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

Woe unto you ye Pharisees, Saducees & Scribes & your righteous hypocrisy

Been a minute since I commented or posted on Easter matters and a reader asked me to share some thoughts.

The Woes of the Pharisees is a list of criticisms by Jesus against scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel of Luke 11:37-54 and Gospel of Matthew 23:1-39.Mark 12:35-40 and Luke 20:45-47 include warnings about scribes. Boy don't we have some modern day Pharisees, Saduccees & Scribes. They were the  elders and scribes who belonged to two political parties in the Sanhedrin. The Sadducees rejected life after death, angels or and thing supernatural.

           They were the aristocracy and well to do ruling class. The Pharisees believed in God. Paul said they had a zeal, but not according to truth.

           They have refined hypocrisy to a science. They passed themselves off as the religious leaders of the Jews, yet they lived on pride, power and self-righteousness. They longed for a Messiah, but they wanted a strong military leader who would throw off the Roman oppressors. They wanted Israel to be strong and powerful and a glorious nation. They could not accept a Messiah, who came from the family of a poor carpenter, or the poor town of Nazareth.

Eight are listed in Matthew, and hence Matthew's version is known as the eight woes. These are found in Matthew 23 verses 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 and 29. Only six are given in Luke, whose version is thus known as the six woes'.

The woes mostly criticize the Pharisees for hypocrisy and perjury. They illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states

As the Easter draws near and Good Friday I have been reflecting on how the issues surrounding Christ’s death can be compared to present day matters and actions by some. Jesus for all intents and purposes was not killed by the Romans as we have been sometimes told in the story leading up to his crucifixion not to mention the payment of the blood money to Judas who betrayed Jesus as well; he sold out the master to the authorities and who were they, the Scribes, teachers, Pharisees and such who saw him as a threat to their power and influence in the annals of government and theology then. Of course we know ways are always found to eliminate political opponents by nicely planned and rolled out schemes and legal manoeuvres.

Why oh why do I see similar actions by some claiming to be Christian while going against the teachings of Christ in terms of inclusiveness are bent on dividing simply because they think they can dictate morality under the guise that the Bible said it; so it is OK the stigmatize persons blended with hypocritical conditional tolerance messages such as ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ or the few and far in between ‘we don’t support violence towards gays but homosexuality is wrong’ which only comes when prompted by criticisms from bloggers like me or public commentators.

examples of the weird advocacy via Dr Wayne West's blog

also see:
Dr Wayne West’s continued intellectual dishonesty on fisting felching & chariot racing by homosexuals in Jamaica 2013

I find it remarkable that some resort to name calling as the way to mask their hate and indifference such as Dr Wayne West who thrives on such hate filled and stigmatizing language while weaving deceptive antigay advocacy to give strength to his cause; yet in none of his numerous blog posts or public appearances has he and others such as Shirley Richards or Betty Ann Blaine all self professed Christians do not invite persons to a middle ground or espouse any togetherness and avoid pushing ostracism. Ostracism by the way Jesus loathed as was shown in the woman with the alabaster box story or the stoning of the so called prostitute where he said to the stoners who asked him how to treat with her: ‘He who is without sine cast the first stone’

Would Jesus Hate, What would Jesus do?

I am sure that Jesus who died for us all would not hate and obviously had a special place for the poor, destitute and outcast yet others in his name and that of the father do the direct opposite; their morality in their eyes is all that matters but they are less vocal and strident with other societal atrocities but as soon as homosexuality is included somewhere they are the loudest; which make me wonder if some persons were abused in their younger days and confuse or conflate such awful abuse as normative for persons who express or seek same gender love and associated rights. It was these same scribes and such who used Jesus’s words to trap him giving rise to the system condemning him to death and it is just the same these days with some of the aforementioned folks.

Self righteous pastors despite their shoddy credibility and questionable involvement in shady matters continue to hold strain against gay lobbyists even as their issues is plain for all too see makes them not justified in their cause. Chief of them all is Pastor Al Miller and as I scan the growing religious radio stations I hear more prosperity gospel sounding messages, condemnations of all sorts especially homosexuality but very little open calls to togetherness, discussions and true tolerance at least when I am tuned in.

