Gay scenes in Disney show gets angry reactions

So the Star news carried this one today and it has hit a nerve once again as to the rejection of LGBT matters in the mainstream while not inappropriately encouraging questionable behaviour. 

 The actual gay kiss that ignited the furore

The child-focused Disney channel has been facing heated backlash in Jamaica recently, with many claiming that it is pushing a gay agenda.

This, after it aired a same-sex scene in a TV show, and announced plans to feature a lead gay character in an upcoming film.

Among those calling for the channel to be banned from the air in the country is popular dancehall producer and selector Foota Hype.

He reposted a screenshot of Disney Channel's first same-sex kiss, featured on one of its most popular shows, Star vs The Forces of Evil.

Originally shared by popular online media platform, The Shade Room, the image shows two male cartoon characters sharing a compassionate embrace, much to the chagrin of the selector.

UNFIT FOR CHILDREN

Foota's Instagram post read in its caption: 

"Well, let's see if [Lisa Hanna] and the Prime Minister gonna move to ban Disney channel off every cable provider in Jamaica as it's unfit for kids and will corrupt their minds. Most important, being gay is illegal by law in Jamaica so I'll wait patiently for their input, hope it will be speedy and widely spoken like when they discriminate against my dancehall."

Yesterday, Foota said the country's leaders, using moral equivalence regardless of political affiliation, must understand they "cannot crucify dancehall music and leave everything else open."

 Hero Blair Jr (Star News) 

But prominent minister of religion Reverend Herro Blair Jr is calling on the family to protect children from the normalisation of homosexuality that has been permeating the media.

"It's going to be difficult to cry for censorship now when we have not cried for censorship with shows such as Empire and everyone of these shows that have a homosexual character. The kids are already being told that this is an alright way of life," Blair reasoned.

He said families must do their own censorship.

"We have to decide from the homes what we want for our families. The parents must say if Disney is going to be showing these things, let us put the pressure on them by not watching or not accepting it as a cable channel for our children," he said

I cannot understand why some persons believe that a kiss on screen in a fictional piece is going to somehow emit some radio active gamma rays to zap all in view towards a homosexual orientation is just pitiful and almost laughable to me.

Meanwhile, Latoya Nugent, associate director at the JFLAG, told THE STAR that she is aware of the discussion that has been taking place regarding the Disney content, but the organisation is focusing its energies on pertinent issues.

"We are concerned about the violence against women and children, and while we are in fact an advocacy organisation, we have to be strategic about how we engage the media and about what kind of issues," Nugent said.

That to me sounds like a load of nonsesne when it is in fact the same JFLAG that proports itself to be the foremost NGO for LGBT matters and here comes a reaction that is directly linked to the work. Also given the homo-paedophile  links over the years that is often part of the sub-text of denial of any considerations for 'LGBT rights'

Oh boi

Peace & tolerance

H

International Day of Tolerance 2016 ........... more thoughts

Also see part one: HERE

November 16 is observed as International Day of Tolerance as part of the United Nations thrust on tolerance to cover racism, sexism, and homophobia indeed bi and transphobia as well. Locally we have everything from now gun totting and losing men of the cloth with double convictions as pious Reverends declaring that LGBT advocacy pressing for tolerance rebutting that said calls are a farce to force homosexuality on Jamaica or tolerance does not mean acceptance, complete with near hero worship support from blind followers who swallow and hang on every word they get without questioning the integrity of said persons, namely Reverend Al Miller and to an equal extent Dr Wayne West. Stoking such strong intolerance in the name of correctness and indeed God is so hypocritical while promoting prosperity gospel, theocracy, maintenance of old laws of buggery and conflating male homosexuality with paedophilia and yet still being selective on other supposed societal ills to include clerical abuse of boys, psychologically weak church sisters yet no response to aforementioned in any serious way. 

Trump's wife (his third) posing nude for GQ and this is the woman who is bring dignity as first lady to the presidency?

Then to openly support Donald Trump’s racist sounding, misogynistic thrust in a misguided belief that he is antigay as he appeals to conservative values is just shocking; and having the vacant seat on the US Supreme Court with a said conservative judge to supposedly numb the alleged activist court judgement; namely gay marriage judgements. The extremes some fanatics will go to is just disturbing then they pat themselves on the back and mirroring on social media and reside in vain holiness while ignoring God’s basic principles of forgiveness, non-judgementalism and respect essentially. As long as ignorance is preyed upon to reshape so called values then this sort of madness indeed acquiescence by others will continue. Some of these groups and pastors try to present some balance mostly hypocritically by infusing some conflict of interest in their arguments even as they celebrate Trump’s win, they claim his business interests may cloud his presidency in terms of his announced handing over of his Trump businesses to a blind trust and to his children to run, they ignore however that the law in the US says that such release of possible conflicts of interest with public officials must be done by way of said businesses by operated by some independent committee or management devoid of direct intervention by the absentee owner or management. I am not surprised said pious individuals see what they want to see as long as it suits their interests.

