The Safe House Project 2009 for Displaced & Homeless MSM/Transgender reviewed & more


In response to numerous requests for more information on the defunct Safe House Pilot Project that was to address the growing numbers of displaced and homeless LGBTQ Youth in New Kingston in 2007/8/9, a review of the relevance of the project as a solution, the possible avoidance of present issues with some of its previous residents if it were kept open.
Recorded June 12, 2013; also see from the former Executive Director named in the podcast more background on the project: HERE also see the beginning of the issues from the closure of the project: The Quietus ……… The Safe House Project Closes and The Ultimatum on December 30, 2009

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Levitical imperatives in the age of ‘grace’ instead of ‘law’ & the new covenant

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I am certainly not any theologian but am sufficiently intimate with the materials concerning the teachings and tenets of Christ, careful listening and reading of others, books, blogs and including dissenting points of view from religious voices indeed fanatics. The Trump president elect win has curiously emboldened some persons claiming to be Christian despite the presumptive leader of the free world is on his third wife, thrives in the realms of uncertainty, racism, misogyny and seems lost in his gloating self glorification of the reality ‘The Apprentice’ but has forgotten his favourite line from the show “You’re fired!” Trump’s own appearing patronizing optics by way of rainbow flags during the campaign seems to fly in the face of decency and plays to a kind demagogic populism.

Such religious fanatics in the form of some evangelicals here in Jamaica outside of the US based Pat Roberts capitalist types who make the rest of the honest church body look stupid have been rejoicing with full open support by their congregants and blind followership’s loyalty. The recent news that Trump may appoint a leading LGBTQers has thrown a wrench in the mix; now some pastors are squirming in discomfort given the news as they thought it would be a simple route to theocracy.

In a previous post I spoke to the business of the convenient and deliberate misuse of Leviticus to enforce fear and hate sometimes from philosophers and theologians for convenient reductionist anti LGBTQ arguments, without any proper tangible or provable basis. In fact it amounts to intellectual dishonesty frankly. Populism by way of the Jamaica Labour Party, JLP for example and said crazed evangelicals who ignore for the most part societal ills but are dead focused on referendum for maintaining buggery laws while touting justification due to abominations listed in Leviticus; they ignore some of those same abominations that do not fit their agenda but emphasise same gender related matters but do not see others such as:



Eating shrimp, wearing clothes made from one or more fabrics, beard wearing men, adultery and the consumption of some cloven footed animals. At a discussion session at a Baptist church I was asked to offer some pointers on Leviticus coming from previous blog posts of mine and the business of male homosexuality in particular. I sought to bring the conversation not from condemnation which for the most part came from the panellists and audience members in an attempt to right size the thinking debunking some of the myths, misunderstandings and misguided othering of non Christians especially homosexuals. 


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 to the text itself 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 and Gomorrah were destroyed because of exclusively homosexuality when we know that is not so. Bearing in mind King James hundreds of years later 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. The book of course was published to keep its true historical authenticity to the source Hebrew scroll text and for purposes of continuity so I would not expect King James’ sexuality to have interfered as a reason to purge the finished work of any homosexual abomination reference.

We cannot also ignore the fact that Leviticus written by Moses as far as we know does not record the Egypt to Canaan phase of the journey of the Israelites; given the kinds of archaeological finds in the last hundreds of years to now despite present days Turkey and Syrian civil wars and conflicts that may delay more findings homosexual themed materials dating to those times have been unearthed which leaves the question as to what might have occurred then in as far as the movement of the nomadic Hebrew people then?

“Some of you think that homosexuality is a greater sin than malicekeeping.No way in the sight of God.” (Bishop Herro Blair, sermon on Television Jamaica (TVJ), 3 March 2003) - The declaration by Bishop Blair – who is a figure of some political and religious influence – that there is no substantive theological basis for the selective highlighting of homosexuality as the ‘sin of sins,’ and which is our epigraph here, is not one that is often publicly made in Jamaica. The overtly virulent expressive homophobia arguably encourages the documented tendency towards and the practice of physical brutality and violence against homosexuals. It is reinforced, even operationalized, by three other specific features of the Jamaican situation.

According to Cecil Gutzmore’s whose ‘Casting the First Stone’ writings some time ago, There is a crying need for effective political-theoretical engagement by those who consider themselves politically and culturally progressive with and against the apparently intractable homophobia of Jamaican society. Amongst those who have recently made such intellectual interventions is Tara Atluri (2001) who proposes that sexism, heterosexism and homophobia combine to make Jamaica, and other societies of the Caribbean region, into what she images as a ‘closet’ for our lesbian and gay fellow citizens.

The somewhat thin body of academic, intellectual and artistic work designed to break the silence about homosexuality in the Caribbean, to still the ‘noise’ of local anti homosexual ideologies and intellectually and politically to deconstruct homophobic practice (carried out largely in the geographically distant and socially remote pages of academic journals, in far-off published newspapers, and in radio programmes and films usually unheard and unseen by the majority in Jamaica) appears to have all but failed to impact in any major positive way on the situation. This is separate and apart from the academic and sometimes political ends that are quite definitely achieved.

