Above: Capleton performs at the Red Fox Tavern in 2010.
Humboldt County loves its reggae. Check our calendar section this or any week for proof. And it makes sense. Reggae’s feel-good, pan-cultural message of “one love” jibes perfectly with our community’s streak of irie idealism, to say nothing of the ganja connection.
But in recent years, the tumultuous social landscape in Jamaica has given birth to a more troublesome and controversial genre called dancehall. As the name suggests, dancehall music is infectious and beat-heavy. But where reggae’s message was largely a unity-focused rebellion against the slavery and oppression in Jamaica’s past, some dancehall reflects the country’s modern, conflicted attitudes about race, masculinity and sexuality. It’s often viewed as a backlash against the bourgeois utopian grandstanding of Jamaica’s political leaders, and many of the genre’s biggest stars, including Buju Banton, Bounty Killer and Capleton, have become notorious — in Jamaica and beyond — for performing songs that advocate violence against homosexuals. In Jamaica such violence is commonplace.
We’ve written about this issue numerous times. Whenever local promoters and venue owners have booked one of these offending dancehall artists, perhaps unaware of their gay-bashing lyrics, they’ve encountered passionate objections from the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and their allies. These folks have threatened to organize boycotts of any venue that hosts a show by dancehall artists who’ve been identified as hatemongers. And those threats have proved successful: Several concerts have been canceled in recent years, leaving owners and promoters feeling bullied and prompting cries of “censorship” from disgruntled music fans (“Irie vs. Irate,” March 4, 2010).
The issue has erupted again in the past two weeks. Capleton, a dancehall artist with numerous songs in his catalog calling for the murder and brutalization of gays, was scheduled to play a show at Eureka’s Red Fox Tavern later this month. Under pressure from local activists that show was canceled, but promoter Beau DeVito of Bonus Entertainment soon announced that the Capleton show would be held at a different venue to be announced the day of the performance (see here).
Capleton apologists, including DeVito, offer a variety of defenses. They point to his May 2007 signing of The Reggae Compassionate Act, which declared that “there’s no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice.” However, Capleton was recorded singing gay-bashing songs later that same year. They claim that Capleton’s lyrics are metaphorical or that they haven’t been accurately translated from Jamaican patois, even though the message of these songs is plain. But their most common complaint, one that attempts to twist privilege into victimization, is that people in the LGBT community are trying to censor Capleton and thus, somehow, violating the First Amendment.
This argument is simply wrong.
Here’s the deal: The First Amendment protects our right to expression free from government censorship. One of the consequences of this free expression, inevitably, is conflict. Short of threatening actual violence, such conflict comes with the territory of the First Amendment. Protests and boycotts are part of the deal, too.
Here’s an analogy: Say you’re at Thanksgiving dinner and you start making fart noises with your mouth — you know, to entertain people. If your host tells you to shut up and stop being a dipshit, he’s not infringing on your legal rights. If you’re never invited back, that’s not censorship. It’s a predictable consequence of your behavior.
The date of the Capleton show, Oct. 11, happens to be National Coming Out Day, a celebration of people who publicly identify as gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual. Humboldt County has a proud and vibrant LGBT community, and our county government includes that community in its non-discrimination policy. To my knowledge, no one has suggested that Capleton should be legally barred from performing here. But to many in our community, his invitation feels worse than an obnoxious fart noise at Thanksgiving dinner. When you stop to consider the violent consequences of homophobia (hate crimes against LGBT people, and those perceived to be LGBT, are more likely to result in death than any other kind of reported hate crime), the invitation feels like something much more offensive — a clueless and insensitive provocation. Threats of a boycott are a predictable consequence of that provocation.
This article appears in To Redeem a Felon.
Thanks for writing this.
“It’s often viewed as a backlash against the bourgeois utopian grandstanding of Jamaica’s political leaders…”
Yes Ryan, it’s clearly a backlash rooted in Marxist Rhetoric. When in doubt, more leftist rhetoric is the answer.
Maybe it’s a rejection of cultural elites presenting themselves as members of the proletariat, so as to trick the proletariat into rejecting borgoise values?
It’s an old trick, Ryan. The rich, powerful, and their retainers (BTW, that means you, who writes on their behalf, and holds the position of a cultural elite by being a paper editor) keep trying to get the poor masses to blame the middle class. As long as the poor and the middle fight, they can’t work together against the elites.
How about an expose on Che “El Butchero” Guevara? Front page of the NCJ? With a call to require all local schools to teach about his evils, and all businesses to ban the wearing of his shirt?
See, it’s not about social engineering. It’s about who gets to do the social engineering.
I appreciate Ryan’s separation of government censorship vs. individual or community rights to protest. This distinction is important for those who call social justice activism improper on “first amendment” grounds to understand.
I abhor Capleton’s musical message, honestly I wish he’d do as he promised and stop writing and singing about killing people. At the very least, I wish he’d stop trying to come here.
I support my friends, neighbors, students and community members who are boycotting this show enough to put my real name on this comment.
I don’t know why Jamaica has developed the way it has.
Having said that, it wouldn’t be surprising if a country throwing off white colonial influence ended up supportive of a belief system that believes blacks are the true children of God.
And, on the assumption that colonialists will use the power they have over others, it does seem reasonable to think that some criminals in the colonial establishment molested children over whom they had essentially unlimited power.
It also wouldn’t shock me if the percentage of gay people in the colonial administration was higher than in the general population — overseas “service” would be a good escape from society for upper class gays.
These things could explain the apparent Jamaican association of gay people with child molesters.
Every new religion (and rasta is a 20th century phenomenon) will emphasize purification rituals and dogma to separate its members from the general society. Some use magic underwear, others have used dietary restrictions, definitions of cleanliness, and so on. For a modern religion that asserts black tribes are the tribes referred to in the Old Testament, it makes sense that the more outrageous values of the Old Testament would be upheld, especially if it was not very hard to see examples of child molestation and abuse from the white devil colonialists. (And I realize that most rastas do not believe whites are devils. I’M calling the white colonialist child molesters devils.)
It almost sounds like the fake name Pesky is connecting local reggae enthusiasts and Capelton apologists to an oppressed proletariat. Like, um, an underclass. Or something. People who like a particular type of music = Chilean peasant tin miners. Maybe the local LGBT community is some kinda landed oligarchy in this scenario. That’s pretty funny. Thanks for clearing the air, Burns.
Hmmph. As I look back at my 9:29 comment I realize how easy it is to slip into homophobia.