Fearmongering & victimhood ploys

While they celebrate the Trump win mostly openly and praising God in thanks for it, a misogynist and such, I concur that God can use certain situations for his will but these modern day Pharisees are more interested in self aggrandizement and imperialism than anything else. The even more bizarre belief that Trump has given his life to Christ and even being likened to Sirus but they conveniently ignored the liberal positions on abortion, same sex marriage and that trump will bring America bring back “righteousness” then if Trump gave his life to God why is it that he was able to win an election with the awful philosophies he has subscribed to? The victimhood card is also being used most deceptively framed as protecting ‘religious freedom’ or freedom of speech and there is some expectations for Trump to right size the situation while removing things like the transgender laws or the upcoming the Supreme Court case on same according to a pastor from the New Redeemer Church in the USA. The said pastor one Ralph Chitum says he believes also that public policy and the church should be one, in other words good old fashion theocracy. 

also see: BREXIT & LGBTQ Asylum concerns part 2: the Trumpage

But like in most circumstances these days truth is so hard to find let alone decipher as one repeats crap long enough it becomes believable; hence the magnitude of the charges are what makes them convincing sadly.

One would have expected a more sensible discourse in an age of LGBTQI visibility thanks to social media, readily available information (facts not dribble) and the ability to fact check same but instead homophobes hang o for dear life; it very difficult to set something aside when one does not see that what they are doing is plain wrong. The longstanding ‘HIV is a gay disease’ narrative and sub text that says gay men who practice anal sex deserve AIDS and no interventions to curb such infections as it is our fault for its spread in the general population continues unabated. These voices do not see the crime out there or at least with the same anti gay stridency they have for LGBT matters and homosexuals, they find all the strength for that in a narrow focus. They claim they want family or the threat to family by LGBT thrusts to be defeated but ignore the overflowing populations in prisons or the mismatch of numbers of churches per square miles in Jamaica often used to justify their values impositions while per square inch increasingly on city streets and towns homeless, abandoned or street children they pass them or offer very limited tokenism gestures framed as social outreach and kindness.

The selectivity hypocrisy continues

The recent unfortunate murder of the Jamaica College student on a bus showed the hypocrisy of these groups and where they choose to turn up. Ironically when students in more lower economically situated students are killed or attacked sometimes even on campus as an invasion incident only a day ago occurred not a sound from these groups, pastors and such but the Jamaica College matter as it was an uptown matter had all asunder crawling out of the woodwork dressed in black in protest, when the Haille Selassie students since this year were attacked and a shooting incident went down, deafening silence. I guess only schools above Half Way Tree are of import since the student phone robbery crime menace has been creeping uptown and are now at the doorsteps on the powerful. Who cares about the nigga kids and their challenges as they have nowhere going it seems but let this had been a Campion or other such ‘traditional’ high schools impacted.

The selectivity gets more bizarre with respects to the dignity that ought to attend to the first lady as tradition for example has shown over successive presidents; to have a President now on his third wife with alleged nude photos of her circulating but that does not seem to stir any disgust or concern; so long a Trump gets rid of gay marriage by any means necessary and preserve abortion laws, all else is unimportant. Then what about the stanza of our anthem: “Teach us true respect for all ........ Strengthen us the weak to cherish, give us vision lest we perish” indeed we are perishing with the well supported divisiveness. Intolerance is not manifest with fanatics but is still an issue in dancehall, and John public’s continued homo-negativity. 

patronizing the LGBT voting block?

some of the stuff out there

There is the egregious intolerance from within the ‘LGBT community’ is deeply disturbing after all these years, the snobbery, indeed institutional bigotry and classism that still carries through. As November is also observed on this and sister blogs GLBTQ Jamaica as Homeless Awareness Month the sheer isolation, scorn by some and condemnation that often comes to the populations although their behaviour can be unbecoming, however when privileged persons can suggest that whatever violence and homophobia alongside police pressure comes then they the homeless MSM/trans deserve it as they give the rest of ‘LGBT community’ a bad name but leave out the rehabilitation component, the very NGOs and allies have simply treated such groups as lepers and only use them when it suits them for statistics for HIV prevention and well written reports. Yes they are needed for evidenced based advocacy but where is the real care and concern? as careers and image management take priority and are propped up as groups and individuals jostle for social media attention with portrayed altered or bettered versions of themselves and agencies, funding flows like water and yet no clear interest to change the situation as it worsens.

It is indeed a sad state of affairs when after some forty plus years of some kind of organized LGBT advocacy from Gay Freedom Movement to present, to include the HIV years in the 1990s and slow periods yet with all the hard and anecdotal evidence of stigma driven displacement and homelessness there is no proper response to same. The fundamental question as to why this is so is yet to be properly and honestly answered. Nationally the class divide is still a challenge as the snobbery, political manipulation of certain inner city communities to gain state power, the skewed rivalry still to death to defend political parties and sheer intolerance of positions and views.

Where is the true tolerance anymore, where has it gone more than just for show for likes and social media mirroring and crowd gathering while powerful and notarized elites continue to thrive in their privileged state? I have to concur with former JLP spokesman (although he is antigay) that Trump is going to become the very thing he has demonized; as the reality hits him, trade deals he wants to change will be problematic and so on he will have to adjust. He cannot have his cake and eat it too.

Hope remains while company is true; there is a lot of work to be done for understanding and towards a better world.

