So after last night's TV documentary on Javed Jaghai's upcoming buggery challenge in November 2014 aired on CVM TV entitled Battle Lines Javed Jaghai versus the state comes a report on the anti gay pro buggery law group The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS and their continued fear mongering on future alleged persecution of Christians via restrictions of freedoms of speech and religion especially when pronounced against the homosexual lifestyle as the JCHS, Lawyers Christian Fellowship, LCF, The Love March and the Movement Jamaica (reparative therapy group).

'Don't Bow To Gay Pressure' - Crusaders Urge Jamaicans To Stand By Buggery Law

Jodi-Ann Gilpin, Gleaner Writer wrote:

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, speaks to the audience during a presentation at the Jamaica Conference Centre on Saturday. - Photo by Gladstone Taylor

Peter LaBarbera, president of the Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), in the United States of America (US), has encouraged Jamaicans to be grounded in their Christian beliefs and not to be lured by other countries in repealing the buggery law.

"The United States has no business lecturing anybody about sexual morality. America has rampant abortions, rampant promiscuity, and I stand wholeheartedly with Jamaicans and encourage you all to hold to your beliefs, " LaBarbera told The Gleaner.

LaBarbera made the comments Saturday following The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society International Human Rights conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

"We are all watching Jamaica to see what happens (buggery law), and I believe if Jamaica can stand up and not bow to the pressure, you can be an example to the world. There is no need to follow anybody," LaBarbera said.

Christian lobbyist

Similarly, Andrea Williams, a Christian lobbyist in the legal public policy arena in the United Kingdom, told The Gleaner that family values should be prioritised.

"When we begin to make normal something that is contrary to proper family standards, that is social engineering, and we are in serious trouble, " she said.

"What Jamaica needs to understand is that the homosexual activists have an incremental agenda; because this is where its starts, by them asking for rights, and then our society's morals become redefined," she continued.

Several US states have lifted the stay on gay marriage, including California earlier this year and Illinois in November.

Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has promised to have the Parliament engage in a conscience vote on whether or not to repeal the buggery act.

Minister with responsibility for information Sandrea Falconer said the debate "will certainly be within this parliamentary year".

During a leadership debate on the eve of the December 2011 general election, then Opposition Leader Simpson Miller said her administration was committed to the protection of human rights.

Simpson Miller declared that it was time for a review of the buggery law, saying she believed the issue should be put to a conscience vote in the Parliament.

ENDS

Sadly alot of the opposition that now comes was stoked by the very lobby I fell namely JFLAG voices who are also atheists so inflaming the discourse to more than just the repeal of decriminalization of the buggery law to conflations of paedophilic behaviour by persons legal to practice same sex intimacy in private and so on. In fairness JFLAG has changed their tune though oh so late in my view as to the repeal of buggery and instead wants an amendment to the act to include consent and privacy. But as we have a saying in Jamaica "the horse done gone through the gate" and so we have to contend if not carried along with the tide until there is some enlightenment I hope.

The other challenge to all this as was alluded to in last evening's CVM footage is the fear of gay marriage rights being demanded next at buggery's decriminalization and the supposed destruction of the family when said families are already being destroyed in more ways than one, take a look at the divorce rates to include church persons, take a look at the forced evictions of perceived gay youth from their homes, the numbers are frightening and this is not being alarmist in any way.

also see:

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

Is praying for homosexual change bordering on blasphemy?

Jamaica Council of Churches still not clear on the buggery law but resolute in opposing gay marriage

Lawyers' Christian Fellowship's Shirley Richards says lesbian sex should be criminalized as buggery ...........

Betty Ann Blaine & foreign religious zealots continue their paranoia & misrepresentations of male homosexuality

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

Maurice Tomlinson challenges the LCF's Shirley Richards for a public debate on the validity of Jamaica's anti buggery law

Dr Wayne West’s continued intellectual dishonesty on fisting felching & chariot racing by homosexuals in Jamaica

Lawyer's Christian Fellowship hypocrisy from Shirley Richards: "Charter Of Rights And The Moral Divide" (2011)

President of the Senate warns against discrimination based on language, sexual orientation (2011)

A word to the reverend (anti gay Al Miller) ...... 2010 

also of interest is this discussion on separation of church and state on local TV in November 2013

click here for more

December 9, 2013:
Pastor lashes out at 'injustices' faced by gays (Jamaica Observer) 

December 12th UPDATE: Buy no rings, you won’t wed; religious fear-mongering on gay marriage & the buggery law continues

There is so much more to discuss and understand on all sides involved.

Peace and tolerance

H

Gays must reserve thier disappointment says emailer on the Queen Ifrica matter

I got this article via email yesterday and thought it was a contributed piece but subsequently realised it was a letter to the editor of the Western Mirror that I had missed. The cancellation of reggae artist Queen Ifrica's work permit to perform in Canada after her Independence Day pro hetero-marriage stance seems to still be on the minds of many as the perception that the advocacy structure has become oppressive due to the poorly planned actions of a group of locals residing overseas. 

Agitation is appreciated by our friends abroad but they must take cue from the locals on the ground before launching overkill campaigns or actions as JAGLA, Jamaica Association of Gays Living Abroad. 

Here is the letter firstly to which I would just send this post as a response.

Queen Ifrica in performance.

The Editor, 

Dear Sir, Queen Ifrica should’ve known how sensitive gays are, and that they would’ve felt left out when she didn’t ‘big them up’ too at the Grand Gala. This may thwart her chance of becoming an official global ambassador.

However, I have watched and heard Queen Ifrica, and I believe that she is one who has been sent. Next time though, I advise her not to come ‘straight’, but instead speak in parables. Make them like the Pharisees, wonder and speculate about the meaning of your words.

