Oh to change hearts and minds

I have been taking a glance at the hardened positions on both sides pro and anti buggery law reform it is somewhat still troubling to me, and by extension homosexuality overall with male same gender loving abhorred more than anything else. Despite the fact we are in an information age with materials literally at our fingertips via smart phones and devices aptly supported by good old Google we have rampant ignorance complete with justified bliss to boot dominating the debate if not a shouting match. As the call for a full repeal of buggery which is the main issue to a call of amendments instead to cover consent and privacy there is strangely ongoing this fierce resistance. Let us recall we are coming from the days of near blacklisting on the part of media especially print, a rather more caustic environment and more violence Frankly something has to give sometime soon as we cannot continue like this; tit for tatting if you will where religious voices hang on for dear life to old beliefs and a seemingly intolerant view of intolerance by LGBT voices and advocates. We have a JFLAG that seems more about rightsizing its image more so than pushing for more sensible and meaningful forumatic discourse but what is new?

Tolerance is unfortunately still seen as acceptance, homosexuality is seen as a sin not to be forgiven and can only be addressed by some reparative or restorative type psychological therapy which we now know does not work and can and have had not so good outcomes; buggery is seen sadly not only anti gay minded folks as homosexuality but also misguidedly by so called ‘activists’ who need to be informed; other persons struggle with self acceptance after such attempts. Head strong LGBTQ advocates refuse to budge either and it is starting to appear as a battle with no end anytime soon wrapped up in arrogance with seems to be a growing turn off for some. Everyone seems intent on as the French would say pull the blanket to their side instead of listening and some of us as older operatives are becoming a little weary of it, there must come a time when sensible heads have to sit down and face off respectfully of course. It almost appears as if some folks on both sides want this to continue in perpetuity as careers ostensibly have been created and honed out of this struggle; for some folks the only thing they know is opposition ever since the buggery law reform component of the struggle became goal central.

The struggle overall feels stuck I had made similar observations in a post on the recognition of JFLAG co-founder Brian Williamson on June 9 on Gay Jamaica Watch:

I guess having been so long in it directly and indirectly and having had site of the Gay Freedom Movement archives in hours of review it may have left me with some higher expectations than average. The major turn or intersection I was expecting is not forthcoming yet, while several avenues have been missed altogether.

Even in the face of a change in the goal for law reform towards an amendment if not decriminalization which for me came too late but better late than never; anti gay voices simply refuse to budge, despite other religious allies, heterosexual allies who are out to a certain extent we have seen a disturbing caustic resistance grow right before our eyes. Maybe that has something to do with the misguided or mistaken twinning of atheism, secularism with LGBTQ rights considerations and ignorance on sexuality and homosexuality often conflated with abuse. Up to recently on Newstalk 93FM on an afternoon show one female caller claimed the buggery law should go (she is known as a PNP supporter) but went on to say no gay marriage, no adoption of children as she sees adoption elsewhere by male couples of boys in particular as a form of grooming them into gay life; such sentiments though not widespread on the face of it I imagine are well supported in parts, such as the family life component. In other words LGBT folks are not deserving of normative family life. Lest they forget gay marriage and attendant rights and recognition is happening almost everywhere else.

Added to that is the effemophobia and strong resistance to outward displays of affection such as kissing or less than masculine attitudes. It is as if the walls are closing on religiosity as the false dichotomy seems all too real for some that LGBT rights seeking is a threat to Christianity overall, when the argument is not about the existence or non existence of God.

And where oh where are the other traditional denominations especially in the face of the Pope’s adjustment finally on clerical abuse of boys by priests and his non-judgemental stance (real or not) on homosexuality while leaving on said judgement to God. The Jamaica Council of Churches, JCC seems lost in translation as they have been dithering on a specific position on the matter as recent pronouncements showed us. Despite the growing understanding of the holiness codes for the Hebrew people during the temporary time under Moses after, bear in mind in the KJV the preamble is quite clear as it reads in part:

“The book of Leviticus accordingly is a manual for priests detailing the religious rules and procedures which the priests had to observe and enforce for the covenant nation of Israel. Its historical setting is the two years Israel spent encamped at Mount Sinai; it contains no further account of Israel’s journeys from Egypt to Canaan.”

It continues:

“The fact that Moses, the author of Leviticus devoted an entire book to priestly matters shows the importance that the religious observances were to have ever afterwards for the Israelites. Christians, under the terms of Christ’s new covenant do not regard these Levitical regulations as binding, but they do obey the same God, not in the letter of the law but in the spirit of Christ.”

Yet religious voices who make the rest of the body of Christ appear out of touch and paranoid continue to use the justification in their eyes that Sodom was destroyed because of exclusively homosexuality when we know that is not so. Bearing in mind King James in whose name the most popular English translation of the Bible in 1610 is in was actually bisexual even in the face of a buggery law; pity the goody King would not have foreseen the work put in would be used as a destructive weapon hundreds of years later against LGBT people. Let us put to rest the silliness about “homosexual lifestyle” once and for all; as a phrase it is pure propaganda, a gossipy generalization and completely unworthy of a Christian who, following the counsel in Proverbs seeks understanding and insight into life and people. As Christians some will have to decide if we are going to partake of divisive “party spirit” that racked the church at Corinth or follow Christ as discerning attentive principles – to that still small voice and sharpen concerns for the ostracized instead of creating more strife.

Oh these modern day Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes who think their correctness is the be all and end all. Frankly envy of the apparent freedom of LGBT people could be called ‘freedom envy’ in my view. The role of freedom envy in the anti LGBT crusade is confirmed by the repeated and emphatic reference to “the homosexual lifestyle.” This is left a vague generality, as though it were something everyone already understands. The so called “homosexual lifestyle” is associated with a US view of homosexuality and dates back to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and stories of bath houses in places such as San Francisco; hence folks like Dr Wayne West of JCHS uses it as well to vectorise gays in his antigay advocacy or the deceptive “HIV is a gay disease ploy.” There is no such thing as a ‘homosexual lifestyle’ just as there is no such thing as “heterosexual lifestyle” heterosexual live on a “lifestyle” continuum just as homosexuals do. The continuum includes people in decades long monogamous relationships, people who live in social isolation, people who in into bar scenes etc people who move from relationship to relationship.

How can we change hearts and minds also when poorly informed self declared spokespersons who want their time in the sun grant interviews all over the place and present misinformation? One such recent article had one of the successful asylum seekers now living in the US supposedly speaking on our behalf here in Jamaica that homosexuality is illegal when that is not true. Misinformation such as that just further complicates matters effectively giving more ammunition to the very folks who oppose the push. Then we wonder why the label of LGBT voices as dishonest and liars persist; and there maybe some truth in that when it comes to certain individual advocates. Will hearts and minds on all fronts change with so much smoke in the room? I am weary of that and I am seeing a frustration of sorts coming from even tolerant voices such as Ian Boyne, one of his last well penned pieces made that clear and an earlier piece where he spoke to an intolerant view of intolerance.

Inconsistency on message is also something that concerns me, some say repeal (although the amendment route is the way) of buggery while others say decriminalize while poorly prepared and evidenced court challenges end up with less than favourable judgements.