The eight woes

The eight woes of hypocrisy are:
They taught about God but did not love God — they did not enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor did they let others enter. (Matt 23:13)

They devoured widows' houses and for a pretence made a long prayer, for which they would receive a greater damnation. (Matt 23:14)

They preached God but converted people to dead religion, thus making those converts twice as much sons of hell as they themselves were. (Matt 23:15)

They taught that an oath sworn by the temple or altar was not binding, but that if sworn by the gold ornamentation of the temple, or by a sacrificial gift on the altar, it was binding. The gold and gifts, however, were not sacred in themselves as the temple and altar were, but derived a measure of lesser sacredness by being connected to the temple or altar. The teachers and Pharisees worshiped at the temple and offered sacrifices at the altar because they knew that the temple and altar were sacred. How then could they deny oath-binding value to what was truly sacred and accord it to objects of trivial and derived sacredness? (Matt 23:16-22)

They taught the law but did not practice some of the most important parts of the law — justice, mercy, faithfulness to God. They obeyed the minutiae of the law such as tithing spices but not the weightier matters of the law. (Matt 23:23-24)

They presented an appearance of being 'clean' (self-restrained, not involved in carnal matters), yet they were dirty inside: they seethed with hidden worldly desires, carnality. They were full of greed and self-indulgence. (Matt 23:25-26)

They exhibited themselves as righteous on account of being scrupulous keepers of the law, but were in fact not righteous: their mask of righteousness hid a secret inner world of ungodly thoughts and feelings. They were full of wickedness. They were like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but full of dead men's bones. (Matt 23:27-28)

They professed a high regard for the dead prophets of old, and claimed that they would never have persecuted and murdered prophets, when in fact they were cut from the same cloth as the persecutors and murderers: they too had murderous blood in their veins. (Matt 23:29-36)

We can add a ninth woe in condemning persons who are different and boxing them in so as to castigate them while going against the non-ostracism principle of Christ.

Sad that this where we are still at. But LGBT resilience is strong especially from survivors like me. I won't retaliate I don't believe in hate as Amber nicely puts it:

Your toxic words are like rain to me

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:
Christians say ... Don't force gay agenda on them ....

Betty Ann Blaine on Poverty, children and the Buggery Law .... and that awful confusion of homosexuality

JAMAICA COALITION FOR A HEALTHY SOCIETY, JCHS CONTINUED CONFUSION OF PAEDOPHILIA & CONSENTING HOMOSEXUALITY. 2012

STICK TO WINNING SOULS, CHURCH! 2012

More gay marriage paranoia from anti gay Jamaican groups 2015

Healthy coalition nonsense! indeed 2015

The “rights by stealth” strategy to fisting, felching, rimming, farming, scat, chariot racing etc’

Dunce, Diseased and Depraved . (suggesting anal sex is by depraved persons)

And
Legal rights to anal penetration, felching and chariot racing ?

Barbershop chat: People still seh Buju was set up by gays

I cannot believe that persons still have such a strong penchant on the so called powerful LGBT lobby that they were responsible for Buju Banton’s legal woes and subsequent imprisonment after so many years. But the wall of disbelief on homophobia and intolerance out there should set me straight none the less, silly me eh? Several media reports have since come that he may be released early which turned out to be hot air but with much defiant rhetoric following and cheers from the penny section as if to show a middle finger to LGBT activists or the Stop Murder Music Campaign work over the years. Amidst recent reports of a statement of sorts coming from the incarcerated singer to fans as it were to hold strain and locating other so called social ills persons have since been buoyed to reawaken dormant anti gay feelings or resist any suggestion for gay rights as the lobby was responsible for flopping his career.

I was at a community barbershop for my usual trim/shave services some days ago where the discussion came up from another customer or idler, hard to tell as men hang out sometimes in the shop as he read a media report via his smartphone on Buju’s aforementioned comments. I subsequently realised it was this report going from memory playing the typical victim card:

Imprisoned artiste Buju Banton has reached out to fans, pleading with them “not be distracted by all the things that are taking place around them”.

In a statement published in Vibe Magazine’s popular Boomshots column, Buju, 43, also blasted contemporary music, describing it as “meaningless”.

The Grammy-winning singjay is in the fifth of a 10-year sentence on drug-related offences. He is serving time in a federal prison in Florida.

The following is the full text of Buju’s statement.

“Tell my fans do not be distracted by all the things that are taking place around them because it is designed to throw them off kilter, to make moral decadence even more widespread than it already is, and plunge people into a state of darkness.

“They’re trying to reverse the progress that we have made over the years through the music. And now the music is meaningless. It doesn’t stimulate, it doesn’t educate, it doesn’t reinvigorate. All it does is get you angry because it’s filled with nothing but narcissists exalting themselves over the earthly possessions that they have managed to get. They don’t even have anything—it’s crumbs.

“And therefore, the music is suffering. The people are suffering. Sadness and gloom is prevailing. It’s widespread. But be patient. Because suffering may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

The reaction in the shop was mostly positive towards Buju as expected but way negative towards predicated on notions of gays shoddy or deceptive advocacy and punishment of dancehall artists; all this time overlooking the overwhelming evidence that came out in the court case, the entrapment he found himself in which is also seen by some as designed by gays to get him. 

See the transcript for yourself and be the judge: 

download the PDF HERE

The conversation however became quite animated as the men complete with bravado and such had the decibels turned up. But I could not help throwing a wrench in the mix when I posed a question regarding the evidence that came out in court. The dismissal was instant from most of the men in the shop and had a couple strange looks at me to suggest how come you not supporting Buju on this?