Artistes are entertainers and expressionists by nature. Queen Ifrica was simply being a natural and courageous Jamaican artiste.

GAY SHOULD RESERVE DISAPPOINTMENT

The gay community should reserve their ‘disappointment’ for artistes who portray negativity such as violence, hate and disrespect, none of which Queen Ifrica had done and has ever done; she leaves those things to greater beings than herself.

It is quite a challenge for Ministers of Government to please everybody. Although government has a greater obligation to the majority of Jamaicans, it has to provide special and extra support to the nation’s most vulnerable.

Sensitivity is not vulnerability. Vulnerability factors include physically and mentally challenged states, ethnicity, gender, age and certain legacies, like socio-economic states of one’s previous and present generations; factors that one has little or no control over.

HOMOSEXUALITY IS A CHOICE

Homosexuality is a choice, or if instinctive then it’s an instinct gone awry. What Queen Ifrica said was not illegal. What gay men often do such is buggery, is an illegal action here. So it was like saluting those in the crowd that don’t steal, run the red light or murder and assault.

When government has to bow to a minority group who are not ‘vulnerable’, or to foreign establishments, you know that we are in trouble.

Queen Ifrica’s salute to heterosexuals was so innocuous, that I wouldn’t have realised. However, just like their sexual indiscretions, these gays had to ‘show up’ themselves.

The truth is, we cannot bare much more ‘slackness’ of any kind, whether political, social or economical.

It’s either the perpetrators keep it to themselves with discretion or restraint, or have it thrown out into the sea.

I am,
Andre Sheppy (BPharm),
Registered Pharmacist.medifair@cwjamaica.com

ENDS

I am sorry to disappoint Andre but staying in the closet is not an option for some LGBT Jamaicans anymore and conflating abuse with same gender consensual sex is a foolish thought. Miss Ifrica's freedom of speech may have been threatened in the eyes of some but what persons do in the privacy of their homes is their business so long as their is consent involved. Homosexuality is a biological reality whether you like it or not.

also see:

Queen Ifrica's "Freedom of Speech" & advocacy found wanting

'I SPOKE FOR WHAT I BELIEVED IN' - Queen Ifrica defends Grand Gala performance after JFLAG backlash

Sizzla bats for Queen Ifrica as expected

also hear my commentary that I did a little late

also hear the interview with Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica and JFLAG's Executive Director Dane Lewis on MURDER MUSIC, VITRIOL & LGBT ADVOCACY from Nationwide News the day after the Grand Gala comments by Ifrica:

older posts from sister blogs

Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel call out Jamaican government on buggery law from 2012

"Keep it to yuself mentality" on homosexuality

"Keep it to Yuself mentality" on homosexuality part 2 .... on "str8 Jamaica from 2009

The socio cultural battle is even going to be greater it seems if after buggery is decriminalized as the myths and misconceptions are ripe; it is only a pity that she could have been a possible ally to the struggle seeing that she was exposed in some sense to parts of the issues but in a negative way as hinted to in the radio interview linked above via homelessness and abuse working alongside the late Dr Heather Little White so she easily without the proper engagement/education assume that the young men she encountered were abused into homosexuality hence her stance. 

Her removal from the UNICEF program she also referred to in the clip maybe the trigger point to the grand gala outburst as she as many other Jamaicans conflate sexual abuse with same gender sex (via consent) hence persons feel children are being conditioned into the "lifestlye" when lifestyle and orientation are not one in the same. Now she and Tony Rebel have crossed over to the dark side aided and abetted by the very lgbt advocacy structure that are to help engage persons to enlightenment as the photo below shows at a recent JCHS meeting:

From left: Angela Templer, group coordinator, Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS); Tony Rebel; Dr Wayne West, JCHS chairman; and Queen Ifrica during the launch and viewing of the JCHS-produced DVD: 'Sex, Lies and Rights'. 

also see: Anti Gay Religious group launches pro buggery law DVD

Peace and tolerance

H

Buggery law challenge: Hearing pushed back to October 4

Firstly what Javed's case seeks to do

countries that have sexual orientation protected in the constitutions

The Supreme Court has pushed back to October 4 the hearing of an application by gay rights activist Javed Jaghai who is seeking to challenge the buggery law. 

When the matter came up for mention in chambers this morning, Justice Carol Edwards gave the claimant until July 5 to amend his affidavit after it was found to contain hearsay.

It was also determined that aspects of the affidavit were not directly related to the claimant.

The Attorney General (AG), which was named as a defendant in the matter, has been given until September 16 to file and serve an affidavit response.

The AG is being represented by Solicitor General Nicole Foster Pusey and Attorney-at-Law Carlene Larmond.

Meanwhile, Justice Edwards has granted permission for several Christian denominations and advocacy group Hear the Children’s Cry to join the case as interested parties.

Jaghai, who is being represented by Maurice Tomlinson, wants the court to determine if the anti-sodomy law breaches rights guaranteed under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which he contends guarantees the right to privacy.

The gay rights activist is seeking a declaration that the private sexual activities between consenting males must be excluded from the Offences Against the Person Act.

He is also seeking an order that the Act will continue to govern non-consensual acts and those which take place with males under the age of 16.

If he is successful, it would mean that the right to privacy will include the right of two homosexual men to engage in intercourse in privacy without facing the risk of being charged with a criminal offence.

Jaghai is contending that to date the Government has not given an undertaking that it will repeal the sections of the Offences Against the Person Act under which homosexuals can be charged.

He argues that the Government continues to violate his right to privacy and equality before the law as guaranteed by the Charter of Rights.

