So on my myspace page I wrote a bulletin about the whole issue of Buju Banton signing the Reggae Compassionate act (which he later claimed never to have signed. whatever). I’m going too paste the original wording of the bulletin, followed by an excerpt of a post on another myspace page, followed by my swift rebuttal (ah yes, the future attorney in me smiles today). Here it goes…
Long Post.
So, if you go to femmenoirenet , there’s a story about how Buju has finally been dragged, kicking and screaming, into signing the Reggae Compassionate Act (where artistes pledge not to sing homophobic songs or make inflammatory statements). My response to the article is as follows…Folks in cyberspace, don’t get it twisted. The signing of this pact by these reggae artists does not mean, in ANY way, that they’ve changed their homophobic views.Keep in mind that Buju and some of his friends were arrested in Jamaica for entering the home of a gay man and beating the stuffing out of the man and the man’s friends, who were over at the time. They beat him so badly that one of his eyes is now a grey pulpy mess, permanently blinded. I live in the caribbean and I can tell you for a fact that Buju STILL PERFORMS “BOOM BYE-BYE”, in open defiance of international pressure from various gay associations that he desist from doing so.
I’m going to state the obvious. The only reason that Buju and the rest of these “artistes” signed the Reggae Compassionate Act is because they are losing much-needed concert revenue. Gay groups in America have been successful in getting their concerts cancelled in several cities. As much as they speak out against “Babylon System” in their music, it seems that the hypocrisy lies in their reliance on Babylon’s “foreign dollars”, which they line their pockets with…
As far as I’m concerned, getting someone to sign an Act, by twisting his arm to do so, DOES NOT MEAN that the individual has changed his ways, and more importantly, his mind. Keep in mind, WE CANNOT LEGISLATE TOLERANCE, and a ‘contract’ cannot eradicate ignorance in its purest form.
I for one am sick of these ‘artists’, who lack any creativity (the only things they sing about are sex, the latest dance, “bad-man” violence, marijuana, and killing gay people – I dare you to tell me differently) going from city to city spewing venom – and ignorant ‘fans’ willingly forking over their hard-earned dollars to hear this garbage.
Don’t get me wrong. The beats and music are infectious. I’m really not trying to hate. But let’s call a spade a spade: Buju, Beenie, Bounty, etc are sorry excuses for inheritors of the musical legacy of Bob Marley. He set the standard and paved the way for these jokers to make a living through their craft – and he never needed to spit out violent lyrics to do so.
Hmmm… I wonder if Buju will sign another Reggae Compassionate Act, compelling him to make amends for the young man that he blinded for life???
These men don’t care one %$^ about making ammends to the gay people that they continuously offend. They only care about their pockets.
Bottom line: DON’T buy their records, DON’T go to their concerts, and most importantly – DON’T FALL FOR THE OKEY-DOKE, FOLKS.
Let me know your thoughts…
D
So that was the original post. On my friend’s page, she asked folks to weigh in on the issue as well. Here is a bit of what one Jamaican brother wrote:
Jamaica is not ‘homophobic’ – that would mean that the country is ‘afraid’ of homosexuals (since that is what a ‘phobia’ is). My country however is not very tolerant of homosexuals. The main reason is religious, Jamaica is a Christian country and the King James version of the Bible (the most common translation in Jamaica) does say, in Leviticus 20:13 – “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” so you might as well ask Christians to sign documents too (I never use any Bible verse to defend anything, mainly because I don’t follow everything in it, no one else does and if you aren’t Christian, why would the Bible matter to you anyway? – But that’s just me….funny enough, that same chapter talks about lying with virgins, but most people seem to be selective.A more general though reason is that we see it is unnatural and nasty. Some western countries see it as being intolerant but just like people are intolerant of murderers (which can all understand) or not bowing lower than a person older than you (which most of us can’t understand), we are not tolerant of what we disapprove of, based on OUR societal and cultural norms – not somebody elses’.Countries like the USA and UK tout “free speech” and freedom but then try to force their world views onto people. Don’t let them into your country, no problem, you reserve the right to control what your people are exposed to – but don’t dare try to change our country, culture and music – the colonial days are long over and we don’t owe the IMF or World Bank any money either.Then let’s not even start about the many Gay males in Jamaican society who come from uptown, drive into the ghettoes, pick up little boys in their fancy cars, carry them off and molest them, and give them some money or material things. That is what made Elephant Man write the songs he has – he witnessed that growing up.Try to understand our culture and history before passing judgement. Talk to a few Jamaicans who actually grew up in Jamaica too. I am always available and I am much more tolerant than many Jamaicans (though I still think homosexuality is nasty).