Peace & indeed tolerance

H

Also see:

Mr Trump has a steep learning curve indeed

Anti gay groups gears up to fight supposed decriminalizing buggery

So as the feamongering continues by antigay groups another report via the Star News has come to light, in a previous post I had looked at the slippy slope phenomenon capitalizing on national ignorance on sexuality is clearly being used to back up a deceptive strategy by Dr Wayne West and company in the aftermath of the Belizean decision on buggery

see: Slippery slope deception & conflation of incest with buggery’s decriminalization 

Gay Marriage Coming? ......... Belizean P.M. Says Section 53 Decision Won’t Cause It

read the judgement in full:

 download HERE

meanwhile:

The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society is hosting a forum today to educate Jamaicans about the possible implications of the recently decriminalized buggery law in Belize in section 53; consent is now allowed between adults for same gender sex in private. It seems however it is the very JCHS that needs some education and a clear need o be reacquainted with something called honesty and true love and tolerance.

Advocacy Officer Philippa Davies told THE STAR that all Caribbean islands should be concerned about the ruling and should therefore be properly informed.

"The Jamaican public needs to know why the case was brought up, what the Chief Justice ruled, and what it means for the rest of the Caribbean," she said.

Belize chief justice Kenneth Benjamin has found that a law that criminalises sex between consenting adults of the same sex is unconstitutional.

Shirley Richards, past president of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, told THE STAR that the meeting is a very important one.

"We're expecting discussion in a lively, passionate but respectable manner, but not opposition, as we've never had to deal with opposition before. Jamaica needs to be awakened about the issues we are facing as a nation in order to ignite change. We're really looking to educate our listeners," Richards said.

FLAWED

Meanwhile, Davies described the ruling by the chief justice in Belize as flawed and said that the buggery law must remain because it draws a clear line between what is normal and abnormal sexual behaviour.

"Keeping the law in place means that children will not be taught that perverted sexual behaviour is acceptable. It also facilitates keeping marriage under the right definition, and if the buggery law is removed, then the doors for same-sex marriage will be open."

The forum will be held at the St Andrew High School for Girls auditorium starting at 6 p.m. The Jamaica Coalition for Healthy Society was formed in 2012 and consists of Christians who state that they have a vision to holistically enrich Jamaican society.

ENDS

The foolishness is clear crystal to all to see and the nonsense about same sex marriage coming and so what if it is? this is the same woman in the form of Davies who made comments to the effect on transgdenderism, see 

Transphobic & paranoiac nonsense from The Breath of Change ConnectPray radio show and also see 

CCJ Dismisses Gay Activist case due to lack of evidence.

Others in the antigay world are calling for a referendum on the issue to supposedly race prior to any serious education campaign can be launched hence winning the supposed battle on mere ignorance and what further compounds the situation is that persons do not want to seek out the real issues so as to inform themselves. 

also see:

Belize’s ruling on gay sex supports access to HIV services — UNAIDS 

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with 2014

Have a referendum on homosexuality(Observer Letter) ..... but homosexuality is not illegal 2011

Milk River PNP Councillor says no to buggery repeal ............. 2014

UN Pressure Mounts For Jamaica To Repeal Anti-Gay Laws, Improve LGBT Environment 2014

So the 'war' is on in full effect now.

Peace & tolerance indeed is needed in these times.

H

Time for rational dialogue (indeed) on sexuality and tolerance

I am pleased at some of the more rational discourse that seems to be slowly emanating from some persons although they may totally support or agree with matters of sexual orientation. The following appeared in the Observer for all intents and purposes is worth reviewing in fairness as written by Christopher Burns.

The original title was: "Time for rational dialogue on sexuality and tolerance"

He wrote:

We would only be postponing the inevitable were we to engage political expediency over serious and far-reaching human rights actions including, but not limited to, granting our citizens justiciable rights. Recent events in Orlando, Florida, should also impel us to consider opening up the public square to address issues we have been sweeping under the carpet for years, hoping they just go away.

I can hear, “Burns, yuh mad?!” I am not mad at all, just brave!

None of this means we should mortgage our morality, disband our social and cultural mores, or surrender our sovereignty to outside forces or powers. In all we do we must, as a country and people, protect what is uniquely ours. Nevertheless, we cannot operate in a way that promotes or pits one group against or over the other; neither should we ignore the fundamental truth that speaks to our common identity as human beings — complex though it is.

It ought to begin with dialogue that encourages tolerance over hate and bigotry. It must eschew behaviours such as that of a father who, in February 2004, concerned that his son might be gay, turned up at the Dunoon Park Technical High School in east Kingston and encouraged other students to “beat di bwoy” who was an eleventh-grader at the time. Had it not been for the intervention of a teacher, the boy could have been killed. It was so bad one of the teachers gave an eyewitness account that went, “They were intent on killing him…They were like a pack of wild animals who had smelled blood, and if it wasn’t for another staff member who jumped on top of him, you would be reporting on a mob killing...”

To begin with, humanity is very complex. Hence, we must be slow to judge, to condemn, or to wish harm for those we disagree with, especially in the name of religion or based on some false sense of piety or enlightenment. For, try as hard as we might, we never know what our sons or daughters are going to become. We can only hope for the best for them, but we can never be certain of the choices they will make or the path they will pursue in their personal lives. If they choose the “forbidden path”, does it automatically disqualify them from being recipients of our love, care, support, and protection? I think not, since we can hate the sin but still love the sinner — we all sin anyway.

There are many mysteries about our behaviours, choices, interests, likes and dislikes that remain enigmatic, so much so, neither science nor religion has been able to unravel the mysteries — such is the nature of mankind. Human and social biology is indeed intricate, yet much of it is responsible for our individuality and unique qualities. Still, it is remarkable that people are people wherever we go.

