Justified underage sexual abuse in lieu of homosexual sex!

Lasmay's take on the matter

Yet again we see these seeping sentiments not surprisingly out there of men who go to females of whatever age seen as acceptable more so than homosexual sex. The ongoing furore involving the Moravian pastor allegedly caught in a compromising position with a fifteen year old girl in a car in bushes in St Ann has shown up this misplaced principle problem. Many comments on social media and even on radio with not only men but women also pushing this line that the pastor is justified to a certain extent as it was not a boy but a girl who he was with. Some have gone as far as to compare the clerical abuse in the catholic faith of mostly boys and the appearing cover up of it so another denomination’s representative who does it but with a girl is not so bad. This moral equivalence problem is as old as time itself and recorded history when it comes to religiosity, selectivity of atrocities, nitpicking if you will and the more strident and targeted attention on homosexuality.

One of the reports said:

Hampton Principal Seeks To Explain Presence At Pastor's Sexual Offence Hearing

Pastor Rupert Clarke is led from the St Elizabeth Parish Court Wednesday after appearing on a charge of having sex with a minor. Pictured in foreground is Hampton School principal Heather Murray.

The principal of the Hampton School, Heather Murray, has issued a statement defending her presence at the bail hearing of a Moravian minister of religion who is charged with having sex with a minor.

While outside the St Elizabeth Parish Court, Murray reportedly tried to block The Gleaner's photographer from taking a photograph of the Moravian minister, Rupert Clarke.

Since then, Murray has faced huge public backlash, particularly from persons on social media who claim that Murray's presence at the hearing was appalling, especially in light of her position as principal of an all-girls institution. In the statement last night, Murray sought "to set the record straight", stating that she went to the hearing in support of the minister's wife, who, she says, is a high-school friend of hers.

"We are both long-time educators who have been serving together for many years on several boards, committees, and commissions. We are both justices of the peace. Such is the closeness of our relationship that when the news broke, I was, naturally, the first person to whom she turned for solace and support. I have not left her side since because I know that my friend needs me. She reached out to me as a wife, mother, and friend," Murray explained in the release.

She further explained, "My presence at the court was to be there for my friend who needed my moral support. As a wife, mother of two daughters, and principal with responsibility for 1,220 young ladies, I have sought always to protect and defend them and the young children of Jamaica. That has not and will never change."

The police report that at about 9 o'clock on the night of December 28, a team was on patrol in a community near Santa Cruz when they observed a parked car that aroused their suspicion.

They went to investigate and reportedly found the pastor in a compromising position with a 15-year-old child.

He was immediately taken into custody and was charged. Clarke has been granted bail in the sum of $800,000. He must have one or two sureties and is to return to court on February 13.

meanwhile

Betty Ann Blaine head of the children’s’ groups came out swinging on Nationwide radio some days after the incident came to hand. She and other antigay activists have been accused of silence and selectivity on other atrocities and loud on the preservation of the buggery law. Blaine warned that predators if it proven to be so are everywhere and one cannot trust anyone these days as they can also be pastors, a point I agree with in a rare moment; however the previous cases as carried on this blog for example and on tabloid publications have seen no response as this one, I guess because this one is so prominent and has taken on a life of its own. The recent telephone directory cover fiasco and sexualised images lead in part by partner in crime Dr Wayne West of the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS showed up just that and how even non LGBT persons criticised their hypocrisy. They have been shopping around to find other issues to speak on hence and now this one is the latest to try to adjust their image. They have shifted their HIV is a gay disease ploy to going after young persons and premarital sex especially in the throes of World AIDS Day 2016.

What is even appearing to be more disturbing is the public support the accused has been getting by some unexpected persons. Yes he is innocent until proven guilty and the case is in the preliminary hearing stage but when school principal of a prominent girls institution and other women allegedly from the Moravian church blocking the press from taking photos of the accused as he exited the court house is disturbing, what is she in particular and others doing there is the first question in her capacity as a public figure. I can understand support if it is prayer or visiting the trial to see proceedings but to be so militant and open about it to block the press’s access to the accused is disturbing and suggests something else. A subsequent poorly produced statement came to hand via the chairman of the particular school she is principal claiming she went to give support to the wife of the accused; yet she was not there at the time for starters and the strident defence of the accused by way of blocking the media access to the accused and claiming the media should take photos of herself and the women there, that was not addressed in the statement.

A previous case involving another pastor and his attempts buy out the female victims at a hotel comes to mind, JCHS, Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship (another older anti gay group) and other Christian fanatics who make the rest of the church body look bad were effectively silent. In fairness to Betty Ann Blaine she did speak out but in her usual style. But if the justification of heterosexual or hetero normative abuse clothed in misogyny being banded about even by so called religious minded folks where’s the condemnation by Blaine and other self righteous folks towards that side of it? In other words as long as it is opposite sex the age of the CHILD does not matter, then suppose the accused buggered the girl I wonder what would these same justifying misogynists say then; he is a gay man using a girl to get to booty!

