Yesterday I read ANOTHER article on The Root that actually managed to piss me off called “Jamaica’s Violent Homophobia” [http://www.theroot.com/views/jamaicas-violent-homophobia] written by some terribly informed fool named Clay Cane [@claycane on Twitter] which, instead of being a qualitative look into the fierce anti-gay sentiments held by some Jamaicans, became an INDICTMENT against an entire island based, not in fact, but in the same BS rhetoric continually misstated by members of the popular media with little knowledge of Jamaican culture and even LESS knowledge of how to build an argument that DOESN’T defy facts.
Clay’s assertion on the Homophobic problem in Jamaica is one that has become all-too familiar [especially since Time magazine labeled Jamaica "The Most Homophobic Place On Earth" in 2004] yet is all too INCORRECT: Ever since Buju Banton released “Boom Bye-Bye” he launched homophobia into the forefront of popular Jamaican culture which inspired other artists to be anti-gay and, combined with their overtly religious nature, subsequently launched an entire island into an intense theoretical and physical battle with gays. Clay, please STOP – your article proves that you are ignorant as all hell.
Point 1: Referencing Acts Of Violence Against Gays
Anecdotally referencing individual incidents of gay-bashing does not equate into you being able to assert that Jamaica is head and shoulders above the rest of the world in how the country treats gays, when simple investigation would show you that in a country like Iran, the government has executed more than 4,000 people since 1979 who have been charged with being homosexuals. In fact, being homosexual is punishable by state-assisted execution in Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, and parts of Nigeria and Somalia. I will assume you simply FORGOT to add that into your biased, pro-homosexual rant.
Point 2: Let’s Blame Buju, Elephant Man & Beenie Man
I find it hilarious that people attempt to track the anti-gay movement in Jamaica solely and the “subsequent violence” to one song written and performed by Buju Banton, which is as strong of an argument as saying Black people didn’t start to dislike the police until Ice-T released “Cop Killer” and N.W.A. released “F The Police.” This argument does NOT speak to clarifying the “homophobic violence” in Jamaica, because he would need to provide solid statistics that support and correlate the rise in those artists homophobic lyrics and the rise in anti-gay assaults. Go ahead and try to find them Clay, but I can guarantee you this, THEY DON’T EXIST.
(Also, do you know SO little about dancehall music that you REALLY attempted to state Beenie Man’s “Bad Man Chi Chi Man” is an anti-gay ANTHEM? Please do your research, instead of making assinine and ridiculous references)
Point #3: Religion Is Why Jamaicans Are So Violent Against Gays
He Wrote:
Why is Jamaica so deeply and proudly homophobic? The obvious answer would be religion. Regardless of the stereotypes of marijuana use, steamy dancehalls and island rendezvous, Jamaica is heavily Christian, a legacy of colonization. However, when homophobia in Jamaica is looked at from a historical point of view, sodomy laws, which also apply to heterosexuals, and several other oppressive laws that Jamaica upholds were colonial laws from the British.
The Brits have done away with these statutes. The Jamaican government, though, selectively holds on to some of these colonized rules, conveniently ignoring others.
Are you serious? The OBVIOUS answer is religion? Everything you JUST wrote can also be applied to Barbados And Trinidad And Tobago in the same region, as well as many countries throughout the world. But where’s the link between religion and gay-bashing? Guess there was no time to further prove that ignorant point huh?
Point 4: The part where you REALLY F*^KED up Clay
Regardless of religious beliefs about homosexuality, hopefully we can agree that stabbings, rapes and murders are all unacceptable. Jamaica once had a history of denouncing injustice but, sadly, is now known as a nation that upholds an injustice.
This is the worst case of singular outrage I have ever seen by someone who considers themselves a credible writer. To state that Jamaica has a high rate of anti-gay violence is to parse the statistics to ignore a very important TRUTH about violence in Jamaica against Gays – it occurs predominantly at the HANDS of other gay people. The ridiculous assertion that a Homosexual Holocaust is occurring all over the island from Kingston to Mo’Bay is like stating the police are committing a genocide against young Black boys on the streets of Chicago – without further investigating that most of the murders of young Black boys in Chi-Town occur at the hands of other Black boys, mostly due to gang violence.
Let me state this unequivocally: Being homophobic is STUPID and hating someone based on their sexual preferences is the highest form of unacceptable ignorance. All of the artists who have promoted anti-gay songs are, in essence, FOOLS. They are dead wrong and do NOT deserve to be defended by ridiculous arguments like stupid-a*s Shabba tried to do here [@ 5:45]:
But with that said, indicting an entire island of people with misrepresented facts, poorly-researched theories, and destructive leaps in logic only makes you similarly as ignorant as the people you so heartily condemn.
This Is Your Conscience
22 Comments, Comment or Ping
lincolnanthonyblades
Do You Agree With Clay That Jamaica Is Way Too Violent Towards Gays? Or Do You Think His "Article" Was Poorly Researched Nonsense?
Mar 10th, 2011
@TAARenaissance
- Good Morning…
- I wonder how many articles I read that is poorly researched
- Hoomosexuality is a fascinating topic… I like to withold my opinions on that until I get the whole story
- I guess there is a little truth into Jamaica homosexuality "war"… But Clay went off the deep end…
Mar 10th, 2011
Alex of Liveagl.com
The article is flawed for over generalizing & blaming, but we would be lying to ourselves if we pretended the underlying point wasn't true; there's quite a large factor of Jamaica that's homophopbic
I will never understand homophobics, why would one care what another does in the comfort of their own lives…
Mar 10th, 2011
ATLienSince82
his "article" was complete b.s. like you stated but you have to take one thing into account though…this is a nigga that write about red carpet fashion on bet.com and shit..
