My thoughts on…Canada’s queer ultimatum
I read an article in last week’s Star that gave me quite a laugh. Turns out that some human rights organization and a church over in Canada that both support the rights of homosexuals gave the Jamaican Government a May 12 deadline on which to institute laws that protect their rights. If not, they promise to make an announcement on May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, calling for a boycott of Canadian goods, services and tourism.
After the laughfest, I looked forward to the Government to dismiss this as quickly as I did. They have not. Since then, my laughter has turned into concern. I’m offended that these people have the audacity to try to impose their will on our sovereign nation, but I’m even more offended that they want to tamper with our country’s laws, one I might add that some say, keeps our society intact. And this is coming from Canada. Not even America. Canada, whose most dangerous export is Celine Dion. What’re they gonna do? Make us listen to the Titanic soundtrack ’til we give in?
You know how that’s gonna make us look like on the world stage? The land of shottas and garrisons backed down to the land of maple syrup and hockey! Anyway, they also want a repeal of the buggery laws and public service announcements denouncing homophobic/transphobic violence (isn’t that a bit much? I don’t even see that in the US), as well as a national homophobia/transphobia education campaign. I can just see it now. “It’s great to be gay! There’s no protest to buttsecks!”
I agree that homosexuals need to be treated as human beings, but the laws of our land must be obeyed. Whether we choose to legitimize homosexuality or not is strictly our business. Our Government had better not give in to their demands. It doesn’t take a roomful of politicians to realise that if they did, if would be the most unpopular decision in Jamaica’s history. Plus it would set a dangerous precedent, as what would prevent other foreign powers from doing the same by imposing their will on us? What’s next? The Rastafarians teaming up with the Swedes to legalize marijuana?
That is what pisses me off, these people trying to impose their beliefs on us and giving us an ultimatum to comply to their demands! I agree too that homosexuals have the right to humane treatment, but the law is against such relations and so is the belief of the majority 0f the Jamaican society, hence they can’t expect to be free to do as they please.
Stunner’s last blog post..The Great Canadian Homosexual Boycott!!!
now seriously why should we bow to them? this is our home we have the say in what goes how dare some second rate nation like canada threaten us, i also agree homosexuals deserve better treatment but u can not force the people to do that force us to change laws that are grounded in our core from birth canada has some f*&^%#@ nerve, they want us to go against our beliefs thats oppression the same thing they dont want us to do to gays the want to do to our people and then they want us to instill this in our children NEVER,the bible didn’t say anything bout Adam and some other guy or eve and that hot chick it was Adam and eve at the beginning male and female now I’m all for accepting a persons lifestyle but thats as far as im going to go cause their lifestyle is their own business, but to want to force on me what i know to be wrong i wont accept it the law is the law, how would they feel if people oppressed and branded all the hockey players as violent menaces to society and an outside nation wanted the sport banned what then?, FU*& U CANADA!!!!!!!
it’s not as if America has pro-homosexuality announcements and education
why should Jamaica have to do it?
why don’t they set their sights on someplace like Turkey? Or China? Yeah, didn’t think so. This is bullying any way you take it (no pun, I swear no pun).
I am against violence against homosexuals. And I am on the fence about gay rights. But I’m also a Christian and the Bible has some very serious statements.
GC’s last blog post..The Great Canadian Homosexual Boycott!!!
My opinion is that Jamaica will do what it feels to do and one shouldnt get involved in a soverign nation’s issues but I must chide both you and Stunner for making this into Canada vs Jamaica.
I’m pretty sure the majority of Canadians have not heard anything about this news item. Its not like we dont have anything better to do up here than to push ourself in another nation’s issues. This news hasnt even been reported in canada yet you guys are making it seem like the full weight of the Canadian government is behind it.
Check out the organizations involved. All private organizations involved. not at all related to any local, provincial or federal government in Canada. Never even heard of the church mentioned until I read that article.
this is the equivalent of a special interest group lobbying or attempting to pressure someone its not the equivalent of an entire country putting its full weight behind something and lobbying.
And I think the reason Jamaica gets targetted is that you guys dont exhibit a live and let live mentality about homosexuality. Plus the dancehall bun out a chi chi mentality gets alot of negative spotlight in the First world.
Now far be if for me to tell you what to do and I’m not in favor of the lifestyle myself but beating the crap out of someone because you disagree with their lifestyle isnt really an effective means of dealing with the issue. It just makes things look bad and gets these sorts of campaigns going.
jdid’s last blog post..Toronto Folk
[...] about politics, so didn’t occur to me to write about this issue here. After I read this post, Canada’s Queer Ultimatum, I was about to comment on it, but then it occured to me that this is a good opportunity to talk [...]
I’m with Jdid. How oonoo a dress down Canada so and is some likkle gay organisations in Canada a make the threat?
Next up, oonoo a talk about the law like it was sacrosanct, but oonoo turn a blind eye when so many of Jamaica’s other laws are being broken, eg. people burning weed everywhere you look, the violation of the night noise laws, etc. Its just because the law they are cussing about is the buggery law that you all are getting so excited.
The real issue is, either you think the law is right or its wrong. If its a bad law, it really shouldn’t matter if some outside interests want to take action to try to get the laws changed. Sometimes outside intervention is a good thing. I bet the old slave masters in Jamdown were cursing out the abolitionists the same way oonoo a “bun out the Canadian chichi”!
Now are the laws right or wrong? Personally I don’t feel any gays should be beaten if they want to live a gay lifestyle, nor should they be locked up for what they do in private, but at the same time, I don’t want to see man wining on man at soca fetes or in the Carnival Road March. Its a prickly issue. 
I would like to see some change of the laws such that the gays are not persecuted, but at the same time, they have to do their thing in private.
I hope something like that would come out of this protest. Probably nothing will happen as a result though. I guess we will have to wait until May 12 to see the drama begin to unfold.
Hope you don’t mind the lengthy comment. If you dio mind it, you can get back at me by posting similarly long comments on 10 posts on my blog!
mad bull’s last blog post..This Evening’s Events
F’@K CANADA WHO THEY THINK THEY ARE, I DON’T WANT TO BE TAKING A BUS A SEE TWO MEN KISSING EACH OTHER THATS SICK AND WRONG, BET WOULDN’T TRY THAT WITH THOSE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES WHICH GOT THE SAME LAW AS JAMAICA?
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Jamaipanese’s last blog post..Thank you for the Postcard Lina!
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