This is not the first time this has come to light but it appears this incident has shown up the dormant feelings always there. The series of abusive incidents is only evidence of what has been obviously simmering for some time and to have them come in such close succession of each other is disturbing to say the least. Intimate partner violence is not limited to the hetero-relation cases that now obtain and same gender challenges also abound but not in such known numbers as the present visibility in mainstream media. It is simply sick to justify paedophilia in such a blatant form and to even go as far as agreeing to child marriages in the eastern parts and in Europe as the way to go as men must have women. The suggestion that women are property is just plain wrong but if our dancehall culture for example has helped to legitimise and reinforce these misogynistic postures then why are we complaining? For all intents and purposes we are the authors and finishers of our fate I imagine.

Sadly the dons have simply adopted the sentiments and the old ‘buss breast’ phenomenon is ongoing, this is where young girls are watched as they go into pre-pubescent growth and development and as their breasts become apparent these thugs would literally summon them or force parents to send them to use them as sexual abuse and it is seen as justified.

The dancehall artist Zebra for example who is serving time for raping and sodomising a female victim who was his then female companion’s daughter of a previous relationship; and who was found guilty for buggery and rape and got thirty years, I wonder what would the sycophantic and misguided folks justifying hetero-normative adult minor inappropriate relations would think? But memory usually fades and historical perspectives are usually left out as persons reside in ignorance in blind opposition.

The ideal situation would be the woman’s head should have been served on a platter via the board but the board seems impotent to act accordingly, had this been a boys school perhaps with a male victim there would have been loud calls for the heads of the accused and possibly the school board though so they hetero coupling comment seems justified in the minds of some. I wonder if there a legal implications in as far as touching the camera by an intervening party when the media is carrying out its proper duties. The man is already charged so they have a right to access of him and not to be obstructed. As for the business of cheating here albeit with a minor the poor wife in whose behest this misguided principal was supposed to support, she may even have to consider divorce given the aftermath of this and ability to hold her head high especially as someone so mature.

Going to the courthouse is not the issue it’s what she did there.

Let us see where the trial leads and we are waiting for the sensible justification by the female school principal as to her public involvement by appearing to support the accused with such a serious allegation hanging over his head. One would have expected either absence from the situation as a public person (as principal) or also give most public support of the fifteen year old ‘victim’ in this matter. When pastors are seeming to be tolerated in the face of weird accusations is disturbing and the ready use of ‘easy sins’ yet have a leave me and my sins or cover ups is just as dangerous but have strength for others such as homosexuals then the ‘church’ has a lot of work to do.

Let the chips fall where they may.

Peace & tolerance

H

George Michael’s ‘Last Christmas’ indeed

in his younger days

The legendary George Michael aged 53 left us unfortunately in his “Last Christmas” in 2016 peacefully at home in the UK according to reports much to the surprise of many as there were not much news of any life threatening illness in the latter part of this year although it is known he had some issues prior. Ironically “Last Christmas” performed by the group Wham in one of their lasting songs in the repertoire and is a radio fixture annually worldwide. Born into a Greek family in 1963 he would later join his partner in crime Andrew Richie in song writing, producing and kick starting their careers as Wham, to be picked up by a major label in 1984 releasing a string of minor hits and while they put out a mix of everything from dashes of rap to elements of disco they decided to change direction to a more soulful style (Blue eyed soul later) but not before scoring their biggest worldwide hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go” who can forget that now infamous introduction of George by Madonna where she said “The diva himself” and “George I want your sex”. In 1985 Wham became the first western group outside of communist China to perform in that nation they then split in 1986. That however proved he had arrived that the queen of pop could recognise it. He decided on a solo journey was the way for him as both men grew apart creatively as a group but remained friends for the most part and co wrote some materials.

“My career seems to always right itself like a duck in a bath, like a plastic duck in a bath” BBC interview with George Michael 2007.

George Michael had an unusually large and loyal following in African descended circles in the United States in particular as a UK artist; he was more seen as an album artist than a singles seller, the albums usually went platinum in a short time after release (over 100 million worldwide). On the continent itself George sold in the millions as well even to the 2014 releases and his Youtube channel has huge subscribers numbers; meanwhile a trend he helped to start in terms of UK crossover success kept him in the public eye; of course the likes Elton John, Sir Tom Jones and the Beatles to some extent laid the ground for that to happen with Eurhythmics’ front woman/diva Annie Lennox and which had other UK based artists follow suit such platinum selling diva Lisa Stanfield of “All Around the World” fame on Arista records, Seal with his string of big hits and even dance diva Kristine W formerly of Champion Records with her signature hit “One More Try” to name a few. For George to move from tracks like “Young Guns” bubble gum pop sounds to more serious releases as “Praying for Time” is just commendable even as many dismissed him as a flavour of the moment, instead he has outlasted contemporaries who are washed up.

