First let's me address the foolishness on whether flags exist for heterosexuals, yes they actually do exist but if our hetero brethren are so used to their comfortable privilege then they would not understand our struggle hence our reference to the rainbow flag.
Heterosexual flags #1 & 2
Hetero- romantic flag
the meanings of the rainbow colours
As the aftermath of the latest round of national ignorance laden homophobic uproar over a simple rainbow flag being flown on an embassy’s property continue, the usual spike as expected presents itself in incident outcomes outside of the vitriol and social media storms. Whenever there are major homophobic laced public discourse there seems to be either said discourse act as a catalyst to some negative event such as verbal abuse at least to forced evictions or worse. This year already without the flag controversy looks worrying to me but not surprising as I have seen this cycle before as in the aftermath of Brian Willimanson’s murder where there was almost a national celebration of his death given he was the face of LGBT visibility and also the murder of Ambassador Peter King; rumours of tapes with celebrities and himself having sex.
Several attacks were as a clear result of that case as some persons based on the narrative obtained in reports from victims the justification implied is if he as an uptowner homosexual he was killed then others on the lower totem pole also deserve it. (Un) confirmed reports have been coming to hand since this latest national homo-negative round and two such reports have to come hand with one forced eviction in St Catherine of an unemployed man in his twenties and who was given an ultimatum to find somewhere to go or find a man and a near miss altercation of a cruiser who nearly got caught. In finding a man it implies that homosexual liaisons involve some financial or lifestyle improvement rewards, stemming from an older homo-negative belief of paedophile or predatory intent similar to the misogynistic driven predatory intent of men on teenage girls.
The relationship with the young man and his mother had been deteriorating for a while as he had graduated from a skills training institution he had not picked up a job as his mother expected or thought such an achievement would be automatic. Then there were the proverbial inquiries about a girlfriend and why he has not shown any interest in the local community females as the other young male adults; an expectation that some parents or siblings put enormous pressure to fulfill as a marker of becoming or being a real man. Repeated arguments, occasional deliberate absence from the house just to avoid said clashes, calls and text messages from other family either condemning him or asking what is happening with him, this of course coming from the strength of his mother telling them the issues.
The rainbow flag controversy came into play it seems as it unfolded and his mother reacted to the hoisting of it on the US Embassy property at Hope Road as “the gay dem too bright wid it” in other words the gays are too barefaced, a sentiment that had come to hand repeatedly almost everywhere one goes. I encountered similar sentiments at a local community shop where I live, what as interesting however was when someone in the gathering of mostly men suggested that if they passed the embassy and saw the flag and the meaning was not made public would they know if it were a gay flag? Many said no. Which was very interesting to me; just a simple yet misguided tweet from a person who ought to know better sent the entire nation into frenzy when more important issues require attending to. Bearing in mind our justice system needs so much improvement but the Attorney General finds time to make stupid tweets.
Several attacks were as a clear result of that case as some persons based on the narrative obtained in reports from victims the justification implied is if he as an uptowner homosexual he was killed then others on the lower totem pole also deserve it. (Un) confirmed reports have been coming to hand since this latest national homo-negative round and two such reports have to come hand with one forced eviction in St Catherine of an unemployed man in his twenties and who was given an ultimatum to find somewhere to go or find a man and a near miss altercation of a cruiser who nearly got caught. In finding a man it implies that homosexual liaisons involve some financial or lifestyle improvement rewards, stemming from an older homo-negative belief of paedophile or predatory intent similar to the misogynistic driven predatory intent of men on teenage girls.
The relationship with the young man and his mother had been deteriorating for a while as he had graduated from a skills training institution he had not picked up a job as his mother expected or thought such an achievement would be automatic. Then there were the proverbial inquiries about a girlfriend and why he has not shown any interest in the local community females as the other young male adults; an expectation that some parents or siblings put enormous pressure to fulfill as a marker of becoming or being a real man. Repeated arguments, occasional deliberate absence from the house just to avoid said clashes, calls and text messages from other family either condemning him or asking what is happening with him, this of course coming from the strength of his mother telling them the issues.
Gleaner's Lasmay takes a bite at the issue
The rainbow flag controversy came into play it seems as it unfolded and his mother reacted to the hoisting of it on the US Embassy property at Hope Road as “the gay dem too bright wid it” in other words the gays are too barefaced, a sentiment that had come to hand repeatedly almost everywhere one goes. I encountered similar sentiments at a local community shop where I live, what as interesting however was when someone in the gathering of mostly men suggested that if they passed the embassy and saw the flag and the meaning was not made public would they know if it were a gay flag? Many said no. Which was very interesting to me; just a simple yet misguided tweet from a person who ought to know better sent the entire nation into frenzy when more important issues require attending to. Bearing in mind our justice system needs so much improvement but the Attorney General finds time to make stupid tweets.
I suggested to him as he is staying with someone with a steady internet connection he should try to get some cash and enroll in the business processing outsourcing, BPO sector, they have been some active recruitment with prior paid registration and training with headphones to work from home. The pay is not all that hot as low as $280/hr but it can be a start to make himself a little financially stable; also he can regulate his own work hours so long as he makes the standard forty hour work week. The initial cost though is some $15,000 dependent on the items included in the engagement as online training and support if included is what spikes the amount.
The second case had a narrative of opposition to the rainbow flag hoisting matter in Kingston as a cruiser who got himself into some trouble navigating a space and an intended target he was going after for a quickie. In Kingston the man in his early forties and who is a good buddy of mine told me of his ordeal by phone. The incident occurred on June 18, 2016 around 6 am; a time for excellent ‘hunting’ for a good hookup as men on the prowl whether they identify as gay or not. The 40+ cruiser made an error in judgement and was almost caught by a man who was urinating nearby at a wall; the urinating man made an alarm to which other men nearby who were sitting in a truck joined the pursuit. The cruising communities or sections of it has been having its fair share of challenges including the usual loss of space, internal clashes and inter MSM community clashes as well.
The argument from the truck men and ‘urinator’ (well endowed and all) was the usual anti gay ‘fire burn’ rhetoric was evident but the men then added as part of their justified scorn is the supposed outwardness of the raising or flying of a rainbow flag in public, which is so ridiculous to me. Fear is really the enemy to contend with in changing hearts and minds but will we ever see real and profound tolerance in this lifetime is a question that has been on my mind in recent times. What is even worse is when the nonsense is supported by prominent persons who one would think ought to know better such as Ronnie Thwaites who claimed the flag is a grooming tool for children to essentially accept “a particular lifestyle.”
Other reverends and politicians have been hopping on the matter to get their five minutes of fame I suppose, especially those on the opposition side, they seem to want us to forget that the suggested (promised) conscience vote did not materialize under their time in office yet they come out blasting the Attorney General for her tweet while others such as Damion Crawford clashed with the US consulate representative Jeffrey Polacheck who is to me too soft but he shakily held his ground. Crawford claimed he agreed that the rainbow flag was a political statement but what is so annoying to me that whether or not it was a hate crime or a misguided struggling gay/bi man who snapped that caused the shooting the victims were LGBT as far as we know it, therefore it would seem to me that the rainbow flag would be appropriate and more so since the US embassy or any embassy is considered foreign soil representing the country’s flag it flies. It is not as if the flag will remain forever and the tempers that have flared do not do so when Jamaicans are killed. Where is the outrage for other daily atrocities?
As other confirmed cases come to light they will be mad known and as always be vigilant, be safe.
Peace & tolerance
H
also see:
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