Now, you know I had to respond…
The predictable, unoriginal bible quotes that people use to defend ignorance is getting a tad bit tired now. Personally I’m not a christian, so quoting the bible has zero effect on me. As a black woman, the very idea of allowing my sense of right and wrong to be dicated by the bible, an effective tool of opression by white slavemasters, is ridiculous.
When are people going to wake up and face the truth – most people are born who they are. Who would chose to be gay, knowing the kind of backlash there is out here??? You don’t chose your eye colour, skin colour, or which hand you write with, either.
It’s funny how those that profess to be “christian” exhibit some of the most “unchristianlike” behaviour around. Look beyond homophobia. The Crusades is a good example. So is slavery. What about Native Americans being wiped out, pushed off the land, and force-converted in the name of christianity? What about that all-knowing, great purveyor of christain truth- George Bush? What about evangelists like Jim Baker? To be honest, christians have very little credibility with me, on any issue.
I’m pretty sure that there will be a witty response to my post, which will undoubtably prove the complete lack of tolerance that I speak of. Needless to say – I really don’t care.
In addition to not having a “choice” about my sexuality, the truth is that I personally would not change, even if I did have a “choice”. What the hell is it with people and their sickeningly irritating need for ERR’BODY to conform and do as THEY do, anyway?!?!
Every single thing about me screams resistance – from the locs that fall halfway down my back, to the way I revel in the darkness of my skin, to the way I show absolutely no interest in football or cricket while living in a country that takes its obsession with both to annoying heights.
My stubbornness is deeply ingrained. My sexuality is just one more example of my refusal to just sit quietly and “behave” in a manner that others feel befitting of a young lady. Fuck ‘em all. While not my first priority or reason for having a relationship with another woman, some measure of satisfaction is mine – knowing that by merely holding another sista’s hand, I am flipping the bird to the Partiarchy. Just my little way of “sticking it to The Man”, I guess…
It really irritates me the way that folks like to whip out the bible quotes to explain their irrational behaviour. The SAME BIBLE that claims that there was a man who built an arc that was large enough to carry TWO OF EVERY LIVING SPECIES ON THE PLANET. The SAME BIBLE that claims that a man named Jonah spent time chilling in a whale, and lived to tell about it. The SAME BIBLE that has been, for years, tampered with and altered until it barely resembles its original state. (I saw DaVinci Code, y’all, LOL). But I digress…
The fact that my Black people continue to hold on to this oppressive book, FULLY KNOWING THE HISTORY OF HOW THEY CAME TO BECOME CHRISTIAN, boggles my mind. But even more hurtful is the idea that a people so used to the most brutal forms of oppression can turn around and, instead of being more compassionate for it, rest licks on some of their own children. Children who also have no say in being who they are. The same way we all, as people of colour, didn’t CHOOSE our skin colour.
So, what’s a sista to do??? I for one, choose to be just as proud of something that I have no control over, as my Black people are of something that they can’t control either. Our skin colour. MY SEXUALITY. I refuse to go through life with my tail tucked between my legs just ‘cuz YOU have a problem with my being gay.
As for Buju and his band of merry hypocrites – I wish them clarity, and the ability to spend at least one full day without marinating in their hatred, ignorance, and grandiose sense of self-importance.
Incog’, as usual, signing out…
