see such as :
Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel call out Jamaican government...............
but after hearing the sometimes disastrous segmented interview on nationwide radio last evening hosted by Cliff Hughes and George Davis and dying from the stitches from laughter upon hearing Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica wiping the floor with the ED of JFLAG after he joined the extended discussion which showed up the major flaws in the public agitation and crisis communication some of us had been trying to bring to bear I decided to weigh in just a little with this article excerpted from the Star News below.
Reggae recording artiste Queen Ifrica has defended herself against statements made in a press release by the The Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) in which they expressed disappointment over anti-gay statements she said at the Grand Gala on Tuesday.
During Queen Ifrica's performance, statements glorifying male straightness, heterosexual marriage and the legalisation of marijuana were among those addressed during her set on stage.
The group stated in the release that her sentiments are an example of the constant prejudice that is being allowed to take prominence on the national stage. They also stated that the remarks she made bears some resemblance to statements fellow reggae recording artiste Tony Rebel made at the same event last year.
In responding to the statement issued by the lobby group, Queen Ifrica explained that she merely expressed what she had believed in, and that it was unfair for them to make her into a villain.
"Like myself, I think they are exercising their right to speak for what they believe in. However, I think it is unfair for them to incriminate me when there is no incrimination there. I simply spoke for what I believed in. They should simply speak from what they believe in but not try to tarnish my character in the process," she said.
"I never caused the beheading of anyone. If I did then there would be a problem. Until a member of the gay community can give birth from their union they should not be abrasive to heterosexuals, because they came from that union," she said.
Executive Director of J-FLAG, Dane Lewis, expressed that the use of the word 'vitriolic' in the release to describe Tony Rebel's sentiments last year was harsh but the group stood by their comments, noting Queen Ifrica's statements to be inappropriate and devoid of diplomacy.
Tony Rebel also weighed in on the matter, stating that what Queen Ifrica said was not inappropriate nor was it offensive.
"It was not offensive, it was not, it was kindly put together. She could have said it a million different ways. It was very kind," he said.
The Culture Ministry has released a statement expressing regret that the Grand Gala stage was used by reggae artiste Queen Ifrica as a platform to express anti-gay comments.
According to the Ministry, it is now reviewing the system of contractual engagement of artistes and suppliers for national events as well as improving quality control to ensure there is no recurrence.
SEE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
The Ministry of Youth and Culture expresses our regret that the Grand Gala stage was used by one artiste, Queen Ifrica as a platform to express her personal opinions and views on matters that may be considered controversial, rather than to perform in the agreed scripted and rehearsed manner consistent with the thematic production.
Furthermore, the comments by the artiste were inappropriate in the setting of a national, state-funded event with more than 20,000 persons, including children, who were in the National Stadium and thousands more watching on television and online.
Queen Ifrica was selected to be a part of the production because of her usually conscious lyrics as a reggae artiste.
There were prior discussions with all artistes about the expectation required of them during the show.
The Grand Gala was an opportunity for celebration through the artistic display of the performing arts as a vehicle to help the nation reflect not just on the many hurdles we have overcome as a nation, but also to reinforce the value of coexistence, unity and respect for one another as part of a cultural revolution in the nation.
The Ministry of Youth and Culture sought to produce and execute a Grand Gala show that traced our rich history and culture while charting the future of Jamaica as the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.
Artistes were therefore selected based on their ability to authentically recount and portray the various phases and periods of the “Emancipendence” journey of Jamaica.
The Ministry is reviewing the system of contractual engagement of artistes and suppliers for national events as well as improving quality control to ensure there is no recurrence.
UPDATE Added August 24, 2013
The matter of appropriateness of the space to express the hetero-sexist sentiments by Tony Rebel last year and now Queen Ifrica this year maybe were valid in a sense as she was reported as saying (as I did not see it) "weh the man dem weh love woman" "woman and man we say" "no gays round here" "man to woman me say" "weh the straight people them deh" (in English where are the men around here who love women, women and men we say together, where are the straight people?) but JFLAG went too far in my view when they described the expression as vitriolic with the usual elitist tinged tone and when confronted on the airwaves Mr Dane Lewis just crumpled on live radio, dumbfounded at intervals with no clear answer to the questions posed by Tony Rebel for the most part and the self declared Umpire host Cliff Hughes walking between the raindrops; it was embarrassing and disgusting frankly in some parts wit Tony literally laughing at the statement and the supposed over intellectualization making reggae artists to be lesser than the urbane academics in the LGBT lobby, the deception they have been accused of by generalizing on artistes etc was exposed right there with thousands listening and to think the previous press release did the damage that Tony and Ifrica complained of in public but he wants to apologize in private in a face to face meeting!
