Caribbean pastors ask U.S. to stop promoting LGBT rights overseas

Source: Washington Blade as more misguided hatred filled so called Christians continue using piety deceptively.

Nearly 300 religious officials from the Caribbean and Guyana have urged the U.S. to no longer promote LGBT and intersex rights abroad.

The 289 ministers who are from the Bahamas, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana made the request in a letter they sent to President Trump on Jan. 31.

“We write to you as concerned Christian ministers and churches from the Caribbean region (including the Bahamas) who hope and pray that the United States, under your leadership, will once again cast a light from ‘The City upon a Hill’ of which your American forefathers and President Ronald Reagan so frequently spoke,” reads the letter. “Sadly, during recent years, that City has too often cast shadows instead of light.”

“We refer specifically to the policies of the U.S. State Department and other government agencies involved in foreign policy that have undertaken to coerce our countries into accepting a mistaken version of marriage,” it continues.

The letter specifically notes the appointment of Randy Berry as the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBT and intersex rights in 2015 was central to “the promotion of same-sex marriage” in American foreign policy. It also questions then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2011 speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council in which she said “gay rights are human rights.”

“We have our rights by virtue of being human beings and not by anything else — not our ethnicity, not our religion, not our race, not our tribe and certainly not our sexual orientation,” reads the letter.

The letter also points out to Trump that “several of your government agencies” are “using executive orders to foist transgender confusion through the bathroom issue on your public schools by threatening the loss of federal funds.”

“Please understand that this same kind of coercion is being used against our countries to force us to fall in line with the entire same-sex agenda,” it reads.

The Obama administration last year advised public schools that Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972 requires them to allow trans students to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. Trump rescinded this guidance on Feb. 22.
Guyanese group receives grants through Global Equality Fund

The promotion of LGBT and intersex rights abroad was a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy during Obama’s second term. The promotion of marriage rights for same-sex couples internationally was never a publicly articulated part of this strategy.

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, a Guyanese advocacy group known by the acronym SASOD, has received grants through the Global Equality Fund, a public-private partnership the State Department manages with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Officials at the U.S. Embassy in the Guyanese capital of Georgetown also meet with SASOD staffers and support their efforts.

Dennis and Judy Shepard met with LGBT rights advocates, parents and officials at the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago in 2014. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has also supported HIV/AIDS programs in the country.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. St. Maarten recognizes same-sex marriages that are performed in the Netherlands.
Ministers’ letter is ‘appalling’

Steven Anderson, who was deported from Botswana last September, traveled to Guyana earlier this year. The anti-LGBT pastor from Arizona who has said gays and lesbians should be killed and described the victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., as “disgusting homosexuals,” claims a hotel in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, cancelled his reservation earlier this month.

Activists in the region with whom the Washington Blade spoke on Wednesday criticized the pastors who wrote to Trump.

“It’s appalling that they are pandering to President Trump — a head of state who has demonstrated nothing but prejudice and intolerance towards entire communities, immigrants and Muslims especially,” said SASOD Managing Director Joel Simpson.

Erin Greene, an LGBT and intersex rights advocate in the Bahamas, agreed.

“The statement and petition is a desperate move by a once powerful structure in Caribbean societies,” she told the Blade. “The Christian church was once the center of Caribbean societies, and now, these pastors are grasping to retain power and relevance as they are being stripped of their influence in policy making and national development.”

“In fact, they would be fulfilling their Christian mandate by denouncing the exportation of anti-LGBTI hate speech to the region, and asking President Trump to focus on foreign policy initiatives that prevent the spread the of U.S.-based religious terrorism in the Caribbean, Latin America and the Global South,” added Greene.

Bahamas Transgender Intersex United President Alexus D’Marco echoed Greene’s criticism while defending Obama, Clinton and Berry’s appointment.

“It is inconceivable that these ‘Christian’ reverend gentlemen and gentle ladies could not find the love of Christ in the hearts,” D’Marco told the Blade.

A State Department spokesperson on Friday said “protecting universal human rights is at the core of U.S. foreign policy.”

“All people should be protected from discrimination and violence, and must be allowed to exercise their human rights, including their rights to the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and religion or belief,” the spokesperson told the Blade.

The White House did not respond to the Blade’s request for comment.