The discussion went on with the usual anti gay or ‘battyman’ references and the usual what should happen to them or us as the case may be. Another older man however who was obviously more sensible in the room dropped the ‘Boom Bye Bye’ song issue and continued that he is older now and should just move on despite the challenges most of which are self made; that was like a breath of fresh air for me and shows that some folks are thinking on this be they the older ones. The barbers in particular however reacted reaffirming the song’s ethos and prescription for gays in other words they should be shot and Buju was right to prescribe same. One man lamented how artists cannot ‘eat a food’ as gays are pressuring them; then recent news of Sizzla’s ability to perform in the US in an upcoming event was a defiant success showing that gays are either losing power or don’t have so much anymore determining artists income despite what comes out of their mouths. The matter of artistes with homophobic lyrics that claim they no longer perform said songs but are quite happy earning royalties from sales on iTunes and such came up but the men did not see anything wrong with it as it was a way to ‘eat a food’; they were cognizant of the slowed sales of music overall so artistes are justified in selling materials in their repertoire despite the lyrical content inciting violence and death.

A quick online scan as well showed comments giving support to the beliefs that it was gays who set up Buju and it is indeed sad that after so many years we are still at this juncture of deeply entrenched homo-negativity. Changing hearts and minds is gonna be a hell of a task given all this coming at us and then heightened talk of a JLP government’s planned referendum on Buggery which in the eyes of some will or must be used to silence any lobby attempts towards LGBT ‘rights’ and the widely feared and loathed gay marriage although that is so futuristic it may never happen in my lifetime. My stance that such dancehall acts as Buju Banton should disassociate themselves from the materials they did if they want to be credible and fair has not changed; it is one thing to try to explain away non performance due to aging or pressure from advocacy and still earning from the materials in one way or another. The songs must be removed from one’s repertoire to be seen a fair and just on all fronts; one cannot be on one hand professing Jah Rastafari love for all men or people yet here we have from the same mouth calls for execution of persons because they are different. But of course the fear of being seen in the eyes of the public as condescending to gays is so real that they rather continue to farcical distancing from the murder music materials.

We have had calls for truce over the years from middle of the road voices but to no avail and olive branches have been extended only to be rebuffed mostly soundly by those they were extended to.

Also see:
'Deejays and gay groups need to call a truce' - McKenzie

Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye still available on iTunes despite so called ban in 2008

Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really?

Meanwhile:

The theocrats have been posturing themselves with a plethora of emboldened comments and blog posts since the new administration came to office and the constant ‘family’ references and the imagery of the Prime Minister and his wife both in the house as parliamentarians.

Nuff tings lie ahead but are we really ready for the ride to come?

Think on these things

Peace & tolerance

H

WPA Position Statement on Gender Identity and Same-Sex Orientation, Attraction, and Behaviours

Background

Recent controversies in many countries suggest a need for clarity on same-sex orientation, attraction, and behaviour (formerly referred to as homosexuality).

Along with other international organisations, World Psychiatric Association (WPA) considers sexual orientation to be innate and determined by biological, psychological, developmental, and social factors.

Over 50 years ago, Kinsey et al (1948) documented a diversity of sexual behaviours among people. Surprisingly for the time, he described that for over 10% of individuals this included same-sex sexual behaviours. Subsequent population research has demonstrated approximately 4% of people identify with a same-sex sexual orientation (e.g., gay, lesbian, and bisexual orientations). Another 0.5% identify with a gender identity other than the gender assigned at birth (e.g., transgender) (Gates 2011). Globally, this equates to over 250 million individuals.

Psychiatrists have a social responsibility to advocate for a reduction in social inequalities for all individuals, including inequalities related to gender identity and sexual orientation.

Despite an unfortunate history of perpetuating stigma and discrimination, it has been decades since modern medicine abandoned pathologising same-sex orientation and behaviour (APA 1980) The World Health Organization (WHO) accepts same-sex orientation as a normal variant of human sexuality (WHO 1992). The United Nations Human Rights Council (2012) values Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights. In two major diagnostic and classification systems (International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and DSM-5), same sex sexual orientation, attraction, and behaviour and gender identity are not seen as pathologies (WHO 1993, APA 2013).

There is considerable research evidence to suggest that sexual behaviours and sexual fluidity depend upon a number of factors (Ventriglio et al 2016). Furthermore, it has been shown conclusively that LGBT individuals show higher than expected rates of psychiatric disorders (Levounis et al 2012, Kalra et al 2015), and once their rights and equality are recognised these rates start to drop (Gonzales 2014, Hatzenbuehler et al 2009, 2012, Padula et al 2015)

People with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities may have grounds for exploring therapeutic options to help them live more comfortably, reduce distress, cope with structural discrimination, and develop a greater degree of acceptance of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Such principles apply to any individual who experiences distress relating to an aspect of their identity, including heterosexual individuals.