The Christian Church with its fundamentalist doctrines, and the reggae-dancehall genre have pushed key influential feature in the exceptionality of Jamaican homophobia derives from Christian fundamentalist doctrine which finds constant outlets not just in churches, but in popular culture (in Christian radio and TV programmes), as well as in the rituals of many secular institutions. Primary imperatives are

(i) the religious fundamentalist anti-homosexuality imperative, and

(ii) the imperative of the ‘unnaturalness’ of homosexuality. The secondary imperatives, in some way derived from the primary imperatives, are

(iii) the imperative of the purity and authenticity of a primordially homosexuality-free global African culture,

(iv) the imperative to protect vulnerable youth from homosexuality, as conflated with paedophilia, and

(v) the imperative of the misplaced illegality of homosexuality. When it is buggery that is illegal.

In this discourse, homosexuality is constituted straightforwardly as a sin in the eyes of God and therefore also in the view of self-perceived good and/or godly persons. It is agreed that omniscient Jehovah repeatedly declares homosexuality to be a sin in both the Old and New Testaments and that the Almighty would neither misrecognize nor misname a physical and/or emotional illness as a condition of sin. The idea that homosexuality is an illness (whether congenital or otherwise) represents the negative reading of the claim that lesbian and gay persons generally had their sexuality determined at birth, and did not therefore usually exercise unfettered choice. Its positive version holds that a certain proportion, a minority, of God’s human creatures are indeed born lesbian/gay and that their sexuality is to be seen as being as much God-ordained/created as that of the heterosexual majority. However, it also holds that homosexuality must still be repressed or at least treated.

Reggae artistes are different from the deejays to the extent that fewer singers have composed songs directed against homosexuals/homosexuality and it is perhaps more difficult for the singer to address this issue by improvising in performance. Even so, the earliest directly homophobic reggae song is the 1978 in a kind of secular religiosity or Rastafarian non judo Christian subscription is King Sounds and the Israelites’ ‘Spend One Night Inna Babylon’. This song makes explicit mention of Sodom and Gomorrah and of the fact that these two ancient cities, along with Babylon and Rome, are anathematized in the Bible. King Sounds, then, is simply transferring onto modern ‘Babylon’ – as constituted in what Pollard (1994) has termed Rastafari ‘dread-talk’– the characteristic sin of Sodom. In the song King Sounds embellishes his catalogue of Babylonian abominations by adding to it bestiality. For those advancing the Christian fundamentalist imperative, the essential sin of homosexual behaviour (sodomy) is said to be forbidden by God, and is recognized as a sin so serious as to be punishable by death.

Blind ignorance has effectively led to the belief that homosexuality only came about in Sodom and that even homosexuality signs in numerous animal species existing well before homosaepian developmental trajectories are an anathema. Those fundamentalist Christians constantly forget the important biblical injunction that ‘judgement belongs unto God’.

It must be understood that the imperative under discussion is specifically derived from the fundamentalist reading of the Holy Bible: passages in Leviticus assert respectively: ‘Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination’ (emphasis added); and: ‘If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them’ (Leviticus 18: 22; 20: 13). Earlier in the Bible the seriousness of the punishment Jehovah deals out in connection with homosexuality is made very clear in the often mentioned story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. According to the narrative, these ancient locations were sites of this great perceived evil: ‘their sin [homosexuality] is very grievous’ (Genesis 18: 20). Jehovah accordingly decided to destroy these cities and their inhabitants, excluding the single godly family – that of Jehovah’s servant Lot.

The fundamentalists point to the fact that God, throughout His book, variously declares homosexuality to be an ‘abomination’ (Ezekiel 16: 50), a ‘vile affection’ (Romans 1: 26, 27), ‘unseemly’ (Romans 1: 27), ‘not natural’ (Romans 1: 26, 27), a form of ungodliness (Titus 2: 12). Of its practitioners, Paul it is said firmly that ‘God gave them up unto a reprobate mind’ (Romans 1:28). Some seem to forget Paul was offering an opinion to the early saints of the church spread across Greece in the most sexualised of all places, Corinth in response to the letters sent to him. Those who commit this great sin are thus unequivocally construed within the fundamentalist anti-homosexual ideological imperative as legitimate subjects to be punished by terminal violence, a fate not only dealt out directly by God Himself but, presumably, also by those regarding themselves as His faithful servants and the possible agents of His will. These persons feel a kind of righteous justification for, as it were, acting violently on God’s behalf against perceived homosexuals and homosexuality. This is what informs the output of artists such as King Sounds or The Wickerman, working almost twenty-five years apart within the Jamaican musical popular.

The selectivity of the fundamentalist imperative is evident in the response to the sin of adultery. For, on the evidence of the Holy Bible itself, the commandment against the sin of adultery can be seen to be of at least equivalent seriousness to the injunction against the sin of homosexuality. Why then, it might be asked, is it that Jehovah found no space amongst the remaining nine commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai for one that explicitly forbids homosexuality, if this is correctly to be regarded as so fundamental and execrable a sin? The other sexually-related sin there mentioned forbids the coveting of one’s neighbour’s wife. But, depending of course on the sexuality involved, the also forbidden coveting of a neighbour’s man- and maid-servants not to mention that neighbour’s ox and ass may also be to sexual purposes.

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 medicalise 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.

When oh when is there also going to be a separation of sexual orientation from the automatic perceived link to buggery or anal sex? That abhorrence factor is the spoiler in these matters when discussed. We also seem to forget the buggery law as we ended up inheriting by way of our former colonial masters and a savings law clause was a legal instrument to discredit the Catholics in the extirpation exercise under King Henry VIII’s protestant reformation and royal supremacy in the 1500s. Lest we forget the very ‘King James Version’ the most successful English language translation was presided over by a bisexual being King James himself, not because of any correctness in the word/text but to quell the struggle between the puritans, the reformers (protestant) and established clergy (Catholics); “No Bishop, No King” the infamous words by James in his quest to preserve the hierarchy of the monarchy over the church of England.

