02/15/2007
Angry Homophobic Mob of 2,000 Attacks, Stones Gays in Jamaica
A terrifying scene from Jamaica yesterday.
Jamaican police had to fire tear gas into a crowd of 2,000 people in St. Andrew after they had gathered around a pharmacy because three men whom they had branded as homosexual were hiding inside.
The police were reportedly taunted as they ushered the three "visibly terrified" men out of the pharmacy and into police vehicles. One of the men was hit with a stone as he was escorted to a waiting van (above).
According to the Jamaica Observer, "One man in the crowd was determined to get a chance to beat them and hurled insults at the police when they drove out of the premises. 'Unu can come save them nasty boy yah? Them boy yah fi go down,' the man bellowed."
Another woman told the paper: "Jamaica has lost its way if men think they can openly flaunt being gay without any consequences. We don't want that kind of open gay life in this country."
In Jamaica, homosexuality is punishable by up to nine years in prison.
Cops save three alleged homosexuals from angry crowd [jamaica observer]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 9:45 AM EST by Andy in Gay Slurs, Jamaica, News | Permalink
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Even though there are supposedly gay friendly areas in the Caribbean, this episode makes me never want to set foot on any island again. As a gay man with Jamaican heritage (grandfather was Jamaican), it sickens me to know that kind of behavior is tolerated. EVEN IF FAMILY URGES ME TO COME, I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN JAMAICA. EVER.
Posted by: jay | Feb 15, 2007 10:09:46 AM
THIS is why I have NEVER, nor had a desire to visit Jamaica......
Posted by: forreal | Feb 15, 2007 10:09:53 AM
My heart really goes out to gay Jamaicans. The society is incredibly hompphobic. You wouldn't pay me enough to go there.
Posted by: Jeff | Feb 15, 2007 10:11:44 AM
Jamaica has REALLY lost its way if the people there think they can send lynch mobs after gay people without seriously damaging the only viable industry on that island... tourism.
What an armpit of a country. Something should be done to spread awareness about this problem among the straight American community... there are plenty of straight people who would choose other vacation destinations if they knew this was being condoned, either implicitly or explicitly.
Posted by: Brian | Feb 15, 2007 10:16:08 AM
Fuck Jamaica- backwards ass country full of shit and idiots
Posted by: FU Jamaica | Feb 15, 2007 10:21:39 AM
I encourage all gay and straight allies to never set foot anywhere in the Caribe. They act like savages when it comes to dealing with gay people - especially Jamaica - and need to find out how much this can hurt their pockets as a tourist destination.
Posted by: Rey | Feb 15, 2007 10:23:08 AM
Jamaica was better when pirates ran it.
Posted by: Joe T. | Feb 15, 2007 10:30:43 AM
>>I encourage all gay and straight allies to never set foot anywhere in the Caribe.
That is quite possibly one of the dumbest comments I've ever read on this blog. By making a blanket judgement like that you're just as ignorant and phobic as the Jamaican mob.
There are many lovely islands in the Caribbean that are friendly to gay tourists. Puerto Rico, for example, is a great place to visit. Like with anything, just do your research first.
Posted by: chrisb | Feb 15, 2007 10:32:02 AM
Hold up, Rey. As fucked up as Jamaica is - and I would NEVER go there or would let my family or friends consider a trip there - don't stereotype the entire Craibbean region. My boyfriend and I had a great time in Grenada, which, while not exactly gay-friendly, was much more permissive and progressive than the backwards folks in Jamaica, mon.
Posted by: jeff | Feb 15, 2007 10:32:10 AM
Oh hell Jamaica is notoriously homophobic. Like Rey, I wouldn't step foot in parts of the Caribbean, nor would I give them any of my cash. The only thing tourist destinations like that understand is the green jesus.
Posted by: jocko | Feb 15, 2007 10:32:16 AM
I agree with all of the previous comments.
I am a first generation american on my father side, he's jamaican, and my second generation as my mother was born in florida, but her father is from puerto rico and mother from the bahamas- and there is no way in hell i would ever consider visiting jamaica. No way at all. They have taken my younger sisters and cousins - but when i read stuff like this, it just kills any desire to experience my heritage. A scary thing it is. I won't hide my sexuality and i won't spend my time or money there. That's part of the reason places like that continue to struggle on the world front with their ignorance and hatred to social change and/or tolerance.