The gay thing

“Jesus to a child” was a 1996 tribute to his Brazilian born lover who passed away who he met in Rio De Janeiro in 1991 and other relationship challenges dotted his mostly successful career; but that bathroom incident changed his direction altogether albeit the battle with drugs, slumping record sales, souring of public opinion for a while and his former record company court battles for ownership and release of tapes etc. As social attitude changed he finally in effect came out and was better able to concentrate on more prolific work but success slowly dwindled but loyal fans such as myself stayed true as we know good and honest talent when we hear and see it.

I became even more drawn to him more so in the nineties after the release of “Praying for Time” which was his last major number one in the US, other 12” singles drew my attention and my dollars too such as “Freedom” “I am Your Man” “Fast Love 1996” and the remixes collection of “Freedom”; the latter song was in protest against CBS/Colombia Records with whom he wanted to exit the recording contract and have master tapes control. The lyrics for “Freedom” for example are quite clear where it says “....Take back the picture in the frame...” he effectively retrace his Wham journey as a pop star, he continued “I was every hungry school girl’s pride and joy but I guess it was enough for me ......... I am rocker on TV ............. I wanna make me soul happy” but he got frustrated with the labels’ restrictions and creative control and the demands for albums faster than he cared for.

Other artists like Prince and Chaka Khan who had similar issues with Warner Brothers they faced court battles and some reputational damage. In Prince’s case he wanted to release more materials and albums faster as his writing was prolific but the label wanted no part of it hence he left to form his own label Paisley Park Records. Fortunately all three artists were at the level of prestige, success and financial prowess so they could fight their cases and brought about change in the way some business is now done, Chaka was not happy either and she eventually broke free and released a platinum selling CD in 2007 called “Funk This” which delivered two hit singles “Angel” & “Disrespectful” a duet with Mary J Blige. The remixes for the latter were and still are a fixture for many a dancemusic DJ, I still include them in my sets and several updates since by remixers and bootleggers show there is renewed interest. Prince who also surprisingly passed earlier this year was the most successful of the three as he with the infamous “Slave” tattoed to his face took it all the way to the bank but George Michael is to be credited for really going against the grade at the time as it was almost an anathema to do so. George did the unthinkable as well by insisting his image does not appear on his releases so the latter albums prior to his release from CBS hardly had any images of him and by the time “Outside” came to market it was the photo of a handcuffed person’s hands (maybe his).

Who can forget the double CD collection “Ladies & Gentlemen presenting George Michael” with all those hits and more, it has been a Sunday morning favourite especially after the long drive from the club, “A Different Corner” especially is the relaxer for me.

Inadvertently the face of gay cruising

After that now infamous bathroom incident George Michael, single at the time found himself in a media frenzy with ridicule mixed with curiosity and condemnation by some others even though he was ‘mainstream’ and effectively “white” it was still not fashionable to be out that easily as a gay man; although fellow colleague Elton John with whom he recorded “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” was openly gay and never gave a hoot. George inadvertently was seen as the poster boy for the proverbial cruiser in the sub MSM categories that have those sex seeking behaviours for supposed ‘dickage’ or a quickie. His fans still stayed loyal for the most part. George Michael was set to have been caught in an entrapment sting operation of sorts in a restroom and the paparazzi went nuts with critics claiming the episode was the confirmation they were waiting for, some religious voices were waiting for some error to substantiate their claims that he was a negative influence on teens. Other gay, bisexual and downlow celebrities have been caught in bathroom situations before but not involving an undercover cop as the intended target of affection. I was even more attracted to George then as a gay man who understands the tenets of the thrill and risks of the hunt. Other MSM may see this sort of thing as out of place and instead stick to a more politically correct way of existence, the bathroom incident helped to smash that hypocrisy indirectly over time I think.

Artistry & some music highlights

George however used the ugly episode to his advantage playing on the sensationalism and responded in kind through artistry and song writing. He released tracks such as “Freeek” which was nicely remixed by the elegant Scumfrog, “Outside” which spoke to outdoor sex in subtle way and “Every Other Lover” one of his last releases spoke to the “queer” of it; earlier songs such as “Father Figure” and “I Want Your Sex” already were going in that direction of a alpha male power differentials in gay liaisons. ‘Careless Whispers” genderless lyric structure is one such early solo recording by George that was subtle hints to the direction he was heading and messages in the subtext. His has done some good duets over the years with some major divas, surpsingly more African American collaborations such as Aretha Franklin on “Knew You Were Waiting” which was Aretha’s only US pop number 1 million seller, then “As” with Mary J Blige a cover version of Stevie Wonder’s original production, then there is “if I Told You That” with Whitney Houston which appeared on her greatest hits in 2000.

Michael commented in a documentary some years ago the he was very selective about who he works with and admires singers with good voices hence his choice of the three ladies above, he also worked with a young singer named Mutya on a track named “This is Not Real Love” which was a minor dance hit on the club scene mixed by the respected Moto Blanco team. Many remixers have been called upon to transform the works over the years to include unlikely folks such as RazorNGuido, Hex Hector (“Outside”) and the white label community and tribalizean fellas have all taken a touch of the hits, especially tracks such as “Careless Whispers” “Outside” and “Father Figure” there are always updates within the last decade or so.