The fact is we are not under law but are now under grace.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

December 9 sentencing for 4 year-old gay lover beheading case in St Ann

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In a follow up to a case I have been tracking since 2012 of the beheading of a man in St Ann one of the accused is to be sentenced in the St Ann Home Circuit Court on December 9 after he was convicted of the murder, he is Howard Ricketts, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP says Ricketts helped his co accused Neville ‘Garnet’ Lewis murder Burnett Thomas back in March 2012 at his Brown’s Town home in St Ann the deceased was said to have had an intimate relationship with the accused. On the day of his death they had a dispute reportedly Lewis otherwise called ‘Garnet’ accused the deceased Mr Thomas of infecting him with HIV Ricketts testified that on the morning of the incident he saw Lewis use a machete to chop Mr Thomas on the left side of the neck he said then Lewis told him he had to take part in the act.

here was the TVJ report then:


Rickets said he assisted Lewis to pull Mr Thomas to the bedroom where he then inflicted stab wounds to the chest and intestinal area with a machete as well. Lewis enraged subsequently use the machete to sever the head of Thomas then placed it in a rice bag, police acting on information proceeded to the house where smoke was seen coming from one of the room windows, firemen who also arrived on the scene to extinguish the flames when they discovered the body of a naked headless man lying on his back was seen on the also partially burnt mattress. He was later identified to be Mr Burnett Thomas; the body had several stab wounds with reportedly intestines protruding.

Rickets said in an unsworn statement indicated that he stabbed the deceased approximately three times and that Lewis chopped off the head of the deceased after the incident Ricketts said he was so scared he got dressed and left for work as usual. On March 29, 2012 an eyewitness residing nearby said a foul stench was in the air and went to investigate and found the decomposing head of what appeared to be a male with flies encompassing it in close proximity to their house in Orange Hill District, Brown’s Town St Ann, the head was later identified to be that of the deceased. On April 2, 2012 the accused Howard Ricketts was charged.

When cautioned he said:

“Officer a de boi Garnet cause dis pon mi enuh, a him seh mi fi help and look wah happen”

(Officer is the boy Garnet cause this on me you know, he said I should help him now look what has happened)

On May 26, 2014 Neville ‘Garnet’ Lewis pleaded guilty to murder while his co accused was found guilty late last month.

As word of this case spreads comments continue to conflate crimes of passion beliefs versus reported homophobic driven murders all because of one case, those who supposedly oppose homosexuality of the removal of amendment of the buggery law, it was earlier this year as well we saw a matter in western Jamaica where a teacher was found dead in his house also in a decomposing state and allegations were that a lovers’ quarrel led to the gruesome find as gays are supposedly jealous to the core. One or two murders that may appear to be domestic or intimate partner violence evidence cannot and ought not to be used to justify homophobia indeed condemning the deceased as deserving of their fate; and sometimes done in the name of God bizarrely.

Older more popular murder cases that are kept alive in media given the typed of attention and skewing deliberately or not of the situations and ignorance of gay life altogether; speculation is the driver on the crisis reporting front. Older terms that used to attend was “Sodomatical attack” as an old case in the 80s, September 28 1983 the day of the murder and May 30, 1984 is one such, the judge was scathing in his summation in that case as the man who was murdered as the Chauffeur one Anthony Angus in question was freed on the basis of the usually deceptively used ‘gay panic defense’ by defense council or prosecution and that the accused was ‘entitled to kill in justification’ of the deceased Desmond Schnoor a business also in St Ann as this beheading case, Mr Schnoor’s gun was used to kill him.

Angus testified that he went to the home of Schnoor after being asked to although he may have suspected he was gay and that was the supposed outcome as the business made a move on him, the question then as is now is why did Angus go in the first place if he knew or suspected Schnoor was gay? Sad that in that particular instance what appeared to be a lie to suit the national sentiments on male homosexuality went on to free an accused man; the truth may never have been revealed, there may have been a down-low element in that matter.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H


also see/listen:

Chopped for girly walk, fingers almost severed in dispute 


Teacher found dead in home, crime of passion is suspected by cops


‘Madman’ stoned for ‘backing his fist!’

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A homeless man in the Union Square area of Cross Roads in Kingston found himself in the throws literally of stones and other projectiles after he was seen openly ‘backing his fist’ on the sidewalk in the nude. The man deemed a ‘madman’ in the national conflation of homelessness with mental illness generalization was seen naked on the wee hours Tuesday morning around 6am lying on a piece of cardboard as he occasionally does it was revealed later by an eyewitness who works nearby as a security guard, the man was busy relieving himself (backing his fist or masturbation; the colloquial term) or otherwise known as early morning boning in the early hours of Saturday last where three men were passing by and came across the sight, laughter was the first response from them apparently as they pointed to the sight of the supposed well endowed man but upon closer inspection as it were the active man had his other free hand by way of his centre finger rubbing against or near in his anus.

This did not sit well with the men who then went from laughter to rage accusing the man still active as being a battyman among other colourful Jamaican parlance; due the area the men tried to physical reprimand him and by this time the man had stopped and sat up. At least two of the men manage to find stones and hurled them at the man who in turn though thought a ‘madman’ retaliated by taking up the very stones thrown at him and flung them at the men, the other man of the three found a piece of board but according to the eyewitness realised he could not get to close proximity to the naked man armed with the previously thrown stones. So called ‘madmen’ have had a fear of them by members of the public as some of them are indeed insane so I guess the standoff was a precautionary measure.

