Here is my two cents:
one of the stereotypical cartoons since
Here comes an article from the Gleaner today:
Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer
The Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches (JUGC) has broken its silence on last week's incident in which an alleged homosexual student was beaten at the University of Technology (UTech) in St Andrew.
"It is atrocious to have a university of young people who are supposed to be thinking rationally, and yet they are displaying savagery, brutality and violence. That doesn't augur well for the society. It is really a bad sign for the society," said Rev Donald Reece, who was speaking on behalf of the umbrella group yesterday.
Reece said if the students can be identified as having played a part in the beating, they should be punished.
The Catholic priest added that while the group would not ask the university to go as far as to expel the students found culpable, it had a responsibility to take reasonable disciplinary actions against them to show the society that such action should not be tolerated.
"I am not saying they should be dismissed but should be disciplined somehow. Have them do community service or whatever it is because, of course, (the security guards) have been disciplined, they have been fired from their job," Reece noted.
"Even though what they did was wrong, the students are more reprehensible because they should know better. Have them render some service to the society to let them realise that they are called to be responsible to the society and to humanity."
international media
In the meantime, he said with the incident already making its way into the glare of the international media the local churches were concerned that the reputation of the country would further deteriorate in the eyes of the world.
"But we are not just concerned about our reputation, we are concerned about us being able to live like good human beings without brutalising anybody and not to demand that other people's behaviour conforms to ours," he said.
"Even though I might not agree with their behaviour, I have to respect their choice and not impose my choice on anyone," Reece said.
In the meantime, the JUGC said it does not support violence towards anyone, irrespective of their beliefs or behaviour.
The JUGC said it "strongly denounces the acts of violence meted out to the UTech student who was alleged to have been found in a compromising homosexual situation."
"The JUGC is further appalled at the behaviour of the crowd, especially those who are students of UTech who represent the future of our society," the church body said in a media release yesterday.
The JUGC has called upon all Christians to live out the virtues of the Christian faith, exemplified by Jesus Christ.
Last Thursday night a male student at the UTech was reportedly set upon by a mob on the university's compound after he was allegedly caught "in a compromising position" with another male student. He reportedly sought refuge in one of the guard rooms on the campus, where two security guards employed to Marksman Limited were caught on camera hitting him all over his body. The two security guards have since been taken into police custody and are to face an identification parade.
ENDS
On Reverend Clinton Chisolm's morning show on Love 101FM he had three other men of the cloth who also condemned the mob attack luckily missing their intended target but the three on the show continued to suggest reparative therapy for the men (including the other missing party) in the alleged compromising position issue. Also see this letter as well from the Gleaner as well:
I am Jamaica-born, internationally educated, returning resident to the island. The incident at UTech is shameful and embarrassing.
Those students involved should have their careers, hopes and dreams taken from them, and they should be incarcerated, along with the security guards that beat that young man.
What happened is a hate crime, and such a crime needs to elicit harsh punishment to deter any such acts in the future.
strong solidarity
Jamaica is uneducated on the nature of homosexuality. Those of us who are more evolved have to stand up. If people didn't stand up during the civil-rights movement, nothing would have ever changed for the black man.
It is our responsibility to fight for those whose lives would be endangered if they dared to fight. I stand with you in this fight.
This is the 21st century. It is too late for Jamaica to remain backward on this issue. Enough is enough!
And for the record, I am a heterosexual woman.
NICOLA SEIXAS
nikkiseixas@gmail.com
ENDS
What was disturbing to me also was the fact that the institution had its graduation on Saturday November 3, 2012 and no mention was made of the issue where Shelly Ann Frazer was named ambassador for the institution.
also see:
and
Brutal Guards Must Pay For Sins
also see Reverend Clinton Chisholm's letter:
Mob Mentality Is Reprehensible
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I want to register my outrage and outright denunciation of what was done to the student at the University of Technology, Jamaica, at the instigation of a security guard.
To assault another person because you disagree with his sexual behaviour is reprehensible and criminal, and part of the despicable mob mentality that ought not to be allowed in a modern civil society.
Incidentally, Christians who think the young man got what he deserved should confess those sinful sentiments to God and seek cleansing, while remembering our Lord's words and deed concerning the woman taken in the act of adultery.
CLINTON CHISHOLM (Rev)
clintchis@yahoo.com
also hear this:
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