It’s sometimes subtle.
I wrote about how it’s likely that gays used colonial “service” as an escape from homeland society, making it reasonable to think that they were a higher percentage in the colonial administration than in the British homeland. And how it would therefore make sense to think that, of criminal child molesters, some outsized proportion might have been gay.
But, of course, child molesters are pedophiles, with a sexual attraction to children. Gays are people with a sexual attraction to adults of the same sex, not pedophiles, and so even criminal gay people would not be child molesters.
Purging onseself of racist, sexist, and homophobic attitudes is hard.
I want to second Melinda’s appreciation for Ryan Burns making the distinctions between censorship and a person’s right to protest.
Speech comes with consequences, including the potential for boycotts and counter arguments and activism. Barring violence or threats of violence, the speech involved in protesting hate speech is protected as well. To not expect a backlash to hate speech, and to demonize people who withhold their money to protest such hate speech is naive and misguided at best.
Thank you Ryan Burns for your statements. They portray a definite truth. I agree with everything you said, and I want to add: We are all deluged with fart noises. This act is more graphic, more punctuated and more foul than rudeness. It is violent, purposefully ignoring the very real extermination/dismemberment/abuse of LGBT people in Jamaica incited by the words of this man. And he wants a stage to speak here in Humboldt County on the the 24th Annual International Coming Out Day. This is one of two holidays our LGBT culture has sacrilized. This day is set aside for the purpose of expressing our sexual Identities and reaffirming our right to LIVE and pursue HAPPINESS. It is not just rude, it goes far beyond rude or insensitive. It literally cuts to the bone.
The right to art does not include the right to endorse, encite, or commit genocide, a term I carefully use here, for homosexuality is linked to genetics, and this is eugenic in its philosophy.
It’s pretty obvious that “James Rogers” is not the real James Rogers. I don’t know how the blog host deals with people who impersonate others, but I know the Journal has a history of reacting to it.
Well, on closer examination, wrong again.
Time to step away from the ‘net.
perhaps I should have preface eugenics with Nazi eugenics?
The real James Rogers
Wait, who’s not the real who now?
Me. I’ve suspected for a long time.
I should add that a quick, overcaffeinated skim of James’ post led me to believe it was an attack on fart noises.
Mea maxima culpa, or something like that. Sorry.
WHITE POWER! WHITE NATION!
WHITE UNDERPANTS!!
A compelling and poignant group of words.
The Regular Drinker’s Compassionate Pledge:
As a frequent consumer of alcoholic beverages and a patron of establishments serving such beverages, I solemnly declare that there will never be money available in my drinking budget to spend in bars, taverns, or venues of any sort that host musicians who promote violence against homosexuals.
I further declare that I will not drink so much as to ever forget which venues host such musicians, whether their gay-bashing lyrics are delivered here or abroad.
IF YOU’RE GAY GO AWAY!
Ditto, Choose Your Performers Wisely!
So the LBGT Loses this fight like it did in 2010. The Show will go on for the second straight time,
This year the local fringe news agency really try to rally the masses with there personal opinions and misinformation and rhetoric. Andy Goff with the ncj, now ncj’s Ryan Burns with this regurgitated opinion piece. Mitch with the Humboldt Herold. And the most annoying man in the universe and troll extraordinaire Terrence McNally with the most boycotted paper on the north coast the Arcata eye.
Notice on all of these comment threads they are the most vocal and almost every anti Capleton belongs to these few men in the local media.
Nice try but this is not only your community but everyone who lives here. The people have spoken the show will go on. I think the only things you boys have manged to do. was build a huge resentment for the LbGT community with your tactics and instead of trying to inform and present you message peacefully you folks are very hateful and dishonest. You all have kick up the hate 10 notches
. with the exception of Mitch, Who is a very respectable Man. the way he presents is argument is proper and noble.
Terence is just a hater and a bigot and very judgmental. very ironic that he is this way while trying to fight an anti hate campaign. while coming off very hateful and bigoted towards white folks, straights, and the folks who love reggae music.
Change your tactics they are not working. better luck next time. I think the folks of humboldt have woken up to your misinformation and twisted side of the story. You don’t tell folks the truth only what makes capleton sound like a monster to people who have no idea of the controversy. Not that he has only 3 songs out of a huge catalog that you appose. Also he has never played them in the USA. But you are very quick to tell folks you don’t want this hate in your community. IF he does not play these songs or rant about the gay community in the us. where is the Hate not in the USA where the concerts happen. Keep spreading lies good luck with your agenda. oh Terrence looks like your on the wrong side of history again this year brah…
“Regurgitated opinion piece”?
If it’s a reproduction, Mr. Stramer, why don’t you tell us where you’ve seen it before?
oh yes i forgot another fringe media person in all the comments mr. joel Mielke of the NCJ. Seems like the NCJ is rather opinionated on this topic of Capleton. They should consider changing the name of the publication to the Gay Coast Journal.
I don’t work for the Arcata Eye, fake name “John Stramer.” Your preference for a type of music still doesn’t qualify you as an oppressed minority. You just like that kinda music. I think the Tea Party is equally concerned about bigotry toward heterosexual caucasians, so maybe they’ll pick up your torch.
Bu enough about personalities… you had it going till you couldn’t resist a “gay” dig. Gay Coast Journal. Boo.
Have fun at yer show.
John Stramer,
I don’t understand how you can say I am presenting arguments properly and then call those arguments “misinformation” and “twisted.” I don’t think that the others you mention have presented a different set of facts than I have.
It’s a fake argument, just like his or her name. He or she doesn’t like his or her favorite singer being questioned, so everyone who has done the questioning is a bigot, regardless of the information they’ve provided.
Except for you, Mitch. You’re “one of the good ones.”
“The Gay Coast Journal.” Ha ha, soooo funny.
Capleton has such high quality defenders.
Stramer: “Not that he has only 3 songs out of a huge catalog that you appose. Also he has never played them in the USA.”
The fact that he only sometimes calls for gay people to be murdered, and doesn’t do it in places where it would probably interfere with his financial gain — that’s what you’re going with as a defense?
Keep your weapons within reach and loaded, you never know when a gay pedophile will molest your children. 8 out of 10 pedophiles are gay.
Here’s a link to a possibly helpful discussion.
Thank you Mitch, unfortunately some people don’t want to know facts beyond their own delusional fabrications. 58 T Bird, is a lost cause.
