Today's
LA Times story on anti-gay violence in Jamaica puts into
perspective the rights and freedoms we enjoy as Americans and
Europeans (that is, as non-Third-Worlders). But Jamaica does seem
to be a hate-infested hell in a league of its own. As the Times
reports:
When gay rights activist Brian Williamson was stabbed to death in June and jubilant crowds danced around his mutilated body, police said he was a robbery victim. When Jamaican reggae dancehall musicians were bumped from U.S. and British concert appearances last year over lyrics encouraging the killing of gays, people here called the censure a failure to respect free speech.
When Human Rights Watch issued a withering condemnation of homophobia in Jamaica in November and accused police and politicians of condoning anti-gay violence and harassment, government spokesmen rejected the report as "lies" and "nonsense," and a senior police official called for sedition charges to be brought against its authors.
The Times also notes that celebrated dancehall singer Beenie Man swoons, "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica - come to execute all the gays." Similar lines in songs by dancehall artist Sizzla prompted British authorities to deny him a visa for five concerts late last year. Another popular singer, Buju Banton, took part in the beating of six gay men in June, as a crowd cheered on the attackers.
Just a sad reminder of how benighted much of the world truly
is.
Update: Columnist Mark Steyn
thrashes the U.K.'s leftwing Guardian newspaper for trying to
to blame Jamaican gay-bashing on the island's colonial
heritage.
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