The melee lasted for some ten minutes and two old women who were making their way to the Drug Serv Pharmacy to join the sometimes long line of persons to collect a number who wait for the 8:30am opening got scared and ran back to where they were walking from towards the Half Way tree road side of the horse-shoe/cul-de-sac. The now angry naked ‘madman’ was furious hurling a string of expletives and by this time other guards from offices and the supermarket nearby came out to inquire of the commotion. Apparently the guards were used to the man’s self pleasuring over time and laughed at the situation while encouraging the angry three to leave the naked man alone and he will not harm anyone. The men insisted he should be beaten as he had his finger “inna him batty” and they continued “a battyboi dat” suggesting that the act of masturbation in and of itself was not the issue but the anal pleasuring component. Of course the physiological arrangements of the body have sensitivities between the anus, erection influence and overall arousal. A previous case in 2014 of an exhibitionist comes to mind where he too was stoned and chased though not homeless along Water Lane in downtown Kingston even as his workplace was nearby and he was deemed off his rockers as he is known in the area.

The naked man incident soon calmed and the man took his cardboard bedding, got dressed in a pair of pants and went away murmuring angrily under his breath and as other onlookers came by as daylight broke. This goes to show the deep seated or engrained homophobia on the national psyche given the strong resistance to male masturbation as well, nothing is said in terms of women masturbating in form, songs have been written on this often combining decrying or ‘burning out’ in kind of triage homosexuality, ‘backing dem fist’ and indeed rape. Sizzla’s “Nah Rape” (not raping a woman even if wants her p***y) where declares “haffi get the pussy but mi nah rape........” declaring virility and bravado but staying clear of homosexuality and masturbation as the rest of the track hints to. Beenieman’s “Man a nuh fag” (he is not a faggot or gay) also employs the triple or quadruple combo condemnation as it were towards the aforementioned sins but equally raises to acceptance early sex with teen girls, multiple partnering, unplanned children, permitted misogyny and overall virility and bravado, power in the penis.

Privately however that is another matter as in prison situation for example it is well known men relieve themselves when they can, at home men help themselves or by cybersex, phone sex or at sex shops deceptively framed or advertised as massage parlours in voyeurism driven cheaper services. Hope no more ‘madness’ attends to this and that good sense prevails.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

Saturday, November 19, 2016

‘Couch surfing’ inappropriateness framed as assistance for displaced & homeless yet again

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As November is Homeless Awareness Month on here and sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica (Wordpress & Blogger) I continue to track some of the issues out there island wide with our counterparts on the homeless and displaced fronts. Informal shelter assistance has been around forever; also called ‘couch surfing’ these days by some when the term is more befitting a tourism imperative such as the Airbnb model in terms of a small guest house accommodation or even commercial sex work activity as well more so than residency responses; as hope remains while company is true kind souls have indeed genuinely opened their doors or shared a bed, a room or even pay for a temporary rental arrangement on behalf of persons impacted by forced evictions or who are already homeless.

I can personally attest to said kindness and am all too familiar how relieved one can feel when such help comes devoid of any inappropriate conditions (mostly sexual ones) the late great party promoter Donald ‘Fay Donnaway’ Thompson opened his apartment at Gore Terrace to many a gay man and drag queens being a queen himself in late 1996 when I was released from prison during my buggery trial and short incarceration years. It worked out so well that I ended up gaining a job and DJ duties at Club Heavens and was able to help with the rent in the long run until Donald’s passing on Good Friday 2001. As a true survivor and still living in Jamaica I understand some of the issues and indeed have opened my own doors where possible to persons over the years. Funding for a more formal arrangement has slowed but the allies over the years have been ambivalent due to the pigeon-holing of the New Kingston populations by media and others coupled with the anti-social behaviours of some in the group.

Honesty and trust between the parties involved has always been glue that holds the grantor and the benefactor together in the arrangement but when deception on one or both parties creep in then it is a cause for concern, when the issue hits the road it tends to lead to mistrust on all fronts and a refusal to assist or seek assistance in fear of an embarrassing refusal and persons being duped under the guise of assistance. Previous posts have brought this to bear this inappropriate sexual advances or indeed sexual abuse in the form of the other side of homelessness apart from the lack of proper interventions by the numerous NGO republics, Foundations who you do not feel on the ground but are very active via Twitterverse and hashtag heaven, persons have been ‘assisted’ only to have the shock of their lives in the assistance by persons forced to grant or perform sexual favours to the grantor of the help under pain of eviction or loss of the gift.

Two such complaints came to hand earlier this year, one in Portmore and one in Manchester that can be confirmed, other unconfirmed instances were floating around on social media and in private groups.

Case 1: Portmore

23 year old male reached out on Facebook earlier this year for help as his mother found out he was gay and had a more social media savvy relative scout his profile only to tell her he had too many male friends who look ‘funny’ which in turn over time led to him being forced to leave home; ‘assistance’ came his way under the guise of concern and the party involved did not outright disclose his sexual interest in the young man only for him to run into challenges as the grantor started making advances at first that appeared to be a joke, they eventually became more aggressive and so serious that a pot came into play as the young man had to defend himself. He eventually was forced to reach out yet again and was able to relocate. It turns out the ‘grantor’ only grants help with ulterior motives as his photo at one point ended up in circulation and a warning issued to avoid him as he is a repeat offender of sorts.