Anthropologist (yet again) conflates male homosexuality with predatory paedophilia

 from a previous Gleaner story

Anthropologist Dr Herbert Gayle has once again has caused some upset of sorts out there by making generalized comments on sensitive matters; however in this go round was not as the one he just ended up in recently on violence and power differentials between men and women and violence as he for all intents and purposes resorted to victim blaming (women are the ones who push men to violence narrative). I like some others who watched the news last evening were wondering if the man we saw speaking at Rotary Club meeting and who has worked on street boys and violence, JFLAG and the University of The West Indies and a host of other groups, NGOs and civil society if he was out of his mind in some sense; Gayle seemed quite comfortable by way of his cadence of speech and gesticulation in the delivery at the podium maybe without realizing what he was perpetuating; he was speaking about street boys and men who seem to have a cleek mentality and glorify violence up in later years as a stripe of sorts, the newscast’s report did not show any explanation as well as to business of the group mentality for survival, sex as a means of income sometimes most unwillingly versus deliberate abuse by more monied and powered men. A request for a transcript has not been responded to as at the preparation of this post.

here is the newsclip in question on February 23, 2017:

Gayle also suggested that even successful men in particular who hail from a poorer and abusive backgrounds and who have physical evidence of abuse by way of beatings and so on they too seem to respond with braggadociousness that they are bolder persons now due to the treatment and what they learnt in youthful years, they seem to see some justification for the abuse so they accept it. One would have expected that as one become more exposed to issues in a real sense that newfound informed position would influence anyone to avoid generalisations especially predicated on such a radioactive conflation of predatory paedophile intent. Dr Gayle whether inadvertently or deliberately given the audience he was in front of just threw out the line(s) he uttered and makes me wonder sadly why he would make those statements at a function and then leave them simply hanging knowing how deeply homophobic we are and can get when it suits some persons. Was he throwing stones without realising the broader implications of this nationally?

This is not the first time Dr Gayle has done this gay-baiting of sorts framed as predatory or exploitative homosexuality despite as mentioned above his work he did with JFLAG, even while he hosted an afternoon show on the University of the West Indies, UWI ‘s Newstalk 93FM he would put out the one liners indicated the narrative without unpacking some of the other attendant pieces to the puzzle, such as experimentation, substitutional sex, gay for pay phenomenon versus genuine male inappropriate sexual abuse. He would reel off all kinds of statistics and so on and on the face of them they sound plausible but without the benefit of the listeners and some basic unpacking suppositions and or speculations become the end product unfortunately; when academics are supposed to encourage the analysis of facts driven by strong empirical data for those of us who are not so book bright. Make no mistake one is not denying that there are persons out there sometimes wrapped in sheep clothing who abuse others and use their power by force or not to get psychologically or financial weak or desperate persons into non consensual scenarios or going as far as rape but for an anthropologist to engage in generalizations of such a sensitive nature plays right into the hands of a homophobe who use such thinking to set themselves in their ways whilst putting up a permanent wall of rejection, hate, ignorance and feeling justified in supporting to the point of violence against LGBT persons predicated on stereotypes, misnomers and sheer ignorance. This is not the kind of thinking and subtle encouragement that should be coming from an academic.

Anti gay groups and individuals to include fanatical Christians often use this long standing paedophile/homosexual conflation to near perfection in whipping up opposition to any sensible processing of human sexuality and by extension debates on buggery law reform; the subtext of the narrative is that the law must remain as boys will be abused and men will have a free hand to do so which is NOT true. They like Dr Gayle’s wide broad brush simply pack all gay men as paedophiles without looking at or recognizing the all important matters of consent as adults and or sexual orientation. There is sometimes a comparison to what occurs with teenage girls and older men where the teens are merely seen as future or young fresh sex objects for use and is justified in song by popular dancehall acts (the buss breast targeting of girls) who maintain their popularity by glorifying same and presenting a virile hypermasculine man image to project strength. All the more reason why Dr Gayle ought to have tread a little more carefully as the sequence of disturbing cases and once guarded secrets of abuse of women and girls indeed boys coupled with the now exposed rotted under belly of some church denominations in as far as church or clerical sex abuse once swept under the rug. Problem is some much has been swept under that rug that it is two inches away from the ceiling. The comparative response to the latest ugly salvo pales in comparison to the stridency these often misguided groups show to conflated homosexual matters, where are the Half Way Tree protests condemning this?

Dr Gayle and other such academics, two particular misguided sociologists comes to mind one being the sister to former Member of Parliament Damian Crawford, georgette Crawford and the ever homophobic Dr Orville Higgins seem to thrive of hitting back at LGBT advocacy. The former is good at linking paedophile intent with homosexuality and gets away with it ever so often on Nationwide radio despite that stations generalised tolerant tone while the latter Higgins continues to use the perceived label by Time magazine which was a question not a statement of fact that asked “Is Jamaica is the most homophobic place on earth?” he too effortlessly sometime joins male homosexuality with predatory intent. All this happening while the pious are being rapidly being exposed to be something else. It was only yesterday in a previous post on a 6 year old Vybz Kartel antigay song that has been revived of sorts this same paedophile conflation, a conflation some if us for years have been trying to defeat while bringing some sense into the mix.