The number now stands at eleven the number of parties joining the case in opposition to the continued constitutionality of the buggery law, 8 of which will be known as the churches and represented by Miss Coley Nicholson all the applicants were allowed in by the judge and the Marcus Garvey Movement is expected to join as well to make it twelve if successful; to make sure the matter proceeds smoothly all parties must file affidavits.

groups include:

Lawyers Christian Fellowship

Hear the Children's Cry (Betty-Ann Blaine)

Citizens for Truth and Justice (Catholics)

Love March Movement

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society

Jamaica Association of Evangelicals

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Independent Churches (Bishop Adegold)

Holiness Christian Church

Christian Brethren Assemblies of Jamaica

Church of God in Jamaica.

There is some concern that there maybe hearsay evidence in Mr Jaghai's affidavit which is against the rules of evidence, the judge rule that a further affidavit be done to remove the offending parts before the matter is heard again on October 4, 2013.

Javed said he is in no way swayed by today's outcome and glad the matter is progressing: 

"For me it was refreshing getting the matter in court and getting the scheduling rolled out, I am super excited to be part of a really progressive movement towards equability in Jamaica and I am actually proud to be here today to be representing countless LGBT Jamaicans who deserve recognition who deserve love and who need to know they have human rights they have constitutional rights that should be protected and hopefully this case is one step to that kind of outcome." 

Dr Wayne West’s continued intellectual dishonesty on fisting felching & chariot racing by homosexuals in Jamaica

Firstly homosexuality is not just about sex and a perception by some of our opponents as a supposed desire as gay or bisexual persons to convert, impose or force non homosexuals into committing gay sex or becoming gay as if one can influence sexual orientation by mere pressure, the rest is by choice (excluding the odd case of abuse where psychological control of another is the motivator NOT SEX as in prison rape etc) worse yet an insatiable appetite to enter another’s excretory crevice if you will, if one were to follow some of these speakers aligned to or involved in the religious right movement one would get the impression we are doing the aforementioned incessantly such as an older comment by for example noted outgoing political Ombudsman Bishop Hero Blair on a World Focus interview where he said he did not want his sons to be turned gay by another man.

Now the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS's co-chair and founder Dr Wayne West has been on a quest in recent months to in his words “prove moral nihilism” by the gay lobby locally and by extension with international help as he ascribes universality of a world view that LGBT persons are operating on a principle of anything goes without boundaries as it were and looping us all as aesthesis, humanists, secularists or an embodiment of the anti-Christ for that matter. LGBT Christians probably need to speak out more than their atheistic counterparts to debunk this notion being made into a fact for some, probably due to the fact they have gotten so much prime time attention.

I doubt the gay lobby for all intents and purposes of which I have some near twenty years involvement outside of its own sometimes flawed agitation which I have openly pointed out and opposed seek to usurp the law or any moral codes for that matter when privacy and consent are pinged to our call for the repeal or decriminalization of buggery it is in fact in respect to morals why the insistence as matters of sexual decisions are private ones as already exists in the hetero-normative if not patriarchal construct that now obtains. Just mere public romantic displays of affection between heterosexual lovers are not so popular (except dry humping act carnival or a dancehall setting proving the paradox that we are and highly sexualised our culture is) not even on the famed valentine’s day activities that have become so commercialized. Nihilism suggests numbness to governmental authority then if so would there have been some uprising already or widespread buggerers plugging every adult male owned rectum they could find, given the believe system that we are here to convert or make others into buggerers themselves?As captioned in the post’s title nearly every time Dr Wayne West gets a chance to be it on television, radio or on his blog on Wordpress he lumps penile anal sexual activity by gay men and the push for the repeal or decriminalization of buggery in Jamaica as seeking rights for fisting (use of one’s fist to penetrate another’s anus for sexual pleasure) scat (playing with or use of faecal matter as lube for penile, object, sex-toy or fist penetration or eating of such residue) and felching (eating sperm from another’s rectum), bare backing though one the rise does not just by my cultural examination lead to ejaculation in another’s rectum. He goes as far as to post links to scat sites and repeatedly publishes overseas studies sometimes very old ones on HIV infection and other psycho socially linked matters with reparative therapy hints and while doing so omits the sections that do not suit his strategy and also deliberately not include links to the full documents so one can peruse them for their own enlightenment of edification, thank God for Google.

Strange for someone who is opposed to homosexuality, one wonders if these are his own fantasy playing out in opposition to homosexuality or a hit at his own gay son? (photo below)

Besides we know via studies that sometimes the vehemently homo-opposing bigot in public is sometimes a closet case.

To complain of moral nihilism is one thing as it totally overlooks any remote chance of LGBT Christians ever existing in Jamaica but also dishonestly paints atheists as gay, a lumping many heterosexual atheists have been rejecting such generalizations and a cry that has been getting louder but to now use deceptive intellectual gymnastics similar to his own gay son Dr Keon West (above) whose recent piece on gay marriage in the Jamaica Observer entitled Out of Many One People presented a kind of pernicious attempt to push tolerance supposedly on our behalf, an intolerant view of intolerance if you will one can recall the dress down he got from noted seasoned journalist Ian Boyne in his Gleaner In Focus piece dated October 21, 2012 where he described the veiled attempt under the guise of intellectualism to show a supposed muzzling of freedom of speech at the time when the anti gay group Love March carried out a public demonstration on the buggery law’s retention.

Now it seems on the opposing side like son like father a similar style is being presented to us and we must also call out this Manichaean style or a that is so easily employed to oppose homosexuality or any thrust for recognition and rights. If morality which includes by the way truth, ethical and fiduciary responsibility are to be the pillars which Dr West (the father) is standing on to promote nihilism well he is not doing a good job, for that past several posts on his blog he alludes to the extreme anal practices and fetishes as normative for gay men especially those of local African descent which most of us are, he often precedes his entries with terms such as legalizing fisting felching, for example:

‘The “rights by stealth” strategy to fisting, felching, rimming, farming, scat, chariot racing etc’

Dunce, Diseased and Depraved . (suggesting anal sex is by depraved persons)

And

Legal rights to anal penetration, felching and chariot racing ?