Case 2: Manchester

A so called pastor of the pocomania faith was aiding a man in his early twenties from the deep rural parts but similarly to the above matter he found himself becoming the subject of unexpected inappropriate advances, bathroom door visits while in the shower, slaps on the buttocks by the kitchen for example and other moves. Demands in the same breath of taking on more household chores which is understandable but when it gets to strict demands becoming the norm the situation became strenuous. The man was struggling due to issues with family members and subsequently residents in the small rural area where he hails, as everyone there knows everyone else it became difficult to continue to stay there, hence he had to move just to avoid drama. After the encounters from displaced to a brick wall effectively with the pastor he was forced to go searching again and was aided by a community influential until recently after an aggressive job hunt exercise (printed resumes and walked the roads handing them out) he was successful at gaining a chef job after an audition at a small restaurant. He now is sharing a rented space with another guy.

There is not much one can do though to forewarn folks in a desperate situation to sniff for (mis)trust when assistance comes forth, these overtures are as rear as they are already and to have such one usually jumps at the opportunity. To be left with disappointments due to mistrust is heartbreaking I imagine but as always hope remains while company is true. While on hope, the weed whacking project is still going on, the now 9 persons (7 males, 2 females) have been working the four whacker machines in rotation to make some money; the issues of sporadic rainfall with drought issues were all but absent to more work came in with some growing support from LGBT and non so clients. The temporary living arrangements they had were adjusted but they have a roof over their heads at different points. The guys who had left the crew when things were slow and they entered alternate higglering in bag juices, biscuits and such have seen their business grow save and except for the police and local authorities pressure on public vending rules and anti litter act legislation.

Other displaced persons though have been struggling in Spanish Town and Portmore especially, some have resorted to squatting with makeshift huts and so on which I visited in March of this year; the three men were warned about the idea but they insisted they do not have a choice.

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also:



US Antigay evangelicals have temper tantrums over Trump’s gay marriage flip flop

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In this Jan. 31, 2016, file photo, Pastor Joshua Nink, right, prays for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, as wife, Melania, left, watches after a Sunday service at First Christian Church, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

Donald Trump sat down with “60 Minutes” last weekend for his first televised interview since winning the election, where he discussed a wide range of topics, including gay marriage.
When asked whether he would rollback marriage equality laws, Trump nonchalantly said that it’s no longer an issue he cares to pursue.

Related:


seen as patronizing towards the LGBT community during the campaign



Why we can’t trust that lying liar Donald Trump on marriage (or anything)

“It’s irrelevant because it was already settled,” he said. “It’s law. It was settled in the Supreme Court. I mean it’s done…these cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And…I’m fine with that.”

This is a stark contrast to what he said on the campaign trail just one week ago, and his most die-hard evangelical supporters aren’t happy about it.

Christian extremists are not taking it well:

@realDonaldTrump Gay marriage is a abomination to most Christians! Gay marriage makes a mock of man & woman to bond & procreate
@realDonaldTrump Don't change or you will lose the Christians who don't agree with this backlash of Gay Rights...Man and Women..
@realDonaldTrump YOU ARE GETTING IT WRONG WITH GAY MARRIAGE. NEEDS TO BE OVERTURNED! DON'T SCREW IT UP WITH ABORTION. SAVE OUR BABIES!
@realDonaldTrump If you do not appoint judges who protect marriage... one man, one woman and protect bathrooms... then I've wasted my vote
@realDonaldTrump PLEASE UNITE THIS COUNTRY!Make it clear to the people you will do that! And pls do not touch gay rights! 🙏🏽@KellyannePolls
@LOVatoLUVAH @realDonaldTrump @KellyannePolls please touch gay rights one man one woman one life thats what the bible says

The hypocrisy continues much of which laughter is coming from some circles as those locally are also up in arms about the seeming about face by Trump, indeed uncertainty. It is laughable in a sense as they all thought he would go against marriage equality despite his misogyny, race baiting and right wing sentiments, playing on such folks malaise to win the elections. Evangelicals in the name of God were quite prepared to support him despite all the above and more.

Let us see how this play out.

Peace & tolerance

H

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Bad Man Nuh F*** Batty (Masculine Men Don't F*** Ass) (The Fear of The Feminine in JA ) 16.04.15


A look at the fear of the feminine (Effemophobia) by Jamaican standards & how it drives the homo-negative perceptions/homophobia in Jamaican culture/national psyche.



After catching midway a radio discussion on the subject of Jamaica being labelled as homophobic I did a quick look at the long held belief in Jamaica by anti gay advocates, sections of media and homophobes that several murders of alleged gay victims are in fact 'crimes of passion' or have jealousy as their motives but it is not as simple or generalized as that.

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Not all views expressed are those of GJW

This blog contains pictures and images that may be disturbing. As we seek to highlight the plight of victims of homophobic violence here in Jamaica, the purpose of the pics is to show physical evidence of claims of said violence over the years and to bring a voice of the same victims to the world.

Many recover over time, at pains, as relocation and hiding are options in that process. Please view with care or use the Happenings section to select other posts of a different nature.

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APJ Website Launch & Link


Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica, APJ launched their website on December 1 2015 on World AIDS Day where they hosted a docu-film and after discussions on the film Human Vol 1




audience members interacting during a break in the event


film in progress

visit the new APJ website HERE

See posts on APJ's work: HERE (newer entries will appear first so scroll to see older ones)

The Hypocrisy of Jamaican Anti Gay Groups & Selective Actions of Societal Ills


The selectivity of the anti gay religious voices on so called societal ills is examined in this podcast as other major issues that require the "church" to have spoken up including sexual abuse by pastors in recent times yet mere silence on those matters is highlighted.