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual, DSM 5 which denotes the various sexual disorders especially for Psychologists and indeed others is quite clear as to the differences between a paedophile and a homosexual although we also know that the gender of the underaged victim is of no consequence in a sense. Homosexuality is not seen as a disorder from as far back 1973 but paedophilia is seen as a sometimes treatable disorder either by psycho sexual interventions over time backed up by pharmacological courses as well with strong drugs to reduce the libido of such paedophiles. Once an adult finds children sexually attractive or are aroused by kids of whatever gender we are no longer dealing with sexual orientation but something totally different. Traditional media reporting over the years have not helped either as those reports have helped to cement the homo-paedophile construct when the narrative does not seek to give some basic facts but more sensationalism in order to sell papers or in these days generate clicks and web traffic.

Indeed the power differentials in such same gender unions from the point of adolescents can be problematic for as hinted to above for survival some may enter into a gay for pay mode; the monied or privileged man ends up preying on the weaker marginalised male inadvertently I imagine and the outcomes of that have been bourn out in the occasional incident and sometimes murder. The media again sensationalise the story sometimes playing into the hands of the public and rests the motives often times of crimes of passion or justified self defence due to a perceived sodomatical attack (an old term used in courts back in the seventies and eighties). Unfortunately the missing unpacking of such matters by a case by case basis have also fed into the predatory intent conflation while leaving out the power struggle.

It is bad enough that we are up against a homophobic public with deeply entrenched negative subtexts lasting decades which makes it normative and usually more pronounced at the lower socio economic spectrum but to be repeatedly confronted by academics who ought to know better is another matter entirely.

Peace & tolerance

H

Vybz Kartel's "No Man (Mi Swear Pon Mi Life)" getting renewed attention

A song by Vybz Kartel recorded prior to his life imprisonment sentence in the now infamous murder case has been getting a lot of attention in recent times. The trial diverted the public's attention and perception as to the song's message but harcore followers knew it word for word. I happened to be at a dance last night and the DJ played it, he had to 'pull it up' as we say in Jamaica a full seven times. The reaction was telling.

In recent times the analytics is reflecting a lot of renewed interest as well; taxis are playing it and social media, Soundcloud, Mixcloud and other platforms are playing it. Given the racy lyrics radio will not take the chance to play it in full but those DJs will use the one-liner trick as in the old days when they play a neutral sounding line or hook that does directly state violence to homosexuals; but is enough to give an indication of the song, hence a forward.

I suspect that given the major backlash to the parliamentary opposition spokesperson on youth Lisa Hanna's suggestion to ban his ability to record news songs while incarcerated and by extension from the airwaves with some support from others the push back includes antigay songs. We must not forget this is the same man who blurred the lines of male aesthetic and was himself at one point had his sexuality questioned after he bleached his skin and introduced the tight pants phenomenon.

The song was also a push back by Kartel to defray the rumours about his sexual orientation linked to his metrosexual image and exaggerated skin lightening. 

Also see: "Gay Look" for Kartel? 2011

Here are the lyrics and look what it commences with, the Levitical imperative: (the harsh lines translated in colour)

Leviticus 20 Verse 13

Say any man weh lydung wid a next man

Hold on now

Dem a get too bright

(they are getting too presumptuous)

Suh mi bun battyman and sodomite

(So I burn gay men & lesbians)

A coulda Selassie-I

A coulda Christ

Me haffi swear pan mi bloodclaat life

Jamaica

Jamaica mi nah go fuck no man (Jah know)

Dem thing deh wrong

Cause if a man go lay dung wid anotha man

How di fuck di baby born

Send me every kind a gyyaaaal

Mi love dem all

Cause if a gyal go lay dung wid anotha gyal

('cause if a girl go lay with another)

How di fuck di baby born

(How is baby to born?) [suggesting the procreation imperative]

Hold on now

Dem a get too bright

How two man fi a play sword fight

None a dem cya walk inna Portmore

(None of them can walk in Portmore) [Kartel is from Portmore hence declaing a kind of turf control or donmanship role of the area known as Gaza]

And dem run like dog if dem go a Standpipe

(They run like dogs when they go to Standpipe) [Standpipe is a popular ghetto where numerous gunmen frequent or live]

Sodomite gyal mi nuh like unu style

Do you ever think bout stiff cocky more while

Spaldin people bun out pedophile

How big rass man fi a fuck a likkle child

(Lesbians I don't like your style, do you ever think about an erect penis at times, how is man to fuck a little child) [the conflation of male consensual homosexuality with paedophilia often used to justify violence and opposition to rights and so on]

Jamaica mi nah go fuck no man (Jah know)

Dem thing deh wrong

Cah when a man go lay dung wid anotha man

How di fuck di baby born?

Send me every kind a gyyaaaal

Fi love dem all

(Send me every kind of girl to love them all) [the bravado element, power in the penis, bragadocious verility linked to hypermasculinty, women are seen as mere sex objects]

Cause if a gyal go lay dung wid anotha gyal

How di fuck di baby born

Vannesa Bling seh

Batty business fi cease

Said it inna di west and it red inna di east

If a nuh gyal lay dung inna yuh bed

When time unu dead yuh cya rest in peace

And a buy dildo a buy batty grease

My son cya tun inna nuh catholic priest

(They buy dildos and lubricants, my son cannot be a Catholic priest) [Suggesting safer sex implements and anal hygiene products should not be sold and again the consenting homosexual man conflated as a paedohpile, question how is Kartel to know about such details?]