The Belize case judgement which is due on the 27th of July as to the buggery law there and that outcome is to have some precedence setting effect on other cases if and when they are to be concluded. The local challenge almost stands in abeyance as the public defender has been blocked to be a participant as according to the justices that office can only act when a complaint is made to it and the claimant did not lodge such a complaint. Given the sensitivities involved I would have thought that in preparation of such cases loop holes are found and plugged ever so carefully. The recently released judgement on the immigration matter involving the same claimant against Belize and Trinidad is another such example or poor preparation in layman’s terms; I am not a lawyer. The thinking that the relatively new Caribbean Court of Justice, CCJ would rule on a matter of pure principle regarding the striking down of an old law on jurisdictions not allowing self declared homosexuals via ports of entry was a silly one to me. The claimant as it played out in court did not actually declare that he was gay and was expecting mere notoriety to cause the immigration officers to refuse him entry, which they did not at the time he entered.

That judgement now has concluded among other things that there was no evidence to substantiate the charges by the claimant while the snickering continues in certain quarters including LGBT ones. The claimant never actually experienced direct discrimination upon entering Trinidad so as to have good hard evidence to bring to bear; given the courts are obviously not too keen on just flying the gate as it were so all bases ought to be covered, proper examination of possibly problematic issues should have been foreseen if ever so carefully sought out. With these kinds of flip flopping and bumps how can credibility be honed and maintained so that when some speak they are not almost dismissed by the opposition? And even while the madness continues suck up politicians especially in the present parliamentary opposition who want to use the obvious fake support while they do not have the cohunes to bring to bear the amendments to the articles 76, 77 & 79 of the sexual offences bill that concerns buggery. It is as if we are to forget the fizzled suggested or promised conscience vote which as it turns out was a bait for votes from the LGBT corner given what was happening worldwide and especially in the US with gay marriage. Now comes hypocrites such as Sandrea Falconer former Information minister even as she declared homosexuality as a sin.

Changing the law is one thing but that I think is just the start as the conflation of sexual orientation albeit homosexuality and the law being specific continues to unhinge those connections before and after is a concern to me. Recent pronouncements by George Davis for example just show how regression can set in, in the face of perceived enlightenment, he has once again joined the throng that says or fears futuristic non boundaries foolishly based on one case of a man in Canada charged with bestiality. How can one compare bestiality with homosexual rights is so troubling to me, despite the crime was subsumed into buggery in England. Due to a loophole in Canadian law the man was able to appeal the bestiality component of the case against his own daughters even as he serves a 36 year term in prison and by virtue of his appeal which reduced his sentence Mr Davis thinks the world is going to end due to one single case with its own merits or peculiarities. He gave what could sound as a warning that we need to be careful as what was not normal some years ago will suddenly be so in some measure.

Davis seems to be echoing what other fearmongering voices such as Shirley Richards and company have said that churches or religious voices will be prosecuted thus playing the victimhood card due to individual cases that in essence do not reflect a pattern. Mr Davis seemed to have turned a corner in recent times given his original diving board but now it seems we were fooled all along and could only now be seen as obligatory tolerance for avoidance of criticisms or backlash. There is going to have to be a breaking point at some juncture as hardened positions cannot be the way forward.

Let us see if good sense will prevail in good measure.

Peace & tolerance

H

The THOT of the walk who is oral

I don’t know what is in the air as of late but certainly the appearing wave of twenty somethings, gorgeously buffed at that coming out as it were is kinda good to watch. It comes with some stereotype breaking as I am seeing and others have been realizing it as well. The matter came up for example at a get together recently where guests were asked by the host to bring another and the demographic was cutely mixed with older men like me in our forties while the younger ‘thots’ came through. Although the original meaning of the term connotes a condescending tone it is also used to describe a hot dude in body and style as well. Probably with the doubling of life expectancy in gay men in particular, this kind of cross fertilization if you will, may appear more pronounced. What was interesting was that unlike times passed the younger men were quite comfortable with their older counterparts and as the Lyme progressed someone raised the oldie on tops and bottoms rigidity; some eyes were rolling but it diverted to oral and role playing to include so called tops who also go down. The eye rollers joined in eventually as the night progressed.

Of course that part peaked my interest, a recent msm support group for example had a very animated discussion with mostly younger guys on the same matter and it really got tense at one point as a self proclaimed top declared he does not go down and no other man can make him; the response of which amounted to him being mistaken thinking he is the cat of the walk. The Lyme’s activities however was almost the direct opposite, one university student claimed he is a top but if his main partner wanted oral action he would go down and saw no issue. Probably socio economic class has something to do with it, men from the ‘streets’ as it were or ghetto tend to hold fast to more aspirational masculine ideals in a kind of mimicking the bravado in music culture of the alpha dominant male, refusing to be subservient in any way, shape or form. Oral sex maybe seen as a capitulation of sorts, to ‘bow’ as previously abhorred more so in dancehall culture in times past, and still such though with way less stridency with the mold broken by acts such as Alkaline, Vybz Kartel and such who stop short of saying the eat women.

Internalized homophobia might be a factor, we are so used to not being accepted so self hate sets in and tiers or levels of gay becomes a part of the social structure, masculine types who feel by a effeminate behaviour the latter deserves condescension burrowing from or mirroring the misogyny in society effectively adding another ‘minority’ within an already stigmatized group.

Sexual freedom seems to be on the rise although I cannot use one night’s event to predict a national trend; but obviously more masculine men especially seem to be unlearning the somewhat rigid hetero-normative role play in liaisons, a point I have been raising on this blog. The chat session in the Lyme got really graphic at one point with persons harking to shaft treatment and such; I am almost sure some folks had a hard on but the point was made that persons were quite comfortable in not following the cutter mold as before. Of course the trade types want go without money involved or some other gifting as inducement. A problem highlighted recently in an arrangement that turned ugly in June of this year, the trade in question upped the price after he was taken home by his interest and upon the end of the sex things got ugly with the result being property damage, oral action was part of the deal as it came to public knowledge of which the trade wanted more money for that added feature. Men who feel they are going down are not men after that and can be ridiculed if it gets out there on the grapevine, and it has happened before with teasing on halitosis to poor skills to include the inadvertent biting and so on.

Gay porn may have something to do with it I imagine, as more and more black gay porn come through the already crowded white and Latino streams and very masculine appearing stars are quite willing if indeed able to go down on camera, and are not embarrassed and caring one way or the other of the criticisms by fans on social media who still buy into the old stereotype and or purist masculinity in gay life/sex. Only femmes or power bottoms must suck dick in other words. Or the thot who does not do anal penetration but insists on getting his dick sucked as he thinks he is the man and his partner is something lesser than he is. Strippers who also perform sex acts on stage have been very open in recent times; the usual hang-up that would accompany such requests by organisers of events seems to be fading as a recent “Men on the menu” event in western Jamaica showed, buffer brothers were quite comfortable in sucking or at least mouthing dicks rather convincingly to a cheering tongue hanging audience, while dollars rained on the stage.

I had my recent run in with one of those thots/trade types who while insisting on other things asked me if I wanted him to go down to which I said yes; at least he was good and had some skills but I wanted more head action that just the shaft as he tended to pay more attention. Given the constraints of seeing this as a national trend I wonder if it is just a phase as part of the sex seeking behaviours of gay/bi men. Added social media adaptation for hook-ups and open profiles on Apps such as Manhunt or Jack’d seem to have had a major impact on same. The hang-ups one would encounter on older sites such as AdamforAdam or Thugsforsex appear to be not so prominent; hence the openness is like more welcoming to me.

More anon.