So, since we are on the topic of protecting children: 1/3 children commit suicide due to lgbt related internalized homophobia, which 58 T-Bird is displaying so well.
Bullying is the number one form of violence against children, driven by people who are like 58 T-Bird and happen to be parents.
Many of Americans homeless children are homeless because they are lgbt persons.
I am going to go ahead and rip this directly from the informing document Mitch linked to:
Using the fixated-regressed distinction, Groth and Birnbaum (1978) studied 175 adult males who were convicted in Massachusetts of sexual assault against a child. None of the men had an exclusively homosexual adult sexual orientation. 83 (47%) were classified as “fixated;” 70 others (40%) were classified as regressed adult heterosexuals; the remaining 22 (13%) were classified as regressed adult bisexuals. Of the last group, Groth and Birnbaum observed that “in their adult relationships they engaged in sex on occasion with men as well as with women. However, in no case did this attraction to men exceed their preference for women….There were no men who were primarily sexually attracted to other adult males…” (p.180).
What can we learn from this dialogue? How can this dialogue create a safer community in Humboldt County? Safer for religious as well as lgbt minorities?
Rastafarians believe in a peaceful awareness of the universe and they obviously do not believe in killing lgbt persons. And lgbt persons may be Rastafarians. as some Rastafarians maybe lgbt persons.
How can we work toward supporting artists who syncretize and communicate the ideals of each group toward fostering a community that excludes hateful rhetoric here and does not support the same abroad?
Where is the middle gound in the larger context?
Other researchers have taken different approaches, but have similarly failed to find a connection between homosexuality and child molestation. Dr. Carole Jenny and her colleagues reviewed 352 medical charts, representing all of the sexually abused children seen in the emergency room or child abuse clinic of a Denver children’s hospital during a one-year period (from July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1992). The molester was a gay or lesbian adult in fewer than 1% in which an adult molester could be identified – only 2 of the 269 cases (Jenny et al., 1994).
Let’s find out if you can embed videos. If not, here’s a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0&feature=player_embedded
Personally, I can’t say I love the music, but the message and the video more than make up for any lack of musical taste on my part.
And then there’s this, by Mark Weigle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONOVpdKC8ng
I met Mark at a group of gay men that held an amateur talent show every time they got together. There’s little doubt in my mind that if he’d gone into the closet, Mark had the talent to become a country music superstar — and he had the contacts, too. But he insisted on being himself, at all times, including on stage, and he never hesitated to sing about gay love and gay issues. That’s integrity. When superstars come out, that’s good, but they’re doing it from positions of relative privilege.
When I hear about the “gay community,” one thing I’m always reminded of is how little support Mark received.
His music is available at CDBaby.
The Gay Community should just stick to themselves and things will settle down again. Stop provoking arguments just to be known.
crickets.
wow….timing: IRA….
Because segregation works right?
Silence works right?
No… we tried that once for 2,000 years…so sick of it…
No, there will be no silence.
Totally, Ira… that is what the Klan told MLK… just stay in your part of town, shut your trap and everything will work out just fine. No need to get uppity.
And that is exactly how things played out.
at least listen http://soundcloud.com/djdubcowboy/reggae-jamdown-capleton
A city strictly for alternate sexuality, don’t you think that you would be safe, others the same to everyone? I would love feeling released for everyone.
I get what you’re saying but you can’t deem the entire dancehall reggae community as a discriminatory scene. If that’s the case lets look at Christianity, or any other religion. Lets ban all religious people because some Christians “hate the gays.” Or that all whites should be banned because some of them are racist. I’m by no means defending his statements but I do feel that a different prospective should be addressed. It kind of makes me upset when people are one sided and really have no “true” understanding of the other culture.
FYI –
in contrast to Capleton, this is also going on this week:
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/calendar/events/the-laramie-project/
The Laramie Project
On October 6th of 1998 Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die tied to a fence in the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. He died 6 days later. His torture and murder became a watershed historical moment in America that highlighted many of the fault lines in our culture.A month after the murder, the members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, which they later made into a film for HBO. The piece has been seen by more than 30 million people around the country.
Oh yeah, they killed him because he was gay. I guess Capleton would approve.
I approve, if he was a gay pedoman looking for a victim to turn gay, then so be it, hang the fkr.
Oct 11, 2012 Information TBA about venue at 9 pm, there will be a concert produced by a man who would do anything for profit, who does not care about his community, its cohesiveness, or the safety of others. He has himself said all of these things about himself. He said he would (and now probaby will attempt to) bring White Supremacist bands to Humboldt if he can make money from it. For all of the times he has appropriated the language, the posture and mind of the Jamaican people, he shows his own values to be those same values as slave traders. He doesn’t care about anything here except your $30. And if it means people are being immolated, brutally beaten and filleted, or having acid thrown on them, he doesn’t take responsibility for that. He wants you to watch Capleton and have a good time. Capleton is like Buju Banton. These men make money here to go home and exalt acts of violence against gay people. Capleton envisions the murder of all queer people by hanging, burning and bludgeoning. The people associated with Capleton’s defense on this bog are either irresponsibly unaware of the facts about this, or know and would have these values become Humboldt’s values. The “lgbt community” of Humboldt county has through this blog and three others like it on Facebook, received threats of violence, been reduced to stereotypes and called liars for defending our homes, and speaking out against the injustices Capleton causes and takes part in. There have been many protests, and many cancelled shows. Internationally Capleton is seen as a contemporary of war criminals and terrorists. Is Humboldt County going to condone, support, and foster an atmosphere of violence, hatred and murder here while supporting something much worse in Jamaica?
I know that as a people, Humboldt County welcomes different kinds of people, lgbt persons are some of them. Rastafarians are also some of them. And the lgbt community does in fact enjoy reggae music. But, supporting a man like Charles Manson and a two-buck-chuck version of Goebels doesn’t cut it in Humboldt County. There are lots of bands and acts and soloists a producer can bring here and pack a house. But Sean Beau Devito brings this guy.
Ignorance at this ppoint in the game is voluntary.
ok, two blogs on NCJ and two pages on FB
White Supremacist bands! I’m for that!
Bring “Skrewdriver” up here! FK YAH!
Johnny Rebel would be FK great!!!
The fires will burn and the foreign blood shall flow! WHITE POWER!