Badmind a di wickedest sickness

But batty business a diwusses disease

Jamaica

Jamaica mi nah go fuck no man (Jah know)

Dem thing deh wrong

Cause if a man go lay dung wid anotha man

How di fuck di baby born

Send me every kind a gyyaaaal

Mi love dem all

Cause if a gyal go lay dung wid anotha gyal

How di fuck di baby born

Leviticus 20 verse 13

Say any man weh lydung wid a next man

Hold on now

Dem a get too bright

Suh mi bun battyman and sodomite

A coulda Selassie-I

A coulda Christ

Me haffi swear pan bloodclaat life

Seh Jamaica mi nah go fuck no man

Neva will

Mi nah gih weh pussy fi no batty

(I'm not giving up my like for pussy for no anus) [That is for a public presentation but the downlow phenomenon is another matter]

Di words from Addi

Di Emprie seh

Black Street

Numba one song

Big up Don

Di ladies man

And Addi Di Teacha

Di Last Man Standing

Out...

ENDS

In as far as the ban is concerned the previously released materials are out there already, the unreleased recordings pending release there could be some considerations taken as to the lyrical content but that may have implications for the 'freedom of speech' 

The part that gets me is the ability to record while in prison bearing in mind he is serving a life sentence yet he is more popular that freed artistes. Lisa Hanna missed that part it seems and never broke it down as I did. Precedent has been set however when it comes to incarcerated DJs releasing and recording music such as Jah Cure in recent memory and older artists, so how can the practice be stopped?

More anon

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Dancehall meets house music: Is Tolerance already there in the fusion but unrecognised? and a follow up entry that same year Jah Cure goes techno with Never Say Never ..... remember the dancehall meets house post? 

Kartel on lockdown and that suggestive cartoon ... [the toon suggest prison sex with him being the passive partner in any sexual arrangement]

Vybz Kartel ...... King of the rub 

Who is a real man? ...."Males who do not fit this "new" hegemonic view of masculinity 

Reggae Compassionate Act signed by Vybz Kartel ....... courageous move by the DJ 2010 but one year later the captioned song was released

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

Male Strippers perceived as 'fish' threatened at party

So the nonsense of percieved homosexuals has reared its ugly head again, this time at a supposed heterosexual freaky party event on Boxing Day (#1) as the actual holiday was recognized afterwards.

The Promoter apologises for absence of crazy sex games.

Promoter Kevin 'Bad Xsample' Simpson said she wants to apologise to patrons at his recently held event, dubbed 'Adult Swim: The Ultimate Erotic Party', for an unfortunate ordeal which might have left some attendants disappointed.

He explained that on the night of the December 26 event, which promised crazy sex acts, a group of about 20 men that he described as thugs, entered the New Kingston venue and began hurling threats and insults at some male strippers, causing them to abandon their performance.

"I was over occupied, so I didn't get to stand up and watch fully wah a gwaan, but me see them [male strippers] performance cut short," Bad Xsample said, while explaining that the performance only lasted for about 30 minutes, as opposed to the scheduled hour.

get threats

"Me need fi make the fans know it wasn't my fault," Bad Xsample said. "After the man them come in, the male strippers a complain to me say when them did a perform, them did a get threats from the same man them."

He said he could not convince the male dancers to go on stage after the ordeal.

Klymaxxx, one of the male exotic dancers who attended the event, said he was too afraid to continue performing. Sad that this where the madness has come, did these misguided and ignorant men not expect that there would be male strippers as well and only female ones when the event is open to both sexes?

"The man dem at the party say that them nuh want no male strippers, so I couldn't get to perform that night. Them claim to say we are 'fish' [homosexuals] and all of that is based on how we try to look entertaining to the ladies with our costume and we style," Klymaxxx explained. Probably Klymaxxx needed to have worded his adverts better and clearly state the demographics that were to be entertained; many of this so called party promoters are not professionals to begin with and when they meet nonsense as this it just shows them up.

was shirtless

"I was wearing a purple costume. It was a tights material, from my things to my foot, and it has cords in it. I was shirtless, and I had on a cape. Some guys had a problem saying these men are freaky boys," the erotic dancer added. But one would image if you're already at an adult event the 'freak' element would have been there by default.

Though the event did not progress as planned, Bad Xsample said it eventually turned out well, as the male dancers continued to engage in offstage games with interested female patrons.

"At the end of the event, a lot of people were saying the show promised more than it give. But it was just a series of things that were out of my control. I want the word to spread that it wasn't really my fault" Bad Xsample said.

He added that at the next staging of Adult Swim, there will be tighter security to ensure that there are no disruptions. As suggested above proper advertising is crucial as well.