Enjoy

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

‘Who’s the Man?’: Heteronormativity and Queer Relationships

HIV Positive displaced man claims he was abused by other men under the guise of assistance

Twenty-one year-old Jason Powell* said he contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) after being molested by two men who promised to help him. Since then, his already troubled life became even more turbulent. Sadly this is the story of so many others before him where persons who claim to be helping also end up hurting. Also reports such as this tend to have a deleterious effect in terms of a national perception of predatory behaviour by men on other men or boys, hence LGBT rights cannot be justified as it will lead to some supposed increase in same if granted.

According to the Star news Powell, who was abandoned at a boy's home at three years old, said he has struggled with depression, discrimination and abuse for as long as he can remember. However, he hopes his life will turn around one day.

"Sometimes I try not to think about my past, but it's very hard when you don't have anyone around you to encourage you. I don't want to continue living like this for the rest of my life," Powell said.

Powell explained that he ran away from the boy's home at 17 years old in search of relatives who would take him in, but he explained, "Nobody wanted to own me. Nobody wanted to say they are related to me. Nobody was there to help me."

abuse and discrimination

With nowhere to turn, Powell took the streets, sleeping at bus stops and begging for survival. But instead of receiving help, he got abuse and discrimination instead.

"It was very, very rough. People would see me and want to beat me. They would say, 'how dah bwoy deh walk like him a woman so? How dah bwoy deh act like him a bx$@$ man so?' People would try to hurt me," he recalled.

"You have people who would say they want to help me, but they want sexual favours in return. When I tell them I'm not up for it, they would turn on me and call people to beat me," Powell shared.

Eventually, a state agent assisted in getting Powell re-instituted into a state home, under conditions that he would help out around the home. However, his peace of mind was short lived.

He explained that a woman offered to take him into her home for the summer, and he gladly complied. While at the house, the women went overseas and left him alone in the house. Soon after, two men turned up explaining that the came to work on the house, but instead, they molested him.

"One of the guys asked me for some water to drink. When I returned with the water, mi realise that him start touch me in placed that wasn't right, and he continued touching me until the other guy came and told me to relax. Basically, that's how the two of them sexually molested me," Powell shared.

When the woman returned, Powell said he explained what transpired but she called him a liar, and sent him back to the boy's home. The matron at the home later facilitated an HIV test, which came back positive.

state owned shelter

When the other boys at the home got wind of Powell's status, he was constantly tormented.

"They found out and started using it against me, calling me a gay, and say that I'm a homosexual, and me allow man fi have sex with me, and that's how me get AIDS," Powell explained.

Traumatised and confused, Powell ran away once more, and ended up on the streets in Kingston. Eventually, he started receiving treatment at Jamaica Aids Support For Life and was allowed to reside in a state owned shelter. But the discrimination and abuse never wavered.

"Some people at the shelter keep saying dem no want any homosexuals on the compound. They are saying I am gay and I can go out there to do 'things' and get money, so I should leave," Powell lamented.

Now, the young man says he is at his wits end and is desperately pleading for some assistance to turn around. He explained that he was exposed to catering and customer service training at the boy's home and he would love a job in a related field.

"I know I have potential and can do anything that I am tasked with," Powell said.

*Name changed

All this happening while powerful resourced NGOs do not really care and as for government they are a joke as well but are quick to use political opportunism to attach themselves to LGBT causes just to get votes; especially the opposition, the same opposition now when in power made promises about conscience votes on buggery and such. Where is the Colour Pink group that claims it is the only registered entity to address LGBT homelessness?

Oh they are captured by the rest of the LGBT bureaucratic establishment.

Sigh!

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Genuine shelter assistance or hunt for fresh meat?

Man accused of extortion tried for coning lecturer of $1.2 million.......

Gay homeless return ‘HOME’ … say housing promises were not fulfilled

MP Seeks Solutions For Homeless Gay Youth In New Kingston

KSAC working to clear streets of homeless people, will the LGBT populations be assisted

Shelter Coming For Homeless Gays reports the Gleaner (yet to materialize) 

Cruiser robbed by mystery man at gun point

A series of robberies in the Half Way Tree area as far north as the Marketplace, as far east as the Cholera cemetery then south eastwards as Waterloo Road and so on has had many wondering what the devil is happening. The robberies tend to occur during the week, at early dusk or as late as midnight. One time popular cruiser popularly known as ‘One seed’ due to his testicular appendage was the latest victim of the mystery bleached skin robber who has what appears to be a gun; I ran into him nearby as I was having drinks with some brethren by a popular bar on Molynes. Apart from targeting gay men looking for a hookup around town, as he seems to be aware of the spots he also has robbed reportedly women who traverse the aforementioned zones at nights as some persons may walk to Half Way Tree going about their business to possibly conserve on bus fare or just to enjoy a stroll. Purses, phones and cash reportedly have been taken by the suspect with an aggressive strategy but many suspect the gun looking item often disguised in a plastic bag according to ‘One seed’ maybe empty and there is talk of a beat down or entrapment of sorts by some of the guys to get him. The police informally are aware of the matter as well; a recent heist at Brooklyn Supermarket car park that is un-fenced where a woman was the victim was passed on to members at the nearby police precinct.

Friday July 29 was the One seed event just by the dimly lit section of Constant Spring Road between the said Brooklyn Supermarket and Kings Plaza, both old haunts for years but disabled after the adding of the vegetable, organic food store nearby and stepped up police patrols back then. Around 11pm Onie as he is also affectionately known was making his way down to Half Way Tree via Constant Spring Road as he approached the Brooklyn Supermarket area still dimly lit he was approached by the man who was walking in the opposite direction. According to Onie the man’s face was visible and he demanded money and so on, Onie being aggressive himself proceeded to tackle the miscreant but was surprised by the item appearing to be a gun in which time Onie kept his cool. Onie only gave him the small amount of cash he had on him but like any smart cruiser one hides more cash elsewhere on your person just in case.

Onie said he felt the gun was empty so he decided to tackle the man and was successful in throwing him to the ground, inflicting several blows. The man then made his escape complete with a litany of threats and expletives. Several female commercial sex workers also have been complaining of this bleached character that even some of the newer pimps have been taking care to be there for the ladies. Given the recent sharp increase of the numbers as well the man may be tempted to make repeat visits seeing no direct police interventions seem effective thus far. The man is also said to arrive on a bicycle which makes his escape easier. He is said to be bisexual as he has had some sexual encounter with men in the area and is said to be hailed originally from St Thomas but stays in Kingston, more is being gathered on the man.

This series of incidents have the hallmarks of the old problems of homelessness, desperation and miscreant behaviour; the unravelling of the lotto scamming illegal activity especially in western Jamaica with the corresponding spillage of newer faces into the population is cause for concern yet still after all these years. MSM/Transgender persons are not immune to the issues. It was one of the reasons why the Kingston populations increased exponentially as other stigma driven cases also add to the numbers. A murder for example of a sixteen year old fast rising lotto kingpin though not gay on July 3 in St James at a birthday party according to sources has had a ripple effect in the MSM world in that part of the island. The teen has stopped going to school and was integral in recruiting young gay men as the feeling in some circles they are more effective as closing deals with ‘clients’ given the perceived clearer speaking voice, cadence of speech and so on. The murdered teen did not hand over money as was expected that he had collected on time and in the agreed amounts so he paid for it with his life; with his demise all others who were or are associated with his outfits are seen as persona non grata which in turn leads to forced evictions (two reports thus far) by rival outfits.