Posted by: Ron | Feb 15, 2007 10:35:35 AM
Oh Fuck all those doped up Johnny Big Hats! Dumbass mumble mouths.
Posted by: Crixi Van Cheek | Feb 15, 2007 10:38:30 AM
My heart goes out to them.
We have tremendous amount of power in our disposable income. The problem is there are a lot of self-hating fags who refuse to support the community and continue to vacation in homophobic (understatement) places like Jamaica. To those folks: you may have deluded yourself into thinking they think you are straight, but they know, and as we have seen in the past it's only going to take one slip of the tongue or a sideways glance for a mob to form.
Posted by: And | Feb 15, 2007 10:41:48 AM
I was of the impression that anyone, who holidays on Jamaica & dares to leave the vacation "reservation" for a day trip into Kingston, would readily be assaulted by the locals who prey on the tourists.
Posted by: zabadak | Feb 15, 2007 10:44:57 AM
One word: DON'T go to Jamaica. End of story.
Posted by: moi | Feb 15, 2007 11:09:21 AM
We should encourage the ACLU, Lambda Legal and others to lay this question before the UN with a call for a military solution to this problem using UN peacekeepers, augmented by worldwide, active recruitment of gay and lesbian volunteers with military or police experience.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights needs to be enforced in Jamaica and the other Caribbean sites controlled by mobs of christian bigots. The howling packs of Jamaican bigots are abetted and encouraged by government policies that encourage violence and discourage punishment of the mobs leaders, which include musicians and christian clergy. ‘They and the responsible Jamaican government leaders should be treated the same way the Red Army treated SS and Nazi Party officials in postwar Germany. They were terminated following summary field courts martial.
Because of its well known racism and tendency to kill everything and everyone in sight while in foreign combat, no US forces should be involved, except gays and lesbians discharged or retired from military or police service who are free of racial prejudice..
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Feb 15, 2007 11:12:03 AM
Smelly ass bitches
Posted by: M | Feb 15, 2007 11:14:01 AM
Is it possible for some of you folk to respond to this without using racial bs? Let's be outraged and do something, but if your racial crap is going to come up just go somewhere else please.
peace
Posted by: James | Feb 15, 2007 11:17:59 AM
The blanket statments about the Carribean islands is wrong and naive. Puerto Rico, St. Barts, Barbados and the Dominican Republic are regular vacation spots for me and my friends and we've never experienced anything but kindness when visiting these places. Of course Puerto Rico is really the US, but even a place as destitute as The Dominican is overly friendly towards us. Do your research and travel safely...no place is perfect.
Besides, that scene in the pic above could just as easily be small-town America so are you also saying we should leave the US?
Posted by: Wayne | Feb 15, 2007 11:26:53 AM
ChrisB, it's too bad you can't make your point (like Jeff) without calling my comments "dumb". Who are YOU? The Great Gazoo?
It's worth noting that I have a good deal of experience dealing with the overall homophobic policies of many of the Caribbean islands. And I will maintain that whatever remaining "ignorance" that leads me to boycott the area is far FAR less damaging than an ignorant hoard of stupid fucks who go around attacking people.
Even the All-"American" Sandals Resorts know that in order to succeed, they must ban gay people from patronizing their resorts. They're very keen to the politics and the impression that "gay" is an unwanted U.S. export to the islands.
That said, I will still encourage all of my friends and family to avoid the Caribbean but I will insist that they blanketly reject Jamaica altogether. From the dancehall shit and other homophobic stances they've taken as a country, they should be left alone to allow them to locally redirect their hate.
Posted by: Rey | Feb 15, 2007 11:31:27 AM
I'm not sure isolating Jamaica is the best way to help all the brave gay Jamaicans who have to deal with these kinds of attacks. Especially the young ones, who are inspired by the example of out proud gays on vacation. Note that the gay guys in this story were hardly straight-acting. They were flamboyant. That takes balls. But like they Stonewall drag queens, they're going to keep this up and will eventually win. Gay Americans boycotting Jamaica isn't going to change homophobic attitudes.