Le sigh

Peace & tolerance

H

US embassy promises to reveal information on artistes' visa denials ...

In a follow up to a previous entry the US embassy now says it promises to reveal information on artistes' visa denials ...Says entertainers must waive privacy rights ...... frankly I do not see why the US has to be explaining anything or entering into debates to justify their actions not granting visas. If one simply does not qualify then one just does not qualify.

The United States Embassy in Kingston has said that it will release information on specific visa denial cases involving several Jamaican artistes if the entertainers waive their privacy rights.

Waiving these rights would make the information regarding the denial of their visas available to the public.

However, attorney-at-law Delano Franklyn explained that although the US Embassy made that announcement, it is the US authorities that will ultimately decide whether the information will be released.

"Because the embassy has said it would make the information available, then one would have to take their word for it. But the United States Embassy, like any other embassy, owes no one an explanation as to why a visa has, in fact, been denied," Franklyn said.

"If the artiste says to the embassy, I waive my right, please explain to the public why I was denied my visa, the US does not have to comply," Franklyn said.

Joshua Polacheck, public affairs officer at the US Embassy, said at a Gleaner Editor's Forum earlier this week that Jamaican entertainers have "never" been denied visas, or had them taken away over matters such as as anti-gay lyrics.

"No artiste has ever been refused a visa for artistic reasons, and that includes promoting views that are either loving or repelling. The market may not choose to employ them," Polacheck said.

However, veteran producer Gussie Clarke, in a story carried in yesterday's STAR, said Polacheck was not being entirely truthful with statements made regarding anti-gay lyrics, and how they affect the visa adjudication process.

The US Embassy responded on Twitter saying it is prepared to reveal reasons behind artistes visa denials if entertainers would waive their privacy rights.

But Franklyn, who practises entertainment law, said it would be interesting to know if any artiste had been denied entry to the US based on their lyrics, but said the latter would be hard to prove.

"If there are artistes who can prove this, then it is important for that artiste to say whether or not they would wish for that (privacy) right to be waived," Franklyn reasoned.

"What I believe would bring a different light to the whole issue is if the United States were to say that they have not denied an artiste a visa because of their anti-gay lyrics, and an artiste can show definitively and prove that they were in fact denied because of their anti-gay lyrics, then it would show that one party initially was not telling the truth."

Meanwhile, Clarke, in response to the embassy's Tweet, said that making the information available to the public would be of little value because people have already formed their views on the matter.

"I cannot encourage any artiste to make that decision as that is their private information. But understanding our culture and how it operates, I don't think people care what anybody say," he said.

"I wouldn't' recommend anybody to or not waive their rights because even if some do, people are still going to have their views and opinions on this issue," Clarke said.

Let us see where this one goes but frankly as espoused previously on this blog artists who run amok and think that they cab spew anything that comes to their lips or pens must understand the responsibility that comes with free speech.

Peace & tolerance

H

Bolt can sleep with whomever but not a man!

Bolt with another woman as revealed by the UK's mirror

So as the controversy grows on Usain Bolt’s supposed indiscretions with a Brazilian twenty year old woman specifically and other groupies many Jamaicans have been weighing in on the matter. Sadly Mr Bolt ought to have learnt on this and how these things have a way of materializing into something else; especially with the age of social media madness and dart boarding of popular figures he ought to have been more careful. It was only a short time before in Brazil upon his arrival other photos appeared with what appeared to be the typical ‘groupies’ a local commentator warned on radio of him and other male athletes especially as some persons are sent to simply expedite controversies for tabloids and now here we are. Bolt needs to understand he is no ordinary celebrity and that he is seen by many including young ones as a role model whether he likes the titles and or responsibility or not.

In the haze of it all a subtext has emerged that Bolt is justified in having sex with whomever he wants to so long as it is not a man, or enjoying his hetero-normative privilege, in other in misogynistic terms women are objects and the supposed love interest must also accept Bolt’s and the others who engage in groupie loving can do as they please with multiple female partners but as for men that is off limits. People seem to forget just basic boundaries and respect, lest we forget what happened to other sports stars or icons however we may seem them such as Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant or Mike Tyson and so called groupies. The perceived sexual orientation and or sexual exploits of such public figures should not be the material for public consumption as it is being luridly presented by tabloids that are making a killing at this; it is as if they were waiting for a crack to wade into it to take him down or sell millions via clicks online for advertisers for profit.