Investigations are ongoing by the police and foreign agents who are on the island as evidenced in a recent court case in the Half Way Tree parish court where FBI and other persons were present, six persons are being tried under pain of extradition if found guilty, a roadblock has come as defense council has asked or challenged the legality of foreign agents involved in local raids. I fear another wave of incoming as occurred in 2008 – 10 with the subsequent spin offs.

If you’re a cruiser just be careful friends, maybe you have to curtail your routes.

Peace & tolerance

H

Former PNP MP Damion Crawford dismisses gay rumours

Damion Crawford has come out swinging against allegations that he is gay. Frankly his sexual orientation is of little import to me as we must never forget his tyrade on the suggested conscience vote that was said by his party leader then Portia Simpson Miller in the 2011 leadership debate.

Damion Crawford

The former junior tourism minister told THE STAR ONLINE that a letter containing the damning allegations about him was circulated at a People's National Party (PNP) meeting on Sunday.

“It’s not the first time rumors have been brought against me and it won’t be the last. I am sure of my heterosexuality and that’s all there is to it” Crawford told THE STAR ONLINE.

Crawford argued that people do not throw stones at green mangoes and said the fact that people have set out to destroy his character indicates that he is viewed as a threat within the party.

Crawford served for one term as Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew between 2011 and 2016.

Following the distribution of a letter at a People's National Party (PNP) meeting on the weekend, which made certain claims about his sexuality, Damion Crawford yesterday said claims that he is gay are unfounded.

"Mi don't think nobody can question my heterosexuality inna real life," Crawford told THE STAR.

Crawford, a former junior entertainment minister, said he believes the letter to be the handy work of people in the PNP who are desperate to see the back of him.

"It's not the first time rumours have been brought against me and it won't be the last. I am sure of my heterosexuality and that's all there is to it," Crawford said.

The outspoken dreadlocked Crawford found himself on the political sidelines after the majority of PNP delegates in East Rural St Andrew rejected his bid to seek a second term as member of parliament for the constituency he represented in Parliament from 2011 to 2016.

Crawford also failed to get the nod of the PNP to represent North Trelawny in the 2016 general election.

"When dem cyah break yuh. That's just an automatic response" Crawford said when asked to speculate on why he would be labelled as gay.

He said that his detractors have tried many things to destroy him and that this is the latest method being employed.

"Dat a propaganda politics ...1964 ting," he said.

Crawford said he is focused on his obtaining his PhD rather than a career in politics.


"Last year, I would miss my deadlines to ensure the completion of political work but this year my classes are my first priority," Crawford told THE STAR.

In previous posts such as:

PNP's Damion Crawford on Homosexuality's legality ......................... 2012

and

PNP's Damion Crawford says it's highly unlikely buggery review will happen ........ it's not important now

He dismissed and at one point scoffed at the idea of any conscience vote on buggery, and the possibility of any gay member of parliament in the house would come out and survive it. In a sense he was right as it would take a brave one indeed as the internal party machinery alone would silence any hope of that once revealed. Case in point Crawford himself as who would have thought himself and another first time MP Raymond Pryce would be outside the system now.

The slug fest that has come to define the PNP in recent months since the loss of the 2016 elections is disturbing to watch, to say the least. So it is not surprising to see this and the bitterness from the loss with persons calling for Mrs Simpson Miller's head is showing up what they are or were covering up so nicely while in power. Ironically when the JLP was going through their meltdown over some neat twenty years in opposition as Edward Seaga held on to power for dear life until he was forced out so to speak.

What's next? I don't know, these days all principles and dignity seems out the window these days on many fronts but more so in politics.

Peace & tolerance

H

Grrrrr ........... Al Miller could escape with fine

Despite his conviction in the St Andrew Parish Court on Friday, Al Miller could escape with a fine when he is sentenced on September 15. Grrr I am so mad at this, see my previous post on the matter: GUILTY! Anti Gay Rev Al Miller to be sentenced Sept 15 for Perverting course of justice

Miller was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice after then-wanted man Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke was found in a car the pastor was driving.

This is Miller's second conviction in nearly five years

Miller is yet another high profile Jamaican in two years to be convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

In 2014, Senior Superintendent of Police James Forbes was convicted on a similar charge.

However, he was not sent to prison. Instead, Forbes was fined $800,000 or six months at hard labour.


He paid the fine.

Forbes was convicted on a similar charge

At the time Coke was captured along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine in a sports utility vehicle being driven by Miller, the drug lord was wanted on an extradition warrant in the United States.

A disguised Coke was found a sports utility vehicle being driven by Miller

A month earlier, Coke had managed to elude a massive police-military operation in his Tivoli Gardens stronghold, in which more than 70 civilians and one member of the Jamaica Defence Force were killed.

The popular pastor of Fellowship Tabernacle Church in St Andrew, has maintained that he was taking the convicted drug kingpin to the United States Embassy in St Andrew to surrender to authorities there.

However, Judge Simone Wolfe Reece rejected his evidence saying based on the evidence led by prosecutors, his "behaviour facilitated the desires" of Coke.

This is Miller's second conviction in nearly five years.

In October 2011, he was convicted on a charge of negligence in relation to the loss of his licensed firearm.

At that time, the clergyman was slapped with the fine or three months' imprisonment.

He paid the fine.

How our justice system is so unbalanced but let us see where this goes.

Peace & tolerance

H

GUILTY! Anti Gay Rev Al Miller to be sentenced Sept 15 for Perverting course of justice

The near two year old case of Reverend Al Miller, noted antigay voice allied to Jamaica CAUSE, Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS and a thorn in the side of the second phase of the LGBT struggle since 1998 ended today in the St Andrew Parish court as the Reverend was found guilty for perverting the course of justice. Before announcing the guilty verdict parish court judge Miss Wolf Reece said that based on evidence presented in the trial she is convinced that Al Miller’s behaviour facilitated the desires of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke; the judge further commented that the evidence supports the finding of fact that Miller was seeking to evade law enforcement in Jamaica, Miller was arrested by the police on June 24. 2010 and after two days of questioning he was charged with harbouring a fugitive and perverting the course of justice.

then Clovis toon on the issue

The charges arose from the arrest of then fugitive Tivoli don Dudus Coke on June 22 of the same year, Coke was arrested on Mandela Highway after being found in a vehicle driven by Reverend Miller poorly disguised in a wig and a dress and glasses much to the laughter of the cops and soldiers who came upon the scene; subsequent photos which went public had sections of the public in stitches while others were not amused. To think this most vitriolic man of the cloth who demonises gays as liars and such and has gone as far as to describe transpersons as mad found it necessary to use the very female impersonation of Coke to evade the police under the guise of taking him to the United States embassy as Coke supposedly feared he would have been killed otherwise. Miller made his first court appearance in July of 2010. This is outside of another court matter involving his gun going missing and to date has not been found.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges of the present matter and maintained his innocence; in court police testified that Miller led them on a high speed chase before his vehicle with Dudus Coke aboard was forced to stop. Miller denied the claim, he said he was transporting Coke to turn himself in to the aforementioned US embassy. A no case submission from the defence was dismissed last year in June and within an hour of today’s proceedings he was told he was guilty and is to be sentenced on September 15.

Speaking outside the courtroom Miller said:

“We have to respect it and so we accept it; as her findings, sure ........ to put into perspective but we just really accept and leave it for that fo now. When it’s all finished we will see what is the next move.”

His attorney Jacqueline Samuels Brown says they will await the sentencing before deciding their next move.