Why are these groups and so called child rights activists creating mass hysteria and have so much strength for HOMOSEXUALITY but are quiet on corruption in government, missing children, crime in the country and so much more but want to stop same gender loving persons from enjoying peace of mind and PRIVACY?

Also is the disturbing tactic of deliberately conflating paedophilia with same gender sex as if to suggest reforming the buggery law will cause an influx of buggered children when we know that is NOT TRUE.

MSM/Trans homeless - From gully to graveyard



When are lives interrupted be allowed a real honest chance to move from interruption to independence and stability? I just cannot tell you friends.

An article appeared in the gleaner today that just sent me into sadness mode again with this ugly business of LGBTQI homelessness. The author of the piece needs an intervention too as he (Ryon Jones) uses terms such as cross dressers and or homeless men which if transgender persons are present they cannot be described or seen as such, sigh another clear display of the lack of impact and reach of so called advocacies and advocates who are more interested in parading as working but really aint having much impact as they ought to or claim.

We are told of houses being put together from time in memorial; the Dwayne’s House project seems dead in the water, the Larry Chang (named after a JFLAG cofounder) seems stuck in the mud and Colour Pink’s so called Rainbow House seems insignificant in relation to the size and scope of the national problem. JFLAG as presented on this blog is obviously not interested in getting their hands dirty really on homelessness save and except for using the populations as cannon fodder and delegating same; as far as I am concerned presenting them as victims of homophobia which is true but where are the programs and the perceived millions donated or granted since President Obama’s visit to address LGBTQ matters?

More HERE

Dr Shelly Ann Weeks on Homophobia - What are we afraid of?


Former host of Dr Sexy Live on Nationwide radio and Sexologist tackles in a simplistic but to the point style homophobia and asks the poignant question of the age, What really are we as a nation afraid of?


It seems like homosexuality is on everyone's tongue. From articles in the newspapers to countless news stories and commentaries, it seems like everyone is talking about the gays. Since Jamaica identifies as a Christian nation, the obvious thought about homosexuality is that it is wrong but only male homosexuality seems to influence the more passionate responses. It seems we are more open to accepting lesbianism but gay men are greeted with much disapproval.

Dancehall has certainly been very clear where it stands when it comes to this issue with various songs voicing clear condemnation of this lifestyle. Currently, quite a few artistes are facing continuous protests because of their anti-gay lyrics. Even the law makers are involved in the gayness as there have been several calls for the repeal of the buggery law. Recently Parliament announced plans to review the Sexual Offences Act which, I am sure, will no doubt address homosexuality.

Jamaica has been described as a homophobic nation. The question I want to ask is: What are we afraid of? There are usually many reasons why homosexuality is such a pain in the a@. Here are some of the more popular arguments MORE HERE

also see:
Dr Shelly Ann Weeks on Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation


Sexuality - What is yours?

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



Just as I researched on-line in NOT EVEN five minutes and found a plethora of information and FACTS on Sexual Grooming (and thanks to Dr Karen Carpenter for some valuable insight I found out what Sexual Grooming was) so too must these fanatics go and do the same and stop creating panic in the country.

The hysteria continues from the Professor Bain so called protests to protect freedom of speech and bites at the credibility of the LGBT lobby collectively continues via Duppies Dupe UWI articles when the bigger principle of the conflict of interest in regards to the greater imperative of removing/preserving archaic buggery laws in the Caribbean dependent on which side one sits is of greater import when the professor’s court testimony in Belize went against the imperative of CHART/PANCAP goals is the more germane matter of which he was former head now temporarily reinstated via a court ex-parte injunction. The unnecessary uproar and shouting from the same hysterical uninformed quarters claiming moral concerns ....... MORE CLICK HERE

also see if you can

JFLAG Excludes Homeless MSM from IDAHOT Symposium on Homelessness



Reminder

In a shocking move JFLAG decided not to invite or include homeless MSM in their IDAHO activity for 2013 thus leaving many in wonderment as to the reason for their existence or if the symposium was for "experts" only while offering mere tokenism to homeless persons in the reported feeding program. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO ENTRY HERE sad that the activity was also named in honour of one of JFLAG's founders who joined the event via Skype only to realize the issue he held so dear in his time was treated with such disrespect and dishonor. Have LGBT NGOs lost their way and are so mainstream they have forgotten their true calling?

also see a flashback to some of the issues with the populations and the descending relationships between JASL, JFLAG and the displaced/homeless LGBT youth in New Kingston: Rowdy Gays Strike - J-FLAG Abandons Raucous Homosexuals Misbehaving In New Kingston

also see all the posts in chronological order by date from Gay Jamaica Watch HERE and GLBTQ Jamaica HERE

GLBTQJA (Blogger): HERE

see previous entries on LGBT Homelessness from the Wordpress Blog HERE

Steps to take when confronted by the police & your rights compromised:


a) Ask to see a lawyer or Duty Council

b) Only give name and address and no other information until a lawyer is present to assist

c) Try to be polite even if the scenario is tense

d) Don’t do anything to aggravate the situation

e) Every complaint lodged at a police station should be filed and a receipt produced, this is not a legal requirement but an administrative one for the police to track reports

f) Never sign to a statement other than the one produced by you in the presence of the officer(s)

g) Try to capture a recording of the exchange or incident or call someone so they can hear what occurs, place on speed dial important numbers or text someone as soon as possible

h) File a civil suit if you feel your rights have been violated

i) When making a statement to the police have all or most of the facts and details together for e.g. "a car" vs. "the car" represents two different descriptions

j) Avoid having the police writing the statement on your behalf except incases of injuries, make sure what you want to say is recorded carefully, ask for a copy if it means that you have to return for it

Vacant at Last! ShoemakerGully: Displaced MSM/Trans Persons were is cleared December 2014





CVM TV carried a raid and subsequent temporary blockade exercise of the Shoemaker Gully in the New Kingston district as the authorities respond to the bad eggs in the group of homeless/displaced or idling MSM/Trans persons who loiter there for years.