A vox pop on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines left me rather disturbed to see the values or lack thereof people place on public figures and what is ‘permitted’ by celebrities versus ordinary souls. Only one man of the twelve persons who commented seemed to have gotten the proper gist of appropriateness and non-judgemental concerns as to the sexual exploits of public persons and more about performance in the case of Bolt, some others while adding the female only caveat in the same breath strangely cautioned Bolt to be careful

So if Bolt was in bed with a man then his achievements would have been lesser than those of a heterosexual? I am not surprised at this with even women making some bizarre comments such as Bolt just by being a celebrity he is to be shared with other women simply because he is a ‘man’ meaning he has full proxy to do as he pleases, but what about the dignity of the women involved? But if it were a man then he is not worthy of any ‘big ups’ or respect. To be a man in Jamaican terms is to be highly sexualised with a woman or women as is evidenced in the heaps of praise the tabloid story is getting from other men locally on social media. The dignity of the Olympic achievement seems now lost and Bolt’s legacy seems muddied by this if he and his team around him do not address this before it gets out of hand. UK tabloids in particular have described his encounters to include threesomes and such, reduced to just another stud that happens to be able to run fast. The public restraint he shows and friendly approachable image may be lost in all of this. His announced intention to leave the sport as well may have triggered this some suspect, so it is a way to get him prior to that when he will be less clickable on websites and enhanced sales of tabloid gossip.

And what if it were a male was the subject of this farce as it were again I ask would Bolt be seen as unworthy or not worthy of praise, accolades, adulation or achievement, let us not forget the stigmatization only a week prior thrown at Omar Mcleod just because he was less than masculine in his celebration after winning the first 110m hurdles gold medal. His supposed thumb ring on his right hand (a marker for some of homosexuality still) and his pose in a certain photograph made him the subject homo-negative comments with a bigoted hashtag ‘goldfish’ despite his groundbreaking achievement, his too proper cadence of speech also has been used to tag him as gay as real Jamaican men are not supposed to or expected to be well spoken, especially in sport. So it is not surprising the caveat regarding Bolt. The blurred nature of our highly sexualised culture is so evident here and evident in this matter, at the time of this post no official response has come from the Bolt camp so we wait to see. I was of the opinion that sports persons are expected to perform despite their sexual orientation and or what they do in their private times, all the more reason for public figures to be guided. This is not the days of an absent social media, as I commented elsewhere today one sneezes it ends up making an appearance somewhere it one is not careful while the other side of the coin some crave attention they are willing to do almost anything to get likes and clicks; media prostitution if you will.

A certain cricketer was also accused of poor performance on the field of play due to overtime as it were spent with groupies and or alleged sexual activity with females literally at one point allegedly throwing their underwear at or on him, he went on to land himself in a public relations mess in 2015 when he made what appeared to be an inappropriate advance/comment to a female Australian reporter live during an interview and like now he was praised for being so brazen as he ‘did not want a man’ but was showing his manhood and his hetero-normative privilege by not only other men but surprisingly women too.

It’s about performance than anything else, in the field of play that is and not sexually.

Peace & tolerance

H

Teen boy love, getting caught & exploration

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peace & tolerance

H

Accident victim on flat bridge denies gay rumours

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

sexual favours

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peace & tolerance

H

Suspected gay man booted from church ..... another case

Another case has come to hand which occurred in recent weeks, March 2016 to be precise of youth leader this time at a Pentecostal church in St Catherine. The matter also came up in an informal interfaith discussion as well where sexual orientation and the church were front and centre prior to the rainbow flag furor and since. In a previous post I had looked at a similar matter which occurred in May Pen Clarendon in 2015. The present matter as these matters often do has been building for some time in as far as profiling done by church elders with one particular church board member pursing the issue relentlessly it seemed. The impacted man was the subject of open and rumours, innuendo and speculation regarding his perceived sexual orientation; he was asked openly he said in a planning meeting for church activity after some allegations were supposedly made known to the person who asked the question; much to the shock of others in earshot of it.

also see: 

Church boots usher after alleged gay sex 2013

Booted from the Fellowship … said to be a homosexual ... Pastor's response is wanting 2011

He said he was shunned ever so slowly over time as the standoff was revealingly obvious; church members who would be very friendly and supportive of his leadership in the youth group are hardly speaking to him, and if they do it is very limited and formalised than before. Other rumours suggest that he was involved in some other action with another man who used to attend the church; the booted gay man is indeed same sex attracted and has borne the anti gay rhetoric in sermons, strong opposition to homosexuality in youth meetings especially in the height of the Professor Bain fiasco and subsequent antigay advocacy by groups such as Lovemarch, Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS and Jamaica CAUSE. His church was also targeted in the campaign on a national church tour by one or more of the aforementioned groups. He participated as his obligations allowed but was also aware of his own sexuality and such. To have to hide who one is for so long must have been difficult; effectively living a lie in all places in the house of God and now to face this ostracism and out casting or othering.