“The case has been pending sometime and as you know today the parish judge for the parish of St Andrew gave her decision, she also gave the reason for her decision with of course respect, at this time our concentration is on however is the sentencing hearing which she has set for the fifteenth of September.”

His repeated use of his Word Power TV show over the years to scold homosexuals and promoting the strident antigay advocay by the aforementioned groups yet this is the outcome of his trial. Just goes to show not all who wear collars are clean it seems. His credibility has always bee n murky in my eyes and his appearance and the last two Rallies in Half Way disguised as addressing concerns when what it really was and still is a antigay imperative while preying on an already homo-negative climate nationally. No formal response has come from the groups he is aligned with nor his Fellowship Tabernacle church at the time of the preparation of this post.

Let us see where this goes upon sentencing and what if anything will be said by his colleagues even as the pending buggery constitutional matters had a wrench thrown in the mix recently has posted some days ago.

Some members of the public are already snickering suggesting Miller got his just deserts in this matter. In chapter 12 of the aforementioned Tivoli commission report released earlier this year Miller was named again despite he did not testify before it as he had the other case answering to in court.

The report read in part:

CoP Ellington Re: Bishop Blair and Rev. Miller

12.8. CoP Ellington testified that Mr. Golding asked him to speak with Bishop Blair and Rev. Al Miller concerning the possibility of Coke’s surrender prior to 24 May.

12.9. CoP Ellington said that Rev. Miller visited him sometime prior to 24 May and told him that he (Rev. Miller) had been in contact with Coke but Coke was reluctant to surrender to the custody of the police owing to concerns about his personal safety. CoP Ellington sent a message of plea and assurance via Rev. Miller to Coke as follows:

“I said, please tell Christopher Coke that I am appealing to him to surrender peacefully and I will ensure his safety whilst he is in custody of the State because that is my responsibility.” 

12.10. According to CoP Ellington, a few days later, Rev. Miller made the following report to the Commissioner:

“I saw the man and the man said to me if it was PNP in office, them woulda know how fi deal with this. Tell Bruce Golding fi find a way to deal with it. I am not going anywhere and, if they want me, they have to come fi me and they have to come good.”

Communications after 24 May

12.11. According to CoP Ellington, about 27 May, Rev. Miller attended on him and told him that he was instrumental in getting Coke’s brother and sister to surrender to the police pursuant to an appeal by the JCF for them to surrender. Rev. Miller apparently continued efforts to find Coke and have him surrender.

CoP Ellington told us – “I thanked him for his continued effort and support, wished him good luck and that was it.” Mr. Golding

12.12. Under cross-examination by Ms. Martin, Mr. Golding said that, after the hostilities subsided, he had a brief conversation with Rev. Miller who thought that he might be able to influence Coke to surrender. Mr. Golding’s recall of the meeting is this –

“He spoke with me and indicated that he had already commenced an initiative because he indicated that he was in contact with persons in the Police High Command and he was also in contact with officials in the U.S. Embassy. I welcomed that initiative because anything that could be done to secure Coke being taken into custody, the warrant having been issued there was too much turmoil created.

And there was still anxiety about the fact that he was still at large. I welcomed any initiative and I was quietly, guardedly optimistic that, based on the fact that he had been able to take in Coke’s sister and brother to the police, he might have been able to do similarly with Coke himself.”

Peace & tolerance

H

recall these:

Rev Al Miller’s late response to Dwayne Jones’ Murder & Respect heterosexuals demand 2013

Rev Al Miller on the Abnormality of Homosexuality & the invented gay marriage rights ploy

also see Anti gay pastor and restorative therapy advocate in trouble with the law again from sister blog GLBTQJA on blogger

Church Stands Resolute Against Buggery Backers says Al Miller ………… Love March Movement Lacks Moral Compass says LGBT voice

REVEREND AL MILLER’S OWN MORAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST & ANTI GAY CAMPAIGN and also see his shameful or shameless defiant retort that he would have helped Dudus again to escape the law: I'd Carry 'Dudus' Again - Miller and Rev Al Miller - the gay lobby is not asking for buggery decriminalization because of discrimination but to force homosexuality on the nation .......

Reverend Al Miller has no moral authority (yet again) to speak on flags & correctness

Man says gay rumours need to stop, Bishop in car accident not his boyfriend

Ian Allen/Photographer Devon 'Chris' Fray who was accused of being in a relationship with the bishop who died in a motor vehicle accident at the Flat Bridge.

The late bishop Steven Ricketts who, along with five of his church members, was killed when his Suzuki Vitara overturned in the Rio Cobre by Flat Bridge, Bog Walk Gorge 

Man says gay rumours need to stop, but so what if he was it is not anybody's business to make a fuss; I imagine however things may get ugly if it continues to this damage control of sorts maybe the sensible thing to do; especially in a rural community. Also see the previous post on the matter: Accident victim on flat bridge denies gay rumours

Since the tragic passing of Bishop Steven Ricketts, who died when his car plunged into the Rio Cobre River on Saturday, an old video footage has resurfaced of him allegedly beating his lover.

However, the young man in the video, 20-year-old Devon Fray, also known as Chris, of Commodore, St Catherine, has come forward to clear the air, saying he is not gay, and that the video footage has been misconstrued by a misleading caption.

"I just need people to get this thing straight. I want people to understand what really happen," Fray told THE STAR, noting that the controversy has been wreaking havoc in his family.

three hickeys

The 33-second-long clip at the centre of the controversy was initially posted online in 2014. It shows the bishop wielding a machete while grabbing a young Fray and enquiring about three hickeys on his neck.

"Who give you dem hickey deh? Talk fast before me give you three outta this!,"the bishop said.

The video made the rounds on social media when it was initially posted two years ago, but it recently resurfaced since the Bishop's passing and has been causing quite a stir since.

Fray told THE STAR that at the time the video was created, the Bishop was "running a joke" with him.

" Earlier in the day, I was just meeting this girl by me church and we usually talk and thing. She gave me three hickeys," Fray said.

"When me go by his [the bishop] house now he was drinking. He wasn't serious. He was just joking and asking me where me get hickey from, and saying, 'talk fast!' So I started laughing and saying you see hickey pon me neck?," Fray explained.

He added, "Even after that video, he [the Bishop] was laughing and saying, 'you nuh easy enuh, you make church woman hold you down and give you hickey'."

Fray said he was shocked when he later saw the video online with the misleading caption.

"Me neva have a problem with people putting out the video, but it's what dem have a write up under the video, saying pastor a beat him boyfriend. Mi and him never have sex yet or any of them behaviours deh," Fray said.

He told THE STAR that the controversy surrounding the video has taken a toll on his life and that of his family members, so he wants to clear the air and move on.

"People was sending pure threats to me. All some young bwoy a say them wah kill me. My mother trouble with pressure and it a stress her out. She nuh know wah fi do," Fray lamented.

Fray added that he is in a committed relationship with a female, who was pregnant with his first child, but unfortunately lost the baby recently.

"Mi no really want all a dem things yah [gay rumours] a distract me life," Fray said.