One does not have to hold scholarships in sociology or religious studies to know that our complex humanity is shaped, in no small measure, by modes and methods of socialisation, years of religious indoctrination, and early cultural moulding. With the complexity and exposure to various socio-religious dogmas, and moral and cultural teachings, come myriad problems and misunderstandings, chief among which are insensitivity, insensibility, assumptions, mis-assumptions, ready acceptance, intolerance, hatred, bigotry, indifference, and downright cruelty.

The sad truth is that none of these diverse offshoots is limited to any one culture, ethnicity, race, civilisation, country, or religion. The maladies are as universal as the casing of the sky. There have been many instances in human history, and indeed in the history of the world, where humanity has engaged horrible crimes against other homo sapiens and has displayed the worst behaviour toward one another for one reason or another.

At times, there appears to be justification for some of the actions, such as when good men stood up to defeat general ugliness, genocide, slavery and other dastardly deeds. However, there other times when our actions and treatment of each other are completely unjustifiable, sadistically unnecessary, heartlessly brutal, and nauseatingly animalistic, mostly in the name of religion and politics. Is it because so many see these two things as indispensable to survival? Even so, there is everything destructive about those forms of extremism.

In the aftermath of some of the most barbarous, wicked and selfish acts against certain individuals, ethnicities, groups, children, women, individuals with disabilities, or an entire generation, while some ponder the existence of God and question the purpose or usefulness of having such deity, others celebrate and give succour to evil.

Those who contemplate God’s existence often ask, how is it possible for the God of equipoise, love, mercy, omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience allow such crimes, actions, and circumstances to happen, most times against innocent children, old people, the historically dispossessed, socially and economically marginalised and vulnerable? It makes us wonder if God picks sides in some to these despicable atrocities, and why it always appears that might trumps right.

This brings me to last week’s terrorist attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where 49 persons were killed and 53 badly injured. Pulse, as it is being reported, is a gay nightclub and meeting point for members of the LGBT community. Pulse came of age after the AIDS/HIV crisis in the United States during the mid-1980s. Gay people have a right to peaceful assembly, a right to love as their hearts dictate, and a right to the freedoms that all of us — heterosexual or asexual — enjoy or aspire to enjoy. While we may not understand their preferences and vice versa, we may loathe the look of their relationships, but it is not right or reasonable to murder them en masse on the assumption or evidence that they practise homosexuality or bisexuality.

One does not have to be homosexual, or even crypto-homosexual, to see evil in the actions of the killer — Omar Mir Seddique Mateen. Therefore, before we jump for joy and declare senselessly and uncaringly that “a bayyy, a good fi dem…di ‘ole a dem fi dead…”, let us consider the possibility that Omar Mir Seddique Mateen might have killed a man or woman, a son or a daughter, who held the secret cure to some of the world’s most deadly diseases. Mateen may have killed the mother or father of a child whose very future and existence depended upon the presence and involvement of its parent(s). We should never assume that because someone attends a gay or straight nightclub that that automatically makes the individual gay or straight; nothing could be further from the truth. Therefore, we must be circumspect in our readiness to condemn and to heap fire in people’s bosoms.

Quicksand judgement

Consider this: As part of my professional development and certainly during postgraduate research work, I would visit many places, interview people from all walks of life, virtually live among them, in order to understand their behaviour and way of life. One of my close friends is a successful prosecutor. She is married to a former FBI officer whose job takes him many places. He is as heterosexual as heterosexuals get, yet, it was not strange for him to visit gay clubs, reggae clubs or other night spots across Florida, because that was how he observed, ingratiated himself, and caught criminals.

He is a very successful professional. He often tells of the many instances when he would cross-dress — drag queen RuPaul could not outstage him when it comes on to cross-dressing. He did this just to catch lawbreakers. Were he still with the FBI, he could well have been at the Pulse nightclub, scoping it for hardened drug dealers, violent criminals, or murderers. He could have been there trying to close in on a case of child molestation while Omar Mateen was busy spraying bullets all over the place. We would have lost a decent citizen and an eminent law enforcement professional just because his job caused him to be at a gay club. We must move away from narrow-mindedness and think more broadly. Members of the church community have an enormous role to play in shifting the thinking and mindset in this regard.

I am not a churchman. I do not embrace all aspects of Christianity. I do read theBible on occasion and find the stories mostly interesting. Of all the books of theBible, I happen to appreciate the books of Job, Nehemiah and Ephesians, but I love the book of Proverbs more than any other because it teaches wisdom. I would recommend the book of Proverbs, especially to Christian fundamentalists and bigots whose fixation with the book of Leviticus is tantamount to cruelty.

I was not surprised, but rather embarrassed by utterances from two so-called evangelical US pastors. First, Bible-thumping, hand-clapping, foot-stamping, religious bigot Roger Jimenez, pastor of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California, emitted so much bile it would cause a John crow’s stomach to turn. Pastor Jimenez, relying on a passage from the story of David in the Old Testament, said with respect to the Orlando shootings: “There’s no tragedy…I wish the Government would round them [gays] all up, put them up against a wall, put a firing squad in front of them, and blow their brains out...The Bible tells us to hate the enemy of God...”

Shamefully, when asked about a gay or lesbian person, a bisexual person, or a transgender person who is a Christian, Pastor Jimenez casually replied, “Well, here’s the thing: if you read Romans, Chapter 1 in context, God gave them over to a reprobate mind..” I wonder what he would do, had his son, daughter, mother, or brother been killed while visiting Pulse nightclub in pursuit of winning souls for Christ? He would no doubt say they are ‘heaven bound’.