Hes just a gay dude that got offended and decided to throw the entire island under the bus..
Mar 10th, 2011
ATLienSince82
I think the point is, there is anti-homo sentiments all over the world, so why did he single out jamaica and write a post thats been done a million times over..
Mar 10th, 2011
ATLienSince82
Man that nigga shabba really played himself..
Reminds me of that old In Living COlour skit Mr. Uglyman lol
Mar 10th, 2011
Crystal Promo-Fernandez
This bad attempt at journalism was really pathetic and actually offended me. Does he even know what anti gay songs are hot in JA??
I loved seeing young Buju in that video though! FREE BUJU!
Mar 10th, 2011
Crystal Promo-Fernandez
Tell 'em boy..
I went to his twitter and it had a bunch of entertainment articles…why did he try to tackle such a serious topic??!
Mar 10th, 2011
MzDebbieFields
How are all of you so sure gays kill other gays in jamaica??
Mar 10th, 2011
AfricanQueen
Buju’s locked up? Well color me clueless! *running off to google it*
Mar 10th, 2011
The_Mad_HATER
are you serious??? you didnt know that??
Mar 10th, 2011
The_Mad_HATER
this clay cane dude should be ashamed of himself for this ol bullshit! I think hes a gay dude himself who just wanted to diss some people!
Mar 10th, 2011
The_Mad_HATER
lol marlon wayans was jokes!
Mar 10th, 2011
Kizzy
Exactly…I hope The Root didn't pay him for this mess!
Mar 10th, 2011
ATLienSince82
Why doesn't The Root have stats people to check for accuracy is the better question!
Mar 10th, 2011
ATLienSince82
Damnnnnn AQ, where you been?
Mar 10th, 2011
ddddddd
his article is so tired. u know how many people have done articles about this already. i swear his article was taken word for word from many sources that i used to write a paper on jamaican politics and social culture in my first year of university. what a waste of braincells reading his crap.
1) everywhere has homophobic people. just jamaica is a small island so its more heavily concentrated in one area. and its easy to target poeple that dont have the means/resources to defend themselves or deter the bashing. theyve beeeeen trying to shut down jamaica's tourism and freeze them out economically because of all this bs, and they can get away with it because jamaica cant defend themselves, unlike iran and saudi arabia and all those places where they want their resources.
2) blaming homophobia on christianity. lol. i swear other places that are homophobic are islamic/muslim? but okay…
3) blaming the artists? okay.. bcuz i seen buju beenie and elephant man leading the riots. (y) NOT. yes they shouldnt promote it, but blaming them? zzz. tired.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS… Its one thing not to support homosexuality, its another thing to entice the murder of homosexuals. know the difference and respect life in general. if you dont like it fine, you dont like it. if someone does, fine, they like it, good for them. (however, for all those that think that sexuality is a private issue, think again. that shit NEVER stays in the bedroom. pda, teaching in school etc etc… thats all out in the public. no matter how much you dotn want to believe it.) so if people dont want their kids to become homosexual or lesbian or whatever (as if they have a choice) they're not going to want the influence around. only thing is jamaicans are dealing with that paranois very badly!!
the issue of homosexuality is a moral panic in jamaica. theyre hangin onto i guess what they perceive as some type of stability in a belief when the rest of the world around them is changing. no matter how warped that perceived stability is.
they just need to accept that it exists and keep it moving. resistance is futile in this day and age. and murder because of difference is never cool. (unless is like a paedophile or rapist or something…)
Mar 10th, 2011
Adrian
Great post. I honestly think Clay needs to read it to see where he f*cked up. This "Entertainment Writer" needs to be called out for his foolishness!!!
Mar 13th, 2011
paula samuels
his facts are unresearched, unreliable and untrue.
Mar 20th, 2011
Samuel Kestu
Did you know that in 2010, at least 28 LGBT people from Jamaica were given asylum in the U.S ?. At least 38 total from the Caribbean, including the 28 from Jamaica?
People should read the online article in the December 2010 Guernica Magazine "Murder Music." http://bit.ly/gjX4Iu
It's not just Buju. Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Mavado, Capleton and Sizzla are all apostles of hate for Jamaica. Beenie Man sang a song in which he said he wanted to cut the throats of all gay men ("Mi Nah Wallah") in Kampala, Uganda on 12/05/11.
Not everyone is bamboozled by those phony "One Love" ads for Jamaica tourism. Let's get this word out.
Apr 7th, 2011
Samuel Kestu
Oops! Correction: It was 12/05/09 that Beenie Man sang that he would like to cut the throats of all gay men in Kampala, Uganda in his song "Mi Nah Wallah."
Apr 7th, 2011
William
Hey there. I just would like to say that I enjoyed your critical thinking that led to the creation of your article. What I did not enjoy was your angry attitude – but hey, you're human! You're probably Jamaican and took some things he said personally. I do agree with him, though, that the homophobia in Jamaica is stemmed from people's uncritical belief in the Bible. They take it as truth and then they attack gay people. That's what I assume. Being gay is not an abomination. Why are so many Jamaican's taking the word of the Bible at face value? Are they scared into believing it? Are they told they are going to go to Hell if they don't believe it? Probably. What if I told you Hell might not exist?
Jul 30th, 2011
Reply to “KNOCKED UN-CONSCIENCE: Jamaica’s “Violent Homophobia””