WPA believes strongly in evidence-based treatment. There is no sound scientific evidence that innate sexual orientation can be changed. Furthermore, so-called treatments of homosexuality can create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination flourish, and they can be potentially harmful (Rao and Jacob 2012). The provision of any intervention purporting to “treat” something that is not a disorder is wholly unethical.

Action

1. The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) holds the view that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals are and should be regarded as valued members of society, who have exactly the same rights and responsibilities as all other citizens. This includes equal access to healthcare and the rights and responsibilities that go along with living in a civilised society.

2. WPA recognises the universality of same-sex expression, across cultures. It holds the position that a same-sex sexual orientation per se does not imply objective psychological dysfunction or impairment in judgement, stability, or vocational capabilities.

3. WPA considers same-sex attraction, orientation, and behaviour as normal variants of human sexuality. It recognises the multi-factorial causation of human sexuality, orientation, behaviour, and lifestyle. It acknowledges the lack of scientific efficacy of treatments that attempt to change sexual orientation and highlights the harm and adverse effects of such “therapies”.

4. WPA acknowledges the social stigma and consequent discrimination of people with same-sex sexual orientation and transgender gender identity. It recognises that the difficulties they face are a significant cause of their distress and calls for the provision of adequate mental health support.

5. WPA supports the need to de-criminalise same–sex sexual orientation and behaviour and transgender gender identity, and to recognise LGBT rights to include human, civil, and political rights. It also supports anti-bullying legislation; anti-discrimination student, employment, and housing laws; immigration equality; equal age of consent laws; and hate crime laws providing enhanced criminal penalties for prejudice-motivated violence against LGBT people.

6) WPA emphasises the need for research on and the development of evidence-based medical and social interventions that support the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals

References

1. American Psychiatric Association (1980). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edition). Washington, DC: APA.

2. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (5th edition). Washington, DC: APA.

3. Gates GJ (2011). How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender? Accessed March 4, 2016. Available at:http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Gates-How-Many-People-LGBT-Apr-2011.pdf

4. Gonzales, G (2014). Same-sex marriage — a prescription for better health. New England Journal of Medicine 370: 1373-1376.

5. Hatzenbuehler ML, Keyes KM, Hasin D. (2009). State-level policies and psychiatric morbidity in lesbian, gay and bisexual populations. American Journal of Public Health, 99: 2275-2281.

6. Hatzenbuehler ML, O’Cleingh C, Grasso C, Meyer K, Safren S, Bradford J (2012). Effect of same sex marriage laws on health care use and expenditures in sexual minority men: a quasi-natural experiment. American Journal of Public Health, 102: 285-291.

7. Kalra G, Ventriglio A, Bhugra D (2015). Sexuality and mental health: issues and what next? International Review of Psychiatry, 27: 463-469.

8. Kinsey AC, Pomeroy CB, Martin CE (1948). Sexual Behavior in the Male. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

9. Levounis P, Drescher J, Barber ME (2012). The LGBT Casebook. Washington, DC: APA.

10. Padula William V, Heru S, Campbell JD (2015). Societal Implications of Health Insurance Coverage for Medically Necessary Services in the US Transgender Population: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine: 1-8.

11. Rao TSS, Jacob KS (2012). Homosexuality and India. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 54: 1-3.

12. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (2012). Born Free and Equal: Sexual Orientation and Gender identity in International Human Rights Law. New York and Geneva: Office of the High Commissioner United Nations Human Rights; 2 Available from:http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/.....EqualLowRes.pdf. [Last accessed on 2013 Dec 31]

13. Ventriglio A, Kalra G, Bhugra D (2016). Sexual minorities and sexual fluidity. Discussion paper (available from authors).

14. World Health Organization (WHO) (1992). International Classification of Disease 10: Classification of Behavioural and Mental Disorders. Geneva: WHO.

The writing group was led by Professor Dinesh Bhugra and constituted Drs Kristen Eckstrand (USA), Petros Levounis (USA),Anindya Kar(India), Kenneth R Javate (Philippines)

Vendor forced to relocate due to homophobic threats

typical weekend crowd in downtown as vendors jostle for business

Popular longtimer and vendor aka Trevor who often could be found on Princess Street both upper and lower sections or along Spanish Town Rd when it is busy has been forced to relocate to other parts of town in peddling his goods as he tries to turn a living in present times. He has been active for many years and I came to know him from my more active years on the LGBT party circuit as he was a regular patron during the Club Entourage years and times following. Apart from having to constantly be on the lookout for cops or metropolitan parks and market officers and police who often seize goods in surprise raids; one has to also contend with extortionists disguised as or faced as women with receipt books who collect a ‘fee’ weekly for supposed unofficial protection and access to of all things public thoroughfare.