As if Pastor Roger Jimenez’s diatribe and caravan of hate were not enough, another religious lunatic, this time, Pastor Steve Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, created his own YouTube sermon Sunday [YouTube has since removed the offensive video] in which he advanced copious nonsense, aimed at inciting violence and hatred toward homosexuals.

Anderson said: “The good news is that there’s [sic] 50 less paedophiles in this world, because, you know, these homosexuals are a bunch of disgusting perverts and paedophiles. That’s who was a victim here, a bunch of, just, disgusting homosexuals at a gay bar, okay? But the bad news is that this is now going to be used, I’m sure, to push for gun control, where, you know, law-abiding normal Americans are not going to be allowed to have guns for self-defence. And then I’m sure it’s also going to be used to push an agenda against so-called hate speech...”

Pastors Steve Anderson and Roger Jimenez are not alone in their disgusting piety. They have friends and company inside and outside the church who share similar or even stronger passion and hatred for people whose sexual interests and preferences they do not understand or share.

Clearly, it is their inalienable right to disagree with or disavow any practice they deem counter-intuitive to their religious beliefs or find offensive to their conscience. However, it is completely wrong to incite violence against a group of people whose sexual involvement and appetite only they and their God understand.

There is no demur on my part — none whatsoever — that no one should be forced to embrace practices he or she finds objectionable or unconscionable. However, it is beyond backward and cruel to do as Pastors Anderson and Jimenez and then use Leviticus 20: 30 as an anchor and as justification for their bigotry. Yes, Leviticus 20: 13 says, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them...” Yet, Proverbs 6: 16-19 speaks very clearly and sensibly about the things that the Lord hates.

Here is how Proverbs 6: 16-19 presents the thing that the Lord likes: “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief; A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren…” Based on Proverbs 6:16-19, reasonable inference can be drawn that the Lord does not agree with much of what Pastors Anderson and Jimenez stand for or represent. Remember, I am neither a “ Bible man” nor a Christian, but I know better than to buy into the gospel of hate and bigotry.

There is always going to be disagreement around the subjects of love and relationship. Some of the disagreements are going to be shaped by experiences, fear, religious indoctrination, and a host of other things, which should cause more of us to agree to disagree than to wage war against each other and incite violence toward a group with which some of us hold staunch disagreement. Tolerance is therefore an imperative, especially in societies where members of minority groups have to walk on egg shells every day of their lives, and where governments are less concerned about comprehensive human rights, but care more about political expediency and populism.

Burnscg@aol.com

ENDS

also see:

Ian Boyne on Grow Up On Gay Intolerance! from sister blog

What the PM should tell Mrs Malahoo Forte (Observer)

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

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

Flags, forced evictions & foolishness

Dormant anti gay feelings resurface in Florida shooting aftermath

a previous piece by Mr Burns: Bad men seem to love women's wigs (Observer opinion piece) regarding the cross dressing issues and the fugitive Dudus Coke

Drop the charade of religiosity in anti-homosexual debate (Observer Letter)

In a sense I have to agree with this letter writer as the Bible has been misused for so many things and a few crack pots just turn what should be an ongoing discourse into a paranoid driven shouting match. Especially owing to the fact that Jesus did speak to homosexuality in the new testament in Luke 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.

Now to the letter in question:

Dear Editor,

The debate about homosexuality has been heating up over the past decade, and many who are in opposition cite scripture and refer to the description of Jamaica as a Christian society as the root of their opposition.

That, for me, is laughable because it simply is misrepresenting the truth. It is true that the good book comes down harshly on buggery, and it is also true that our laws have some grounding in Judaeo-Christian values, but we routinely cherry-pick which laws to follow.

We allow common law marriage, which is just a fancy way of two people shacking up, and nobody complains on biblical grounds. We entitle bastard children to equal rights and all is mum when it comes to biblical complaints. We even go so far as to allow women to have seniority (not to be confused with ‘activity’) in the church and the majority of biblical scholars applaud.

Now, some do complain about all these issues and really preach that fourth-century lifestyle. But the majority don’t; they move with the times, adjust, and reinterpret scripture as it suits them.

I would have more time for the anti-gay lobby if those in opposition dropped the charade of religiosity and called a spade a spade. They don’t like homosexuality because it disgusts them, and that frankly, is a reasonable position to have. They don’t accept homosexuality because it is weird and different and a ‘foreign’ culture.

All of the above are reasonable positions to hold, and one that I’m sure no gay lobbyists would hold over people’s heads. But to ground your opposition in a book written 2,000 years ago, when much of the book isn’t followed as is, does a serious disservice to the church — an institution which, love it or hate it, has always had reasoned thought behind its decisions.

In Jamaica the religion-based argument usually wins, for the church has the voice both socially and politically, and it knows how to use it. But it must get over the habit of grounding personal dislike and dissatisfaction in scripture because quite frankly it looks petty, reeks of hypocrisy, and shames the institution that used to use reason and not the bully pulpit to bring forth its arguments.

Yours truly,
Alexander Scott

ENDS

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

Bearing in mind King James in whose name the most popular English translation of the Bible is in was actually bisexual; pity the goody King would not have foreseen the work put in would be used as a destructive weapon hundreds of years later.

although the Catholics have a lot to answer for in terms of clerical abuse (more anon) but the message is clear thus far.