Sure we choose whether to practice receptive or penetrative anal activity and or rimming he knows very well that sexual acts do not define an individual but I can assure him it is by penile penetration mainly. The only thing remotely close to a fist or on a fist that may be used as foreplay before the act is committed (and if it is done at all as outer-coursal pleasure can be just as good including a good blowjob) is a finger which is used to probe or prepare the orifice for entry or to apply water based lubricant or in some cases as in the older days before the visibility of such helpful implements lotion, Vaseline or butter in extreme cases were substituted for lube. This information is readily available in previous studies involving members of the population.

Fisting, Felching, Fishing, Scarring and Chariot Racing are not widely practised if any here in Jamaica that I can assure Dr West as while Jamaica MSM enjoy anal pleasure we are clear on not going the route of the “dutty foot” designation, as for condoms those are used but we can argue as to the proper application of such barriers hence the high rates of HIV in the MSM population. The colloquial term is used to describe someone who in a passive/receptive position may have inadvertently soiled their partner during intercourse is "dutty foot" which can happen but can be avoided and that reputation can be most embarrassing in the community if found out or revealed by the aggrieved but most cases not even the aggrieved party wants that reputation to be out there either as he too may find himself the brunt of relentless teasing, the same pride and saving face that exists in the mainstream about cleanliness in certain things also exists here in or community so for Dr West to think we are shit lovers is a deliberate ploy to place some shock value to his cause and his readers about anal sex.

ways of applying fleet enemas to flush the anal region and an actual fleet that is now available locally

Anal penile penetration is not the untidy affair as he would want to make it out to be I have repeatedly said this via my own blogs and podcasts as many pharmacies nationally even in rural areas no longer hide related paraphernalia behind the counter any more where one would have to whisper to the clerk for them but now even in the caustic climate that we are in can purchase lube, fleet and disposable enema kits and flushing packages quite openly barring the failure of nerves and prying eyes of those who perceive such products are only bought by gays. I have had my own share of stares when making my purchase but I feel proud doing so at least I am fresh and prepared for any eventuality.

After all enemas are not only for pre-anal sex cleansing but also for persons with bowel movement issues, persons with constipation problems and some elderly patients who need supervised living services via homes and a caregiver and other medical challenges regarding the extremities.

Rimming (oral anal contact which does not necessarily mean penetration by such method – a tongue) is also not such a wide practice locally just by cultural observation again, scientifically it may be difficult to capture how wide spread this is done but given the above mentioned enema methods now part and parcel of some of the HIV prevention strategies for MSM though much more is needed I can imagine there is some interest. As for chariot racing (A sexual position involving four individuals. Most commonly two men and two women, but four men can also enjoy this position) we hardly have that here again from cultural observation group sexual activity between SGL persons is usually not so cooperative and more with one dominant partner or several dominant partners and one passive etc.

I doubt we will ever see signs like this any-time in our country, besides such private practices are left to individual choice and may not necessarily become mainstream even by gay/bi male standards as we come to see since the long standing discourse about anal sexual practices overseas.

photo from Raunchy Laundry

Even if we were to look at fisting and the others that Dr West so readily use to promote his arguments not to free up buggery (when he could very well be promoting them for us and the public to become used to in the long run hence the shock value is diminished) fisters have their own set of products for preparation of such a far more painful but somewhat pleasurable episode as we know the anal region is lined with mucous membranes that assist with sensation (how else could you know if you want to use the bathroom?) just Google fisting products and see the results and to numb the pain the resourceful poppers are available which is also used by heterosexual couples who practice double penile penetration, Dr West is silent on that part where straight couples do other forms of penetrative acts. Poppers come to mind although concerns have been expressed about users experiencing low iron levels or hemolytic Anemia.

internet image of an example of a described fister inhaling the substance from a Poppers bottle to numb the pain of the exercise of fisting

Fisters, felchers et al exists in sub sub cultures of the greater men who have sex communities worldwide but mostly in Euro and Caucasian populations in such groups as bikers, skinheads (racist or not), leather communities (which may include persons of African descent in the US I have noticed) and a few others so I just want to smash in any way this notion being paraded by the goodly doctor that such practices are universally practised.

 His colleague Reverend Clinton Chisholm recently held a seminar on Homosexuality Clinical and Biblical Perspectives in April of this year where old US based NARTH, National Association for Psychoanalytic Research and Therapy of Homosexuals commissioned studies were readily presented and believed by mostly supporters in attendance and of course the sanitized and monitored question and answer section showed the need to tailor the narrative dishonestly to suit the anti-gay push, very little room was allowed for pro-gay audience members to speak. 

Let us also not forget his Gleaner article on February 5, 2012 entitled Homosexuality: Clinical Realities where he promoted for the most part reparative therapy also using NARTH’s misrepresented studies bearing in mind several researchers have complained, distance themselves and even taken legal action against the entity but such studies are still being paraded as the pariah to justify their opposition to homosexuality and related rights. He looked at pederasty for example where he said the Greeks had sex with boys when data on the matter it was teens that were favoured, to use “boy” suggests homo-paedophile abuse or sexual assault a subtle to paint adult male homosexuals as predators when the most common form of same-sex relationships between males in Greece was "paiderastia" meaning "boy love". It was a relationship between an older male and an adolescent youth. 

A boy was considered a "boy" until he was able to grow a full beard. In Athens the older man was called erastes, he was to educate, protect, love, and provide a role model for his eromenos, whose reward for him lay in his beauty, youth, and promise.