I think a lot of us are so burned by homophobia that we're too quick to write off whole groups of people based on homophobia. The GOP is homophobic; all Republicans are to be shunned. Jamaicans are homophobic; we must all avoid Jamaica. And so on.
The problem with this is that Repubicans and Jamaicans have gay kids. We isolate them at their peril.
As Zeke has pointed out in another post, homophobia, which is learned, is best countered by the example of out proud gay people. The more Jamaicans are exposed to out proud gay people, the better.
Posted by: SGR | Feb 15, 2007 11:32:23 AM
Every gay Jamaican I know lives in terror of their country - not one is out to their families and while it's problematic I can't tell them they are wrong. I think in this case an organized boycott is not only called for but the best way to help the thousands of young gay Jamaicans that put their lives at risk every time they walk out of their front door. Jamaica has allowed this to go on far too long.
Posted by: Giovanni | Feb 15, 2007 12:11:07 PM
"We don't want that kind of open gay life in this country." But a life of violent hate is alright. This is what troubles me the most.
Posted by: Dennis sandoval | Feb 15, 2007 12:19:19 PM
Tell Jamaica how you feel:
editorial@jamaicaobserver.com
(And for chrissakes don't get racial.)
Posted by: jeff | Feb 15, 2007 12:21:05 PM
Thanks, Jeff. I've already written an eloquent letter to the Observer to let them know of my disappointment but not surprise of the Jamaican mobs.
I once lived in Bermuda (many years ago) and I agree that there is no way that I would ever set foot again in that country (I went there on a holiday as a child). Even if you are straight there are thugs in the streets that would pick you out and mug you. And if you're gay forget it-they will kill you and get away with it.
Stay away. Find more tolerant places to spend your money, and TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS to do the same. Let's give them the 'mackerel rundown' in the wallet, mon.
And for our gay and lesbian family in Jamaica: please leave. The leopard will not change its spots.
Posted by: Gary | Feb 15, 2007 12:31:54 PM
SGR, I appreciate the shout out and agree that the people involved in this outrageous incident need to be exposed to positive examples of gay and lesbian people. However, I don't think foreign gay tourist will accomplish positive change in Jamaican society, especially if they're not on their best behavior when they’re there (as many vacationers aren't).
Additionally, I don't want to give my money to violent homophobes or to the government that supports and promotes them, and I certainly don't want to put myself, or my family's safety in jeopardy by visiting such a place in the outside hope that my presence will provide them with a "road to Damascus" epiphany about gay people.
I definitely understand your point but I'm afraid it's a conundrum, in response to which, I must agree with many of the posters here. I would not visit Jamaica, as it stands now, as an act of social protest and as an act of personal safety. There is a repeatedly expressed, high level of institutionalized violent homophobia in Jamaica. My tourist presence at some resort, that is secluded from the general Jamaican population, will not change that in a positive way, but the money that I would spend there very well could help to support it.
Posted by: Zeke | Feb 15, 2007 12:32:56 PM
Exactly how will an organized boycott of Jamaica help gays in Jamaica? It will be ineffective unless you can get all tourists--and not just gay ones--and the State Dept to lobby for changes, and that won't happen. A small drop in the number of gay tourists isn't enough to force wholesale changes in attitudes that have long-standing religious roots.
Besides, the more Jamaicans see and deal with actual gays, the more they'll realize what they've been taught isn't true. An ex once worked with a virulently homophobic Jamaican woman. After they became friends, she changed her tune. She was taught from childhood that gays are sinful and predatory. She assumed all gays were pedophiles. Every gay tourist couple may make some small difference in teaching Jamaicans that gays are normal people.
I think gay groups are better off working with gay organizations in the country. And especially with sympathetic churches.
I think a better strategy is for gay groups to support
Posted by: SGR | Feb 15, 2007 12:43:55 PM
Since homosexuality is a crime in Jamaica at the moment I would not encourage visiting. The law would have to be overturned before much more can be done to help gay Jamaicans, though they might qualify as political asylum seekers in Canada and maybe the US under a new administration. They would only have to make it to the embassy. That would be a good political statement of protest at least.
Posted by: anon | Feb 15, 2007 12:48:39 PM
Zeke, I wrote my comment before I read the one you wrote that's directly above it.
