Is It That Time?

Before you get your panties all up in a bunch, this is just a forum for social commentary on an issue that is seemingly on the rise; comment as you wish but its all just talking because none of us have any power to change any of the circumstances surrounding this issue on any significant scale currently. So this recently Happened...

If you didn't know that is Darren Young Professional Sports Entertainer in the WWE and one half of the Prime Time Players. Last week he made the bold decision to as they term it come out of the closet and it has been a media frenzy since he has. Dial it back a 3 or 4 months ago and we also see basketball player Jason Collins stepping out of the closet; albeit not as much a well know player as I am led to understand since he was mostly on the bench but a player in the NBA nonetheless. Coupling that with also celebrity child star Raven symone following suit after the overturn of The Defense of Marriage Act and confirming her lesbian orientation one can't help but wonder if this is the year of the gays. I'm sure we all remember her from her days on "The Cosby Show" and in recent years the tv show "That's So Raven". No ill intent meant in my words just honestly didn't know how else to put it. 

Sadly however in this life where there is good there is also bad as just recently there were multiple cases in the news here in my little island of Jamaica. Notorious for being one of the most homophobic countries in the world, Jamaica has long been the subject of many criticisms by the Lesbian and Gay community at large. Most prominently for the fact that we actually have a law here that prohibits the act of buggery aka 'anal intercourse'. This has recently been a heated issue as talks are/were taking place to try and get the law revoked on the terms that it breaches rights guaranteed under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which was enacted in 2011. As on would expect the churches don't take too kindly to things of this nature so both the people and religious leaders are up in arms to protest this. In light of the tragic killing of a transgendered youth in the Montego Bay area of the island one can only wonder how much longer people will be able to hide behind religion as there justification for dealing with gays in this manner. To think his choice to go to a 'straight' party got him beaten, stabbed, shot and run over by a car when he showed up at a street party dressed as a woman. I don't think we as a country can justify these things anymore just under the guise of quoting the bible  and following through on vigilante justice.

As the days, weeks, months, years roll by more and more countries worldwide are opening their hearts to the plight of the gay community at large and legalizing gay marriage. I feel like as a country we should at the very least by now be able to tolerate the idea of gays and lesbians and not be so violently against them. I know its too much to ask of Jamaica to completely be accepting of the Lesbian and Gay community but the wanton disregard for the law of the land and resorting to vigilante justice is no way to conduct ourselves as a nation. In this age of technology and exposure to all that is taking place in the world we have no excuse as a nation to be letting these type of things happen with no one to be held accountable for the loss of human life. In that same breath the lesbian and gay community needs to be wary of where they are and act accordingly to the laws of the land if you can't its in your best interest to migrate, seek asylum or never be found out of your true sexual nature.

It sucks that you may have to pretend to be something you are not or feel uncomfortable but for now I implore you to think first and realize the location and situation you are in and make conscious choices to put your safety first above all else. Most Jamaicans are tolerant of gays as long as they have a little doubt towards their sexual orientation but once the cat is out the bag all hell breaks loose. God he knows the last thing this country needs is to have international fallout over this issue and get boycotted and blacklisted by other more open and tolerant countries that we do business with. Just remember that you aren't breaking the law if you are not suspected or actually caught in the act of buggery; this also applies to vigilante justice against gays so bear this in mind while visiting/living in Jamaica. Cause this might be the only compromise that we can hope for in this day and age. At least then maybe we can all just get along...

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Its Amazing How Much Effect One Book Has...

ZEALOTS!!! HERETICS!!! BLASPHEMERS!!! yada yada yada. God is good, God is great; praise the Lord our God. Welcome to another random Monday blog, I had a different topic in mind but I figured since this is what was recently hot news so to speak I would voice my opinion of the matter. Initially I hadn't been following up reports of this incident but more and more I saw people speaking out on it but for all the wrong reasons. I know a lot of people will be very opinionated about this topic so hoping to see some people voice their opinions. So the basic breakdown is that two men were caught together in a bathroom under suspicious circumstance. Chase was given and one got away while the other ran into the school's guard post seeking refuge; the below video demonstrates what happens after. For those on my blog that aren't Jamaican the precursor to understanding this somewhat lies in the fact that Jamaica is a very homophobic country to the point where we have a Anti-buggery law where the act of anal intercourse is prohibited by law. So lets see the video...

So now that we are all up to speed both locally and internationally let me further point out that this incident took place on the campus of one of the islands leading Tertiary institutions. This effectively means that the future minds of this country are who you are seeing carrying on in this manner calling for the blood of their fellow countrymen. Mob justice or vigilante justice is becoming an  increasingly worrisome trend in our country then couple that with justification of violence against homosexuals with bible verses and religious ideology its easy to see for the most part why we are a third world country. This incident from start to finish has been one big clusterfuck of wrongdoing from the gentlemen that were chased, to the security guards, to the mob of students wanting to beat them, to the views of the general populous being that they should have been killed and on and on and on. Lets look at some major factors in this drama...

