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]
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