 5 August 2010 - Stop Murder Music Campain - Sizzla in France: «Shoot queers»?! (Signatories send out an alert to human rights organisations in Languedoc-Roussillon) - Joint press release from OutRage! (London), Tjenbé Rèd, Girofard (Bordeaux LGBT Centre), Couleurs gaies (Metz LGBT Centre) - Press release No. TR10INT11

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-00.pdf [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-09.pdf [en]

[2] 18 août 2010 - Midi libre - Les lobbies gays font annuler le concert

http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2010/08/18/MONTPELLIER-Les-lobbies-gays-font-annuler-le-concert-1349680.php5

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100818-99.pdf

Questions on New Zealand's decriminalising buggery & MSM experience (Observer Letter) ......

Dear Editor,

In his letter of August 17, Mr Maurice Tomlinson berated Mrs Betty Ann Blaine for suggesting a link between family life and abstinence education and control of HIV/AIDS.

He then urged emulation of the New Zealand approach of decriminalising buggery for control of HIV, claiming that there were only 19 new cases of HIV in New Zealand, in 2009.

In contrast, data from the AIDS Epidemiology Group, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin in New Zealand published on the New Zealand Ministry of Health website, indicate that "151 people were diagnosed with HIV through antibody testing in 2009".

This figure is down from an all-time high of 183 in 2008, but the group claims that "it is too soon to determine if there is a definite downward trend in diagnosis".

The data also indicate that men who have sex with men (MSM) are the most affected group, that the number of new cases among MSM was similar to what obtained in 2006, 2007 and that new cases continue to occur among MSM.

New Zealand decriminalised buggery in 1986 and the age of consent for homosexuals is the same as that for heterosexuals - 16 years.

Why are most cases of HIV in New Zealand occurring among MSM?

What explains the peak in the diagnosis of cases of HIV among MSM in New Zealand 23 years after the legalisation of homosexuality?

W West
wayne_west@hotmail.com
ENDS

My two cents:
If the data presented by the letter writer Mr. Wayne West is so then the questions posed have some merit but then again I am a bit tired of seeing the letters by the named Maurice Tomlinson of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, AIDSFREEWORLD and by extension JFLAG. I frankly think we are beating a dying horse in this matter of using HIV/AIDS infection patterns and sexual practices to request the possible decriminalization of the Buggery Law and similar legislation.

Yes certain cultural practices, homophobia and stigma over the years may have driven some persons underground in accessing treatment (I am no expert but my little experience has taught me much) but Jamaica's position overall towards male homosexuality has certainly evolved although it needs far more growth in terms of tolerance and visibility of gays as stereotypical as that sounds. Many MSMs for example can indeed access services in some public health centres as the staff in some of these facilities have been sensitized to a certain extent but the cultural mores supersede the need to perform professionally thus impeding services to this group.

I do not believe that it is just the social stigma attached to male homosexuality in as far as the health sector that is of major concern but the classism, hypocrisy and clandestine sexual practices of homosexuals themselves coupled with our problems associated with hyper masculine identities from society's definition of manhood, deep eh? but frankly speaking it's an identity crisis as well that eventually causes the infection rates to be where they are in the local context, the last check was in 2007 by the Ministry of Health was 31% despite sustained prevention messages both from the mainstream ad campaigns and targeted interventions in the MSM community from NGOs such as Jamaica AIDS Support for Life. That could be one of the answers to Mr. West's question as to why the infections are so high in the MSM community?

Obviously the opposers to LGBT rights generally are also not buying this line of argument to decriminalise buggery from an HIV standpoint either and have become very cynical to the tone or positions presented by folks like Mr. Tomlinson and other HIV/AIDS - LGBT advocates, these days there isn't a clear demarcation between them adding more cynicism from the christian right movement. We have been lazy as LGBT advocates over the years in properly advocating for said rights with better arguments to include privacy, present social practices and attitudes probably in fear of exposing taboos and other uncomfortable information that may disturb the public's peace. I include myself here because I was apart of it but one is usually blind to certain things when caught up in bureaucracy.

The arguments for example about so called homophobic killings over the years have been dishonest ones as well, not to discount the value of the lifes of those deceased who have been murdered but they were known intimately in most instances to their killers, a fact we have yet to publicly acknowledge as an LGBT community then we wonder why the public doesn't budge on the hard lined positions taken towards male homosexuality and the attendant homophobia this is outside of the ignorance and down low facade that is also played out in our homophobic experiences nationwide.

I believe the public will accept truth no matter how stinging or uncomfortable it may be.

Let us reflect on this letter though and the other points associated with this.

Peace and tolerance.

H