Peace & tolerance needed indeed.


H

Study: Use Politicians, Employers In New 'Strategy' To Address Attitudes Towards Gays

As the reporting on the awareness and attitudes study as commissioned by JFLAG last year continued to be shared in a drip drop format public commentators are asking where is the actual study document as released in previous said study? for the public to fully review; a question I concur with as denotes a feeling of controlling what is sent out to the public more so than openness. 

Sometimes I wonder yet still if the good folks at JFLAG are thinking? and understand how they are perceived by the public whose minds there is need to engage and change from homo-negativity.

the 2012 document

The Gleaner carried this:

Jamaican employers and politicians have more "positive and open" attitudes towards some gay issues than the general public, and interests groups such as the gay lobby are being encouraged to leverage that perception to their benefit.

Market Research Services Ltd made the recommendation in the 2015 Awareness, Attitude & Perception Survey about Issues Related to Same-Sex Relationships, conducted for Jamaica's leading gay lobby, the Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG).

The survey of employers, politicians, and members of the general public was done between June and July last year.

RESULTS POSITIVE
It has returned some results which the researchers believe are "positive" and can be used by J-FLAG to develop a "strategy" to address the general negative attitudes towards same-sex issues.

For example, employers (39 per cent) and politicians (42 per cent) appeared to be more open to the idea of expanding the meaning of sexual intercourse than the general public.

The level of tolerance is also higher among politicians and employers than the members of the general public.

Meanwhile, although the majority of employers and politicians shared the view that gays experience the 'same emotions' as heterosexuals, the majority of the general public disagreed.

The researchers say the favourable results should prompt "J-Flag and other similar interest groups to consider first engaging employers and politicians in discussions".

"These entities (employers and politicians) are opinion leaders and influencers on the general public. Positive attitudes among these groups may be leveraged to advantageously impact attitudes among the general public," Market Researchers Services argued.

The survey involved a sample group of 1,003 comprising 33 politicians, 28 employers, and 942 people from the general populace.


It covered all parishes and has a margin of error of plus/minus three per cent.

ENDS

But with politicians dithering yet still on the matter I wonder if during the engagement they only answered the questions to suit the thrust of the study so as not to be blamed for encouraging pervasive homophobia and then avoid being accused of double standards.

Recent utterances however has shown any sensible person with common sense that they have two mouths.

Also see:

New opposition spokesman on Justice says referendum not needed to amend Buggery Law

Homosexuality is sinful but should not be criminal says former Information Minister

No To Gays! - Adventists Urge Government To Keep God In Deliberations On Buggery Law

As the referendum is pending let us see where things go.

Peace & tolerance

H

Homosexuality is sinful but should not be criminal says former Information Minister

So the silly season is on in earnest since the heightened discussion over the Easter on holiness, homosexuality and referenda on issues such as Buggery as suggested by the present JLP administration.

Former Information Minister, Sandrea Falconer (above), has said that while she agrees that homosexuality is 'sinful', the act, when done by consenting adults, should not be criminal. Is Miss Falconer trying to make herself look OK in finding a middle ground of sorts, why did she say this when the PNP had the reigns? silly me it's about winning elections; a flaw their very own Michael Manley warned about in the 70/80s; no wonder why they have so many internal party issues and in fighting.

I would expect such pronouncements from men of the cloth such as what happened in the 60s when the UK was moving to decriminalize Buggery and the Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey then had a similar view; which then pushed the legislators to amend the law. 

 Canon Bailey's bestseller 'Homosexuality & Western Christian Tradition' 

Other men of the cloth then in the UK's journey such as Derrick Sherwin Bailey also had a similar view but the difference is the UK had a forward thinking set of legislators who not only listened but acted. Some local religious have been supportive as shown in this previous post:

see: Don't give up on the church, pastor tells gays (GLBTQ Jamaica)

Miss Falconer also played the personal position card versus the party's position; we can assume that the suggested conscience vote then in 2011 by her leader was not found in favour to her then. Why didn't she say the words below when her party had state power?

"I may very well believe the practice of homosexuality is a sin because God made a man and a woman for a reason. However do I believe it should be criminalized as it is under the Buggery Law? My answer is an emphatic No," she wrote on her Facebook page.

This comes as she sought to bash the Adventist Church because of what she calls the "public lynching" of one of their own, Pastor Michael Harvey, who was condemned by his church and stripped of his role as a senior pastor at the Northern Caribbean University for appearing on a People's National Party (PNP) platform endorsing the party in January.

"Pastor (Dr Merrick) Walker and President (Everett) Brown, the bible also teaches about forgiveness and your church leadership continues to wage a battle against your own, Pastor Michael Harvey. Even though he has sought forgiveness for appearing on a PNP platform you continue to punish him and strip him of his livelihood and dignity," she wrote.

"If 'the sinful act of buggery' must remain a criminal act, should we treat all the other named sins in the bible such as adultery, fornication, and lying etc as criminal acts? Just my musings on this Easter Monday morning," she added.

The former minister in the previous PNP administration was referring to an article published in the Gleaner on Monday in which the named Adventist leaders urged the government to keep God in deliberations on buggery laws and say no to gays.

However, Falconer's statement did not go down well with some of her social media followers who thought she was defending homosexuality.

"Gays and lesbians are not to be tolerated. Flames on acts of Sadomity (sic). I agree with the church and as leaders unnnuh must stop fanning the flames of immorality," one follower commented.