Question is what will happen to the population now as they struggle for a roof over their heads and food etc. The Superintendent who proposed a shelter idea (that seemingly has been ignored by JFLAG et al) was the one who led the raid/eviction.

Also see:

the CVM NEWS Story HERE on the eviction/raid taken by the police

also see a flashback to some of the troubling issues with the populations and the descending relationships between JASL, JFLAG and the displaced/homeless GBT youth in New Kingston: Rowdy Gays Strike - J-FLAG Abandons Raucous Homosexuals Misbehaving In New Kingston

also see all the posts in chronological order by date from Gay Jamaica Watch HERE and GLBTQ Jamaica HERE

GLBTQJA (Blogger): HERE

see previous entries on LGBT Homelessness from the Wordpress Blog HERE


May 22, 2015, see: MP Seeks Solutions For Homeless Gay Youth In New Kingston


New Kingston Cop Proposes Shelter for Shoemaker Gully LGBT Homeless Population




Superintendent Murdock

The same cop who has factored in so many run-ins with the youngsters in the Shoemaker Gully (often described as a sewer by some activists) has delivered on a promise of his powerpoint presentation on a solution to the issue in New Kingston, problem is it is the same folks who abandoned the men (their predecessors) from the powerful cogs of LGBT/HIV that are in earshot of his plan.

This ugly business of LGBTQ homelessness and displacements or self imposed exile by persons has had several solutions put forth, problem is the non state actors in particular do not want to get their hands dirty as the more combative and political issues to do with buggery's decriminalization or repeal have risen to the level of importance more so than this. Let us also remember this is like the umpteenth meeting with the cops, some of the LGBT homeless persons and the advocacy structure.

Remember JFLAG's exclusion of the group from that IDAHO symposium on LGBT homelessess? See HERE, how can we ask the same people who only want to academise and editorialise the issue to also try to address their own when they do not want to get their hands dirty but publish wonderful reports as was done earlier this month, see HERE: (re)Presenting and Redressing LGBT Homelessness in Jamaica: Towards a Multifaceted Approach to Addressing Anti-Gay Related Displacement also LGBT homelessness has always been with us from the records of Gay Freedom Movement(1974) to present but the current issues started from 2009, see: The Quietus ……… The Safe House Project Closes and The Ultimatum on December 30, 2009 as carried on sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch. CLICK HERE for FULL post of this story.

Gender Identity/Transgederism Radio discussion Jamaica March 2014





Radio program Everywoman on Nationwide Radio 90FM March 20th 2014 with Dr Karen Carpenter as stand-in host with a transgender activist and co-founder of Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica and a gender non conforming/lesbian guest as well on the matters of identity, sex reassignment surgery and transexuality.

CLICK HERE for a recording of the show

BUSINESS DOWNTURN FOR THE WEED-WHACKING PROJECT FOR FORMER DISPLACED ST CATHERINE MSM



As promised here is another periodical update on an income generating/diligence building project now in effect for some now seven former homeless and displaced MSM in St Catherine, it originally had twelve persons but some have gotten jobs elsewhere, others have simply walked away and one has relocated to another parish, to date their weed whacking earning business capacity has been struggling as previous posts on the subject has brought to bear.

Although some LGBT persons residing in the parish have been approached by yours truly and others to increase client count for the men costs such as gas and maintenance of the four machines that are rotated between the enrolled men are rising weekly literally while the demand is instead decreasing due to various reasons.



Newstalk 93FM's Issues On Fire: Polygamy Should Be Legalized In Jamaica 08.04.14



debate by hosts and UWI students on the weekly program Issues on Fire on legalizing polygamy with Jamaica's multiple partner cultural norms this debate is timely.

Also with recent public discourse on polyamorous relationships, threesomes (FAME FM Uncensored) and on social.


What to Do .....




a. Make a phone call: to a lawyer or relative or anyone

b. Ask to see a lawyer immediately: if you don’t have the money ask for a Duty Council

c. A Duty Council is a lawyer provided by the state

d. Talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police

e. Tell your lawyer if anyone hits you and identify who did so by name and number

f. Give no explanations excuses or stories: you can make your defense later in court based on what you and your lawyer decided

g. Ask the sub officer in charge of the station to grant bail once you are charged with an offence

h. Ask to be taken before a justice of The Peace immediately if the sub officer refuses you bail

i. Demand to be brought before a Resident Magistrate and have your lawyer ask the judge for bail

j. Ask that any property taken from you be listed and sealed in your presence

Cases of Assault:An assault is an apprehension that someone is about to hit you

The following may apply:

1) Call 119 or go to the station or the police arrives depending on the severity of the injuries

2) The report must be about the incident as it happened, once the report is admitted as evidence it becomes the basis for the trial

3) Critical evidence must be gathered as to the injuries received which may include a Doctor’s report of the injuries.