But Fray had nothing bad to say about Ricketts who he said was a father figure to him. He stressed that the bishop never made any sexual advances towards him

"He is nice and kind and so forth. He has done a lot for me. We would sit and eat, and drink, and reason. I'm so sad about his death, but all now me nuh cry because of this whole video thing," Fray said.

here is the video of Fray attempting to explaining himself or at least trying to but the joke bit I do not buy at all:

also see from the Gleaner: Godly Or Demonic? - Colourful Tale Of A Revivalist Bishop

Teen boy love, getting caught & exploration

In bushes just outside a high school in St Catherine was the scene of two teenage boys who were allegedly caught partially naked both with erections but not having anal sex on February 25, 2016 around 3pm after classes ended, a huge thank you to the sources for this one and for the confirmation. A grainy photo of the scene has since been removed from social media allegedly as the Principal took steps to cauterize the matter in a bid to protect the boys implicated and by extension the schools’ reputation which is already tarnished in the minds of some. Many parents and members of the public have a slightly negative perception of the spanish brown uniform wearing institution as the behaviour of some students is much to be desired and previous troubles of taxi drivers in inappropriate relations with female students has not left the minds of the public despite the interventions of faith based groups and the social arm of the police.

The semi nude boys said to be about 16 years old each were allegedly caught after other friends went in search of them as they were to accompany the searching colleagues to a food establishment in Spanish Town according to reports; it was only earlier this year in February an awful fight was captured on video and shared on Facebook and elsewhere and went viral for a short time and a 2014 sex tape involving a man and a female student also repulsed many persons, many parents whose children are successful at GSAT for the institution make every effort to get transfers due to the checkered reputation of it; the student populations like some others are banned from entering some big name eateries such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominoes, the latter has a sign clearly banning students in uniform from entering and is strictly enforced by vigilant security guards.

The embarrassed boys were able to escape the curious and laughing mob as they ridiculed them as battyboys and such as expected. Both boys have since been transferred to another school as the teasing and bullying despite the physical attributes of them as masculine became too much to bear and was said to be affecting their grades and relations at the school. Reports suggest that they are doing relatively well in their new environment but one can only imagine the fear or concerns by the boys and their families; thankfully the parents involved did not kick them out as would the norm in other such cases. What concerns me is the issue of teenage sex of a same gender nature and the ill-preparedness of our students yet still on sex and sexuality education in schools; with the continued fearmongering and moral panic on matters such as condoms in schools and any mention of homosexuality in texts or the classroom is stupidly seen as grooming of students into ‘alternate lifestyles’ as voiced recently by former Education Minister Ronnie Thwaites. The incident of a student orgy earlier in May of this year at Coorville Gardens and instead of guiding the students on such matters they were instead arrested first then taken in and after much public outcry we were told counselling was on; I can imagine the sanitized structure of said counselling. In an age of instant availability of materials of all kinds, distractions for teenagers who are restless with not so engaged and indeed ill prepared parents and a national ignorance in the face or ready information on sex and sexuality; we are well on our way to the phobias and paranoia we get every now and again.

Antigay religious voices who make the rest of the church look backward and other denominations want a sanitised sex education system or curriculum; remember the Home & Family Life Education, HFLE fiasco? And just a set of questions on homosexuality while guiding students as to the legal issues attached to anal sex still was withdrawn and replaced with an edited version without the so called offending materials as designated by the aforementioned Thwaites. The nonsense on rainbow flags being flown even in the face of rainbow kites being sold to students is going to somehow groom children into homosexuality is so absurd but that was the conclusion by the goodly gentlemen in the recently cooled rainbow flag controversy from a tweet from no less a person than the Attorney General.

I can only imagine the urges the teens must have felt and we all I think at some point have fooled around in the absence of adults same gender or not; lest we forget the dolly house phenomenon, playing house as father and or mother, peeking into bathrooms perhaps or peek-a-boo to see or even small children being curious but the guidance and talk therapy is what is important to establish appropriateness, boundaries and behaviour is what parents and guardians should provide. But even they need help in parental skills as we are seeing in recent times, cognitive skills even in their cohort is much to be desired and early childhood development is impacted greatly. I remember an incident similar to this at my former high school way back in 1989 at a remote section of the school behind the technical drawing classroom. The matter was the subject of much laughter, ridicule and stigmatization even by teachers, unfortunately the students were expelled. I only got a glimpse of one of the boys then surrounded by teachers and security as other students demanded their pound of flesh as he was escorted to some safety, the pain was obvious in his eyes and I felt so helpless to aid him even as I was, like him a young gay teen feeling in the dark, possibly terrified of being outed while doing all possible not to be and blending in.

Hope the guys can move on peacefully and live it down.

Peace & tolerance

H

Accident victim on flat bridge denies gay rumours

A policeman looks at the vehicle in which eight persons were travelling when it careened into the Rio Cobre last Saturday.

... Says funeral being planned for relatives in Rio Cobre crash, looks like it's gay rumours season again, oh boi what else is new now?

Family members of the Bishop Steven Ricketts, who died when his car plunged into the Rio Cobre on Saturday, have vowed to clear his name following a flood of allegations that he had a liking to young boys.

"I try not to read some of the things that people are saying because I don't see or know him as that kind of person, and I am always around him," a cousin of Ricketts told THE STAR last night.

"All of us are upset, angry and disgusted. Most of my family members don't want to hear or read anything about this," she said.

Bishop Ricketts and his two sons Shevaughnie and Sujay Ricketts were among six persons who died when his Suzuki Grand Vitara ran off the Flat Bridge and plunged into the Rio Cobre.

Eight persons were travelling in the vehicle which was said to be returning from a 'duppy catching' mission in St Thomas.

"All the persons who are talking bad things about Steven do not know him," the bishop's cousin added.

sexual favours

While stating that the claims that being made against the defenceless dead man are hurtful, she said that family is now focused on burying Steven and his two sons.

"We are just concentrating on the funeral of our three family members," she said.

Residents of Commodore, St Catherine, have alleged that the bishop would often give boys goods in exchange for sexual favours and that he was not afraid to hide his homosexual tendencies.

Ricketts was also the source of attention in a video on Facebook in which he beat a young man, an alleged boyfriend, with a cutlass.

Up to the point of his death, Ricketts was a defendant in a court case for burning a young man with hot water.

Bishop Ricketts was the head of the Mount Maria Zion Truth Fellowship Spiritual Church of God in Commodore. He was described by some community members as a man who loved to help people, and contributed to community development.

Hamlet Gordon-Simpson, a member of the church and close friend of Ricketts, attested to this.

"He was a people person, he's one Jamaica will miss. He was a Jamaica building person, community helper," she said.

Rest in peace although I did not know the man but the speeding on that bridge needs to go or more lighting on the strip itself, I use the thoroughfare every weekend nowadays and the crazy driving sometimes is ridiculous to say the least.

Peace & tolerance

H

Public Defender appeals block from Buggery Constitutional Challenge

The Public Defender has filed an appeal challenging the decision of the Supreme Court to bar her from joining as an interested party in the law suit brought by gay rights activist and attorney-at-law, Maurice Tomlinson reported the Gleaner.

Tomlinson now has a matter in court challenging Jamaica’s buggery law.

He had filed a constitutional motion against the Attorney General seeking to have the anti-sodomy law nullified in all cases of adult consensual sex.

Tomlinson is also claiming that criminalising homosexuality amounts to a direct and blatant denial of equality before the law for him and other gay men.

In her application to join the case as an interested party, the Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry argued that her office was created for the purpose of protecting and enforcing the rights of citizens.

However, Justice Kissock Laing turned down the application stating that the Public Defender was seeking to insert herself into the centre of a nationally divisive issue and could lose the confidence of many Jamaicans if allowed to join the case.

However, in her appeal, the Public Defender is contending that the judge erred in making his decision.

