You may have been seeing a string of letters from one Mr. Maurice Tomlinson (Atty-At-Law) in the newspapers chief among them the Jamaica Observer with the latest appearing in today's edition as posted below entitled Jamaica wants gays dead, take note as well some of the comments to his mostly legally based observations and comments. In an interview on March 22, 2010 with the gentleman by phone I quizzed him whether he was met with any major resistance due to his stance on tolerance and the buggery law given his experience in law and associating with other Human Rights groups and international discourse of rights treatise and proceedings.
He was keen to say that he expected the negative comments, he agreed with me however that Jamaica is not at the same place it used to be on GLBTQ issues. He noted his most recent letter to the Jamaica Observer’s editor where the comments where negative and he doesn’t mind using his real name and not a pseudonym as he wants to stand up for something and has sufficiently prepared himself although not explaining how for any eventualities. He doesn’t think he is irresponsible in what he is doing as well and he feels he is at a point where he is not scared about repercussions as he has sons and he wants to make a difference for them.
He is presently organizing a “Walk for Tolerance” public event to be held somewhere in Western Jamaica on April 7th 2010, 11am, email him at maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com. He says he has the support of JFLAG and other international GLBTQ rights groups who will be present with banners to promote and ask for tolerance. I quizzed him about the safety issues regarding this event given the sensitivities and outright intolerance that exists here he said if members of the public asked what was afoot he would explain what is actually occurring. He did explain he took the necessary steps in securing the appropriate police permits event though said permits conveniently went missing twice before he finally got the relevant approvals from the police hierarchy. The event should last for an hour or so.
“This is history in the making, I don’t know how many people appreciate that” …………………….. “For all that we have suffered and all that we have been through we need to come together to recognize the move in this psychological moment in time,”
“Cowards don’t rule the world, I am not going to be a coward anymore, I hope we have some persons who are willing to be like me, it’s not for everybody but definitely it’s going to happen that’s the bottom line”
“Its not like I am out there gallivanting in front of peoples faces, I am addressing them on what I consider academic and intellectual points.” He said
He says he is angry at how the media presents the “stupidness being passed as rational discourse” he agreed that it’s all done to sell papers and he continued that it feeds into the country’s intolerance.
He continued to say that persons should be stand up and be counted, he said he didn’t understand how hiding works and we should recognize the change happening in Jamaica. He made reference to the UN AIDS representatives comments that he doesn’t understand what the issues are here in Jamaica as in Africa gays are being killed suggesting the situation there is rather worse than here. I hope that the walk goes well as I will try to attend as well although I am all the way on the other end of the island. This is refreshing however to see advocacy at this personal level outside the skewed system we have here.
He hinted to my case of some 13 years ago before a JFLAG existed and questioned whether if many persons would go through that, my case of course of my being arrested on a main road by police and charged for buggery although no sexual activity took place. The case was subsequently adjourned sine die as the prosecution couldn’t’ prove their point and stopped coming to court event though myself and my other three co-accused made sure we were present at every court mention date.
He never mentioned if there would be any media campaign to support the walk but lets watch this one folks to see how it turns out, I do hope something positive emerges out of this move by a one man advocate, sometime it takes only one to start the thrust.
Peace and tolerance
H
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