Sixteen years ago, Matthew Shepard was in a bar in Laramie, WY. He was drinking beer alone. Two men came in who it came to be known that used methamphetamine, robbed people, and target gay men. They left with him. They took him to the top of a hill and lashed him to a fence and pistol whipped him until the bone between the back of his head and the cheekbone broke. They took his shoes and then left him to die. Temperatures dropped to around 0 degrees that night. Eighteen hours later, he was found alive still lashed to the fence. He was in a coma for 6 days. He passed Away Oct 12, 1998. THe play is about the community that this event and the subsequent trial occured within. It is their reflection upon their own values in retrospect of killing, prejudice and the elements that brought them to Matthew’s Death.
So, Wild West, when you said, “I approve, if he was a gay pedoman looking for a victim to turn gay, then so be it, hang the fkr.” what part did you approve of?
Did you get off on saying something terrible? Did it make you feel good?
Such a thrill. Is this what you really believe? Or You?
Capleton !!! Oct 11 live in HUmboldt County….by popular demand of OUR community. Stay tuned for the venue info.. This is a private party, only for those invited. We have a LOT of security and WE will not be allowing admittance to who WE feel will disrupt OUR show. BLAAAZE di FYAH !!!!!
If you are an EMINEM fans here are his lyrics to Gays.
Lyrics to Gays :
woo dee doo dee doo hey
look what I can do
I’ll sit on a cock
fuck it too
woo dee wow
my ass is pretty tonight
so rape it
I will put a ??
I’m malicious as fuck oh
on a mans dick Ill suck
woo dee woo
mark my name is Rake
for goodness sake
I’ll rape your ass everyday
and eat a cheesecake
watch me at the family fun center
I’m in a slip and slide
I’m naked as shit
and I’m sliding inside
ten motherfuckers with a dick ten feet wide
fuck me in the middle of a flood
in bad fucking weather
my tape measure will define
how much pleasure I can hide
in my asshole
woo dee woo oh no
wow ow ow
over and over
wow ow ow
bend me over
wow ow
I meant to say fuck me tonight
If youre a man my ass aint tight
Well, I just checked out another 24 hours worth of comments, and I’ll summarize what I see.
The original opinion piece says, roughly, boycotts don’t violate the First Amendment, and they’re a predictable response to Capleton’s behavior and that of other dancehall artists.
I can’t say I’ve seen any arguments against a boycott, at least not that I can understand.
What I’ve seen instead are people calling (whether jokingly or not I cannot tell) for bringing white power groups to perform, people calling (whether jokingly or not I cannot tell) for gay people to just stick with themselves, and someone citing (whether accurately or not I cannot tell) lyrics from Eminem.
And then someone else responds to the Matthew Shepard story — the story of a 22 year old who was killed as a result of anti-gay prejudice — by saying “if he was a gay pedoman looking for a victim to turn gay, then so be it, hang the fkr.”
And Beau Devito would like you to BLAAAZE di FYAH!!! with an artist who can’t resist calling for gay people to be strung up and hung up alive. Beau would like you to make him and the artist some cold hard cash.
Maybe these comments just represent Humboldt, or maybe those who comment here are a self-selected group not really representative of the place in which we all share our lives. Either way, it can’t hurt to take a deep breath and notice what’s being said.
Well Mitch, then don’t you feel like moving somewhere? Maybe SF? Queers are moving jump on the boat.
I’m sure that Ras Trent will enjoy Bonusman’s show.
No, “By no one,” I don’t feel like moving to SF, or anywhere else. That doesn’t mean I approve of everything that happens in Humboldt.
I also don’t approve of lots of things America does, but I don’t want to go to Russia, either.
I continue to find the comments to be helpful for those trying to get a true understanding of the situation, so thank you, “by no one.”
Capleton “Kill LGBT” Songs:
“Bun Out Di Chi Chi” 2001 single + Compilation “Boom Blast Riddim” 2003 DVD “Still Blazin Live” 2002 compilation “Reggae Gold 2002” – Amazon MP3 download
“Whoa! ‘New Way'” 2002 “Still Blazin”
“More Prophet” 1999 single 2000 album “More Fire” – it’s on a bunch of albums – Amazon MP3 download
“Hang Dem Up” 2003 album “LIVE AT NEGRIL JAMAICA”
“Batty Man Fi Get Boom” 2000
“Mi Nuh Lotion Man” “We No Lotion Man” 2002 album “The Very Best of Capleton Gold” – on two other albums – Amazon MP3 download
“Buggering” 1993 on compilation “Strictly the Best 11” on 1994 “Capleton – Good So” – Amazon MP3 download
“Pure Sadom” (“Pare Sadom”) – Amazon MP3 download
“Sadam and Gamora” album “Live in San Francisco”
“Shot Him Up” 1992 single
“Slew Dem” 3:41 on YouTube video “Capleton – Slew Dem HQ With Lyrics” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jurWxNkoa4 “Yo Batty a Dead Man Dem”
Capleton sang “Slew Dem” at his 2011 “A St Mary Mi Come From” charity benefit event. This is the one where the Ruff Kut band played “Boom Bye Bye”
http://www.chatychaty.com/index.php/en/news/popular-news/1851-a-st-mary-mi-come-from-set-on-fire
There are a number of live recordings of Capleton performing “Slew Dem” on YouTube. Some of them are fairly recent such as at the “Uprising Reggae Festival 2011 Bratislava Slovakia” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iNSwPvTQSE
Like other dancehall performers, Capleton rarely performs a whole song often in video he never sings the “Yo Batty a Dead Man Dem” line.
“Slew Dem” is on the “Biggest Battybwoy Killing Anthems of All Time” website ( http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/showthread.php/45715-BIGGEST-BATTYBWOY-KILLING-ANTHEMS-OF-ALL-TIME/page2 ). “Shot Him Up” is not on this list.
Slew dem has no threat in it. The only thing he says is “nah keep no sodomite friend”
cocaine anyone? https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1062992544822&set=a.1030318167983.128196.1526237620&type=1&src=https%3A%2F%2Fsphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-snc6%2F224156_1062992544822_4540_n.jpg&size=403%2C604
What is a cork hole? You speak from experience it reads. Was it painful; or, did it glide really smooth as if a prosthetic device was used in a colonary exam? – HOJ
Rastagayboy!! RastaRidem!!
