The Gleaner Editorial to Anti Gay Group - In Whose CAUSE?

So at least the Gleaner has been slowly redeeming itself via its editorials maybe written by external persons but a so called set of senior staff writers seem to prefer to dive into the realm of tabloid journalism, walk out of press conferences(as the material do not suit them) and near inciting of attacks of LGBT persons while seeking to discredit the crisis communication arm of the struggle and the incident listings over the years.

The Press Association of Jamaica, PAJ released a short statement on the matter of the press conference of CVCC as well:

In light of the current public discussion surrounding the press conference convened last week by the Caribbean Coalition of Vulnerable Communities, the Press Association of Jamaica wishes to state:

1. The role of the journalist is to ask questions and seek answers on behalf of the public and to pursue the sole agenda of getting to the truth.

2. It is expected that journalists will always be respectful in the conduct of their duties as we equally demand the respect of the people we interact with on a daily basis.

3. The press is the voice of the people and cannot be shut up or shut down at will in any democracy, regardless of threats, condescending tones, remarks or any other means to belittle or denigrate.

4. The PAJ is urging journalists to operate by the agreed Code of Practice at all times as we continue the quest to serve the public.

ENDS

Truth be told there are some crisis cases that have been kept alive by mainstream media that cannot stand up to scrutiny from now till eternity such as the Peter King, Brian Williamson or even the last one Bebe Stevenson matters as those have been deemed more on the line of exploitive cases and other extraordinary circumstantial causations but it does not mean that there are not genuine homophobic cases leading to serious injuries or casualties.

Here is the Gleaner's editorial firstly:

As last Sunday's anti-gay rally organised by evangelical Christians confirmed, Brendan Bain's sacking by the University of the West Indies, and its supposed implication for free speech, was merely a springboard for something more significant: the fundamentalists are continuing their transformation into a formidable political movement.

An estimated 25,000 people turned up at the rally - a number of which none of the Jamaica's political parties would be unmindful. In that context, a significant, if under-reported, message of the rally was the call for evangelicals to get themselves on the voters' register and thereby be in a position to vote in the next general election. For now, the policies they want to influence are those related to gay rights, or more specifically the retention of the law against buggery, which is the basis for the illegality of male homosexuality.

"As the church and citizens go to vote, that (any policy to remove the buggery regulations) would certainly be one of the issues that would be considered," explained Stevenson Samuels of the New Testament Church of God and the leader of the evangelically grounded group called Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation (CAUSE).

But gay rights are hardly the boundary of their concern. In fact, many of the persons who are at the centre of CAUSE previously campaigned for a restrictive law on abortion, in addition to their effort, with success, to have the Jamaica Constitution define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

So, while they may not be as politically battle-hardened as their American counterparts, they are not without experience - and apparently money to finance their activities. Nor is this foray on to the political battlefield by Jamaican Christian fundamentalists an entirely new phenomenon. In the 1970s, they spoke loudly against the perceived intention of Michael Manley's People's National Party (PNP) to turn Jamaica to communism.

irrelevant issues

The ideological issues of three and a half decades ago are no longer relevant. Today's Jamaican evangelical leadership, like their cousins in the United States, are fighting the so-called culture wars, intent on turning back a liberalism that sees same-sex sexual orientation not as a fundamental right, but as an intolerable aberration. Viewed through this prism, Professor Bain's affidavit to a Belizean court in favour of a church group seeking to maintain that country's anti-buggery law - even as he heads an HIV/AIDS health-delivery organisation whose mandate includes the elimination of stigma and discrimination against vulnerable groups - is understandable and right.

In the immediate circumstance, the posture of the fundamentalists is hostile to the PNP, which forms the government, whose leader, Portia Simpson Miller, has declared not merely tolerance, but inclusiveness towards gays. She promised a parliamentary conscience vote on the buggery law.

The Opposition wants to put the issue to a referendum, for which it has the support of CAUSE - quite understandable, given Jamaica's social and political dynamics. But even as it perceives immediate political gains from the current policy congruence with the evangelicals, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) should act with caution in engaging in an opportunist embrace with this constituency. We, in this regard, draw the JLP's attention to America Republican Party and its capture by radical fundamentalism/Tea Party movement, rendering it incapable of formulating a broad, inclusive agenda, worthy of a modern, functional state.