The Sodom & Gomorrah story was often brought into the mix time and time again and he just got fed up of it; I have been evolving on this matter of Lot and his family’s exit from the city that was doomed for a long time, if we were to follow the teachings and warnings before. The real story to me is about the abuse of women as opposed to homosexuality as it conveniently used to justify the destruction of the city. The frame of reference tends to start at the angels visit to the city to clear it of qualified persons to the Lot engagement and instructions to exit the area through to the mistakenness of the soldiers of the visitors as spies when they were angels to the actual destruction to the turning into a pillar of salt the disobeying wife of Lot and finally ends at the departure of Lot and his two daughters. What is often not addressed either by theologians or fire brand preachers is the incest that took place afterwards which to me is the more problematic issue. Theologically it would be too uncomfortable to say it was about abuse of women and the sexual aspersions that the related family members seem to display coupled with the interpretation of the term “to know” in Hebrew as sex. Just as Abraham went into Egypt and speculated they would kill him so he effectively pimps his own wife Sarah they relations as they are seem to go to territories and cast sexual issues on others or are carrying out a permissive type of incest in Hebrew culture in the name of procreation and the continuation of the bloodline in the face of an absent matriarch in the household seeing she was turned into a pillar of salt.

The daughters are blamed for the incest albeit Lot was drunk but evidently not too drunk to get an erection and somehow make it happen; and the justification of homosexuality is easier to roll of the tongue from the pulpit. The church and theologians seem not to want to deal with the story in its entirety.

Booted man has left the church

He left the church body in March he said after some several months of pressure and continued ostracism and things came to a head when a meeting was called to discuss ‘change’ with strong hints of some sort of reparative therapy and prayer as the only way out. Lord knows my own experience in my twenties when I too like so many others tried the ‘pray the gay away’ strategy when in ignorance thought and was led to belief my homosexuality is a sin and a deviant behaviour; try as I might and pray as fervently as I did with even abstinence attempted the ‘gay’ did not go away; in fact it became even more pronounced. Urges and desires cannot be just driven away like that; if God did not want me to be a homosexual he would have made it so from the very beginning. Why would so many other animals display same gender sexual tendencies so much, are they guilty of some deviance too?

I like the young man went on fasting, asked for the Holy Spirit to (re)wash me or change me and it never came to fruition. In fact the opposite occurred where it was if the spirit spoke and said you are good as you are and there is no need to amend anything in that department. I would have loved to have asked or ask the young man to ask his elders the question of Luke 17:34 and its tenets where Jesus in a teaching on the rapture makes what appears to be a neutral non-discriminatory reference where it read (King James Version):

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Let me end here for now but I did this post just to show the madness coming from ignorant folks who in an information age refuse to accept the reality. If I may use the JCHS’s own biblical quote they end their newsletters with:

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9: 2 KJV

JCHS needs to take their own counsel and step out of darkness into the present realities. The church overall is missing the need to fulfil the word yet at the same time realise that other matters in society needs attention such as the loss of life. Where are these antigay groups apart from obligatory condemnation during child’s month on abuse of children, pastors in inappropriate acts with congregants and or children as well or the crime, murders and highly suspected political corruption?

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

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

The gay Christian minded brethren has since moved on though disappointed that he cannot serve as he is used to but is searching for a worship space that can afford him that; I told him he may have a hard time finding one that is so embracing; I too have been finding it difficult to find such a space.

Finally as for the Levitical or Leviticusal or holiness codes (on homosexuality) bear in mind in the KJV the preamble is quite clear as it reads in part:

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

It continues:

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

Peace & tolerance

H

Flags, forced evictions & foolishness

First let's me address the foolishness on whether flags exist for heterosexuals, yes they actually do exist but if our hetero brethren are so used to their comfortable privilege then they would not understand our struggle hence our reference to the rainbow flag.

Heterosexual flags #1 & 2

Hetero- romantic flag 

the meanings of the rainbow colours

As the aftermath of the latest round of national ignorance laden homophobic uproar over a simple rainbow flag being flown on an embassy’s property continue, the usual spike as expected presents itself in incident outcomes outside of the vitriol and social media storms. Whenever there are major homophobic laced public discourse there seems to be either said discourse act as a catalyst to some negative event such as verbal abuse at least to forced evictions or worse. This year already without the flag controversy looks worrying to me but not surprising as I have seen this cycle before as in the aftermath of Brian Willimanson’s murder where there was almost a national celebration of his death given he was the face of LGBT visibility and also the murder of Ambassador Peter King; rumours of tapes with celebrities and himself having sex.

Several attacks were as a clear result of that case as some persons based on the narrative obtained in reports from victims the justification implied is if he as an uptowner homosexual he was killed then others on the lower totem pole also deserve it. (Un) confirmed reports have been coming to hand since this latest national homo-negative round and two such reports have to come hand with one forced eviction in St Catherine of an unemployed man in his twenties and who was given an ultimatum to find somewhere to go or find a man and a near miss altercation of a cruiser who nearly got caught. In finding a man it implies that homosexual liaisons involve some financial or lifestyle improvement rewards, stemming from an older homo-negative belief of paedophile or predatory intent similar to the misogynistic driven predatory intent of men on teenage girls.