He struggled with fame versus his private life, there is a story of him while in China as he and Andrew Richie were on tour breaking records he burrowed a camera from one of his associates and turned that camera at the paparazzi who followed him everywhere he went and told them so that he is shooting them to effectively let them feel how it felt being hounded.

Huge Jamaican popularity

Although his sexuality was openly questioned locally and abroad with the infamous comparison with Elton John especially after the duet with both gentlemen “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me” the optics also played a role as the video of the live performance and an interview with them together was talked about for a long time afterwards. His imagery was often questioned as to how he looked into the lens provocatively when miming the lyrics while adding a teasing element to it and then there was the hair often compared with Prince and their androgyny which he (George) would later adjust in an image flip over after the bathroom incident.

Let us not forget the uproar when it was just hinted that Elton John would have been performing in Jamaica at the then Jazz Festival and the comparisons were made by homophobes with Elton and John as gays and not welcomed in Jamaica; hypocritically the loudest voices were from the church apart from anti gay entertainment journalists/promoters although they would not have attended I imagine as the headline acts be take the stage on a Sunday night. It was similar nonsense when the Village People who were booked to perform also ended up cancelling as misplaced uproar came through to mislead and drive fear-mongering that a simple live show via earshot or visuals would have transmitted some gay gene or gamma ray to change some in the audience. SMH

George Michael songs have managed to remain popular in Jamaica outside of decent adult contemporary radio rotation even Elton John too (“Sacrifice”) both men have had serious and unexpected rotation in the caustic homophobic dancehall sounds systems circles, a disc jock worth his grain of salt knows in any slow jams set, mix-tape and or live juggling had to add a George somewhere in there with tracks such as “A Different Corner” “Faith” (slower BPM) and the soulful call “One More Try” often with the hardcore of gangsters belting out the lyrics to their women in the street dance or as we say colloquially ‘rent-a-tile’ romantic embrace. As a young disc jock in the early 1990s I had no choice but to add George’s material to the collection and my mix-tapes and sets. The songs are still a part of the arsenal for newer DJs around.

As the news spread of his passing I was in the middle of a set at my DJ residency and was forced to whip up a remix line up in tribute to the man, gonna miss him, of note the dark deep RazorNGuido Epic Dub Re-rub of “Outside” was damaged at the time of recording the above set so I did not include it in this set at this time but I know the attuned DJ is well aware that that mix is the bomber of the entire double 12” and white label releases. The set also contains “Careless Whispers” “Fast Love” “Knew You Were Waiting” “Every Other Lover” “If I Told You That” “Father Figure” “Killer”(Dub) “Everything She Wants” plus a few more.

He has gone to join David Bowie, Miss Whitney, Prince and all the other greats, can you imagine the entry at the gates , St Peter maybe saying instead “come inside” and I guess Bob Marley is looking on with Peter Tosh et al and remarking “Irie” 2016 is easily seen in my book as a changing of the guard with the greats leaving us but we are being replaced by some not so hot ones although they are selling well while the good quality folks are still struggling under the radar, more greats will come I have no doubt and we have the archives to reflect on or unreleased materials that will come out eventually if properly managed.

Peace & tolerance

H

Alleged Spanish Town extortionist who targeted gay vendors now on the run after shooting

A shooting incident which brought Spanish Town to a complete standstill some days ago where one extortionist was shot by another near the old popular locksmith near the crab lady over territory and the lucrative illegal trade is now on the run. He is Akeem Johnson or Jackson linked to the now in hiding kingpin Tesha Miller otherwise known as Bubba or Bobba Sparks and the police have had a strong presence since the shooting and have placed an all points bulletin for him. The inner turmoil in the Clansman gang is on in earnest as younger gangsters and extortionists fight amongst themselves for power and wealth surmised to be a ten million dollar figure per week as wholesalers, business, vendors of all types including bag juice sellers and ground provision persons from rural parts; other groups such as taxi/robot bus drives all have to contribute or else they are threatened or killed as had happened in recent weeks prior to the Christmas shopping season. 

typical handcart used to sales and transporting market goods for a small fee

In a previous post I had highlighted a friendly male heaviot bleached vendor who myself and others LGBTians do business with has gone into hiding after receiving a hostile reception by men allegedly aligned to the Clansman gang near the market who claim he should pay up or else. The strong armed agents for the gang tend to also go after perceived gay vendors as well and have been accused or ‘giving a bligh’ to such persons over the other vendors as it is well rumoured that Tesha Miller its leader and some other bleached skin characters do engage in gay sex despite they have baby-mothers and multiple female partners. Those two phone in rectum incidents involving Tesha Miller in two different lockups only has added an aura of his long perceived homosexual activity; in other words a kind of behavioural bisexuality if one were to unpack some of this. The previous post the other vendors while glad that the competition is less with the hiding vendor they are concerned about their own safety without saying too much on it.