But Falconer was resolute in her belief. "Gays and lesbians are people. We may not agree with their lifestyles but should we make criminals of them for that?" she asked.

"I believe homosexuality is a sin because God made man and woman. However, I believe when two consenting adults engage in homosexuality it does not rise to a criminal act," she added.

And Falconer was quick to point out that her views did not reflect that of the PNP or its president, Portia Simpson Miller.

In the lead up to the 2011 general elections Simpson Miller had suggested (seen as a promise by many) a conscience vote in the Parliament on the retention of the buggery law if her party won. The PNP won the elections but the vote was never taken during the 2012-2016 term of office.

The Offences Against the Person Act criminalizes acts of buggery.

According to Section 76 "Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable crime of buggery, committed either with’ mankind or with any animal, shall be liable to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for a term not exceeding ten years.'

It was just this morning her colleague on a radio show now opposition spokesperson on Justice Mark Golding also came out of the woodwork to reiterate his personal position on the matter while supporting an amendment to the SOB article 76, 77 & 79. As someone who was charged for the crime in 1996 and navigated the courts out of it with a sine die adjournment I am all for an amendment; as just the proving of the crime is problematic with a pseudo-scientific twist which can and has lent itself to false accusations and shoddy evidence brought against accused.

AMEND IT NOW I say.

See my immediate post:

New opposition spokesman on Justice says referendum not needed to amend Buggery Law

and previous entries:

JFLAG Tries to Clarify its Agenda 2014

No To Gays! - Adventists Urge Government To Keep God In Deliberations On Buggery Law

The Line in the Sand for the PNP ...... but vote ☐ PNP ☐ JLP ☑ Legalize Buggery in private

Milk River PNP Councillor says no to buggery repeal 2014

LGBT Community Eyes More Than Conscience Vote 2014 from sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica

Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again) says PM 2014

PNP's Damion Crawford says it's highly unlikely buggery review will happen .....

PNP Wins ................Hope for LGBT People ??? 2011



Is ‘The Most Homophobic Place on Earth’ Turning Around?

Interesting times lie ahead and I am a little anxious and concerned as referenda have a way of being used to sure up political capital and with a minority government in place and a Seventh Day Prime Minister similar to Bruce Golding's tenure.

Pray, think, listen out do all you can and agitate while educating as changing hearts and minds is on now in earnest.

Peace & tolerance

H

A Justice Seeking Holy Week Indeed

A Justice Seeking Holy Week

Inspired by Kweerspirit

It's Holy Week, and while the pageantry of waving palms, sharing a water ritual, recalling ancient stories, and finally, on Easter Sunday, celebrating the resilience of life, is all quite marvelous, cathartic, therapeutic, and engaging, it is also important to remember that all of it is inspired by a prophetic voice that imperial power tried to silence with extreme violence. That voice could not die, or at least it would not stay dead. It would rise up in the power of community and continuously seek to give people their dignity back.

And so, on this Maundy Thursday of this Holy Week I affirm the sacred value of same-gender loving people. 

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, where Christ lays out the model for the Eucharist or Holy Communion. During the meal, Jesus predicted the events that would immediately follow, including his betrayal, the Denial of Peter, and his death and resurrection. Events of the last supper play varying roles in commemoration services depending on the denomination.

In the Catholic Church, on this day the private celebration of Mass is forbidden. Thus, apart from the Chrism Mass for the blessing of the Holy Oils that the diocesan bishop may celebrate on the morning of Holy Thursday, but also on some other day close to Easter, the only Mass on this day is the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, which inaugurates the period of three days, known as the Easter Triduum, that includes Good Friday (seen as beginning with the service of the preceding evening), Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday up to evening prayer on that day.

The Mass of the Lord's Supper commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his Twelve Apostles, "the institution of the Eucharist, the institution of the priesthood, and the commandment of brotherly love that Jesus gave after washing the feet of his disciples."

All the bells of the church, including altar bells, may be rung during the Gloria in Excelsis Deo of the Mass (the Gloria is not traditionally sung during the entire Lenten season). The bells then fall silent and the organ and other musical instruments may be used only to support the singing until the Gloria at the Easter Vigil. In some countries, children are sometimes told: "The bells have flown to Rome."

The Roman Missal recommends that, if considered pastorally appropriate, the priest should, immediately after the homily, celebrate the rite of washing the feet of an unspecified number of men, customarily twelve, recalling the number of the Apostles.

Legislatures may try to silent queer voices, but they will rise to new heights.

Today I affirm the dignity of transgender and gender non-conforming people. Municipalities and state legislatures may try to demonize and dehumanize transgender people but the dignity of trans lives will not be erased by hate speech or fear mongering or oppressive legislation.

Today I affirm the sanctity of women's bodies and women's sovereignty over their bodies. Misogyny may try to control women and limit their choices but Justice will not abandon Her daughters.

Today I affirm the right of Muslims to live peacefully in this country without vilification or harassment. I affirm their freedom of religion and their civil liberties.

Today I affirm the courage of refugees who risk everything and leave behind all that is familiar to keep their families safe and to build a new life in what are too often unwelcoming environments. I take to heart the biblical mandate to welcome the newcomer.

Today I affirm the imperative of every person who can vote to do so at every opportunity.

