IS THAT A FAIR PRICE TO PAY?

(PHOTO CAPTIONS: Mob Violence against reported homosexuals in Jamaica.)


I've had this topic on my mind now for the past couple of weeks. Well ever since THE STAR, outed former Rising Stars contestant Kyino Cunningham. If you don't know the story, THE STAR ran a story about Cunningham and a dread locked male taking a shower together on some kind of video recording that was being circulated on the internet. Now, there was no sexual act that was shown, however, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that homeboy is either gay or bi-sexual - both lifestyles which are hated in Jamaica.

I tried finding a link to the story, but Go Jamaica, the people who designed and run THE STAR's website, have not made it the most user friendly, so if it's there I can't find it.

But anyway, after reading the story on Kyino, I must admit the voyeuristic side of me instantly went in to search mode. I had to find this video. And find it I did. The links were removed the following day and I have not been able to find any of them since. But after watching the two clips, I instantly started to feel dread for the young man.

You see Jamaica, is still an intensely homophobic society. Simply put "we nuh like dem people deh". So intense is the dislike that "a bun ah chi chi man" tune is a rite of passage for our entertainers. And who can blame them? If you play Buju Banton's "Boom Bye Bye" or T.O.K's "Chi Chi Man" you get instant forwards in every session, even the gay ones. Many Jamaicans openly ostracize homosexuals, nobody wants them for their friends and worse their family. And of course let's not neglect the acts of violence that are rained upon homosexuals, for doing what to them is natural. I mean so endemic is homophobia that Jamaica has laws against buggery. As in men who engage in that sex act can go to prison.

And it's all really sad when you stop to think about it. I mean really think about it. What is society, any part of it, doing in the bedrooms of consenting adults? Who gives anybody the right to criticise what anybody does in the privacy of their own homes, or hotel rooms or wherever? And in Jamaica, as well as many other parts of the world, we take it a step further, we actually allow law enforcement to get involved, wow!

Well it doesn't sit right with me. Not that homosexuality sits right with me either. But I decided long ago, that it's not my place to judge. I am not God, and I think He strictly said He's the only one that has that right. And yes, He has condemned the act, but somehow I think God is totally capable of exacting His own punishment on those who violate His laws.

So where did Jamaicans get it that we were God's helpers? I mean sexual "immorality" is nothing new to us right? Lots of us engage in sex out of wedlock; many of us are adulterers; some of us prefer the feel of nubile virgin underage flesh to that of the adult of the specie and there are even those of us who say we are heterosexual but enjoy performing some very homosexual like acts on members of the opposite sex - so who are we kidding? But I guess that's just the nature of Jamaican society, where the double standard reigns supreme.

I for one feel sad for Kyino, his family and his friends. Nobody knows what the future holds for this young man, who in all honesty was causing no harm to anybody, but who has now been labelled for life as a pariah by a self righteous, violence prone society. I pray nothing bad happens to him or his loved ones, but I fear that the only way he can ensure that is to probably choose to not make Jamaica his home. Now you tell me is that a fair price to pay for being true to one's self?

PS: I chose not upload Kyino's photo, I think he's had more than enough people looking at him.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

I was planning to blog about the latest scandal surrounding the PNP - the Cuban Light Bulb Affair. But then I thought what was the use, they were and are thieves - a fact as well known as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. I guess why it bothers me was I was a true and strident supporter of that party, even one day planned to run on the PNP ticket in some election. Now, if I was ever approached what I would tell the approacher would force my own mother to disown me. I don't know if I'll ever return to the fold of the comrades and raise my fist singing "Jamaica Arise", I doubt that I will - so sickened am I of them that I just might become the 'Mutty' of the blogosphere. But enough of Portia and her thousand thieves, since we all know this is yet another PNP scandal which will go the way of all the others from Shell waiver to Trafigura - ain't nutten gonna happen.

Now on to the real topic of blogging. This morning I checked my gmail and in the spam box was the following message.
'REFERENCE NUMBER:UK/839030X2/14
BATCH NUMBER:065/088/XY24
TICKET NUMBER:023-1111-790-458
20Th october 2007

This email is to notify you that this email address was randomly
selected and entered into our free Third Category draws. You have
subsequently emerged a winner and therefore entitled to a substantial
amountof 552,000.00 Pounds.

For further information, kindly confirm receipt of this email, by
forwarding Your Details as states below to our claims department on
Email :verification2007deptunit@yahoo.co.uk

INFORMATION REQUESTED:
(a) Your full Name
(b) Contact address
(c) Your Telephone and fax numbers
(d) Your Age:
(e) Your occupation
(f) Your country of origin:

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,
Award Notification Team
UK GAMING HOUSE"

Now my first instinct was to email them back with some choice Jamaican language communicating my overwhelming desire that I be left alone, or I would be forced to have my criminal friends cause irreparable harm to them and theirs - all of this would be said in Jamaicanese, with the right doses of claat's mixed in! But then I started to think about it and I re-read the email, I wondered, how does anybody get caught in these scams?

In the past couple months, I've noticed a dramatic increase in the number of these emails in my inbox usually talking about some inheritance that has been seized and they need $50,000 or however much of MY MONEY to clear it. And my response is always the same "me look like me born big so?"

But yet some jackass, some idiot, some claffy always falls for it. And they of course contact this anonymous emailer, from a country they can't find on a map with a scenario more idiotic than a James Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan, all because they believe instant millions are just a wire transfer away.

I always wonder if these people who get caught up in these scams also believe that at the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold being guarded by a green clad leprechaun? Or maybe they believe that money really does grow on trees?

Whatever it is and as annoyed I am by the emails and the people who get caught in the scams, I am even more annoyed that police actually investigate these cases when people are ripped off. I really don't think the cops should be wasting their time trying to reunite an idiot with their money. The police's time would be better spent solving real crimes like murders, house break -ins, rapes - things where there are real and truly unsuspecting victims.

Can you imagine me being a detective and I get a call from some frantic person recounting this story about how they were contacted from Nigeria by somebody they have never met, and was suckered into parting with their life's savings? Well my response would be simple - click - and then dial tone. I wouldn't be investigating crap!

I mean let's just be honest, if you get caught up in a scam like that you DESERVE to lose your money, and if there was any real justice in the world you would be thrown in jail for as long as it takes to learn to put your brain in drive. It's about time people are prosecuted for being stupid.

Now, back to my latest anonymous emailer - I being fairly intelligent, googled the UK Gaming House and the first page all said how this thing was a scam. Here's one of the reports.
Let's just say, I won't be contacting them for my 552,000 pounds anytime soon. My parents always taught me to work hard for what I want, I think I'll just continue doing that, after all dem never raise no big head bud!