4) The description must be clearly stated; describing injuries directly and identifying them clearly, show the doctor the injuries clearly upon the visit it must be able to stand up under cross examination in court.

5) Misguided evidence threatens the credibility of the witness during a trial; avoid the questioning of the witnesses credibility, the tribunal of fact must be able to rely on the witness’s word in presenting evidence

6) The court is guided by credible evidence on which it will make it’s finding of facts

7) Bolster the credibility of a case by a report from an independent disinterested party.

Notes on Bail & Court Appearance issues


If in doubt speak to your attorney

Bail and its importance -

If one is locked up then the following may apply:
Locked up over a weekend - Arrested pursuant to being charged or detained There must be reasonable suspicion i.e. about to commit a crime, committing a crime or have committed a crime.

There are two standards that must be met:

1). Subjective standard: what the officer(s) believed to have happened

2). Objective standard: proper and diligent collection of evidence that implicates the accused To remove or restrain a citizen’s liberty it cannot be done on mere suspicion and must have the above two standards

 Police officers can offer bail with exceptions for murder, treason and alleged gun offences, under the Justice of the Peace Act a JP can also come to the police station and bail a person, this provision as incorporated into the bail act in the late nineties

 Once a citizen is arrested bail must be considered within twelve hours of entering the station – the agents of the state must give consideration as to whether or not the circumstances of the case requires that bail be given

 The accused can ask that a Justice of the Peace be brought to the station any time of the day. By virtue of taking the office excluding health and age they are obliged to assist in securing bail

"Bail is not a matter for daylight

Locked up and appearing in court

 Bail is offered at the courts office provided it was extended by the court; it is the court that has the jurisdiction over the police with persons in custody is concerned.

 Bail can still be offered if you were arrested and charged without being taken to court a JP can still intervene and assist with the bail process.

Other Points of Interest

 The accused has a right to know of the exact allegation

 The detainee could protect himself, he must be careful not to be exposed to any potential witness

 Avoid being viewed as police may deliberately expose detainees

 Bail is not offered to persons allegedly with gun charges

 Persons who allegedly interfere with minors do not get bail

 If over a long period without charge a writ of habeas corpus however be careful of the police doing last minute charges so as to avoid an error

 Every instance that a matter is brought before the court and bail was refused before the accused can apply for bail as it is set out in the bail act as every court appearance is a chance to ask for bail

 Each case is determined by its own merit – questions to be considered for bail:

a) Is the accused a flight risk?

b) Are there any other charges that the police may place against the accused?

c) Is the accused likely to interfere with any witnesses?

d) What is the strength of the crown’s/prosecution’s case?

 Poor performing judges can be dealt with at the Judicial Review Court level or a letter to the Chief Justice can start the process

Human Rights Advocacy for GLBT Community Report 2009

Popular Posts

What I am reading at times ......

Thanks for your Donations

Hello readers,

thank you for your donations via Paypal in helping to keep this blog going, my limited frontline community work, temporary shelter assistance at my home and related costs. Please continue to support me and my allies in this venture that has now become a full time activity. When I first started blogging in late 2007 it was just as a pass time to highlight GLBTQ issues in Jamaica under then JFLAG's blogspot page but now clearly there is a need for more forumatic activity which I want to continue to play my part while raising more real life issues pertinent to us.

Donations presently are accepted via Paypal where buttons are placed at points on this blog(immediately below, GLBTQJA (Blogspot), GLBTQJA (Wordpress) and the Gay Jamaica Watch's blog as well. If you wish to send donations otherwise please contact: glbtqjamaica@live.com or Tel: 1-876-841-2923 (leave a message just in case)




Activities & Plans: ongoing and future

  • To continue this venture towards website development with an E-zine focus

  • Work with other Non Governmental organizations old and new towards similar focus and objectives

  • To find common ground on issues affecting GLBTQ and straight friendly persons in Jamaica towards tolerance and harmony

  • Exposing homophobic activities and suggesting corrective solutions

  • To formalise GLBTQ Jamaica's activities in the long term

  • Continuing discussion on issues affecting GLBTQ people in Jamaica and elsewhere

  • Welcoming, examining and implemeting suggestions and ideas from you the viewing public

  • Present issues on HIV/AIDS related matters in a timely and accurate manner

  • Assist where possible victims of homophobic violence and abuse financially, temporary shelter(my home) and otherwise

  • Track human rights issues in general with a view to support for ALL

Thanks again
Mr. H or Howie

Tel: 1-876-841-2923
lgbtevent@gmail.com








Peace

Battle Lines Javed Jaghai versus the state & the Jamaica Buggery Law



Originally aired on CVM TV December 8th 2013, apologies for some of the glitches as the source feed was not so hot and it kept dropping from source or via the ISP, NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED and is solely for educational and not for profit use and review. The issue of the pending legal challenge in the Constitutional Court in Jamaica as filed by Javed Jaghai an outspoken activist who happens also to be openly aetheist.

The opposing sides are covered as well such as
The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society
The Love March
Movement Jamaica

The feature seems destined for persons who are just catching up to the issues and repositioning JFLAG in particular in the public domain as their image has taken a beating in some respects especially on the matter of the homeless MSM front. They need to be careful that an elitist perception is not held after this after some comments above simplistic discourse, the use of public agitation as beneath some folks and the obvious overlooking of the ordinary citizen who are realy the ones who need convincing to effect the mindset change needed and the national psyche's responses to homosexuality in general.


John Maxwell's House