Today, let us turn over the tables of hate and division and call out the peddlers of fear and bigotry and let us declare boldly that our society is meant to be a House of Goodness for All People. If this is to be a truly Holy Week, it must be a week where injustice is challenged and hope is lifted up.

Too many people have known their own Via Dolorosa, way of suffering. In Holy Week, let us not be content to accept the suffering, but let us address it and move forward to the promise of Renewal that Easter represents. 

Amen.

Peace & tolerance

H

Ugandan Dancehall/Afro DJ/artist Bobi Wine now reformed! ...... says he has evolved from homophobia

I hope this is not one of those capitulations of sorts just to remain popular or a public relations gimmick; everybody wants to burrow the Jamaican caustic adage of 'burning' out gays or battyman to stay hot on the scene as they lack creativity to produce high quality hate free music.

Bobi Wine

Previous petitions had spoken to his track record of murder music laced materials:

see HERE

Gaystarnews (not a favourite news outlet of mine) published the following:

‘Shoot all the battymen’ one lyric goes. ‘Burn all the gays’ is another.

These were the words of Ugandan rapper Bobi Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi, who has appeared to have now evolved his views on LGBTI people.

The reality star, who has performed all over the world, has spread a message to his fans to ‘replace violence with tolerance’.

In 2014, Wine was banned from coming to the UK over his homophobic lyrics and his support of the original Anti-Homosexuality Bill that called for the death of LGBTI people. Shortly after this, he was beset by malaria.

‘In my life, I have disagreed with many people over many issues. Our opinions have differed on religion, sexual preferences, politics and a wide range of ideologies,’ Wine posted on Facebook.

‘There are reasons why we differ in thinking ranging from the way we are brought up, our geographical locations, social classification and the general mindset of societies where we live. That however doesn’t mean that an individual is superior or inferior to the other just because they differ in opinions about the above.

Wine added: ‘My key message this year is, ‘Ayawuka kundowoza yo tekimufula mulabe wo’ (difference in opinion doesn’t make us enemies).

‘Let us approach every issue with respect for one another, let us replace violence with tolerance. Yes! TOLERANCE. Let us tolerate each other no matter how far distant our opinions might differ. I believe that if we all subscribed to only one opinion, we would be damned fools.’

Edwin Sesange, the director of the African LGBTI Out & Proud Diamond Group, told Gay Star News: ‘We’ve been in discussions with him. We welcome it, we would always prefer a message of tolerance than a message of hatred and calling for the murder of gay people.

‘It’s a step in the right direction and we hope people now copy him. If Bobi Wine can preach tolerance, after his message of hate, then it means that the work we do to change people’s people’s attitudes change is happening.'

ENDS

Flashback:
30 JULY 2014 

A Uganda rapper has lashed out after getting banned from UK venues over his homophobic views.

Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, has called all Ugandans in his songs to help ‘burn all the gays’ and has accused President Barack Obama of promoting homosexuality and being a ‘fagot’.
He was due to perform in venues in London and Birmingham in August. Following reports on Gay Star News and on other news sites, he was banned.

On Facebook, he has posted a statement responding to the controversy.
‘There has been a lot of buzz about me in the media all over the world, threats and all because of my opinion about the gays,’ he said.

‘A few months ago, the president of Uganda after extensive research and consultation, asserted to the anti-homosexuality act and 99% of Ugandans were in support.
‘This statement was blown out of proportion by self-seeking opportunists who hope to gain a quick buck and of course political hegemony, taking advantage of our vulnerability as a nation.’

Kyagulanyi added: ‘The intention of the Act is to stop promotion and exhibition of homosexual practices. In fact, degenerate passions can be regulated by discipline and the benefit of the law is to create standard behavior for us Ugandans.

‘Like wise therefore, I am personally not out to threaten the life of any individual based on their sexual Orientation, I just DO NOT agree with them.
‘This is my opinion and happens to be that of 99% Ugandans/Africans basing on our culture, religion and constitution.’

While the rapper says he wants to kill LGBT people, his songs contain lyrics such as ‘Fire will burn the batty man. Burn all the batty man. All Ugandans get behind me and fight the batty man.’

He continued: ‘How be it, I completely fail to understand the pride and why the gays are so happy about it. If my opinion makes me third world, then am happy to be.’

His fans quickly supported the rapper, describing him as the ‘second president’, with one saying: ‘no homosexuality in ug !!! they should guillotined’

‘Burn batty man,’ one added, with another saying they will make sure to attend the rapper’s next show to ‘bolster the elimination of that barbaric act of gayism in our beloved country.’
Spectrum Uganda, a gay rights charity in the country, also posted on the status.


‘Am gay, Ugandan and will continue to fight gay rights until you stupid bigots put something in your heads,’ they said. ‘We are right now in constitutional court hearing the petition and injunction, come and attend if you can.’

here is one of his popular songs/video on killing gays:

Let us watch this one to see if he really evolves or is a public relations stunt, true tolerance must be lived not just announcement that are applauded for retention of fame.

Peace & tolerance

H

Also see:
Artistes Should Speak Against Political Violence, Poverty - Bounty Killer

What's wrong wid Bounty Killer? 2008

Bounty Killer and his B****man comments at Shaggy’s fundraiser 2010

Anything to Remain Current ........... Bounty Killer Backs Anti Gay Religious Groups Stance

Dancehall act Busy Signal under fire for "I Love Girls Who Love Girls" song

Busy Signal recovers with "Too Many Men" in subtle messaged song