Another popular vendor in Spanish Town proper in the old bus park where the Linstead buses and taxis are comically known as “Shelly Ann” due to his semi-effeminate demeanour which itself is comical expressed similar sentiments when I ran into him a day ago as I exited the Tastee party store, he greeted me with the usual comical “wah gwaan gal?” (what’s up girl) to which I giggled, days gone by I would have cringed at such a greeting but I really do not care anymore, it is what it is. He tried to get me to buy things from him and I did take some blank DVDs from him but he had to be careful even as despite the cops are around they are targeting mobile vendors or walkers as well and not just ones with stalls or handcarts in one place. Shelly Ann in our conversation said the character Ackeem Johnson/Jackson had been busy in the town collecting money and organizing others but there was internal strife as well in the Clansman gang.

He also referenced Tesha Miller’s absence but most persons suspect he is calling the shots wherever he is and there is fear that after the holidays things are going to get worse. But this morning the police announced their increased patrol for the very same reasons indicated by Shelly Ann which says he was on to something. Shelly Ann also said he has been targeted by both factions of the Clansman gang now in split mode for extortion fees and that the dollar amount had not been dropped but instead doubled and the other rival gangs have been trying to infiltrate that zone; they are so covert however one would never see the actions or know what is happening.

I remember a soup vendor who was killed for the same reason of non payment of extortion way back in 2000 and the outrage that ensued as members of the public reacted that a simple soup vendor needn’t have been killed as he would not turned over significant amounts to pay fees. Several vendors refused to pay any more money but soon found themselves the recipients of threats in failure to do so. Another bleached butch identified woman in the town who sell DVDs as well had reportedly found herself in trouble prior to the clearing of the vendors and the building of BASHCO on Burke Road just in front the Kentucky Fried Chicken store, it was noticeable that she was missing for a time and rumours was that she was threatened so she laid low.

With Tesha Miller and this other Bubba Sparks character now on the run many vendors are hoping they will end up with more money in their pockets for Christmas and those in hiding can come out to try and make a living; that also includes those former homeless/displaced gays who were in or often return to the income generating weed whacking project that is some four plus years old when they get jobs or calls of interest hence my reference to the bag juice sellers who have also been targeted. The now infamous voice notes issuing threats of disruption for the Christmas from as far back as October has only added more salt to the wound, the police’s initial reaction was that the tapes were a possible fabrication or mischief making on the part of the originators but in an almost about face the cops through its Constabulary Communication Unit, CCU that they have intelligence that point to so plans for some extra ordinary event as the in-fighting continues and some persons in the affected areas are threatened with possible violence if they did not switch allegiance or stop opposing the new order.

The CCU has been trying to reassure the public that all be well as they have stepped up patrols in the business district but some are not convinced and are asking then what of undercover sting operations?

This extortion business is everywhere even in the upscale business districts of New Kingston and Half Way Tree surprisingly; west Kingston is already well known for that, I had encountered indirectly some of it in my days at the Ministry of Health when I did HIV outreach, the team and I while conducting the P.L.A.C.E pilot HIV project in 2006 we had to speak to a mini-donman to gain clearance to access certain parts of the rural bus park and market district alongside the lavatory in the bus park, this ‘permission’ was outside of the formal clearances we got from the administration of the market and bus park itself; and even that part of town also had its challenges with perceived gay and lesbian vendors coming under seemingly more pressure than others.

Hope some solution can come to the crime problem but we have allowed this scourge to become so entrenched and near normative it is going to be difficult to break, hope remains while company is true.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Another phone in body cavity story .. the third in succession, what's up Star News?

Tesha Miller in younger days

PHONE FOUND IN GANGSTA, DON'S BUTT........a real battyman dis LOL

Man threatens woman for attempting to steal his woman

Phone Found in Prisoner’s Rectum for a Second Time in Lockup

So Rev Chisholm departs from his JCHS colleagues on the Phonebook kerfuffle

As I live and breathe I never thought I would see a departure by partner in crime to the antigay establishment of the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS although he hardly names them in a letter to the Observer on the issue entitled "Yellow Pages teacup storm" also see my take on the issue on sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica "Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society gets worked up over a phonebook!"

The selectivity on issues by this one group supposedly in the name of a healthy society is so hypocritical it's not funny. But first let us see what the goodly Reverend had to say:

Dear Editor,

If you have a problem with the front cover of your copy of the current Jamaican Yellow Pages telephone directory (dancehall scene) why not just flip it over to the back cover (ska/rocksteady scene), or better still just tear off the flipping front cover.

This is a simple solution to a simple problem in my view. The cover is almost literally a flat (two-dimensional) cardboard photo and that disturbs or turns on some of us? Give me a break!