The opinions on the Gleaner's page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.

ENDS

Jamaica CAUSE's agenda is clear as shown in this clip from a press conference they had added to that as well is the intent to block any coverage under the Charter of Rights to protect persons from discrimination due to sexual orientation as done by their predecessors the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship under the leadership of Shirley Richards and aided by fugitive assisting integrity challenged Reverend Al Miller. 

Sadly as I have postured elsewhere the case file management systems and regular updates by the relevant agencies in this case JFLAG are much to be desired so the response is lacking in terms of bringing to bear the realities on the ground. It is indeed sad that a section of the religious community is up to this suppression of personal freedoms when they are pushing a false dichotomy of persecution of freedom of speech supposedly but after the last four weeks or so their own fear-mongering may become the beginning of their undoing sadly since hardened positions have been drawn.

also see:

Jamaica CAUSE issues Veiled threat to Govt to not Repeal The Buggery Law

Anti Gay Group Jamaica CAUSE told We're Not Into You! Gays No Threat To Straight Folk

Betty Ann Blaine Deliberately Conflates Same Gender Attraction & Child Abuse at Christian Anti Gay Mass Rally & in Public Advocacy

More Overreaction to the Jamaicans for Justice Sex Education Course & Media Senationalism

Betty Ann Blaine on Poverty, children and the Buggery Law .... and that awful confusion of homosexuality with paedophilia 2012

Hardened Positions by Religious Fanatics & Their LGBT Detractors Will Only Leave More Blood on the Floor

Anti Gay Voice & 'Child Rights' Advocate Betty-Ann Blaine Taken to Task on Public Advocacy

Why did CVCC & JFJ not Fund a Project/Home for Homeless LGBT Youth in New Kingston instead of the Children’s Home Fiasco that now obtains?

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy, government position

J-FLAG now advocating for decriminalisation of same-sex acts

Pastors Push Enumeration As Hedge Against Buggery Repeal (Gleaner July 1 2014) obviously the JFLAG change in the call to decriminalization has gone unheard deliberately or unnoticed. So much for pro-activity from our goodly advocates

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

Espeut, West says “Homophobia” was invented to abuse Christians as hate speech

Betty Ann Blaine & foreign religious zealots continue their paranoia & misrepresentations of male homosexuality

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

Spilling homosexual blood .... Observer Headline 29.11.09

Lesbians Do Have Morals 2009

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics 2014

Professor's Bain's Testimony Threatened Foreign Funding (Gleaner letter)

Lessons to learn from The Professor Bain Matter?

Anti Gay Voice & 'Child Rights' Advocate Betty-Ann Blaine Taken to Task on Public Advocacy

Ian Boyne: Bain exercised terribly poor strategic judgement

The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics to Promote Their Hysteria

Anti gay religious voices where are they? .... Pastor charged with sexual assault

'UWI had no choice but to dismiss Prof Bain' says Professor Rosemarie Bell Antoine (OAS Rapporteur)

Pro-Bain Protesters To Meet With UWI Today

Buggery the only thing that makes church butts sore?

Betty Ann Blaine on Poverty, children and the Buggery Law .... and that awful confusion of homosexuality with paedophilia

Blaine will be her own victim (Observer Letter 11.08.10)

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with more deception added

What goes on in the minds of the overly religious?

BETTY ANN BLAINE’S ARRANT NONSENSE REQUEST OF PETER KING TAPES

THAT WON’T STOP AIDS, BETTY ANN SAYS GAY LAWYER

BUY NO RINGS, YOU WON’T WED; RELIGIOUS FEAR-MONGERING ON GAY MARRIAGE & THE BUGGERY LAW CONTINUES

Comments from the PNP quarters aren't helping the situation either in some sense as there are differing views on the way forward

MP Raymond Pryce often labelled as gay gave his opinion recently at a Jamaica Observer forum.

Peace and tolerance really needed at this time as the silly season continues, hope we can ride this one out in one piece.

H