Jamaicans Decry Gay Boycott Campaign
CaribWorldNews, News Report, Staff, Posted: Apr 16, 2009
NEW YORK -- Jamaicans in the U.S. are stewing over a campaign by a gay rights group to boycott Jamaican products.
Their comments come as Truth Wins Out, a gay rights group from California, brought their campaign to New York City Wednesday. Led by Michael Petrelis Wayne Besen and Jim Burroway the group engaged in a ‘Rum Dump’ at Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in Manhattan. The owners were urged to dump their stock of Myers Rum and Red Stripe Beer in the sewer while other bars are being urged to follow suit.
But Jamaicans CWNN spoke with say the action is outrageous. `Who are they to be imposing their beliefs on us and boycotting Jamaican products?` questioned D.C.-based national Ann Walters. `How is that going to change how people in Jamaica view homosexuality? Isn’t there homophobic people in the US so why not attack `Made in the USA?`
Walters said such actions are only making `Jamaicans more resentful.`
Music writer and head of TSO Productions, Sharon Gordon, agreed with Walters.
The New Jersey resident insists the gay rights attack against Jamaica is `very disingenuous.
``There are conservative Christian groups in the U.S. who are very anti-homosexuality and anti-gay so why aren’t they going up against them?."
Gordon answered her own question by adding: "It`s because those groups have a strong lobbying and can’t be pushed around so they’re coming after the weakness of the Jamaicans, which is we don’t have a strong lobby to push back and raise awareness."
The Jamaican national also insisted that gays are not being killed in Jamaica simply because they are gays, despite what many claim. And she questioned: "How dare they try to castigate an entire island because of their lifestyle? It’s a shame that they want respect but can’t respect our laws."
Magazine publisher, Carlyle McKetty, insists the time is now for Jamaicans to push back against the outrageous boycott call.
"This kind of contemptuous behavior is unacceptable … we have to say enough is enough. They seem to have made it a crusade to destroy our country. I think it’s time for a few of us to come together and organize a Caribbean anti-defamation movement to push back against this in a very strategic and surgical manner."
The boycott proponents say they have launched the campaign since gay Jamaicans "have regularly been beaten and murdered on the island, while authorities do little to stop the violence."
A West Coast boycott took place earlier this month with a rum dump in San Francisco that featured Petrelis and city Supervisor Bevan Dufty. The boycott call comes at the time when Jamaica reports it has lost 15,000 jobs nationally.
Labour Minister Pearnel Charles said 2,000 jobs alone were lost last month as the country continues to battle with the global economic crisis.
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User Comments
libhomo on Apr 19, 2009 at 08:21:52 said:
The homophobic comments quoted from Jamaicans in this article just show how important the boycott is. Besides, why would any sane gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person from abroad want to travel to a place as dangerous as Jamaica?
Courtney on Apr 18, 2009 at 07:15:09 said:
I would not in anyway condone the killing of anyone (innocent or guilty, gay or straight). However I do condone the laws Jamaica has against gays. I think it is unfair, first of all, to point out isolated incidence of violence against gays in Jamaica (and use it to define the country)...that would be like calling all Muslims terrorist, because of several isolated incidents. I condone Jamaican laws against homosexuality because they have taken a stance against something that is wrong. Look at it this way, it is legal for a grown man to get married to a child (8 years old for example-check the news), but it is illegal in America (which people in this country actually go around and kill people that do those things). Now if the country that allows these grown men to marry kids were to boycott America and stop them from getting oil and other products, b/c of the stance America takes against their lifestyle, there would be a big outcry (by no means do i condone a child being with a grown man--this is just an example)...It is the same for Jamaica. They (and also I) believe homosexuality is wrong. the problem with the world today is that we all accept everyone's shortcomings (there is just somethings that should not be acceptable. I accept the laws of a country, especially when there is a democracy in place. There are many homophobic countries that i stronger than Jamaica, and many people would not boycott those countries. I would love to see the LGBT community boycott oil that come from the middle east (which doesn't even recognize that gays exist)...that wouldn't happen though, b/c the LGBT community would rather pick on a small country that go after countries or groups that are more popwerful.
Mike Tidmus on Apr 17, 2009 at 15:27:41 said:
Is New America Media aware of how many factual errors there are in the first two paragraphs alone?
Do a little research.
MTB on Apr 17, 2009 at 08:03:03 said:
As a former public health care professional, I have been to Jamaica many times, and those who deny the situation there it's a crime. Both gay activists last year were brutually murdered. While I was in Jamaica doing a work project, a straight man who was thought to be gay was forced into a car and dropped off in a bad neighborhood in Kingston while the kidnappers screamed battyman for you.
The man was beaten and left for dead, the hosptial refused him care, and they brought him to me because I am a nurse. He had to be flown out to get care.
I will be happy to add my voice to the boycott, and have asked the local bar I patronize to not offer Jamacian products. The country's govt has said loud and clear they don't way gay men and women to visit, they don't care about us, and why should we fund that type of hate.
Join the Boycott, if we're not good enough for them in their eyes, then I say our money is too good for them.
Elizabeth on Apr 17, 2009 at 07:34:57 said:
Boo hoo. Jamaica has clearly accepted homophobia and violence against gay people as a way of life. That's fine if they want to continue with that 'lifestyle', just don't expect me to support it.
David Mudkips on Apr 17, 2009 at 02:25:26 said:
I've got news for Jamaica: it's not "the gays" here in the U.S. who are boycotting your products and taking their tourist dollars elsewhere.
I'm straight, and I'm standing by my gay friends in support of their protesting the institutionalized homophobia and hate.
"Respect it, because that's the way it is" is no excuse for civil rights abuses. The last time I heard a lame excuse like that, it was coming out of a redneck's mouth in Alabama in the 1950's. They didn't want outsiders "forcing their views" on them either. Oh, and they were all really sure they had God and righteousness on their side too.
Just like the bigots in Jamaica do now.
I'm leaving for a Caribbean tour in mid-May. One that DOESN'T have Jamaica on it.
You have a beautiful island and beautiful people (and no, I don't think ALL Jamaican's are homophobes).
That said -- if y'all want to hang onto your bigotry, don't expect to see a dime from people who find it reprehensible.
Joy on Apr 16, 2009 at 21:32:54 said:
Jamica is an ignorant backward country with poverty off the radar. you beat your wives while cheating on them. You beat your children. Gay people should not only boycot your products, We should boycot your whole way of living. Riahaana is a perfect example of your backwardness. You will remain poor if you do not transforms you way of life. Women and children are not your slaves and gay people say join the 21 century...work harder to br in the one race...the human race..Joy
Leonardo Ricardo on Apr 16, 2009 at 20:40:34 said:
Don´t be absurd.
-->Killing LGBT people in Jamaica is repulsive and reflects the degenerate preaching of the likes of Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Primate of the West Indies Province of the Anglican Church. Interesting, ALL of the dioceses at The West Indies reflect the same ugly picture of abusing LGBT Anglicans/Christians and others at Church and beyond...neither the Church or the Police are much interested in crimes of hate directed against LGBT people...Jamaica and YOUR citizens, keep your bigoted beliefs to yourself and STOP THE IGNORANCE AND HATE...I won´t spend one cent on Jamaican goods, tourism or services from the island until you get a grip on your vile behavior confirmed by the VERY WORST rate of Hate Crimes in The Western Hemisphere.
And you defend your ¨beliefs¨...you complain about a ¨boycott¨ while your countrymen/women are being abused...spoiled sick child.