I ran into Trevor on the weekend where he expressed his concerns and that of other MSM who also are vendors downtown who have been seeing some strange pressure than normal forcing them to be circumspect or outright relocating just to avoid the pressures. Word is that gay vendors are being targeted to pay some more than normal as it has always been perceived that they get more business than other vendors not from other LGBT customers but by the mere friendliness and approachability element they naturally have; their customer service is devoid of profiling persons be it due to gender or aesthetic; other reasons for the unusual targeting is said to be from other vendors who are simply jealous as territorialism and spite due to the same perception of making more money than other vendors.

Trevor who has been active for some twenty plus years (he couldn’t recall when he exactly started) said he has never had to relocate because of homophobia directly; in clashing with other vendors for space or rivalry he has been called the proverbial ‘battyman’ which is also used to embarrass heterosexual men in public squabbles as well but no threats has been aimed at him he said. He was paid a regular visit some three Saturdays ago by the woman who normally comes by with her receipt book for regular collections but she was accompanied by two men which is not the norm, although other ‘security’ would be nearby to show force if persons are hesitant in paying the extortion fee. The men told Trevor that he had to pay an increase as his business looks like it is booming more than the other vendors. Trevor himself said he was shocked at this approach as such monitoring has never impacted him before.

He tried to respond to the men saying no such increase in business existed and that he was not in a position to make the demanded increase patronage. But the men would have none of it and made it clear that the next time the woman turned up he must comply; the exchange was loaded with anti gay rhetoric and veiled threats with one instance the good business perception came through tinged with some jealousy. The man claimed by words to the effect that the battyman dem a tek over the place and a run weh business (the gay men are taking over and getting more business). The men maybe referring to other younger gay men (as perceived) who hail from the displaced communities but who have been getting involved in selling.

Trevor has decided that if you can’t beat them then simply move to avoid any drama. In a previous post on the DVD reveller who has been homeless on and off for some seven years he was also selling downtown but has been forced to stop in a sense for his own safety as his identity is known due to the party DVD that went public in 2007 and to date is still having him face challenges that he has to be in hiding or maintaining a low profile. Another vendor who sells market shopping bags and who is also an active cruiser was the subject of a minor skirmish in January with some thugs by the former rural bus park by Pechon Street earlier this year. He was labelled as gay just by his appearance and gait in his walk and just by that he was profiled and threatening actions taken. He has since relocated to Cross Roads market and surrounding shopping zones for now I am reliably informed.

Trevor is also planning to become more mobile as the market district becomes more competitive overall. The presently available grants through the regional health authorities for small business assistance and or education pursuits via global fund is only for HIV positive MSM and no other grants seem out there at this time in that vein. Such a grant could really come in handy to offset these circumstances.

I wished Trevor all the luck and bought some items from him in support.

Peace & tolerance

H

Accused Gay Killers of Megamart employee still at large

Following the killing of Nicholas Beadle at the hands of alleged homosexuals last month, police say they have yet to make any breakthroughs in bringing the still-at-large perpetrator to justice.

Beadle, 27, was stabbed to death while on his way home from work on February 25 as he navigated through a path in the vicinity of West King’s House road; the homeless gay men who reside in the bushes of the cholera cemetery gave been blamed for the crime. 

He died while receiving treatment in the hospital. I am really sorry to hear of this as it was not needed; sadly the outreach required to address homeless MSM/trans individuals are simply not there or there is no interest; announcement after announcements that are well applauded go nowhere, such as this one only last year and more:

HERE meanwhile:

The deceased man’s family is now waiting for an arrest with a heavy heart, and hoping police find his assailants.

“My son died, and now you hear them saying they are stepping up security,” said the victim’s father. “That not helping me again! I already have my loss. This is one of our biggest losses.”

No motive for the attack appears to be that of robbery.

“He was very promising. He said he was planning to work for one year because he wanted the experience,” the deceased’s mother added. “I don’t know how am going to live with it,”

Up to late yesterday, the police assured that they were hot on the trail of those who carried out the heinous crime.
Investigations continue.

Two persons have been named and pictures of them posted online linking them to the murder:

one suspect (top) named is a Mr. Marlando Orlando Ricketts otherwise called F*ckiesha a past student of Calabar High School. Residents complained that men reportedly stayed on the lot to terrorize, rob and prostitute themselves but did not permanently live there. They were said to come and go at intervals because they do have homes. Please help to assist the police in locating these men.

It is not the first time we have seen such awful reports that give MSM a bad name such as this one in December 2014:

THE body of a former policeman was found with stab wounds in New Kingston yesterday morning, police confirmed.

The police told the Jamaica Observer that around 6:00 am the body was found in a vehicle close to the Courtleigh Auditorium on St Lucia Avenue.

Reports are that the man was attacked at a nearby location and drove away in a bid to escape, but later crashed into a building in New Kingston.

One police source said that detectives were investigating reports that a group of homosexual men attacked the man and stabbed him.