Among the grounds of appeal, the public defender is arguing that the judge failed to sufficiently apply the interest test to her office as was applied to the five other groups who sought to join the case.

Religious groups have joined the lawsuit as interested parties and are asking the court to reject Tomlinson’s constitutional motion.

The public defender is also contending that the judge’s decision has the effect of restricting the statutory remit of her office to protect and enforce the rights of citizens.

meanwhile on Sunday another attorney and former Acting Public Defender Matondo Mukulu had a thing or two to say via the Gleaner also:

If you ask reasonably informed citizens which public institution in their view is the guardian of the Jamaican Constitution, I would not be surprised if the Office of the Public Defender does figure among the list.

Unfortunately, the Jamaican Supreme Court, in a rather bizarre decision [Maurice Tomlinson v Attorney General [2016] JMSC Civ 119], took the view that the public defender, in effect, has no role/sufficient interest in a case in which a citizen asserts that Section 79 of the Offences Against the Person Act (OAPA) encroaches on his rights outlined at Section 13 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (Constitutional Amendment) Act 2011.

On the other hand, the court, in its decision, took the view that the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS), the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (LCF), and another group collectively referred to as the churches, were taken by the court to have sufficient interest in the case. In effect, these unelected religious bodies will be allowed to make representations in this case, as to why they say the buggery law should be allowed to stand, even if it does not affect their right to practise their Christian religion or to have a belief of their own choosing.

CIVIL PROCEDURE RULES

 

Quite briefly, the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) is a body of rules that sets out the procedures that must be followed by the court when it is dealing with a civil matter. In Mr Tomlinson's case, as he was inviting the court to make a declaration that a piece of law passed by the Jamaican Parliament breached his constitutional rights, the court had to be guided by the provisions of Rule 56.

The JCHS, the public defender, LCF, etc. were not named or served by Mr Tomlinson with his claim, and thus had to make an application in which they said that they had sufficient interest in this case, pursuant to Rule 56.13, to permit them to participate. Accordingly, permission to persons or groups to intervene in cases of public importance is usually regarded as healthy, as such bodies bring expertise that can assist the court.

Rule 56.13 of the CPR does not define or offer any guidance to the court on the meaning of sufficient interest. As such, the court in Jamaica, over the years, has obtained guidance on the meaning of that term by reading CPR Rule 56.2, which sets out a guide on the meaning of sufficient interest in judicial review application, which is a separate type of application than the constitutional application that is being pursued by Mr Tomlinson.

Of the most notable factors are (a) any statutory body where the subject matter falls within its statutory remit; (b) any body of group that can show that the matter is of public interest and that the body ... possess expertise in the subject matter of the application.

Our courts, in judicial reviews, have consistently emphasised that sufficient interest should not be granted to persons who are deemed busybodies.

In reading the Supreme Court's lengthy but insufficiently reasoned decision, it deploys a series of 'reasons' as to why the religious collective should be granted standing. It would appear that it focused attention on the asserted 'expertise' that the collective would bring to the case. In establishing their claimed expertise, the JCHS contended that it had organised a series of conferences in which the issue of the retention of the buggery law was explored.

NO OPPOSITION

 

The attorney general, as primary defendant to the claim, did not oppose these anaemic arguments. However, if I had been in court, I would have been the busybody who would have made it clear that these bodies offer no expertise to the question of whether a person's right to either equal treatment or his right to privacy was infringed.

These groups follow a Judaeo-Christian theology, and are natural opponents of Mr Tomlinson's application. The participation in a few interviews or workshops does not give them any relevant expertise. It is for this reason why we should be disappointed that the attorney general was not bold enough to actually oppose their participation. In fact, this case tells us that there is a need on the part of the Supreme Court's Rules Committee to devise clear guidance in respect of the meaning of sufficient interest. A test that requires proof of 'wide public interest' will preclude the busybodies and it will ensure that a more robust test is applied by the court.

Turning to the court's reasons for denying the public defender's application, we must first appreciate that the court has a wide discretion to allow persons/groups to intervene. In dismissing the public defender's application, the court, relying on the fact that the public defender is a creature of statute and shamelessly supported by the attorney general, took the view that Section 13 of the Public Defender (Interim) Act provides that the only action available to the public defender is that of an investigation after receiving a complaint.

However, while the thrust of the court's interpretation of Section 13 is correct, I note a flaw that undermines the decision. In the first instance, it is wrong to say that the public defender cannot investigate a matter unless it gets a complaint, as during my time at the office, I dealt with files where the public defender initiated investigations where he had received no complaint from a specific member of the public. Such a proactive approach helps to promote the legislative intent in the creation of the Office of the Public Defender.

The flawed nature of the court's decision is to be found in the fact that Section 4 of the Public Defender (Interim) Act does provide that the Office of the Public Defender was created "for the purpose of protecting and enforcing the rights of citizens ... ." This section was ignored by the attorney general, and one wonders why it is that the court was never invited either to read into Section 4 of the act an implied provision permitting the public defender to intervene, or to consider that the public defender is permitted to bring or to join an application in which it is said that a right under the Constitution is being infringed.

The court, in effect, was of the view that by intervening in such a matter, the public defender will "run the risk of ... losing the trust of, or worse, completely alienating, the other side. The public confidence in the office may also be further negatively affected ... ." The fear of alienating (inevitable in such cases) a section of the Jamaican public, because she supports a challenge to a law that some citizens regard as unconstitutional, can never be a reason why the public defender should demur from pursuing a constitutional claim. The court abrogated its responsibility to those men and women in Jamaica who look to the public defender, guardian of the Constitution, to assist in vindicating their rights.

The attorney general's expressed support of a purely religious intervener, in a case that has nothing to do with a religious right, while excluding the parliamentary appointed guardian of the Constitution, is worrying. Where a prospective citizen applicant lacks the resources to advance a constitutional claim, does it mean that the sole guardian of our constitutional rights will now be reduced to a spectator, hoping for a complaint?

Email  matondo_mukulu@yahoo.co.uk.

Oh lord, the ‘area man’ problem again

You may have seen references in previous posts to a phenomenon known as ‘area man’ which effectively means men who are either gay, bisexual, pass-throughs or homo-curious and who reside in the same geographical zone or very close to another gay/bi man. The closeness is further complex by a class division if one is in an middle class neighbourhood in the same zone and the ‘area man’ is from a nearby so called ghetto or unplanned aka squatter settlement and usually carry a hyper-masculine disposition or the proverbial ‘heaviots’ ‘homo-thug’ or ‘trade’ wherein some of us have a hankering for. Problem with such diverse polarities in same gender liaisons are that the proximity quotient can become problematic and an entitlement attitude comes to dominate the relationship; persons may feel that sex should be spontaneous seeing whilst keeping the secret or on the downlow access ought to be easier; demands for money or kind are or should be expected as the freeloader mentality comes into play as well.

Lord knows I had my share of those while I was living in Campbell Town then Franklyn Town and Portmore respectively with men who liked my ability to run the effeminacy and masculine spectrum made their positions known while requesting sex, money, companionship otherwise not possibly available in their own homes or living communities. Effeminacy or the lack thereof is a key prerequisite for the attraction by hyper-masculine types, they fear any form of suspicion being involved in gay activities or associated with a ‘battyman’ so keeping it ‘all man’ is key and often reiterated verbally every now and again.