Now, though I am trained in music and philosophy, and have been a Christian for 49 years, I would not venture to do any kind of research at a live dancehall session because I personally could not “plead the blood of Jesus” fervently enough to keep all sections of my anatomy calm. Even then, my possible response to the visual stimuli in that setting would be essentially saying much more about me than about the gyrating female bodies I would be viewing.

Apropos this stimulus/response issue, two illustrations have been brought to my attention in recent months. One, squeeze a peeled orange as hard and as long as you can and you will never ever get lime juice from the effort. This is because of the internal make-up of orange which determines its response to squeezing. If a skimpily clad lady, or one who is not exactly small-breasted or of a small derriere, turns me on sexually that response is essentially because of my internal make-up.

The other illustration relates to grains of sand in an eye as opposed to in an oyster. Sand in an eye irritates and harms, but in an oyster a pearl is likely because the make-up of the eye does not allow for a response other than irritation/harm, whereas the make-up of the oyster leads to a pearl response.

Whether it is the sculpture at Emancipation Park, the current Yellow Pages ‘dancehall cover’, or whatever, let’s not forget or downplay the fact that our response to any given work of art may be more suggestive of the kind of person we are than about the aesthetico-moral calibre of the work of art.

Maybe I just need Jesus, but Church leaders need to revisit their definition (if they have one) and defence of what we regard as pornography.

This ‘controversy’ is really more like fomenting a category 5 storm in a thimble than a storm in a teacup. For the young and innocent, a thimble is a tiny sewing device.

Rev Clinton Chisholm
clintchis@yahoo.com

ENDS

one of the substitute covers

the cover that send some haywire

Wow the response is very direct and indirect as I hinted above but his point on the response to artwork is interesting though and is worth exploring to really see what he says makes sense. Meanwhile it was noticeable that Dr Wayne West the head of the JCHS made an appearance on Love 101FM's Moment of Hope show on Sunday morning last talking about HIV/AIDS and prevalence rates in teens while carefully staying clear of the Phonebook issue. Even his responses to the questions asked were markedly different as the usual combative style was not there.

Has something happened since this phonebook fiasco behind the scenes hence a change of strategy and Chisholm's public difference to the matter? a response most strange to me.

Yet to be seen if ever but duly noted.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

JCHS gets worked up over a phonebook and Leighton Levy's take: Nothing wrong with Yellow Pages cover

But of course the EU will not openly say grant aid is linked to LGBT rights

So the latest tranche of funds from the European Union, EU has come much to the delight of the Jamaica Labour Party administration, JLP as we have to sadly and in a near mendicant way rely on their aid as we somehow 54 years into independence have not yet managed to manage our own affairs without aid or handouts. The Gleaner carried a front page story on Sunday December 12, 2016 stating “EU not linking aid to gay rights, death penalty.” The JLP like the People’s National Party before when they came to power in 2011 had to fend off suspicions of hidden agendas by those who aid us to somehow ‘impose’ their will in exchange for the assistance or grants for budgetary support. We have been down this road before with Andrew Holness at the helm so this is not new and for the local European Union representative to be trying to allay fears of hidden LGBT rights demands tells us we have a long way to go on many fronts in terms of trust on all sides.

see: Jamaica's Stance On Gay Rights Won't Affect EU Funding (Gleaner 2012)

As the captioned title says the EU is not going to directly tell any nation that there are indeed some considerations at least or prerequisites at best for same in order to qualify for said aid or grants, of course there are considerations of protocol, harmonious relations, confidentiality and just for good business negotiating terms or talks are kept out of the public domain but the very words of the representatives in the Gleaner article one Miss Malgorzata Wasilewska says it all;

“We will continue having dialogue on values that are important to us and they will include conversations on the death penalty and LGBT rights, on equality of rights to all citizens. I am convinced that the dialogue will be an honest and frank exchange between equals.”

But of course the courtesies must be observed and the deliberate use of “equals” is noted as indicated above for protocol and harmony diplomatic etiquette must be observed but let us get real, which country when dispensing of its tax payer money in grant aid or budgetary support to another country, better yet island developing states such as ours and not have expectations and attachments to such aid. What could explain the resistance by the African Caribbean and Pacific States group, ACP in years gone by in negotiating trade deals or the soon to be expired Cotonou Agreement? They have time and again claimed they will not be dictated to on gay rights or gay marriage so obviously some talk has gone on and is still going on behind the scenes. If only we can speak truth to power and just be open and honest on things but sadly the reality speaks otherwise.

Arthur Hall of the Gleaner penned:
While making it clear that Europe would prefer if Jamaica expands gay rights and abolish the death penalty, the European Union's (EU) new representative in Kingston insists that these would not be conditions for the island to continue to receive EU economic aid.

" ... There is no conditionality," Malgorzata Wasilewska, the head of the EU Delegation in Jamaica, said in an exclusive interview with The Sunday Gleaner.

"It never has been, and it never will be," said Wasilewska in response to questions if the EU would demand movements from Jamaica in line with the trends in Europe.