Even though i'm against the viewpoint of using religion in any sensible argument not everyone shares that thought. So pretty much 90% of all people in Jamaica that share the mobs mentality of homosexuality will usually use the go to excuse that the bible says homosexuality is wrong. They might even go as far as to quote bible scriptures; a tried and true favorite is "Leviticus 20:13 - "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads." (NIV)". So let me get this straight you who are in your own right not perfect and just as bad a sinner as anyone else by the standards set in the bible you quote and love so dearly are justifying taking a life. Furthermore this same book these people place all their 'convenient' faith in clearly states as a commandment that you shouldn't kill. I say convenient because most of them only use it as a reference to further/justify their own means. Compound that with the fact that i'm sure it says somewhere in there not to judge others lest you be judged or something paraphrased in that manner about stone casting and so forth. So yet again using an ideal that is based in FAITH and interpretation isn't exactly the best way to go; the laws of the land are the laws of the land. As such the culprits should have simply been apprehended and brought to justice and given due course. Not threatened and beaten and denied their basic human rights.

Frankly speaking only gay women have any rights here in Jamaica. This is only because of a law technicality where it explicitly acknowledges men but makes no mention of females as stated by the LBGT Rights Act. By no means should anyone tell you that you can choose or embrace your sexuality choice but the onus is on you as the individual to recognize your environment and act accordingly. Granted ideally as intellectual beings we should know better and do better, you have to be mindful of close minded people who may not share your particular zeal for your personal choices. This is why things such as invasion of privacy were invented as statures of law, what you choose to do in the comfort of your own home or behind closed doors is the one thing you have as a homosexual that puts the law on your side. This is your best bet for leading a somewhat happy existence that or moving to a more forward thinking country that shares your ideals for human rights. The two gentlemen shouldn't have been that stupid to think getting it on in a bathroom stall was a good idea. Not only are you at risk of getting caught and charges of buggery brought against you but also to be charged for public indecency and risk a beating/lynching from a mob.

This is a no-brainer from a professional standpoint. You are a security guard; essentially a watered down policeman meant to uphold the same ideals of protecting and serving. You do not and I repeat do not take people into custody and beat them at your whim. Not even the freaking military is allowed to do that without just cause; so what the hell makes you think a lowly security guard such as yourself has the right..? Don't you think its a reason that he ran to you and not away from you? Silly security guards punches and kicks are for kids. Adults shouldn't solve problems like that. Public outcry was for them to be fired and charges brought against them but the way I see it that probably wont happen. They will just be fired form the company so it can save face. I wish them the best of luck and hope they are repentant of what they did and never have gay children.

The students of the school; oh the students of the school. Where do I even start? The future leaders of tomorrow seeking tertiary education but cannot seek the common decency to uphold the law and not resort to vigilante justice. Even if something sickens you can you not tolerate it for long enough to remove yourself from its presence or wait for it to remove itself? Granted it is even these same people that fly overseas and interact with homosexuals on a day to day basis. Do they rile up and act like ignorant ass niggers when overseas? I think not, so why not practice the same decorum at home? They regular people like you, granted with slight chemical balance indifference's at times but essentially the same as you and me. If you hate homosexuality and are so intolerant of it then you probably shouldn't be using the computer to read this as one of the main influences of that luxury you enjoy today was gay. Don't believe me feel free to check him out yourself, the one and only Alan Mathison Turing. 

Congratulations if you made it this far; you are either highly pissed at what I have said an dare building a suitable counter argument or you somewhat share my viewpoint and genuinely liked what you read. People of Jamaica I implore to take a step back and think about what this so called tradition and legacy you hold so dear will do to shape this country for future generations. Granted homosexuals can be a bit forward or uppity at times that is their right as human beings just like any other asshole. Try to practice tolerance that is all one can ask. You cannot be judge jury and executioner all in the name of a holy war no one asked you to fight specifically. If you truly believe from a religious standpoint that whatever homosexual acts are being done is truly egregious then leave it to the creator to deal with as he sees fit when the day of reckoning is upon us all. Any Jamaican homosexuals who may be reading this as well please keep in mind where you are and show some respect and decorum for the laws of the land the the mentality of the people. Yes you deserve your rights an dyes you shouldn't have to hide how you feel. Just like it took the slaves years upon years to overcome the oppression they faced it will not happen worldwide overnight for you. Inch the door to your acceptance open bit by bit; don't just try to force it wide open.

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