These reggae artists (and those who support them) have again shown themselves (as evidenced by the comments on this page) to be nothing but ignorant bigoted fools at best, and at worst violent homophobic misogynistic thugs. Their ideas about life, spirituality, woman, LGBT/Queer issues are more in line with the Tea Party, Mitt Romney, and fundamentalist christian conservatives. They represent the worst of both Humboldt culture and the broader Cannabis liberation movement. They have no place in a community built on trust, love and respect, and they certainly have no place growing or smoking a plant that encourages peace and consciousness while promoting violence and hate. The truth is that these so called artists are nothing more then conservative capitalists who worship money, not god or anything else. They come to Humboldt to cash in on a certain ignorant sector of the community. If they cared at all about anybody (including themselves) they would not live the way they do, they would be involved in real activism and not spreading hate. They would not spend their money on materialistic displays of power and wealth, instead they would worry about lifting up those around them with less. Unfortunately these so called artists are really no different then the legion of gangster rappers that have destroyed much of American hip hop in the name of money. Real citizens who care about the people in this community should do all they can to make Humboldt a very inhospitable place to these bigoted, money worshiping christian fundamentalists. All they have done is brought violence, hatred, stupidity, racism and bad music to our region. Since they apparently dislike so many people in Humboldt and yet they keep insisting they have to come perform, might I suggest they instead try their luck in places in the deep south (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama) or how about Kansas and the Midwest? There are plenty of people in those areas that share their fascist authoritarian ideals, their love of violence, money, power and patriarchy. Either find the love and light in yourself and come to some new conclusions about reality, or get the fuck out of the Emerald Triangle.
I live in SF and I think that during WW3 the Castro and it’s fags should be nuked, or simply kill them all. Capleton is right. Rasta is Pure, no FAGS, only Love and Purity.
Rasta Pie you clearly know nothing of love, and what is this purity you speak of? Like cleansing? This sounds much like the same kind of speech used by white supremacists. I didn’t realize rasta culture was such a fan of ethnic cleansing or mimicking the behavior of white nationalists. Maybe it sounds familiar because much like others in your ignorant culture you are essentially a violent conservative christian who preaches racial separatism and hate. Either way, as I previously suggested, why don’t you leave California and take your hate to the deep south, they’ll love you there. Also, if there is ever a world war, it will be to put down the dumb fascist fucks like you so the rest of us can actually have a future and a functioning planet.
Not in your AIDS, Gonorrhea, Herpes, and Loose Shitter from all the penises spewing AIDS into your colon.
I was angered to see one of the pastels on the plaza was a disgusting slander to the Rastafari faith in the form of a Rasta lion with a rainbow flag and a big human style penis on the lion. This is religious discrimination and a sad immature attempt to mock Rasta.
LOOK! There is a lot of misinformation about Rasta and what it stands for. Like Christianity, there is many sects and groups and on one can speak for all “Rastas”but I will share a few basic beliefs.
Rastafari believe Homosexuality is a sin
Rastafari does not condone violence in any way shape or form except self defense. Anyone who says different is not following the tenants of the faith, the bible teachings or the words of Haile Selassie.
Rastafari believe in sex for love and procreation but not for lust.
Rasta is pro life -anti birth control
Rastafari follow the teachings of the bible and of Haile Selassie –
@Rasta Pie, thank you for proving my point about how utterly stupid you are by responding with nonsensical gibberish.
@Ras Mike, you have also proved my point about the immense ignorance of your culture. Any religion that attempts to control human sexuality is authoritarian and anti humanistic, therefore it is a threat to all people. You have now clearly illustrated exactly what I said earlier about how your beliefs are essentially fundamentalist christian conservative ideas. If you are “pro life” and “anti birth control” you clearly have a patriarchal mindset and do not trust women (or anyone else) to make their own choices about their sexual health. As for homosexuality, why are you so afraid of it? Could it be because, much like abortion and birth control, you and your culture fear women and people in general having control over their health and sexual freedom? How can you possibly claim you follow a religion of peace if you seek to dominate activity that occurs in private between consenting adults? Your philosophy has nothing to do with love or peace, instead much like many forms of fundamentalism it’s about control and fear. Further, your particular brand of lies idolizes an Ethiopian dictator and instead claims he was God incarnate; this would be hysterically funny if it wasn’t so disturbing. You deserve all the mockery you get for espousing hate at the community you live in. Somebody using pastels to parody and protest your symbolism is free artistic expression, not religious discrimination. You sound exactly like Islamic extremists who freak out every time somebody “disgraces” an image of their profit. Your inability to take even the mildest form of criticism of your culture just shows how intellectually and spiritually weak it is.
Im not gonna try to convince you of anything but to clear it up Rasta believes in natural law and our views about sex are inline with nature.We follow what is right and dont really care if you wanna do something different.We do not seek to impose biblical or natural law on you or anyone outside our faith. We respect our women as queens and goddesses and respect their bodies as temples that bring forth life.We dont believe in birth control other than the back out method cause the pills are poison and condoms are unreliable and we feel rather than viewing conception as bad thing that should be avoided we believe in waiting till one is ready to have a family to have sex an embrace the natural result which is creating life. We know what is right and despite your worry about gays safety which came from a few songs that really should have never been written I can tell you this.Rasta dont care what disgusting sex act you partake in As long as its consenting adults, go for it!
BTW the flag “parody” is a not just a symbol, its a national Ethiopian flag which like the american flag is not something its ok to disrespect. The Red is for the blood ,gold for the wealth and green for the land. To isrespect it is not just a disgrace to Rasta, its a disgrace to all Ethiopians.
BTW the flag “parody” is a not just a symbol, its a national Ethiopian flag which like the american flag is not something its ok to disrespect. The Red is for the blood ,gold for the wealth and green for the land. To isrespect it is not just a disgrace to Rasta, its a disgrace to all Ethiopians.
@Ras Mike, you clearly are confused. You don’t believe in natural law at all, if you did you would let people choose how to exercise their sexuality (natural) rather then demand conformity to your belief system (human construction). You have no monopoly on what is right or wrong just because you follow the words of a mistranslated two thousand year old book of lies. You don’t respect women otherwise you would let them make their own choices about their sexual reproductive freedom. The pill is not a poison, it has been shown to be extraordinarily effective for the majority of people who use it. Condoms are not unreliable, decades of research have proven that. In addition, there are a plethora of other natural family planning methods available that are compatible with almost every physiology/worldview under the fucking sun. Nobody who believes in access to sexual health services thinks conception is a bad thing, they just believe that a reasonable, mature, and responsible person exercises planning and thought when making such a life altering decision. A lack of family planning can be both incredibly destructive to the individual and the community that surrounds them. Also sex is not just about creating life, sex is also about pleasure, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. People have the right to shared enjoyed intimacy and play; it is absolutely irrational and destructive to declare that the sole purpose of sex is for procreation. Maybe that is how it works for you, but your culture does not get to tell other people how to live, you are immoral and bigoted for trying to do so. Finally, we have the right to disrespect any flag we want, including the American one. In fact, it is your legal right, as has been found by many courts, to burn an American flag in protest. Your disgrace is pathetic and pitiful and represents the shallow nature of your argument.