Some sections of New Kingston are known by police to be violent late at night, and numerous attempts have been made to reduce criminal activities, some of which, the police maintain, are caused by homosexual men who are usually present in the area.

There has been, in recent months, a drive by police, as well as councillor for the Trafalgar Division of the Kingston & St Andrew Corporation in which New Kingston falls, Kari Douglas, to rid the area of the homosexual men, some of whom use a nearby gully as their home.

Sadly crimes such as this just makes the homeless MSM in particular loose whatever sympathy or support that was coming their way; so many folks who I could call on once are simply refusing to assist even though the newly displaced persons are not at that criminal level. People are simply afraid to touch anything remotely near to homelessness.

Sad to see this all go down.

Peace & tolerance

H

PNP sidelined their ‘faith-based’ support

the following was published in the Observer today and I decided to reshare it as a standing for my "Line in the Sand" series I had done on this blog exclusive. I do not have much to add here as the author hit the nail on the head.

A sense of shock is still being felt throughout the country based on the results of the election held on February 25, 2016. Pollsters, members of the media and the private sector, international partners, and of course the People’s National Party (PNP) are clearly still trying to understand what happened on election day. I dare say some members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) are themselves shocked at the election result.

You can expect various reasons to be forwarded. You will hear about the economy and the hard times being faced by many. However, this does not fully explain the loss, as we know that whatever party is in power there would have been economic challenges. If we speak of crime, it has to be admitted that there was some level of success based on the inter-sectoral approach taken by the outgoing minister of national security.

The local pollsters, in an effort to explain the surprising loss, are going back into the field and coming up with a litany of reasons, but they are simply not adding up. The quarterbacking being done by some of the pollsters does not provide a full explanation. The substantial loss of seats by the PNP suggests an underlying level of disaffection amongst supporters which was not picked up by the pollsters.

What really happened then? It is a fact that many of the PNP’s supporters stayed away from the polls. A significant portion of the PNP’s base can be termed “faith-based”, and this group cherishes certain principles and ideals. The PNP’s faith-based supporters have been very upset with the party because of the belief that the PNP was quite willing to make changes to the buggery law without consulting the public. The PNP did nothing to calm fears that it was already making secret deals with international partners and was waiting until after the election to reveal these plans. To make matters worse, some of the young turks in the party, instead of focusing on their areas or ministerial responsibility, kept telling us how beneficial abortion would be for the country. The pollsters missed the faith-based issues because, to some extent, these matters are best described as “delicate” and some people are fairly reluctant to speak publicly on them.

How can a party which prides itself on being street-smart totally miss the views and feelings of the common man? How can the party not know how it was being branded on the streets? The faith-based community felt slighted by the PNP who was quite insensitive to the concerns of this group. This once-loyal segment of the PNP’s base stayed away in droves on election day. Some could not, in good conscience, vote for the PNP because of the unresolved issues and the stubbornness of the party in not clearly indicating a position one way or the other. A few of these supporters were so upset with the PNP that out of the protest they voted for the JLP. Others, in spite of the disappointing rhetoric from the PNP, still went out and voted for the party, but it was without the usual passion.

The PNP, as it deliberates the reasons for its shock loss, should examine the manner in which it treated its faith-based supporters during the last four years and then decide how best to repair this important relationship. The PNP should at least publicly acknowledge the deep hurt and bewilderment its public stance on certain issues caused within the faith-based community.

marshburns@hotmail.com

also see:

PNP’s 2016 manifesto silent on LGBT matters, very little on vulnerable groups #Javote2016 #DecisionJa2016

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

TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Up to late afternoon on March 9 the Trelawny police were working to apprehend the killer or killers of a St James High School teacher whose decomposing body was discovered at his home here yesterday morning.

The deceased has been identified as 53-year-old of Dexter Dacres of New Haven Heights, Granville, Trelawny.

Read from the Observer: Teacher's decomposing body found at Trelawny home

A reliable OBSERVER ONLINE source revealed that among the things removed from the house yesterday morning was a note that read:

"I killed him because he tried to rape me"

Condoms and lubricants were also said to be found in the English language teacher's bedroom.

According to the police, they were summoned to the swanky New Haven Heights, Trelawny neighbourhood, by residents, who detected a stench coming from the home of the teacher yesterday morning.

Upon their arrival, the cops discovered the decomposing body, with multiple stab wounds, wrapped in a sheet.

The body was removed to the Doyley's Funeral Home.

The teacher was said to have been last seen on Saturday in the company of a boy who he said was a relative of his, residents say.

Dacres, who reportedly started working at St James High in January, is said to have got along well with students and members of staff there. He was said to have also paid special interest in slow learners, a senior teacher at the school revealed.

The Falmouth police are probing the incident.

Meanwhile a Vice Principal at St. James High School, who gave her name only as Mrs. Panton, says the staff is shaken by Mr. Dacres’ death.