"But if in the course of our cooperation any of our values are not respected - for example, if we implement a project and during the project, there is a clear violation of human rights in the implementation - of course, we would raise that and have a conversation about it," added Wasilewska.

Over the past 40 years, the EU has provided Jamaica with official development assistance of approximately €1.2 billion, or J$170 billion. Some of this money has been direct budgetary support, which has helped the island meet crucial fiscal targets under its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

$3-BILLION BOOST

Only last week, the EU provided a grant of €24 million (more than J$3 billion) to support Jamaica's Justice System Reform Programme.

Of this amount, €22 million was in the form of budget support, while €1 million will be offered to civil-society organisations, through calls for proposals to contribute to improving access to justice, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups. The remaining €1 million will go towards providing technical assistance, evaluation and audits, as well as communication and visibility services.

But the issue of gay rights and the death penalty, subtexts to EU-Jamaica relations, are not areas where the long-time friends see eye to eye, and there have been concerns that the 28-member bloc will use its financial might to force the island to fall in line with its position on these issues.

Most of the money the EU has given Jamaica has been grant resources for sectors such as education, human-rights awareness, security, agriculture, and rural development, but there have been concerns expressed recently as more and more Europeans start looking inwards.

Wasilewska last week admitted that the EU does not see eye to eye with Jamaica on issues such as the death penalty and LBGT rights, but said that would not impact the billions of dollars in aid provided to the island each year.

"We will continue having a dialogue on values that are important to us and they will include conversations on the death penalty and LBGT rights, on equality of rights to all citizens. I am convinced that the dialogue will be an honest and frank exchange between equals," Wasilewska told The Sunday Gleaner on the fringes of a meet-and-greet session in Kingston.

In June, all 28 EU member states reached a consensus on LGBT rights and agreed at the Council of the European Union to work against "any discrimination" against LGBT people, and to ramp up pan-European efforts on equality.

The council urges individual national governments "to consider working together with the European Commission with regard to its list of actions to advance LGBTI equality", and "to take action to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity".

Jamaica has shied away from any such commitment, with the recently introduced Charter of Rights failing to recognise same-sex unions or provide any specific protection for members of the LBGT community.

The death penalty has been abolished in all EU states and is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

Locally, parliamentarians voted in 2008 to retain the death penalty, even though no execution has taken place in decades.

ENDS

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

EU considers LGBT considerations for future negotiations

That UK aid issue again with Cameron ......

European Parliament zooms in on LGBT rights in the world ..... 

African, Caribbean & Pacific Countries refuse to include declaration of gay rights in Brussels 2010

African, Caribbean & Pacific issue declaration to EU "To refrain from any attempts to impose its values which are not freely shared"

Ministry Embarks On Human-Rights Public-Awareness Campaign - Gleaner (the goodly minister had to sing for his supper some say)

Wayne Besen: ‘Ex-Gay’ Programs Could Stage Comeback in the Age of Trump

Donald Trump holding a rainbow flag during the hustings int the US elections.

Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out

In recent years, “ex-gay” ministries and their ostensibly secular counterpart, reparative therapy (a.k.a. conversion therapy), have been widely discredited. The movement's key leaders have either been the subject of scandal or come out of the closet. This undermined their credibility, because these spokespeople were the walking, talking, “living proof” that such programs are effective. Additionally, the industry has lost in court, and laws have been passed in several states and cities prohibiting quacks from engaging in the barbaric practice with minors.

Beyond the fight for marriage equality, efforts to debunk the “ex-gay” industry have been one of the LGBT movement’s most effective campaigns. These organizations came to prominence in 1998, when at least 15 right-wing Christian groups launched the national “Truth in Love” advertising campaign that featured people who claimed to have gone from gay to straight through a combination of Jesus Christ and therapy sessions.

The campaign backfired and proved the opposite: Even highly motivated people aided by Christian psychologists and prayer warriors could not alter their sexual orientation.

Today, most of the once powerful “ex-gay” groups are gone, such as Exodus International, Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality, and Love Won Out. Those remaining exist in shambles, staffed by dead-enders who operate on the far fringes of society. Most right-wing Christian groups that once embraced this movement now avoid doing so. They rightfully fear that promoting “ex-gay” programs, which are highly likely to fail, would lead to public ridicule. And, finally, the media, which once gave “ex-gay” groups millions of dollars in free publicity, are openly skeptical. Having been burned by people who lied about their transformation, news outlets now ignore these groups or accurately report on them as the scams that they are.

Our movement’s victory over the destructive “ex-gay” myth could prove ephemeral with the rise of Donald Trump. Although he has shown no appetite to promote this insidious lie, he has surrounded himself with people who are virulently antigay, such as Vice President Mike Pence, Housing and Urban Development secretary nominee Ben Carson, and Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama.

“Ex-gay” propaganda is always an attractive option for such extremists. They latch on to it because the alternative to cynically professing love for LGBT people by offering a cure is outright hostility, which is more difficult in a country that increasingly accepts LGBT people as mainstream.