Addendum: In the spirit of the North Coast Journal’s excellent coverage of these flaming assholes who are trying to bring hate into our community, Anonymous would like to propose to the NCJ that you do in fact, as previously suggested by the bigots, change your name to the Gay Coast Journal. It would be an excellent way to draw more of these idiots out of the woodwork so that they can be ostracized until they finally fucking leave our beautiful home. Either way, keep up the good work.
Like I said, we dont care what you or anyone else does and dont seek to impose our beliefs on you. As for the flag. I wasnt refering to legal rights to destroy it, i was talking about respecting that, like holy books,or grave sites ,it is not something to be messed with. Reguardless of your twisted idea that Humboldt is not a place for Rasta or anti homo beliefs people have a right to believe what they want and live where they want.
The Gay coast journal wouldnt make it a month cause 99% of the advertisers would “pull out “. You may be disgusted with our beliefs but I am equally disgusted by your lewd acts in our family town. Things ive seen such as a lezbo walking around the plaza with a big strap on cock 4 pride day, are sick and i dont want that in my community ” Daddy , whats that girl wearing?” Oh its just a big fake penis honey. Not cool.
@ Ras Mike you blatantly are trying to impose your beliefs on other people, that’s why so many in your culture are violent and threatening to those who disagree with them. This violence Rastas perpetrate is not local to Humboldt, they have created an environment in Jamaica that is one of the most violently homophobic in the world. You hide behind religion to cover up you ignorant, immoral and corrupt ways. It’s hysterical that you find the concept of sexual freedom disgusting. It’s hysterical that you are such an uptight close minded fool that you would be scared to talk to your daughter about human sexuality, which is something to be celebrated not feared. You don’t own the definition of family, and you certainly know nothing of the concept. You are disgusting for preaching hate and hiding behind the concept of family values; this same tactic is used by other fundamentalist christian bigots. As for the rest, fuck your holy books, they are meaningless in reality and everybody knows it. They are most certainly to be messed with, that’s why so many religions flux and change over time. In fact, some of the more intelligent and peaceful religions of the world are the most accomplished at doing this. Once again, your inability to respond to a critique and resort to incoherent religious arguments inherently proves my point. A book of myths is not a valid reference source for anything. Humboldt is no place for Rastas; you are christian fundamentalists who are racist, misogynistic and homophobic. You actively promote violence against each other and those in your community. I agree you have the right to live wherever you want, but don’t expect to be treated well if you stay in place that finds your brand of stupidity and fascism abhorrent. You will be called out, and you will be made uncomfortable.
Despite the prejudice I am offended by, and the arrogance of any people to judge anyone else, and the pompous delusion that you expect us to cease to exist, I have to stand up for Rastafarians to exercise their faith as their own expressions of experiencing Divinity. This discussion is not founded on attacking Rastafarianism, it is founded on the specific issue of anti-lgbt violence dance hall produces and espouses. Anonymous: you are right about a lot of things, except that Ras Mike’s culture is sacred to Ras Mike, and Ras Mike, like us will protect himself. I do not agree with Ras Mike on many of his beliefs, but I am not here to change his mind. Those minds who are still open, I would like to speak to them.
Ras Mike, it is your view that you can tell us what is not cool. We are doing the same, it is not cool to metaphorically or really talk about killing gay people. It is shitty to be talked about, and it is shittier to be degraded in such disrespectful ways as being called impure and such. You can not possibly expect to be taken seriously about peace and love when this is what you say.
anonymous ,explaining what a strap on is to my 6 year old is not my idea of a good way to teach about human sexuality.
@ Two Ways Fuck your prejudiced and offense, your people brought this conflict to our community with your beliefs. The fact that you don’t expect people to have a strong reaction to your hate shows you to be incredibly detached from reality. I have every right to judge you, just as you and your people judge me. I don’t expect any of you to cease to exist, I expect you to either change your ways and become truly loving and peaceful or find a community that you don’t feel so hateful towards. The fact that you would make a safe space for bigots negates any good your open minded attitude can do. If you really are about the values you claim to have, you would be fighting hard to keep bigotry out of your religion. I have absolutely no problem with people exercising their religious rights and will defend them infinitely, but they do not get to use those rights as a smokescreen for violence and hatred. They do not get to hide behind a mask of altruism while spreading the values of a fascist, imperialistic society.
@Two Ways, I just re-read your post and I think I misunderstood part of what you were trying to say. I apologize for my harshness, it was uncalled for. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with all of us.
@Ras Mike I think it is your job to thoroughly explain the breadth of human sexuality that exists in this world to your child as they encounter it and reach for understanding. Knowledge is power, and by teaching children about what exists you can only help them flourish. Teach love not fear.
Anon- you faggot AIDS carry muthafkr, we’re gonna stomp y head till your dead at this show, muthafkr.
I am so glad you re-read the post, Anonymous.
Wow. Lots of “love” being expressed here. Way to go, “rasta” dudes. If your vocabulary in this discussion includes faggot, stomping heads til yer dead, and kill them all and you go on to speak of purity and love in reference to yourself and your beliefs, you are a giant HYPOCRITE. Think about the words you use and what they mean before they come out of your mouth/keyboard. Killing someone or threatening to kill someone simply because of who they are, what they look like, what they believe, or who they love is an act of hate, not love, no matter how you try to justify it.
S. Jackson does not speak for “Rasta” .Hes just talkin shit, makin things worse.Also most Rasta artists do not speak of violence toward gays .Its a few “rasta” artist who sing it.
@S Jackson, thank you for posting your hateful comments, you are demonstrating my point that your culture is about violence and not about love. I find your threats hysterically funny and stupid, not at all frightening. You clearly have no real argument to make because you lack the intellectual capacity to do so. Good luck with that.
@ Rachel thank you for standing up to these cowards who hide behind the mask of religious freedom to preach hate and violence. They seem to live in a world built on hypocrisy as you mentioned. All they do is make pathetic death threats and throw slurs around rather then make a real arguments.