The roots of Greek pederasty lie in the tribal past of Greece, before the rise of the city-state as a unit of political organization. These tribal communities were organized according to age groups. When it came time for a boy to embrace the age group of the adult and to "become a man," he would leave the tribe in the company of an older man for a period of time that constituted a rite of passage. This older man would educate the youth in the ways of Greek life and the responsibilities of adulthood.

The rite of passage undergone by Greek youths in the tribal prehistory of Greece evolved into the commonly known form of Greek pederasty after the rise of the city-state, or polis. Greek boys no longer left the confines of the community, but rather paired up with older men within the confines of the city. These men, like their earlier counterparts, played an educational and instructive role in the lives of their young companions; likewise, just as in earlier times, they shared a sexual relationship with their boys. Penetrative sex, however, was seen as demeaning for the passive partner, and outside the socially accepted norm.

An elaborate social code governed the mechanics of Greek pederasty. It was the duty of the adult man to court the boy who struck his fancy, and it was viewed as socially appropriate for the younger man to withhold for a while before capitulating to his mentor's desires. This waiting period allowed the boy to ensure that his suitor was not merely interested in him for sexual purposes but felt a genuine emotional affection for him and was interested in assuming the mentor role assigned to him in the pederastic paradigm. The age limit for pederasty in ancient Greece seems to encompass, at the minimum end, boys of twelve years of age. To love a boy below the age of twelve was considered inappropriate, but no evidence exists of any legal penalties attached to this sort of practice. Traditionally, a pederastic relationship could continue until the widespread growth of the boy's body hair, when he is considered a man. Thus, the age limit for the younger member of a pederastic relationship seems to have extended from 12 to about 17 years of age.

The ancient Greeks, in the context of the pederastic city-states, were the first to describe, study, systematize, and establish pederasty as a social and educational institution. It was an important element in civil life, the military, philosophy and the arts.There is some debate among scholars about whether pederasty was widespread in all social classes, or largely limited to the aristocracy.

Simon Levay's 2010 book

Even with the inconclusive results of the genetic basis for homosexuality (as he quoted Simon LeVay – the researcher who looked at INAH3/brain development) Rev Chisholm like Dr West still hold the view that homosexuality is a lifestyle and nothing more and is based on pure need for illicit sex and nothing more. I am convinced it is not for ignorance of Dr West et al part why such a strategy has been taken using this lumping method but a calculated attempt to used shock and disgust of what persons perceived penile anal penetration to be diving in a cesspool and to play on that supposed disgust to thrust the anti gay agenda. Let us also not forget straight couples practice buggery too, whether the buggerer is bisexual is immaterial at this juncture.

Here is one of his quotes from his blog:

“Fools rush in where wise men never go”

The secular worldview which is driving the LGBTTTI agenda is amazing for its incoherence.

The ideologues claim “rights” when in their philosophical framework human beings can have no more rights than any other animal which has evolved from undirected and purposeless chance.

More than that, in their philosophical framework there can be no law as there can be neither free will nor objective morality.

Consistent with this incoherence secularists regard eating faeces (scat) and sucking semen out of each other’s rectums (felching) as “normal and positive” behaviours.

Naturally and predictably disease in this population is high yet the incoherents are agitating and voting themselves oxymorons such as same-sex marriage.

Despite the overwhelming scientific data which indicates that Men who have Sex with Men have higher levels of HIV and STIs the incoherents resort to name calling (haters, bigots and homophobes) to pursue a destructive lifestyle.”

To focus on “the sex” rather than the holistic approach for the same sex attracted individual and other variants in developing understanding even if one is opposed to the sexual aspects of the orientation smacks of open religious intolerance on a deceptive platform. We have seen over the years the powerful Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship as well to which Dr West is also aligned constantly referring to homosexuality as a “lifestyle” than orientation as if to infer it does not innately exist.

How can we ever challenge these men with varying forms of deception and to think they cause the gay lobby of being deceptive as well?

Truth wins out always on all fronts I say. We may have very well given the religious right some of the ammunition they now use as our own narratives and the lobby has been flawed as well and sometimes frothed with half truths too that I will admit but can two wrongs make it right or can opposing sides ever arrive at a workable place?

Left in time to be seen, anal penile penetration is here to stay Dr West or as in local parlance “batty sweet” it is not the untidy affair he wants his followers to believe and we certainly don’t practice fisting, felching, chariot racing in any large numbers or if any. The attempt to universalise those practices with our local populations is downright dishonest at no time be it in the Parliamentary submission from 1998 or the agitation prior to that nor in any discourse for the law’s removal or at the HIV prevention level were any additional non-penile anal practice added or hinted to apart from buggery as we know it via penile penetration to my knowledge. Sex toy usage was only discussed as a safer sex method at the HIV prevention level and as an additional form of sexual play to enhance relationships for academic purposes, data collection for such activities is not easy to come by and we are not a culture just yet though seemingly increasing that uses toys and shops that retail them as substitutes or enhancers for homosexual or heterosexual sex for that matter.

Finally my last comment on his post on Dunce, Diseased and Depraved

has not been published as he has a right not to approve such but I hit the nail on the head with his deception I think, selective reading and interpretation of a study as detailed as this is again downright deception at work, it read in part:

“ .......lol continued intellectual dishonesty here via ascribing universality to felching, fisting and scatting (your favourites) to an American demographic with anal penile penetration and to think nowhere in the abstract/study itself spoke to the latter practices.

Moral nihilism indeed but whose part I now wonder when this is your strategy here when relegating a group as depraved, who are you to judge?