While the tourists are isolated, they're waited on by Jamaicans. Those Jamaicans are the ones who go back into the population at large and explain that they've waited on gay couples who were perfectly normal. Most vacationers are well-behaved. We're not talking about cheap vacation spots like Florida or Mexico. People are generally drunk and content and not loud and sloppy (in my experience).
Posted by: SGR | Feb 15, 2007 12:50:12 PM
Andy, will you PLEASE ban "TRUTH"??
I am sick of his racist bullshit!
Posted by: soulbrotha | Feb 15, 2007 1:10:40 PM
Unbelievable. What an utter shithole of a place.
Posted by: Tom | Feb 15, 2007 1:11:17 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6362505.stm
Nigeria's House of Representatives has held a public hearing on a new bill seeking to outlaw gay relations.
The bill, which could become law before April's elections, proposes a five-year sentence for anyone convicted of being openly gay or practising gay sex.
Posted by: Ryan | Feb 15, 2007 1:22:57 PM
Jamaica has long stood as among the most vile of homophobic nations. I will NEVER go there, nor openly approve of those I love traveling there. Having met a Jamaican living in Atlanta, I now see that many bring their homophobia to America. She was hideous, outspoken in with new found freedom she does not deserve in America which such meanness and pure hostility! Equality is for All, but those who refuse it, should never be allowed in this country!
Posted by: Stevie P | Feb 15, 2007 1:53:52 PM
Jamaica has long stood as among the most vile of homophobic nations. I will NEVER go there, nor openly approve of those I love traveling there. Having met a Jamaican living in Atlanta, I now see that many bring their homophobia to America. She was hideous, outspoken in with new found freedom she does not deserve in America which such meanness and pure hostility! Equality is for All, but those who refuse it, should never be allowed in this country!
Posted by: Stevie P | Feb 15, 2007 1:53:59 PM
Well Tom, if that's the case then the U.S. must be one BIG shithole of a place, because that kind of crap happens all across America.
Posted by: soulbrotha | Feb 15, 2007 1:58:51 PM
...all as a result of being colonized black people in the name of jesus christ....
Posted by: yeahisaidit | Feb 15, 2007 2:25:33 PM
I would encourage people to contact the Jamaica Observer and complain to the editor. Also to pass this story along and to ask your friends to contact the paper.
I have sent a letter and am encouraging everyone I know to boycott Jamaica and its products.
I have been to Jamiaca and there are more pressing problems other then a person's sexuality.
Posted by: rock | Feb 15, 2007 3:07:55 PM
I visited Jamaica recently, having looked forward to the vacation for months, and will never return. Expecting a relaxing vacation, every time I dared ventured out of the safety of my resort I was repeatedly harassed by locals - thieves, drug dealers, or just lazy good-for-nothing people who seemed to have nothing to do other than annoy tourists. The local police just watched it happen, some of them laughing. When I asked the people at my hotel where I could find a relaxing, out of the way beach to visit, they warned me that going alone meant I was taking my life into my hands.
The harassment of gays in Kingston is just another example of what a vile and dangerous place Jamaica has become. Once an island of beauty and fun, welcoming people, it has over the years descended into the mire of poverty, ignorance, stupidity and violence. The people seem to be, by and large, undeucated, angry, resentful and hostile to anyone different from them. Tourists take their lives into their hands if they dare venture away from the walls of their resort. Cruise ship companies should seriously consider ending their stops in Jamaica, because most of the passengers are harassed by drug dealers, salesmen of cheap trinkets, or thieves. The local government, social organizations, or police are either powerless or completely uninterested in doing anything about it.
The open harassment, blind hatred, and even murder of gays, or even regular white tourists in Jamaica just points out how hateful and stupid many of the locals have become, and why they should be avoided at all costs. If Jamaicans want to act like murderous idiots or Al Queda wannabees, that's their right, but don't expect the endless flow of tourism dollars to continue. Since Jamaicans seem incapable of producing any viable industry other than marijuana and margaritas, the island could, and should, become the lawless shit hole it seems to desperately want to be.
For my next hot weather vacation, I'll visit the relative safety and comfort of Baghdad.