@ Ras Mike, S Jackson does speak for you, you have created a safe space for him and others like him in your culture. If his hate is so uncommon, how come so many reggae artists, especially the ones who come up to the Triangle, preach the same thing? You are nothing but an apologist. Get a life. Or even better, get a heart and a soul.
Annon get real. most hetrosexual males feel the same as s.jackson. They dont need Rasta to lean on to express their feelings. There is only like 2-3 artist who have come here that have lyrics with violent imagery in them. Sizzla, buju,and capleton, and elephant man who is known to be gay himself.Thats about it.
Most straight men do not in fact think the way S. Jackson thinks. You are trying to justify your position through a lie you tell yourself, projecting that out onto the world. Delusion.
They’re NOT RASTA! They’re called QueerBoy an thy don’t pray to Jah, thy just want change by sodomizing youth men. Jah RASTA!
Who do you think you are? Do you think you speak for Jah? Do you think you speak for Christ? Do you think you have any grounds to speak at all? All you are doing is making someone else’s ives hell while people who are doing real harm are laughing at you! Wake up moron.
Jaames, Seeing how gay marriage failed to pass ,its safe to say more than half feel the same as S.jackson.
While I am not a heterosexual male, I think Ras Mike has it wrong, and I would think most heterosexual males would be angered to be associated with such ugly hatred and violence as has been expressed on this blog.
Yes, a lot of it may be idiots spouting ugliness because they are granted anonymity on the internet. But I wonder how much of it is due to people trying to stir the pot and sit back and watch for the hell of it, and how much of it is people spewing the hate and bigotry they actually believe in and feel. Or both.
I don’t know whether to be glad that people can say what they really think on the internet (Thus allowing the rest of us to be privy to the reality of bigotry and hatred within our community, without illusion of the shiny, happy place so many think it is.) because they don’t receive real confrontation or challenge, or whether to be disgusted and downright afraid that people feel it is ok to threaten, degrade, insult and ostracize other human beings so openly, again…because they can remain anonymous here.
I don’t care if Capleton doesn’t sing his hate songs in this county or even this country. The fact is, he does sing them elsewhere, and carries with him a message of bigotry and hatred just based on that. Hatred is not welcome in this, or any community in this democratic country that stands for equal rights for EVERYONE. That includes the right to be free from threat of death, whether via a song or any other means.
And those of you claiming that Capleton’s fans here are being persecuted for your taste in music, or even your religion, you have it wrong. You are being targeted for protest and being called out for threats of violence and messages of hate and bigotry against a whole group of people. Being a target of peaceful protest and argument is vastly different than what you are subjecting lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgendered people to. You are subjecting them to fear for their own survival, you threaten their RIGHT to live in peace and not be harassed and threatened and insulted. No one with a decent argument would rightly bash one’s religion or beliefs, but you cross a line when your beliefs or religion infringe on someone else’s safety and happiness. Believe whatever you want to believe, but once you start pushing your beliefs on someone else, you better believe you will get pushback.
I am not personally a target of this homophobic hatred as a heterosexual woman. However, I feel it is cowardly and unethical to look the other way when someone is being attacked in this way. You can call me whatever you want, you can think whatever you want about me, but I refuse to be silent when people are being targeted with such hatred and bigotry. Too many horrors have happened in our country’s history because onlookers refused to act with integrity and conviction and rather decided to just look away. Never let that be you.
WTF is wrong with your head RAS MIKE. I'[m straight and none of my friends think like this “COMMENT / BY S JACKSON / TODAY, 5:49 A.M. Anon- you faggot AIDS carry muthafkr, we’re gonna stomp y head till your dead at this show, muthafkr.
I sure hope you are a troll RAS MIKE, if not you’ve got some real issues, you do know what they say about folks that are extremely homophobic don’t you. You do know you can get help so you will be able to accept yourself.
@Ras Mike: Not supporting gay marriage, while still prejudiced, is a VERY far cry from wishing someone dead for being gay. Even the homophobic people I happen to know would never wish someone dead, much less threaten to kill another human being. This is the point-you can THINK, or BELIEVE whatever you want, but most thinking people understand that you are crossing a line that should not be crossed when you think others should live by (or die) whatever it is YOU think or believe. Live and let live, in peace.
This show is going to be a giant brawl and everyone’s going to be covered with aids blood, it’s not worth it homos, it’s not worth your life.
Sorry I wasnt saying most hetro males wanna do some sort of violence as s.jackson speaks of.. I was saying most hetro males dont like gays and think they are gross sickos and could do without them in the community.
How many butt holes haffe suffa ? How many haffe wear diapers before people realize ass sex is hate sex?.Its unhealthy and abusive .Free you ass from penal slavery!
Hi BONUSMAN. I’m trying to have you on KSLG tomorrow morning to talk about the show. Check your Yahoo email or Facebook page for my cell. Or email me: jmatthews@kslg.com. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks, John Matthews.
Mike, you are a business person in Arcata. I need to talk to you about proper marketing.
@ John Matthews…Rather than give Bonusman and all his aliases any more attention than they deserve, why not have someone from the EHS production of The Laramie Project on your show? My guess is that it would be much more informative and less sensational than allowing this bigotry to have more media exposure.
Just a thought.
Ya lost me terrence
So, Rastafarians dislike humor as well as gay people?
Hey all you Apes, Why don’t you move to Oaknigger and there the Blacks will fuqq anything, dogs, apes, orangutangs, leave Hum alone!
Dude, if you’re going to be a complete moron, at least use your name so we can cut you a wide berth.
Wow! I can’t believe what I am reading it seems like there is such anger and racism in Humboldt.
Ola homey we kill homos
G-13 MotaCrank5
The most offensive of these comments do not represent Humboldt at all, but are written by a troll to upset everyone else and polarize the community.
Most of these offensive comments are being written by one person using different names. He has been posting similar graphic and hateful messages online for years. He used to post similar offensive messages about fallen American soldiers. He enjoys upsetting people. He enjoys acting as an emotional puppet-master. His greatest joy is pulling our strings. If we go away thinking this series of comments is a true reflection of a bigoted and hateful Humboldt County, he wins.
(By Perspective)”Most of these offensive comments are being written by one person using different names. He has been posting similar graphic and hateful messages online for years.”
–Probably the NCJ doing what they can to raise the number of readers and therefor the advertizing will increase. ;^)
Or could it be Jeff Lytle, the self-styled and third-personified “Henchman of Justice”? He’s been doing what he can to rise in his pitiful life for years now! HAHA
Probably promoter Beau DeVito, keep the vibe on edge and he will sell out an even larger venue ie: Blue Lake Casino? $$$$$$ more money, that’s what really matters.