What also was made very clear several times over in the interview was the perception by some as expressed by Queen Ifrica that the agency has neglected the least amongst us namely the homeless MSM as she hinted to her own encounter with MSM and men introduced to homosexuality as it were via abuse by older men. She mentioned her work with the late Heather Little White and female commercial sex workers and male displacees. The controversial UNICEF rejection on Queen Ifrica as spokesperson for a project they had where she lamented that just when she was about to sign on to the project someone from JFLAG basically blocker her presence hence she was asked to keep it quiet and out of the public domain. Interesting that it took this interview to reveal these things. A meeting was called for the parties to discuss the issue but both sides held off it seems. Once again I am left to contend with poor public representation via radio to describe Tony Rebel's rant last year as vitriol is one thing but not able to substantiate it when Dane Lewis nominated himself for the interview which he could have declined. Lest we forget it was not the comment on stage about heterosexual marriage but the other remarks that followed that riled up the audience in the stadium at the grand gala.
Reggae recording artiste Queen Ifrica has defended herself against statements made in a press release by the The Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) in which they expressed disappointment over anti-gay statements she said at the Grand Gala on Tuesday.
During Queen Ifrica's performance, statements glorifying male straightness, heterosexual marriage and the legalisation of marijuana were among those addressed during her set on stage.
The group stated in the release that her sentiments are an example of the constant prejudice that is being allowed to take prominence on the national stage. They also stated that the remarks she made bears some resemblance to statements fellow reggae recording artiste Tony Rebel made at the same event last year.
In responding to the statement issued by the lobby group, Queen Ifrica explained that she merely expressed what she had believed in, and that it was unfair for them to make her into a villain.
"Like myself, I think they are exercising their right to speak for what they believe in. However, I think it is unfair for them to incriminate me when there is no incrimination there. I simply spoke for what I believed in. They should simply speak from what they believe in but not try to tarnish my character in the process," she said.
"I never caused the beheading of anyone. If I did then there would be a problem. Until a member of the gay community can give birth from their union they should not be abrasive to heterosexuals, because they came from that union," she said.
Executive Director of J-FLAG, Dane Lewis, expressed that the use of the word 'vitriolic' in the release to describe Tony Rebel's sentiments last year was harsh but the group stood by their comments, noting Queen Ifrica's statements to be inappropriate and devoid of diplomacy.
Tony Rebel also weighed in on the matter, stating that what Queen Ifrica said was not inappropriate nor was it offensive.
"It was not offensive, it was not, it was kindly put together. She could have said it a million different ways. It was very kind," he said.
ENDS
Culture Minister Regrets Queen Ifrica's Gala Gay Comments
The Culture Ministry has released a statement expressing regret that the Grand Gala stage was used by reggae artiste Queen Ifrica as a platform to express anti-gay comments.
According to the Ministry, it is now reviewing the system of contractual engagement of artistes and suppliers for national events as well as improving quality control to ensure there is no recurrence.
SEE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
The Ministry of Youth and Culture expresses our regret that the Grand Gala stage was used by one artiste, Queen Ifrica as a platform to express her personal opinions and views on matters that may be considered controversial, rather than to perform in the agreed scripted and rehearsed manner consistent with the thematic production.
Furthermore, the comments by the artiste were inappropriate in the setting of a national, state-funded event with more than 20,000 persons, including children, who were in the National Stadium and thousands more watching on television and online.
Queen Ifrica was selected to be a part of the production because of her usually conscious lyrics as a reggae artiste.
There were prior discussions with all artistes about the expectation required of them during the show.
The Grand Gala was an opportunity for celebration through the artistic display of the performing arts as a vehicle to help the nation reflect not just on the many hurdles we have overcome as a nation, but also to reinforce the value of coexistence, unity and respect for one another as part of a cultural revolution in the nation.
The Ministry of Youth and Culture sought to produce and execute a Grand Gala show that traced our rich history and culture while charting the future of Jamaica as the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.
Artistes were therefore selected based on their ability to authentically recount and portray the various phases and periods of the “Emancipendence” journey of Jamaica.
The Ministry is reviewing the system of contractual engagement of artistes and suppliers for national events as well as improving quality control to ensure there is no recurrence.
UPDATE Added August 24, 2013
H
.mkv_000108708.jpg){kind=spacer}
.mkv_000109059.jpg){kind=spacer}
.mkv_000113988.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg)
+(Light).jpg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment