Dr. Hume Johnson author, newspaper contributor and lecturer on Reggae music culture at the University of The West Indies appeared on Television Jamaica’s Smile Jamaica on February 23, 2010 to discuss the Reggae conference and presentations recently.
The discussion generalised on the actions being taken by certain European states such as Germany and Italy who have banned certain artists from Jamaica in particular because the perception of hate music specifically towards homosexuals. Reputation management and other forms of damage control were suggested by Dr. Hume Johnson said that good artists are getting blamed or suffering for the utterances of a few other artists. The recent Chris Brown beating saga with Rihanna was compared to and how he used damage control to restore his image and position the criticism that we ban music advocating gay hate but play an abusers music also hints were given to Whitney Houston’s return after her continued drug use and the use of marketing to repair her image in the public’s eye. There is a gap in public relations suggested Dr. Johnson she continued that there needs to be crisis management for reggae artists in general so good artists can get their material out.
Host Simon Crosskill criticised the Germans in particular saying that they were once haters themselves via Nazi camps suggesting that they are not in a position to judge others. The word xenophobia was used to describe a recent article hinting to Germany and Italy’s actions in cancelling shows. The perceptions that gays on the streets being abused in Jamaica on the strength of certain anti gay lyrics was rebuffed by them discounting the strength and power of the spoken word.
A snippet of a Jamaica Observer article published Sunday January 17 which spoke to the issue of banning artists in Europe written by one Charles Hamble from Germany was read by Simone Clarke Cooper following on the cancellation of an Italian reggae festival which has been moved to Spain: “ ....conditions in Jamaica have shown us the extent of the anti gay violence can be agitated by the hysterical and homophobic rantings of these crazy artists, the messages coming from the stage work people up into a frenzy to go beat up and kill gays ....as a result it is a regular occurrence in Kingston and elsewhere in the Caribbean for men who are gay or perceived to be gay to be hounded through the streets subjected to” she ended by commenting that it was not real. Simon Crosskill called it rubbish.
Clearly Simon Crosskill and Simone Clarke Cooper the show’s hosts shows their bias in this matter and how out of touch they are with reality in discounting the homophobic actions towards GLBT people or he may be ignorant as well as to the realities of these cases of beatings, attacks and murders over the years. The perception that many gays who are killed are killed by other gays themselves which may be true to a point but the real issues are usually brushed away in discussions like this which is not surprising. I would have thought JFLAG as almost powerless and ineffective as they may be would have been invited to this discussion. Of note the recent conference at the University of the West Indies on the Reggae and homophobia saw no formal representation from the GLBT community save and except for persons who attended in their private capacities to witness the conference discussions which were laced with bias as concerns were more about the music than lives or reaching some favourable compromise.
No surprise there either.
Dr. Johnson commented that there needs to be a change in perception that we (Jamaicans) disagree with homosexuality but respect the right to life. Here again this shows how out of touch persons from the intelligencia and the upper classes are far removed from the realities on the ground bearing in mind that a 17 year old male was attacked in Sav-la-mar in western Jamaica on Saturday February 20, 2010 and is presently homeless also a 23 year old male was attacked at his home in Kingston on February 22, 2010 when he attempted to get some clothes from his family after they warned him to keep a low profile seeing he has been threatened by thugs before. I will publish the details if and when permission from the respective clients has been granted to do so as I must respect their rights.
The recent Armadale inquiry report where seven girls died in a fire in May 2009 started by a tear gas canister thrown by a police officer into an overcrowded facility run by the government that was leaked to the media was juxtaposed to being more important and rightly so but gays somehow who are constantly abused and prescribed abuses in lyric are not important so once again gays get shafted but this time using genuine issues that also need attention.
How convenient?
When can we get a fair discussion without emotions clouding spirit of what needs to be achieved?
Peace and tolerance
H
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