Comment / By Juan / Today, 10:19 a.m.
Ola homey we kill homos
G-13 MotaCrank5
Comment / By Reggae Shumar / Yesterday, 8 p.m.
This show is going to be a giant brawl and everyone’s going to be covered with aids blood, it’s not worth it homos, it’s not worth your life.
Comment / By S Jackson / Yesterday, 5:49 a.m.
Anon- you faggot AIDS carry muthafkr, we’re gonna stomp y head till your dead at this show, muthafkr.
I am absolutely appalled and ashamed. Whatever venue is hosting this event is totally insane to do so at this point, with the violent, bigoted stance that has been taken not just by the event promoter, but by a large number of reggae fans as well.
It seems like an incredible lack of forethought to allow an event to be held at one’s venue that was predicted by its one of its own attendees to be “a giant brawl”. It shows poor judgement, and a serious lack of personal ethics.
Queer = SATAN! You all needs to confess to the Rev. in yo neighborhood bfor ya dust.
It’s not to late,
Just say NO to Homos!
Serve to Honor Jesus!
Love God, Love People!
Trinity Baptist Church
2450 Alliance Road, Arcata, CA 95521
Phone: (707) 822-7668
Office Open Monday – Friday * 1:30-5:30 pm
Bible Study and Sunday school @ 9:00 am.
Worship10:00 am
Welcome!
You Are Invited
to Come and Share Our Excitement!
I doubt that “Preacher Joseph” is anything but a troll.
great protest, poor turn out for concert: my guess is that Beau lost some dough.
Most of these comments on here against Capleton is extreme.He is a clean artiste. He has never suggested murder to any person group whether gay or straight. When we rastas say fiyah bun it means spiritually purge that person to do right. Capleton feels the same way 80% of the Jamaican and African continent feels. That the homosexual lifestyle is not natural and gay marriage is unacceptable . If you are gay you don’t like his musical content don’t support him . But these gay activists are still being an extreme nusicance and nazi like behavior in cancelling these shows. Which is forcing the promoter to go to extreme measures to pull off the show.
extreme? Wow:
So fyah means a metaphorical burn…what does “I want to slice all of the gays throats mean? Quote Beanie man inuganda 2010, “Hang em up”, “Burn the batty man”,
“kill the batty man” “Kill the gays and the Lesbians too”? All Capleton quotes.
What is clean abou this?
You’re an idiot.
When even the spammers are disgusted, that is big. This is something I’ve never seen before.
In response to what does it all mean. That is an old Beenie man tune you were referring too. Where is the Capleton murder music that you feel he has in his music catalog? There is none. end of discussion.
Bobo T.,
Here is the chorus and the first two verses from Capleton’s classic Hang Dem Up, from the web site http://www.allreggaelyrics.com. “Battyman” is like “faggot”.
Try to imagine how you’d feel if a group like blacks, Chinese, whites, women, or Republicans were named in this song, rather than “faggots.”
[Chorus] Yow….String dem up and hang dem up alive Bare batty man come round yah a brive….yow String dem up and hang dem up alive Couldn’t mamma earth dema try fi deprive ….yow String dem up and hang dem up alive Full time now yu burn out di dutty vibe….yow String dem up and hang dem up alive Dis mamma earth sey none cyann survive
Greetings Mitch i don’t you understand patois or JA culture . So i am not gonna even give you an elaborate response.
Gee, BooBoo T, I was looking forward to your grade-school “elaborate response”. Maybe if you can’t thrill us with that, you can explain why Capleton is such a crappy performer. He mumbles his words, forgets his lyrics, can’t sing, can’t dance and doesn’t even know where he is most of the time. Can you elaborate on that?
Bobo T.,
You’re right, I don’t understand Jamaican culture.
The translation I’ve heard of the patois lyric: “Bare batty man come round yah a brive….yow String dem up and hang dem up alive” is, roughly, “if a queer comes around, string him up and hang him up alive.”
I’ve heard, many times, about how “bun” and “fyah” refer to spiritual purification, but I still don’t understand how stringing someone up and hanging them up alive” could refer to spiritual purification. And I don’t understand how Buju Banton’s suggestion to send for a sub-machine gun when a gay person appears is a reference to spiritual purification.
What they sound like, to me, is an extreme and extraordinary version of hatred of the other, as supported by literal readings of the Old Testament.
I also don’t understand how the Beenie Man lyric “hang chi chi gal with a long piece of rope” is a reference to spiritual purification. It sounds to me like a reference to hanging lesbians, and I find that even more confusing, as I’ve never found a single reference to lesbianism in the Old Testament.
I can understand that a culture promotes hatred of the other — after all, in the United States well into the 20th century it was illegal in some states for a black person and a white person to marry, and that bigotry was supposedly supported by the bible.
Fortunately (in my opinion) most people in the United States no longer interpret the bible as preventing the marriage of two people of different races who love one another.
I really long for the day when people of all cultures are willing to stop projecting their prejudices onto what they believe of God. The bible has many worthwhile things to say — most fundamentally, that we need to love one another. When that message is the one people hear from the bible, it will be a great day for all.
One thing that I think I do understand, and it’s neither Jamaican nor American nor specific to any culture, is the remarkable emotional/mental ability all human beings have to push blame out from themselves onto others, people known as scapegoats who are meant to bear our sins.
I’d guess that’s the phenomenon behind the astonishingly anti-homosexual attitudes I’ve read are rampant in Jamaica.
I can understand how such attitudes might become embedded in a culture, but understanding is not the same thing as accepting.
I don’t feel like I can condemn Jamaica for it’s anti-homosexuality, if for no other reason than such attitudes were common in the United States only fifty years ago.
But I do feel like the attitudes are dangerous, in the same way that Nazi attitudes about Jews were dangerous in the 1930s.
For that reason, I think it’s important to take every opportunity to challenge those people who are exporting the violent hatred against homosexuals that seem to be mainstream in Jamaican culture. I don’t want those attitudes to come to be seen as “acceptable” among any part of United States culture.
As a Jew, and as a gay person, I’m very aware of the danger of such hatred.
There’s quite a bit of information about Capleton and his murder music at http://bit.ly/K7hQIo
Ryan, excellent points, all true and very well written. This should be cut and pasted into practically any debate about the First Amendment. Kudos, sir.