Posted by: JIM | Feb 15, 2007 3:25:19 PM
Last week I returned from the Caribbean on the Freedom of the Seas(largest ship in the world) with 3,750 other gay men who spent $$$$ in port. It's encouraging to see others advocating avoiding this obviously hate filled place.
Posted by: ShawnSF | Feb 15, 2007 3:37:00 PM
Wow
Posted by: J | Feb 15, 2007 4:18:38 PM
Well, that's the world we live in. And how lovely...yet another post that paints black people in a bad light. This site needs more black positive stories. And John Ar-however you spell his name doesn't count. He's not black, he's mixed. Stop with that One-Drop-Rule, please. Sigh...first that Tim Hardaway idiot(and the racists along with him), now this, so depressing.
Posted by: FanGirlHater | Feb 15, 2007 4:49:30 PM
Sad
Any other words are just hot air upon the wind and the wind does not care.
Truly sad
Oh , maybe BOYCOTT is a good word to use as well.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Feb 15, 2007 5:25:52 PM
Can I ask everyone a question? What do you think a gay man's life is like in Jamaica?
Posted by: K | Feb 15, 2007 6:25:31 PM
Go to Puerto Rico. They are friendly and have a better time. I also like some other islands but not Jamaica.
Posted by: Pablo | Feb 15, 2007 6:49:46 PM
Isn't by not catching up with the rest of the world how all disappearing species started their respective extinction process?
Should we warn Science Museums around world to start collecting some Jamaicans for displaying purposes in future exhibitions?
Posted by: Cristian | Feb 15, 2007 7:03:23 PM
Jamaica, outside the envelope of its resorts, has been dangerous for a very long time. Our family wouldn't touch the place, nor St Maarten (after last year's vicious attack on a gay couple). On the other hand, it's cold in February. We're going to Puerto Rico and plan to tell our hotel precisely how we made that decision. It couldn't hurt.
Posted by: westgrove | Feb 15, 2007 7:13:27 PM
Sorry SGR...although your heart may be in the right place--enough with the "carrots" it's time for the "sticks" we need to BOYCOTT JAMAICA and withhold our money from an economy and a government that allows and one could even say advocates hate crimes and human rights violations.
I am going on a cruise to the Carribean next week and believe me I will tell the other island of that region of my disgust with JAmaica.
Posted by: MCnNYC | Feb 15, 2007 7:58:35 PM
This one is easy to fix. All we have to do is absolutely nothing. Yep, take Jamaica off your "must see" list.
Money talks. Let the area implode on itself. If they think they don't like gays...then they can kiss those god-almighty dollars goodbye. Eventually they will turn their hatred on each other.
As for vacationers, try spreading around a bit of that fun money in other parts of the world. Italy?? Mexico?? Spain?? Let's support the places that support us.
Posted by: Mark | Feb 15, 2007 8:21:31 PM
feh ... leave them to rot on their little island.
Posted by: unimpressed | Feb 16, 2007 12:06:13 AM
Soulbrotha,
Kindly cite the most recent occurrence in the U.S. of a mob of 2,000 members of the general public trapping a group of homosexuals in a public place and stoning them as they're being rescued by the police.
If you think Jamaica is so fucking great, then I would suggest you relocate your ass to that fine land and rid the U.S. of one oversized douchebag.
Posted by: Tom | Feb 16, 2007 3:36:19 AM
This is in response to FANGIRLHATER. This is not racism. If it were I would be the first to stand in defense of Jamaica. The majority of carribean islands are inhabitant by people of color...you should know this...this is common knowledge. There is no room here for the race card. Unfortunally,Jamaica is still in the Dark Ages and economics plays a hugh part or the lack of. And that is just the begining of the lackings to which their is no end in the forseeable future. It is a fact that the attack took place in Jamaica and it happens to be Black and they are wrong for that...if they were White... they still would have been wrong. End of story. This is not to come down on you(FANGIRLHATER) but rather to educate and inform. So please except this in the loving spirit that it is given...from one Black man to another. I support boycotting,not going to Jamaica and not supporting anyone that supports Jamaica. Thank you for letting me place my two cents and hoping it has alot more worth. May your Spirits always run High.
Posted by: Hot Lips | Feb 16, 2007 5:21:14 AM
I'll be diplomatic about it. I won't go to Jamaica or parts of the US. They are homophobic, plain and simple.