The relationship with the young man and his mother had been deteriorating for a while as he had graduated from a skills training institution he had not picked up a job as his mother expected or thought such an achievement would be automatic. Then there were the proverbial inquiries about a girlfriend and why he has not shown any interest in the local community females as the other young male adults; an expectation that some parents or siblings put enormous pressure to fulfill as a marker of becoming or being a real man. Repeated arguments, occasional deliberate absence from the house just to avoid said clashes, calls and text messages from other family either condemning him or asking what is happening with him, this of course coming from the strength of his mother telling them the issues.

Gleaner's Lasmay takes a bite at the issue

The rainbow flag controversy came into play it seems as it unfolded and his mother reacted to the hoisting of it on the US Embassy property at Hope Road as “the gay dem too bright wid it” in other words the gays are too barefaced, a sentiment that had come to hand repeatedly almost everywhere one goes. I encountered similar sentiments at a local community shop where I live, what as interesting however was when someone in the gathering of mostly men suggested that if they passed the embassy and saw the flag and the meaning was not made public would they know if it were a gay flag? Many said no. Which was very interesting to me; just a simple yet misguided tweet from a person who ought to know better sent the entire nation into frenzy when more important issues require attending to. Bearing in mind our justice system needs so much improvement but the Attorney General finds time to make stupid tweets.

The impacted man’s mother agreed with the antigay church groups who came out swinging and claimed according to him as we spoke that she was not going to tolerate such things near her once she can prove it. It was at that point she asked him outright whether he was gay or not. To which he tried to dodge just avoid another argument; however this time it was unavoidable and the shouting match like many before repeated itself. Tersely worded phrases flew between the two and then came the piled on justification for him to leave the house, to include his unemployed status, his perceived homosexuality by virtue of him having no overt female companions as the other young men in the area or at best a baby mother or two as evidence of his virility and the visibility in short as being too frightening to endure for her. He was ordered to remove his things such as clothing and such just two days ago to which he complied. He reached out to friends who have been assisting him, from which he was referred to me and others.

I suggested to him as he is staying with someone with a steady internet connection he should try to get some cash and enroll in the business processing outsourcing, BPO sector, they have been some active recruitment with prior paid registration and training with headphones to work from home. The pay is not all that hot as low as $280/hr but it can be a start to make himself a little financially stable; also he can regulate his own work hours so long as he makes the standard forty hour work week. The initial cost though is some $15,000 dependent on the items included in the engagement as online training and support if included is what spikes the amount.

The second case had a narrative of opposition to the rainbow flag hoisting matter in Kingston as a cruiser who got himself into some trouble navigating a space and an intended target he was going after for a quickie. In Kingston the man in his early forties and who is a good buddy of mine told me of his ordeal by phone. The incident occurred on June 18, 2016 around 6 am; a time for excellent ‘hunting’ for a good hookup as men on the prowl whether they identify as gay or not. The 40+ cruiser made an error in judgement and was almost caught by a man who was urinating nearby at a wall; the urinating man made an alarm to which other men nearby who were sitting in a truck joined the pursuit. The cruising communities or sections of it has been having its fair share of challenges including the usual loss of space, internal clashes and inter MSM community clashes as well.

The argument from the truck men and ‘urinator’ (well endowed and all) was the usual anti gay ‘fire burn’ rhetoric was evident but the men then added as part of their justified scorn is the supposed outwardness of the raising or flying of a rainbow flag in public, which is so ridiculous to me. Fear is really the enemy to contend with in changing hearts and minds but will we ever see real and profound tolerance in this lifetime is a question that has been on my mind in recent times. What is even worse is when the nonsense is supported by prominent persons who one would think ought to know better such as Ronnie Thwaites who claimed the flag is a grooming tool for children to essentially accept “a particular lifestyle.”

Other reverends and politicians have been hopping on the matter to get their five minutes of fame I suppose, especially those on the opposition side, they seem to want us to forget that the suggested (promised) conscience vote did not materialize under their time in office yet they come out blasting the Attorney General for her tweet while others such as Damion Crawford clashed with the US consulate representative Jeffrey Polacheck who is to me too soft but he shakily held his ground. Crawford claimed he agreed that the rainbow flag was a political statement but what is so annoying to me that whether or not it was a hate crime or a misguided struggling gay/bi man who snapped that caused the shooting the victims were LGBT as far as we know it, therefore it would seem to me that the rainbow flag would be appropriate and more so since the US embassy or any embassy is considered foreign soil representing the country’s flag it flies. It is not as if the flag will remain forever and the tempers that have flared do not do so when Jamaicans are killed. Where is the outrage for other daily atrocities?

As other confirmed cases come to light they will be mad known and as always be vigilant, be safe.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

Ronnie Thwaites’ rubbish on flying rainbow flags grooms children into “particular lifestyle”

Rainbow flags vs Jamaicans murdered which is more important?

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

Attorney General Malahoo Forte condemned for comments on US Embassy's rainbow flag

Gay club killing unlikely in Ja ...........