A young man in his twenties learnt a lesson recently and shared his story by the blog hotline of an ordeal he had with an ‘area man’ and also on the strength of a previous post on the issue. He met a thug who he liked and vice versa but the dude lived in a nearby area and was unemployed, masculine acting, nicely endowed but bisexual as well. While the thug liked him he also was clear as to his ‘babymother’ who is supposedly obligated to service (the first sign of trouble for me). infrequent but short visits soon became more repetitious with more intimacy being added to the mix, with that comes growing demands for financial assistance to buy either food items, weed and it got to a point of clothes and a phone request over time. But the visits started to get sporadic and unannounced with sometimes late hour surprises. With each visit some sexual activity is expected to follow even if the man is not interested at that present time and he had been dating or seeing another man who he tried to curtail his visits so as not to clash with the ‘area man’ party to avoid any challenges. But the third party’s presence or lack thereof was not the straw that broke the camel’s back instead more territorialism and entitlement by the ‘area man’ which became increasingly problematic, so much so that it became nearly violent between the two as the area man felt he was being short changed or would be left out in the cold as the man’s attitude had changed in relation tithe warmth he would encounter with visits. The man reported that he tried to stop the visits for a while so as to let tensions cool but the guy kept turning up on his bicycle sometimes unannounced, usually smoking and his decibels in calling very loudly.

It is situations like this that indeed sometimes lead to problems over time including homophobic appearing incidents and murders which h is why it is so important to get to the heart of the issues before pronouncing on a matter despite the ghastly nature of it, what are the causations or triggers?

So long as the 'two Jamaicas' conditions exist I guess we are going to have to contend with the entitlement issues, downlow phenomenon and such will abound but how do we contend or unlearn some of this. Hidden in some of this is this notion that gay men or MSM who are relatively stable somehow have money to throw away that he (the thug type) is entitled to it somehow as he is a real man than others and in a homo-negative environment so good ‘gansgtas’ are hard to find; so when you do you have to pay for it and like all scarce commodities the price is high. These ‘area man’ know the ropes and use it to their advantage. The liaison has slowed since the report was made and the ‘area man’ upon realising his prospects may not produce the results but I suggested he the impacted man consider relocating in the long run; one cannot be sure if the lull period as it were will end and the repeated visits will recommence, and a smoothing over that some of these guys are good at will come into play.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

High protracted male traffic + nosy neighbours + a refusal to curb = misguided hate

There has been an old battle as to whether persons are free to choose their actions at the homes in terms of visitors and gay sex in Jamaican terms. What with the inquisitiveness that can abound with neighbours on a single man with no opposite sex partner of consequence or any socialization with a misogynistic line for subject matter to effect bravado. Failure to meet those markers places one as an outsider and different and makes one the subject of profiling or unneeded scrutiny under suspicion of being gay, which in turn leads to some sort of response in the open soon or long afterwards. Does one curb one’s male visitors who may stay overnight (and leave early in the morning) especially in certain low or mid income area knowing what can befall one or go ahead and whatever happens, just happens? Those for curbing say yes as only a fool would make themselves into a bait for homophobia as it may be construed as throwing it in persons’ faces while others claim domicile or threshold control and privacy while one should be free to entertain who they want in the privacy of their own home.

This post comes on the strength of a report of a man and subsequent social media attention and debate in the long standing problematic Portmore St Catherine, though a middle class suburb the repeated instances of nosy neighbours, home invasions or something close to it and displaced impacted individuals. The man in his forties was known to have high traffic of lovers and one night stands which landed him in some trouble, so much so that the landlord served a notice to quit; prior to the notice’s expiration in March of this year the man was met with much anger by other men living nearby who after the departure of a man early one Sunday morning in Waterford, St Catherine, as he may have thought early departures or late night entries would help, some five men were up in arms hurling the usual anti homosexual sentiments, ‘battyman fi dead’ and so on and that he should leave the area as they were aware he was given notice. Apparently the mobbing was an attempt to pre-empt the document’s date.

A near similar matter occurred in Harbour View in August of last year but it was more two female neighbours on each side of the target who kept making snide remarks every now and again and so on, until the landlord was also told of the man’s supposed shenanigans; the landlord more forward –thinking-like was not perturbed by the rumour mongering and was said to have told the women as long as the man had no boys and was not disturbing the neighbourhood with noise and did not owe rent he was fine with his tenant, much to the annoyance of the nosy women; the man still lived at the house until sometime this year where he relocated. I am ambivalent on the competing issues, years gone by I would have been a little timid in terms of men coming to my home(s) for an overnighter with persons knowing or perceiving my sexual orientation; but the power I have in my threshold is as important as well. To supposedly curtail my visitors to please others who are going out of their way to pry into others’ affairs seems rather ridiculous though. So long as there is this deep seated homo-negativity we’ll have to put up with this continued nonsense although some slow sensibility is creeping in.

Class or mid to upscale residencies are not immune, my own experience in the late nineties to 2000s at Gore Terrace Flats told me that, despite the professional class of residents the prying was as fierce as a mid to lower income strata area, housing scheme or squatter settlement. The moment a car door closes, curtains move, shadows pass windows or home phones ring as the ‘village lawyer’ dishes who arrived and who they arrived with. Only to be surprised by the same blatant loud responses laced with homophobic themes and even threats. A townhouse drama at the centrally located seemingly quiet Ivy Green Mews is one such example, the police had to be called in some years ago to quell a matter simmering to become something way bigger; all because the male occupant was accused of having too much male traffic.

People should be free to move within the confines of their homes and in fact we are legally free to do so, even in a rented circumstances as the rent act I gather covers such areas of coveted space and so on; not even a landlord can enter your flat to evict one or seize items left inside without a court order and a bailiff, after having conducted an inventory of the items in lieu of monies owed. Some in the thread on Facebook discussing this particular case though young in years claim they are tired of living things down, I guess due to social media usage and exposure to lifestyles of others elsewhere persons have dreams of utopia but a recent transgender murder in New York which has been making the rounds seems to have sedated the fantasy that foreign is better or at least in certain parts.

Another case was referenced though unconfirmed that occurred in East Kingston in 2015 in the middle class seaside area of Duncaster, the short lived residency of a man came to an end as he was given an ultimatum by men who lived nearby, unemployed, ganja smoking and who were suspected as trouble makers in the community fingered in a series of house break ins. In a supposed attempt to project strength or bravado the men who have been occasionally uttering snide remarks and disguised threats made it known they want no ‘battyman’ near to them. So in a bid to avoid any further confrontation the man took evasive action and relocated. Then came a shocker in the same thread when a wakeup call to all concerned (and rightfully so) was shared in the form of a story of a successful asylum seeker for some four years was the subject of a homophobic attack in New York, that intervention brought a more sedated set of comments which mostly reflected that ‘foreign’ is not a bed or roses so leaving Jamaica may only help one only just; while others dismissed the incident as a one off matter which may be few and far in between. However the lovers’ traffic matter was reintroduced and some comments reflected that in NY one would be free to take home who they desire but such comments was denied profusely by other overseas Jamaicans who say one has to be careful in some parts just the same, suggesting all is not as pristine as we think.

In conclusion one has to be cautious in all things but probably more so with lovers and friends visiting versus privacy versus too inquisitive neighbours or others, and what that can lead to if one is not vigilant of their surroundings. Some would say for a peaceful life one should cower but life goes on and we cannot let others decide our socialization pattern(s); for others to take the time to stop what they are doing to see what you are doing is just amazing to me yet still.

Until next time, mi luv unu

Peace & tolerance

H