NOWHERE IN THE FULL STUDY which I read were the other practices you so readily try to ping onto MSM as general practice appeared in this study as factors.
hhhmmmmmm who is Dunce now dear Doc or for that matter depraved when you sink to this level to misrepresent data to suit your own agenda?

The Conclusion you posted above from the study raises the fundamental question: WHY?

"Compared with MSW, MSM differed significantly on all demographics and reported a higher prevalence of condom use at last sex (62.9% vs. 38.3%) and of past-year HIV testing (53.6% vs. 27.2%) but also more past-year sex partners. MSM HIV and P&S syphilis rates were 2526.9/100,000 and 707.0/100,000, each of which was over 140 times MSW rates. Rates were highest among young and black MSM. Over 4 years, HIV rates more than doubled and P&S syphilis rates increased 6-fold among 18-year-old to 29-year-old MSM."

The rest of the study which you conveniently left off this post speaks to several other factors:

http://www.natap.org/2011/HIV/Men_Who_Have_Sex_With_Men_Have_a_140_Fold_Higher.8.pdf

HIV/AIDS Surveillance Registry Health care providers and laboratories are required by law to report new cases of HIV infection and HIV illness and AIDS cases to the NYC DOHMH. We extracted data on males aged 18–64 years who were newly diagnosed with HIV (with or without AIDS) between 2005 and 2008 and reported to the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Registry through June 2010. Data included patient race/ethnicity, and age and transmission risk at the time of HIV diagnosis. Males reporting a history of sex with males, either as a sole risk factor or with injection drug use (3.4% of the 6767 known MSM with new HIV diagnoses from 2005 through 2008) comprised the numerator for the estimated rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM.

Consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of heterosexual risk, males whose reported transmission risk was a history of sex with females with a history of haemophilia HIV infection, injection drug use, transplant, or transfusion were classified as MSW. Among HIV-diagnosed male cases with known transmission risk, 81% were MSM, 11% were MSW, and 8% had other reported risk; 29% had unknown transmission risk at the time of report, which is comparable with the national figure.7 STD Surveillance Registry Health care providers and laboratories are required by law to report reactive syphilis tests and syphilis of any stage to the NYC DOH MH, whose staff attempt to interview all P&S syphilis cases. We extracted case reports for males aged 18–64 years diagnosed with P&S syphilis between 2005 and 2008. 

Reports included race/ethnicity, age at diagnosis, and sex of partner for interviewed cases (61% of male cases). Interviewed males reporting sex with males or with both males and females during the referent period (3 months before diagnosis for primary and 6 months before diagnosis for secondary syphilis) were defined as the numerator for the estimated rate of P&S syphilis diagnoses among MSM. Males reporting sex with only females during the referent period comprised the numerator for the rate among MSW. Among P&S syphilis–diagnosed male cases with known sex of partner, 89% were MSM and 11% were MSW. Due to lack of interview or refusal to report sex of partners, 42% of male

P&S cases could not be classified as MSM or MSW.........................

Another important piece of this study that must not be overlooked is the authors' recognition of the flaws in data collection at source via the health systems - "................. A critical step is improving STD/HIV screening and testing coverage to increase the number of persons who are aware of their infections, which can lead to behaviour change, decrease secondary transmission,and link infected individuals to care, treatment, and prevention services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 STD Treatment Guidelines call for annual STD/HIV screening for sexually active MSM and more frequent screening for MSM who report high-risk behaviours To achieve this, it is imperative that providers are skilled in identifying MSM. A substantial proportion of MSM do not identify as gay. Therefore, providers need to be competent at taking a non judgemental sexual history that ascertains sex of sex partners and specific sexual practices with all partners.

In conclusion some of us do read and check to verify and not simply accept your word or that of others with your own form of subtle deception."

also see: Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS continued confusion of paedophilia & consenting homosexuality.

Peace and tolerance

H

US Supreme Court Wait Continues For Same-Sex Couples

Marriage equality proponent Kat McGuckin of Oaklyn, New Jersey, holds a gay marriage pride flag while standing in front of the Supreme Court, Nov. 30, 2012.
Image by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

On Monday, the Supreme Court again gave no word on the status of several cases addressing the rights of gay and lesbian couples. Next news could come Friday.
WASHINGTON — After a weekend of waiting, the Supreme Court issued no word Monday morning on the status of several cases involving same-sex couples' marriage rights. The justices are scheduled to reconsider the cases at their next conference, Dec. 7.

No new cases were granted in an order list issued on Monday morning, including the cases challenging the Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8. None of the cases' petitions were denied by the court either, meaning they remain before the justices.

The justices had been slated to consider 10 petitions on Nov. 30 asking the court to review various cases challenging DOMA, Proposition 8, and an Arizona law that would rescind domestic partner benefits to state employees. Although it is possible the cases were considered at that conference, the dockets for the petitions were updated Monday morning to state that the justices will consider them at their Dec. 7 conference.

The justices could continue to consider the petitions beyond the Dec. 7 conference; however, that would mean a delay of nearly a month for any likely decision on them, as the next conference after that is not scheduled to take place until the new year, on Jan. 4.

The Proposition 8 Case Supreme Court Docket:

thanks to Chris from Buzzfeed for this again the buzz has been providing excellent details on this development. 

Some surmise that they are afraid that it would end up as a 5-4 decision to support full equality for all. So they are using the typical route of delay, delay, delay. Maine is expected to commence their gay marriages on December 29th while in Nevada a Federal judge says the state can ban same sex marriage, in the judgement handed down Judge Robert C. Jones, a George W. Bush appointee, found that the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection of the laws does not "[prohibit] the People of the State of Nevada from maintaining statutes that reserve the institution of civil marriage to one-man–one-woman relationships."