Indeed, open warfare against LGBT people is politically perilous. As Indiana's governor, Mike Pence was burned when he tried to wage it with the odious “license to discriminate” law. Gov. Pat McCrory was one of the rare Republicans who lost his reelection, which was due largely to his embrace of an anti-LGBT law that stripped civil rights from gay people and denied transgender individuals use of the appropriate bathrooms. A May CNN/ORC poll found that 57 percent of Americans say they oppose laws requiring transgender individuals to use facilities that do not match their gender identity.

To avoid becoming a laughingstock, it is unlikely that shrewder members of Trump’s staff or Cabinet would openly promote such quackery (my guess is that Ben Carson is the most likely). The real danger lies in the contempt for reality and collapse of the quaint notion that “facts” exist. On November 30, CNN’s Scottie Nell Hughes, a frequent Trump surrogate, appeared on The Diane Rehm Show and said, “People that say facts are facts — they’re not really facts. … There’s no such thing, unfortunately, anymore as facts.”

In such a fact-free environment, you can easily see conservatives arguing to include “ex-gay” viewpoints in textbooks and protecting these groups with new laws. This time, they are less likely to argue the efficacy of such programs. They will probably emulate Donald Trump and declare something like, “I have no idea if these programs work, but some people say they do, so it’s only fair to include their version of the facts.”

“Ex-gay” organizations may also follow the path of white nationalists and claim to be a distinct minority that is in need of protection from discrimination. The noxious group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays has long used this argument. I would not be surprised to see some conservatives adopt it in the specious name of fairness. They will argue that the exclusion of “ex-gay” propaganda is an example of political correctness.

We will also have to counter the cynical enactment of religious liberty laws, which may give proponents of “ex-gay” programs the right to inflict harm on LGBT people in the name of religious freedom. As Donald Trump and the Republican Senate fill federal courts with conservative judges, such tomfoolery may increasingly gain support from the bench.

The international posture of the Trump administration may also lead to the expansion of “ex-gay” organizations. The U.S. has been a bulwark against global homophobia during the Obama administration. Who will now stand up at the United Nations against Middle Eastern countries and Russia, which may push the “ex-gay” myth?

Finally, I suspect that Trump will give more latitude to states to promote these harmful therapies under the auspices of “states’ rights.” It is conceivable that our “laboratories of democracy” may conduct some very dangerous “ex-gay” experiments on LGBT people during the Trump years.

Fortunately, these organizations have a history of folly and failure. We will need to highlight these disasters, because conservatives may try to revive this dead horse in the coming years. 

WAYNE BESEN is the founding executive director of Truth Wins Out, the Center Against Religious Extremism, and author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth (Routledge, 2003) and Bashing Back: Wayne Besen on People, Politics, and Culture.(Routledge, 2006). 

He is the host of The Wayne Besen Show, airing weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. Central on WCPT 820 AM Chicago, and a weekly columnist at the Falls Church News Press.

also see:
Former US 'Ex-Gay' Superstar John Paulk Finally Renounces His 'Ex-Gay' Past 

US Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Men During Ex-Gay therapy Sessions 2012 

Former 'ex-gay' leaders publish open letter saying conversion therapy is damaging 

Gay “Cures” Are Harmful And Don’t Work, Says World’s Largest Body Of Psychiatrists 

EX Gay Ministries to close, founder issues apology 2013

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

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:

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brian bartley @calibkb

@realDonaldTrump Gay marriage is a abomination to most Christians! Gay marriage makes a mock of man & woman to bond & procreate

2:42 PM - 14 Nov 2016

 
•  11 Retweet
 
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@TheFactsOfShade gay marriage should be banned

— GO MELANIA TRUMP! (@CalderYves) November 14, 2016

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Bird Fishing @HaastsEagleApp

@realDonaldTrump Don't change or you will lose the Christians who don't agree with this backlash of Gay Rights...Man and Women..

2:00 PM - 14 Nov 2016

 
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•  11 like

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Cedric Taylor 🌐 @TheUrbanEntity

@realDonaldTrump YOU ARE GETTING IT WRONG WITH GAY MARRIAGE. NEEDS TO BE OVERTURNED! DON'T SCREW IT UP WITH ABORTION. SAVE OUR BABIES!

1:48 PM - 14 Nov 2016

 
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Jamie Stout @JamieStout20

@realDonaldTrump If you do not appoint judges who protect marriage... one man, one woman and protect bathrooms... then I've wasted my vote

3:13 PM - 14 Nov 2016

 
•  55 Retweets
 
•  22 likes

9 Nov

Deelite @LOVatoLUVAH

@realDonaldTrump PLEASE UNITE THIS COUNTRY!Make it clear to the people you will do that! And pls do not touch gay rights! @KellyannePolls

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Sharon Wilson @Queenmomof10

@LOVatoLUVAH @realDonaldTrump @KellyannePolls please touch gay rights one man one woman one life thats what the bible says

7:31 PM - 13 Nov 2016

 
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•  11 like

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