Harlow's, a restaurant and nightclub featuring live music, cancelled a similar performance by CAPLETON last year over similar concerns from the gay community. But not this time, "We've never censored anyone else; any other artist before. I don't see a reason to do so now.
Never in the history of booking the shows have we censored anyone because of their lyrics and what not. So, we're sticking to our guns on this," says Victor Torza, one of the managers of this family owned business.
"Harlow's breeds hate!" across the street from Harlow's a crowd of three dozen protestors made sure CAPLETON fans heard their message. "There's a man in there that's doing comedy against gay people and the thinks that it's funny and he doesn't care" says protestor Erin Lawrence.
But those on the front lines of the gay movement have more serious concerns; concerns that words will lead to violence. "We've had a lot of suicides; youth suicides because of hate speech that kids are inundated with sometimes" says Ken Pierce of Equality Action NOW, a gay rights organization.
According to published reports CAPLETON is opposed to homosexuality; it's a Rastafarian religious belief. But CAPLETON'S manager claims critics have mistranslated his lyrics. Outside Harlow's fans of the reggae artist were either unaware or unimpressed by the protest, "So many things in this world are wrong in the world, really. People starving, there are so many other issues that I would probably be a more a part of in protest" says Desiree W.
When Harlow's cancelled CAPLETON in 2009, it was the first time the in the long history of the nightclub that management had pulled an act off the stage. "Do you regret cancelling him last year?" asked FOX40's John Lobertini.
"Harlow's breeds hate!" across the street from Harlow's a crowd of three dozen protestors made sure CAPLETON fans heard their message. "There's a man in there that's doing comedy against gay people and the thinks that it's funny and he doesn't care" says protestor Erin Lawrence.
But those on the front lines of the gay movement have more serious concerns; concerns that words will lead to violence. "We've had a lot of suicides; youth suicides because of hate speech that kids are inundated with sometimes" says Ken Pierce of Equality Action NOW, a gay rights organization.
According to published reports CAPLETON is opposed to homosexuality; it's a Rastafarian religious belief. But CAPLETON'S manager claims critics have mistranslated his lyrics. Outside Harlow's fans of the reggae artist were either unaware or unimpressed by the protest, "So many things in this world are wrong in the world, really. People starving, there are so many other issues that I would probably be a more a part of in protest" says Desiree W.
When Harlow's cancelled CAPLETON in 2009, it was the first time the in the long history of the nightclub that management had pulled an act off the stage. "Do you regret cancelling him last year?" asked FOX40's John Lobertini.
"I don't regret anything at this point now," says Victor Tarza, "There's enough people who want to come out and see it and support it. So, we're going to go and go with it."
For his part CAPLETON extended an Olive Branch to his critics. Since last year's controversy he has signed a pact with other reggae artists promising to stop so-called "Murder Music."
For his part CAPLETON extended an Olive Branch to his critics. Since last year's controversy he has signed a pact with other reggae artists promising to stop so-called "Murder Music."
Some more notes:
The struggle continues however artistes need to understand that they are responsible for what is spoken out of their mouths even years after as it is a permanent record of their legacy especially in today's digital age as things do not die so easily. One of the best ways I see in dealing with this issue is artists such as Capleton, Sizzla and Buju Banton who have anti gay songs in their repertoire advocating death for LGBTQI people when on the face of it in a religion that proports peace and love in its teaching is to withdraw the tunes from the public domain and disassociate themselves entirely from such materials. Given the macho-ism and grandstanding that accompanies dancehall music no artist is going to simply do that as to do so would be to capitulate or "bow to battyman" which is unacceptable to the masses on the ground who are their fans.
Vybz Kartel is feeling some heat for allegedly signing a "battyman contract" as interpreted by his detractors and rivals from other DJ camps but he will ride that out soon I feel as his popularity is on a high now so that will act as some immunity to the backlash. He had signed the Reggae Compassionate document in France in order to perform there recently.
Watch and see where all this goes folks.
Peace and tolerance.
H
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