Jones ruled that a prior Supreme Court precedent — a 1972 case, Baker v. Nelson, that denied a same-sex couple's marriage claim as lacking any "substantial federal question" — controlled his decision. Even if not, he ruled that the "exclusion of same-sex couples from the institution of civil marriage" was constitutional "[b]ecause the maintenance of the traditional institution of civil marriage as between one man and one woman is a legitimate state interest."

In reaching his decision, Jones found that a classification like Nevada's marriage law, which distinguishes between heterosexual and homosexual people (his analysis did not address bisexuality), should not be viewed with additional scrutiny, as are laws that distinguish based on sex or race. The analysis, made as part of challenges claiming a violation of the Constitution's equal protection guarantees, asks whether the group claiming discrimination under the law has experienced a history of discrimination and continues to face levels of political powerlessness.

In these areas, Jones found — contrary to a recent decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals — that gay and lesbian people did not exhibit the characteristics necessary for additional protection.

"Homosexuals have not historically been denied the right to vote, the right to serve on juries, or the right to own property," he wrote, in dismissing claims of a history of discrimination. Noting recent ballot successes on marriage issues, Jones wrote, "It simply cannot be seriously maintained, in light of these and other recent democratic victories, that homosexuals do not have the ability to protect themselves from discrimination through democratic processes such that extraordinary protection from majoritarian processes is appropriate."

Once Jones decided that "rational basis," the lowest type of scrutiny, would be applied to Nevada's prohibition on allowing same-sex couples to marry, he quickly found several reasons for upholding the differential treatment.

"The protection of the traditional institution of marriage, which is a conceivable basis for the distinction drawn in this case, is a legitimate state interest," he began, adding that if the state recognized same-sex couples' marriages, "it is conceivable that a meaningful percentage of heterosexual persons would cease to value the civil institution as highly as they previously had and hence enter into it less frequently ... because they no longer wish to be associated with the civil institution as redefined."

More as the developments unfold, these are interesting times even as our local lawmakers' delay of the suggested buggery review by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (then in opposition) in the last election debate however opposition spokesman on Justice Delroy Chuck today lamented that there was so much free time in the houses as there are no major law altering bills on the order paper as legislators spend little time doing nothing much these days which seems to put a cloud over the PNP's delay in reviewing the problematic law. 

Lest we also not forget that the delay was hinted to by a young first time member of parliament Damion Crawford who at one point jeered at the suggestion by his boss at a function earlier this year:

originally aired on CVM TV February

Also the fear by anti buggery/gay advocates for the futuristic gay marriage rights that they see as coming on the heels of a buggery review they also suggest there will be prosecution eventually for persons who remotely speak out against any same sex related matter. I say highly unlikely.

Other evidence of the fear coming from sections the religious movement came from the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy society, JCHS where instead of really doing things to foster a healthy and inclusive nation it pays hundreds of thousands for full paged ads in newspapers yet thousands literally are homeless and hungry on our streets. Here is an ad that came out after dancehall/reggae artist made a mockery of our 50th celebrations by hitting out at gay marriage (a right never asked for in Jamaica)

Where are the priorities here? well that may change one day when we all get some sense in our heads. 

also see from Gay Jamaica Watch: The US Supreme Court's Four Most Likely Moves On Gay/Lesbian Couples' Marriage Rights .............

Peace and tolerance

H

also see the following for some more background on the other GLBTQJA blogs: 

MoBay Church Fraternity Says No To Buggery Review 

Vatican vows to fight gay marriage after gains made on sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica

Group braces for costly fight against gays

Gay Parenting (a view on the ground) (an oldie)

Gleaner - Prime Minister Golding: No to same-sex unions

No Same Sex Marriage says Prime Minister in Charter of rights  (Bruce Golding)

2008 - Brazil's President backs same-sex unions

Same-Sex Marriage A Misnomer, Fraud (Gleaner Letter) and my response to it.

CHURCH ANGRY, GAYS HAPPY PNP ON COLLISION COURSE WITH CHRISTIANS ………………. BUT SOME OF US ARE NOT IMPRESSED

BUGGERY LAW BACKLASH – BLAIR: THE CHURCH HAS BEEN SLEEPING – BLAIR WARNS REVIEW COULD LEAD TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

NOT READY FOR GAYS ……. GAY MARRIAGE SMOKE SCREEN REINTRODUCED ……………. POLITICAL DODGING

REV AL MILLER SAYS GAY LOBBY IS USING THE GUISE OF TOLERANCE TO GET THE NATION TO ACCEPT THE “GAY LIFESTYLE” ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

Gay Canadian pastors optimistic Ja will repeal buggery law while local JCHS group says no way

VANCOUVER, Canada — Tim Stephenson is a former Canadian government minister, a current city councillor of Vancouver, and an ordained pastor, while Reverend Gary Paterson holds one of the highest positions in the United Church of Canada as its elected leader/moderator.

But the extensive political and religious accomplishments of both men are not what these two Canadians are most known for. In Stephenson's case, it is the title of being the first openly gay man to be ordained a church minister in Canada, while for Paterson, it is the historic election of a gay man as moderator within this once ultra-conservative denomination.

The two, who have been legally married for the greater part of the 33 years and have lived together as partners, sat down at City Hall earlier last week to have a frank discussion with a Jamaica delegation of journalists and policymakers here in Vancouver participating in a knowledge exchange sesson organised by Panos Caribbean in partnership with Simon Fraser University and the Vancouver Initiative.

"We sometimes define ourselves as church and state sleeping together," Stephenson quipped as he began the conversation.

He added further, "it took me 12 years to get ordained as a minister as the church wrestled with the issue".

Both men have been previously married to women, with Paterson fathering three daughters from his union.