Posted by: Jack! | Feb 16, 2007 8:12:44 AM
I think MARK hit the nail on the head. It shouldn't JUST be about boycotting gay negative places, it should be about SUPPORTING gay positive places.
It's always puzzled the hell out of me why gay people would choose to spend their vacation dollars in the anti-gay Jamaicas, Zanzibars, Polands, Texas/Floridas and British Columbias of the world when there are similar, but more gay positive places like Puerto Rico, South Africa, Holland, Massachusetts/California and Vancouver to choose from.
I think responsible gay people should take a country's/state's/province's stance on gay rights into consideration when deciding if they want to spend their pink vacation dollars there.
And HOT LIPS, I agree with your comment but fanGIRLhater is, as her name suggests, a girl.
Posted by: Zeke | Feb 16, 2007 10:33:48 AM
One can have some very positive, life-changing experiences in countries that are not exactly gay-friendly.
Posted by: jmg | Feb 16, 2007 10:44:15 AM
"From the dancehall shit and other homophobic stances they've taken as a country, they should be left alone to allow them to locally redirect their hate."
Posted by: Rey |
..And they say homophobic rap has no influence on the listeners' feelings towards lgbt right? uh hu.
I say we expose all those locals to songs by rappers from the homohop revolution.
Let's subvert the retrograte, corrupt, and queer-hating land of Jamaica with the faglicious beats of Deadlee, Soce, Qboy and Johnny Dangerous!!..they'll be singing a different tune soon.
Posted by: Da | Feb 16, 2007 12:45:05 PM
In Jamaica, gay-bashing is practically a national pastime. "Come to Jamaica for the beaches; stay for the bashings." And now Nigeria is taking it a step further by making homosexuality or even being gay-positive a federal offense - the only "democracy" in the world to do so. I won't be surprised if the Jamaican government tried to do likewise.
Posted by: Alex Sarmiento | Feb 16, 2007 6:40:39 PM
ZEKE
My bad!!!
Posted by: HOT LIPS | Feb 17, 2007 5:57:21 AM
Jamaica is the most homophobic nation in the Western Hemisphere, heck, probably in the entire world. But some of the comments made here about the Jamaican people are quite disgusting. Branding them all as 'morons' etc. makes you just as bad as homophobic Jamaicans that think all homosexuals are disease ridden and such. And something many of you forget is that not ALL Jamaicans are homophobic. So why don't the non-homophobic people do anything? Because they are just a small minority in a nation that is practically a Christian Fundamentalist Republic, even if they have not officially called themselves that.
Also, as some persons have previously stated, boycotting Jamaica does nothing to help gay Jamaicans, or to change the mindset of homophobic Jamaicans. Quite frankly, the homophobic community of Jamaica would probably be happy if they heard homosexual foreigners and supporters of homosexuals were going to stop coming to their island. Which just brings all of us people that are disgusted with homophobia in Jamaica back to square one. And also, many of you are forgetting that it is not only Americans vacationing in Jamaica. So for any "Boycott Jamaica" campaign to work, it would have to be a GLOBAL thing, which by all practical matters would take a fairly long time to actually disrupt the Jamaican tourism market.
And on another point, Jamaica does in fact have other sources of income. Yes, tourism is the largest sector of their economy, but they also deal with bauxite exporting and the exporting of manufactured goods. But discussing Jamaica's economy isn't really the point here. What is the point is that yes, Jamaica does in fact need an overall social change. Anyone that thinks driving Jamaica into even more destitute poverty is going to solve anything, they are absolutely wrong. Look at how well the North Korean government has held up, and they've been dealing with international sanctions, not just sanctions from regular ol' people such as ourselves that are disgusted with North Korea's human rights atrocities.
Well, in conclusion, as a bisexual person of Jamaican descent, I can say that yes, a majority of Jamaicans are homophobic. But this homophobia isn't because they have the IQ's of doorknobs, but because of their ridiculously religious upbringings. Quite frankly, the majority of the people in the English-speaking Caribbean are homophobic. From Jamaica to Barbados to Trinidad & Tobago to Guyana, all of these nations are very homophobic which stems from: a) the religion thing and b) British heritage. The buggery laws that some of these nations have stem from their British heritage. But I am not saying 'Blame Britain', I'm saying 'blame the religious-right that have control over the brains of the people in these countries'. Reforming social thought and teaching equality, not trying to make Jamaica impoverished, is the only way to fix this homophobia problem. Foreigners such as you and I cannot fight homophobia in Jamaica alone. We would need support -- it is the people of Jamaica, the gays & lesbians of Jamaica and their supporters, that have to rally for change, then and only then can we as foreigners aid in their fight.
