Ohio LGBT groups call for cancellation of Buju Banton show in Columbus

Paula BrooksSeveral Ohio LGBT rights groups, including Equality Ohio and the Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio have begun a campaign pushing for the cancellation of an upcoming performance by Reggae starBuju Banton in Columbus.

Messages from Equality Ohio and the Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio are being re-posted on Facebook, denouncing the reggae musician as homophobic for song lyrics that call for the murder of gays.
The Jamaican reggae singer’s music has in the past been blamed for inciting violence against LGBT’s and his 1992 song Boom Bye Bye called for shooting gays with Uzis and burning their skin with acid “like an old tire wheel.”

In June 2004, Banton and a gang of men broke into a house of near Banton’s Kingston recording studio and viciously beat six men he claimed were gay. After complaints from international human-rights groups, Banton was finally charged, but a Jamaican judge eventually dismissed the case for lack of evidence.

Last month concert promoters Live Nation and AEG canceled shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas and Houston.

The show, scheduled to take place at Columbus’ LC Lifestyles communities Pavilion on October 3rd is being sponsored by PromoWest Promotions.
Both Equality Ohio and Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio are encouraging people to call or email Amy Cooper, The Marketing Director at PromoWest Promotions at 614-461-5483 or amy@promowestlive.com to voice their concerns about this show.

of note at the time of this post the song is still available on YouTube:

UPDATE: September 15, 2010 a full year and plus after the original post the song is still posted on YouTube and all attempts to remove the track it's simply re-uploaded while Buju awaits his trial in a Florida maximum security facility to alleged drug charges.

Peace and tolerance.

H