As a member of Canada's New Democratic Party, Stephenson said he was elected as the first openly gay member of the legislature, then deputy speaker of the House, and subsequently cabinet minister, before his party lost power after a five-year stint in office.Following this defeat, Stephenson said he returned to the church congregation to serve as minister before heading back to politics, this time to run for City Councillor 11 years ago. He has been re-elected four times, and was also appointed the Canadian representative to China.

Paterson had been ordained as the lead minister in the church before he disclosed his status as a gay man.

"The church struggled with me and Tim as ministers, although I was ordained when I was a married man," he said.

Explaining the journey, Paterson said the United Church started to do educational work around homosexuality as far back as the 1980s, staging various workshops to help people get comfortable with the issue.

"In 1984, we produced the first report that there should be no contradiction between being Christian and gay," he said, adding that there was extensive consultation done across Canada.Out of this it was recommended that gay men and lesbians be allowed full membership in the church. Not everybody took the news with an open heart and mind, as about 10 per cent left the church. However, Paterson said, for the most part, the other 90 per cent were comfortable with the decision. Currently, 20 per cent of the church's members are gay.

In the discussions that followed, Paterson said the evangelical church accused them of not being Christians, while the Catholics avoided the issue altogether.

Now, he says a large number of the church's membership consists of "refugees" from evangelical churches; persons he said have been "damaged" by their old church's beliefs.

"A lot of gay persons went to church because there is a belief that if you pray to Jesus you won't be gay, but psychological studies prove there is just cessation of sex," he said.

As such, Paterson said a part of his ministry is to reach out to people who have been badly damaged by the Christian church.

Turning to the biblical stance on homosexuality, Paterson said Jesus Christ never had anything to say about homosexuality, but had a lot to say about divorce and yet the church has been able to find ways to get around the dissolution of marriage.

"In fact, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of the people's inhospitality, and not because of the act of homosexuality," he opined.

Questioned as to whether there is some truth to the statement that the gay community is becoming the most powerful and influential group on the planet Paterson dismissed the notion.

"That statement is ridiculous and comes from fear... sometimes gay people have influence and sometimes they don't," he said.

As a lawmaker, Stephenson was instrumental in allowing gay Canadian men to adopt children and to change the definition of the word 'spouse'.In fact, Paterson believes children raised by gay couples are stronger and more resilient, as they learn how to deal with differences and how to cope with bullying at school.
Paterson, who said he discovered his love for men from age 13, said he initially told his wife he was bisexual, but she was willing to give the relationship a chance.

"We had seven years of marriage, and when it ended we made a decision to share the parenting of the girls and not live more than 10 blocks away from each other," he said.

Stephenson, who left his five-year marriage without fathering any children, said he quickly fit into the parenting role.The men said they usually travel around the world on vacation as a couple and are looking forward to visiting Jamaica, although they have heard the stories that "it is a difficult place for gay people".
They however expressed optimism that the Jamaican buggery laws will eventually be repealed.

"I think Jamaica will change its laws and things will get different," Paterson said.

The couple say they have been invited to the United Church in Bermuda and are looking forward to sharing there.

Read more HERE

Meanwhile Dr. Wayne West of the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, JCHS who happen to also be planning an event on Human Rights Day December 10 speaking on the backdrop of the Russian resolution on family life back in October of this year he said " .... No I'm not persuaded for that at all because I am confident that unlike countries like maybe the United States & England who operate apparently on slogans than facts than in Jamaica persons in the media will bring the philosophical considerations to the Jamaican people .......... once the Jamaican people understand that once you start a line of policy making that makes the assumption there is no purpose in the universe that anything can be anything ....." he gave the impression that all kinds of bizarre things may become normative. Then came the HIV is a gay disease trope once again where he said "We know among men who have sex with men they make certain choices and definitions of sex which result in serious diseases in this group, when that consideration is brought to the Jamaican policy makers I am confident that those things will not become law in Jamaica." he continued "I don't expect any such changes in the law."

He continued in referring to the "no design" philosophy driving the push for rights and twisting the traditional views of the family hence the Home and Family Life curriculum's push for supposed an anything goes mantra and that such philosophies are being pushed by the elite classes especially those in the humanities at universities here. "What we are having being imposed on us is what Aristotle said should not be a basis for law, desire simply desire is not a basis for law." he continued he went on also about the world view that now obtains and that all things are relative. He said there is a denial of purpose and an elevation of desire to the detriment of the good of the society. The coalition also had placed a full paged ad in the GLEANER newspaper on Friday last a most expensive venture if one cares to check but I do not see them looking at the poor amongst us nor the children who gays are supposedly preying on, conditioning as it regularly termed since the HFLE fiasco or influencing, so much for a healthy society indeed when the obvious matters are of no direct concern to them yet privacy must be invaded to push an anti gay agenda. What hypocrisy, what about the homeless and children in adult lockups, the rapes and so on how comes this coalition is so silent in those departments? 

I would imagine that a real healthy society would have inclusiveness as its mantra despite sexual orientation and deal with those who are the least amongst us.

My other main concern is the repeated uninformed comments from foreigners who clearly do not understand the local parameters with our struggle. Jamaica is NOT Canada and our political representatives are not at the point yet for a mature, non-emotional and balanced debate towards a solution in this matter of the buggery law seeing that securing political expediency is of far greater import coupled with some powerful out of touch advocates who seem to care about their personal achievements at the expense of a gullible community more so than the growth of the collective.

Recent pronouncements by the Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson point to a public health reason that of high rates of HIV infections in the MSM group (despite the last study results not out as yet) as a plausible one for the repeal or decriminalization of buggery. While the government through its information Minister made it clear that is on the back burner for now.

see:

HIV/AIDS Deaths Dip ..but ......................

and a podcast on the government's delay on the suggested buggery review

Peace and tolerance

H