Posted by: John | Feb 17, 2007 6:42:03 PM
I have been reading these posting all week long and so far, John seems to be the only one who seems to have some knowledge of what its like in Jamaica. As an American who was born and grown up in Jamaica, my understand of Jamaicans and thier feelings toward homesexuality is that is a strong minority against it and the majority of the population is could not careless but are intimidated by the anti-gay minority.
I just return from Jamaica 2 weeks ago and I had a fantastic time. I am now planning my next trip. I met lots of nice gay people who lives thier and they seems very happy living thier. But saying that, I must say that its one of the most homophobic place I have been to.
So, bycotting Jamaica would not help gays living on the island. It would only give the anti gay minority a stronger voice and influence in Jamaica
Posted by: K | Feb 17, 2007 8:07:43 PM
I have spent 2 vacations in Jamaica. Montego Bay and Negril. My partner (at the time) and I did not hide our "gayness". No hassles, no mobs. Yes, we stayed comfortably behind the walls of all-inclusives, mostly, and met other gay travellers in Jamaica. No, we did not leave the compound after dark. We were knowingly warned by the resort staff not to.
I have since learned of the laws against homosexuality in Jamaica and, unfortunately, will not return until those laws are repealed.
It's unfortunate because I thoroughly fell in love with what I experienced there.
Posted by: Stoney | Feb 18, 2007 7:17:54 AM
jamaican r not a shit hole u r u fuck the shit lick the shit out of man assole u dirty shit
Posted by: john | Feb 18, 2007 5:52:12 PM
how can a man fuck shit lick shit eat shit and swallow sperm u r the shit ole not jamaica u dont of to go there u dirty gueer all of u u want to impose on people
Posted by: john | Feb 18, 2007 5:58:43 PM
And there, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what can be defined as a "moron". (i.e. one with a brain the size of a peanut) But then again, everyone is entitled to their opinion, so uh. Right-o. But oh wow. Some people...it's a real shame, you know?
Posted by: John | Feb 18, 2007 8:04:12 PM
What I find most amusing while reading the "opinions" are the people who are ridiculing Jamicans for being backwards but are doing it in a derogotory fashion. You chastize them for being "barbarians" yet you exude the same likeness through your words. Careful, people may start to think that enlighntened folks like yourself are prejudiced as well. Prejudice comes in many forms as well as ignorance. The tones used above reeks of a certain prejudice I'll lable nationlism.
Posted by: Kamisha | Feb 20, 2007 4:39:23 PM
First of all i am jamaican (heritage same way people say they are italian). Yes some of them have stupid views but dont boucott the entire country. Im not condoning them but look at that pic that looks like a girl most gay people i np hate people like that.In america in alabama interracial marriage is illegal its not prosecuted though. It was just never taken off the books. I feel more at home in jamaica than america because interracial relationships are regular their its just two people together cant say the same for here ( what are you doing with that white boy). In fact if you factor in mixed race people jamaica is not really one race. Look at sean paul damian marley bo marley. MAjority of them are not crazy homophobic its isolation.Dont typecast thyem because of their music. What would people think listening to rap from other countries. Tons of models are jamaicans and live their so your saying they dont bring gay friends.I acknowlege that i am delsultory but my point goes across. JAmaica is the best island. I love europe and the u.s but jamaica is superior.I know this is cursing my own people but maybe its cause were cracking down on weed to much. either way why would you vaction in the poor bad parts ( where violent discraminatory behavior persist). Would you boycott florida its down south their homophobic ( kids want to go to disneyland). THe loud minority clouds the rest. Think what people thik about americans beccause of the message our leaders send. We dont do anythting about it and think thats enough same thing in jamaica. Come to Jamaica and feel alright.
Posted by: sasha | Feb 26, 2007 5:29:08 PM