Commanding Officer for the parish, Superintendent Clive Blair says relatives had reported Mr. Dacres missing 

Superintendent Blair says the Police are theorizing that Mr. Dacres was killed in a crime of passion; as per usual the cops always default to that description no sooner than they figure or suspect the matter involves MSM as victims or perpetrators.

This case reminds me of the John Terry matter where a similar note was left on the scene as reported yet the killers and the case can't seem to get anywhere. 

Previous posts guide us in that regard:

British Consul John Terry's Murder Case Fails to Get Started Yet Again! 2014

Security guard charged with John Terry's murder as new DNA evidence is unearthed 2010

Hope they solve this one as so many have gone cold after much hype and initial shock of the news.

here is an older podcast i had done on the conflation with crimes of passion versus genuine homophobic matters:

Peace & tolerance

H

Gay Man Beaten And Left To Die In Sandy Gully, St Andrew

As the unraveling of our homeless and their friends sadly continues for the past 8 years since the closure of the only safe house for MSM/transgender persons it is hard to watch all this go down as we sit helpless while powerful agencies simply do and say nothing of import but readily use the same homeless populations as cannon fodder for HIV prevention and LGBT advocacy.

Now comes this:

A young man had to be rescued from the Sandy Park Gully, in St Andrew, where he was left to die early Saturday morning. The man was said to be beaten and thrown in the gully by a group of men.

He was left with wounds to his head and other sections of his body. “First me think it was a girl,” Lance Brown, a man who saw him in the gully Saturday morning, told the news team.

Brown said he thought the person was dead until he went down into the gully and saw that he was still breathing.

Newsbug published these photos:

According to Brown, the victim said he had stopped in the area to make a call when he was attacked by a group of men who, after savagely beating him, threw him into the gully.

Brown — who came upon the man in the gully around 7:30 am — called the Matilda’s Corner Police.

He was taken from the gully by a team from the Half-Way Tree Fire Station which was summoned to the scene.

The man was rushed to the University Hospital of the West Indies for treatment.

Sadly this is where the public sympathy dies as persons are up in arms on this one, even on radio it was the subject of a heated discussion on FAME FM and elsewhere and hence the good end up suffering for the bad as well. So called LGBT activists who are in support of not addressing the issues also find it legit to continue to hold a position of denial as they are all deemed bad.

Sandy Gully has factored as a migratory tributary for many populations including homeless msm/transgender so I am not surprised just perplexed; from my days sharing an apartment where the gully ran directly behind the flat and by the bridge at Marketplace (one two lane bridge then) the guys used to reside sometimes under it and knowing I lived at the complex they would walk up the gully so long it was dry and call us from in it which annoyed the hell out of me. Myself and my flat mate then the late Donald Thompson devised a pebble on the window strategy for communication and we ended up after temporarily housing a chef from Maxfield Avenue who was forcibly evicted distribute food he would take home that was unsold to the guys.

Many of the 'monsters' nowadays were not so in the days of the safe house, the usual disciplinary challenges and head bumping would obtain as in any shared living space, head bumping is bound to happen. 

Only days ago we saw an electrocution matter and now this.

Where will it end?

Peace & tolerance

H

Anal: Should you go back there?

BY KIMBERLEY HIBBERT

IT is not much of a taboo topic anymore, and more and more couples are seemingly exploring the phenomenon of anal sex.

But are their explorations medically safe? Deviant? Or is it just a matter of how cautious you are?

According to sex therapist Dr Sidney McGill, many Jamaicans will think it is deviant behaviour because it does not fall within the status quo of religion or socialisation.

“Status quo wants to maintain what is considered to be the proper or right action, and culture is maintaining the status quo,” he said, adding that publicly many people maintain the status quo but privately they do otherwise.

He said sexual acts are governed by our cultural and religious norms, so no matter what somebody says that is scientifically informed, if a belief is strong then people will do it.

He also explained that though anal penetration or anal sex has always been associated with male homosexuality, having anal sex doesn’t mean you’re homosexual.

“There is this one guy who I know who’s been married for many years but enjoys having anal sex with his wife more than vaginal sex and she’s growing accustomed to it, but he’s not a homosexual,” Dr McGill said.

The sex therapist stated that there are a number of couples who come in and contemplate anal sex because the men complain that they no longer enjoy sex as a result of numerous vaginal births.

“So a woman who wants her partner or husband to be sexually satisfied or a couple who’s fairly liberal may consider this [anal sex] as an alternative use,” he said.

He said while the primary purpose of the anus is to expel faecal matter, and at the beginning anal sex is painful, and there may be risks involved for the receiver and the penetrator, pleasure can be had and all people need is a little counselling.

“There are nerve endings in the rectum that some people find very pleasurable. So you’d recognise that this is not the primary purpose, but that there are benefits or pleasure once you take the necessary precautions to ensure that the person receiving is not harmed in any way and the person giving does not pick up infections,” the sex therapist said.

He added: “Sex is more than science; it has to do with feelings and a lot of the time feelings are irrational, so you have to take this into consideration when making decisions. If a couple is doing it and there’s no resistance from either party I am not going to discourage them. If a couple comes to me and one partner does not want to have anal sex, I’d be willing to explore the topic with them so that they can make decisions about their sexual activity. I’m not going to come out and say that this is right or wrong. It can be right or wrong depending on whom you’re doing it with. I want to stand on the fence in a neutral position and help people to sort out their lives in terms of what’s right for them or wrong for them.”

He said that there are many variables that should, however, be considered if you are going to have anal sex.

These include being free of sexually transmitted diseases, being screened for HIV, and taking into consideration if one partner is having multisexual relations.

Meanwhile, Dr Charles Rockhead, obstetrician-gynaecologist, said from a medical standpoint he cannot dictate to people or legislate sexual activity to individuals; rather he can only advise them as to the safest route.

“What I can do if they ask me about it is to help to prevent the complications or creating any damage. My view as a scientist and a physician is to prevent complications in a patient. If a man makes up his mind and says he wants to have anal sex with his wife, I can’t stop him. I can’t tell him don’t do it. That’s not my job. My job is to tell him how to prevent complications,” he said.

“If they ask me about it I’m not there to counsel them against it. I’m there to say if you do it, this should occur — that is, proper lubrication, proper sheathing. Complications may include anal fissures, anal tears, and further complications if you have a rectal injury or tear. Also to try to avoid double dipping — anal and then straight vaginal as it cannot be healthy for the female.”

Homeless gays accused of Megamart employee murder

Here we are again this old familiar place and yet another matter that just brings the whole ugly business of homeless MSM/Trangender issues front and centre. Now that the elections are on the way this has to come to light.

A 27-year-old Megamart employee was killed while on his way home from work on Thursday, February 25 earlier today. On the morning after employees of Megamart were clearly upset as reported to me by colleagues who visited the store; staff were livid that the 'homosexuals nearby' had killed their co-worker in an over heard conversation.

Further inquiries revealed the murder and there was talk of a removal yet again by cops and the authorities with only one ended on January 9 by the Kingston & St Andrew Co-operation, KSAC alongside police.
The deceased, identified as Nicholas Beadle, is said to have taken a shortcut path in the area of West King’s House road, where it is alleged that a group of four men attacked him, stabbing him several times.

Beadle died while receiving treatment in the hospital.

Megamart director of operations, Omar Azan reportedly said that he is saddened by the death of the employee and that Megamart has been cooperating with the police.

The Half-Way Tree police are currently investigating the matter.

According to a Megamart employee, who spoke to another outlet on condition of anonymity, staff at the company’s Waterloo location have been threatened by a group of men who had been banned from the store due to their unruly and vulgar behaviour.

However, Azan said he is unaware of the alleged threat.

A candle light ceremony was held for Beadle on Wednesday night. He was remembered as being a kind-hearted person.

This case is a chicken and egg situation to me as there have been reports and a reported video footage of an unprovoked encounter with the homeless MSM who live or pass through the open lot known as the cholera cemetary; there has been a tense situation for some time now with clashes both outside and instore as well.

Previous posts such as:

Gay Men Accused of making pass at Man at Mega Mart, Police Cools Tense Standoff

Gay man gets six months for shoplifting at Megamart 

have not helped their image and as more join the group it is becoming untenable. Only January we saw a removal exercise and such on the opposite side of the area behind the Canadian embassy. 

please see: Mutabaruka: JFLAG & gov’t should do more for homeless gays, conflates abuse with homophobia and 

"DVD Reveller" still displaced? part 2 It is clear that the powerful and resourced NGOs are not interested in any meaningful way even after 7 years of the closure of the only residency albeit a pilot no proper response has come since; one wonders why we keep seeing these incidents coming to the fore.

Colour Pink training in January in Montego Bay

one suspect (top) named is a Mr. Marlando Orlando Ricketts otherwise called F*ckiesha a past student of Calabar High School. Residents complained that men reportedly stayed on the lot to terrorize, rob and prostitute themselves but did not permanently live there. They were said to come and go at intervals because they do have homes. Please help to assist the police in locating these men.

The little tokenism and workshops being shown as solutions obviously is not even close to deal with the size and scope of the problem. 

Sigh, it is really hard to watch and fathom how the least amongst us are just that the least. Condolences to the family of Mr Beadle and it is sad that this is where we are at again with the unwarranted loss of life.

This blog is replete with reports on how we have travelled on this subject from 2009; see the Homeless MSM tab immediately below or here (newer posts will appear first including this one)

Lastly the guys have relocated or at least some of them to a new spot:

Peace & tolerance

H