Gay sex scandal at the Vatican

Jessica Green

The Vatican has been hit by a gay sex scandal after allegations that a chorister had procured male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

The chorister, 29-year-old Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, was sacked after police heard him talking on a wiretap to Angelo Balducci, a Gentleman of His Holiness.

Papal gentlemen-in-waiting are called upon to act as ushers at the Vatican for major occasions.

Balducci, who was also a construction consultant to the Vatican, as well as being a senior government employee, is said to given Ehiem a description of the men he wanted and it has been reported that Ehiem may have procured a number of male prostitutes for him.

Balducci was being investigated by police over allegations of corruption when the claims of gay sex were revealed. He is alleged to have steered government contracts towards preferred bidders.

Excerpts of the wiretaps and police documents were published in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

They showed that the pair had been in regular contact before Balducci was arrested last month and that they had discussed gay sex.

According to the newspaper, police said they were part of an organised male prostitution network and one of the men referred to was a student for the priesthood.

Baldacci remains in custody after being arrested last month. His lawyer has refused to comment and the Vatican has not released any statement on the claims.

A news magazine called Panoramas is due to publish an interview with Ehiem tomorrow. According to the Guardian, Ehiem will say: “”He [Baldacci] asked me if I could procure other men for him. He told me he was married and that I had to do it in great secrecy.”

The Catholic Church sees homosexuality as a sin and “intrinsically disordered”, while the Pope has spoken out against it a number of times.

The scandal is the latest to rock the Vatican, after investigations found endemic abuse of children in church-run institutions.

UK's Greens launch LGBT Manifesto .... Jamaica is named in the document

from the desk of Peter Tatchell:

The Green Party has launched its LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) Manifesto for the upcoming general election. The launch took place in Brighton, with keynote speakers Caroline Lucas Green MEP, and LGBT human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

The Greens claim they are offering "the strongest, most comprehensive and radical LGBT equality policies of any party."

These are six core policies in the Greens LGBT General Election Manifesto:

(1) Open up civil marriages and civil partnerships, without discrimination, to both same-sex and opposite sex couples.

(2) Require all police forces to have LGBT Liaison Officers with paid time allocated within their work schedules to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime.

(3) End the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donors.

(4) Amend the Equality Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment to LGBT people.

(5) Refuse visas and work permits to "murder music" singers and others who incite homophobic and transphobic violence.

(6) Ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBT people fleeing persecution in violently homophobic and transphobic counties.

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party, stated:
“We believe that all police forces should have LGBT Liaison Officers with paid time allocated within their work schedules to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime. Labour's Equality Bill is wrong to deny protection against harassment to LGBT people. The Green Party proposes re-writing the Mental Health Act to remove trans people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register and we would ensure LGBT awareness training for all teachers to create a safe, supportive environment for LGBT staff and students.”

Peter Tatchell commented on the launch:
“The Green Party will go into the General Election as the only party campaigning for full marriage and partnership equality. We are calling for civil marriages and civil partnerships to be open to both same-sex and opposite sex couples, without discrimination. We reaffirm our opposition to the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood.”

Phelim Mac Cafferty, National Spokesperson for LGBT Greens added:
“Our launch consciously coincided with the Conservatives’ Spring conference as we want to highlight the Tories’ continuous failure to commit to LGBT equality, whether that’s over the Shadow Cabinet’s votes against access to fertility treatment for lesbian and bi women or David Cameron’s own vote against gay adoption.[1] 85 per cent of those eligible in the Conservative Shadow Cabinet voted for the hated homophobic Section 28[2] while 90% voted against an equal age of consent and today Tories continue to oppose the Equalities Bill in the House of Lords.

“While the Conservatives voted against Clause 61 of the Coroners & Justice Bill, (outlawing homophobic hate speech),[3] Greens are using the general election period and our specific LGBT manifesto to send out a clear call that homophobic and transphobic crimes need, urgently, to be dealt with on a par with racist crimes.

"We believe that we offer the strongest, most comprehensive and radical LGBT equality policies of any party," he said.

Press release notes:

[1] https://lgf.org.uk/euro-elections-use-your-vote/
[2http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_home/hate_crime_domestic_violence_and_criminal_law/2643.asp
[3] http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2009-11-09&number=243

(a) More info: Phelim Mac Cafferty - phelimmacc@yahoo.co.uk and 07765 474 621

(b) Full Equalities Manifesto below
(c) LGBT Greens website: http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/


Green Party Equalities Manifesto

The Green Party aims to treat everyone equally and fairly. We will work to ensure respect for everyone whatever their ethnicity, gender and gender identity, age, religious belief or non-belief, sexual orientation, class, size, disability or other status. Greens urge:

* Amend the Equalities Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment of LGBTI people.

* Require all police forces to have equality and diversity liaison officers whose remit is to tackle, and take preventive action on crimes against LGBTI people, people from ethnic minorities including refugees and asylum seekers, disabled people and on the grounds of faith or belief.

* Legally target incitement of hatred on the grounds of gender identity and amend the Equality Bill/Act to provide explicit protection against harassment of LGBTI people.

* Open up civil marriages and civil partnerships, without discrimination, to both same-sex and opposite sex couples.

* End the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donors.

* Campaign for homophobic, transphobic and crimes against disabled people, including people with learning difficulties, to be dealt with effectively and on a par with racist crimes.

* Ensure legal parity for parents and those wishing to become parents regardless of sexual orientation, and equality of provision of maternity services; lobby for widely available, affordable state-funded crèches.

* Push for the rewriting of the Mental Health Act to remove trans people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register.

* Campaign against any reduction in the AIDS/HIV budget and target health promotion work to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

* Ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBTI people fleeing persecution in line with other social groups according to the Geneva Convention.

* Ensure safe haven and refugee status from women fleeing domestic violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation where there is no adequate protection by the authorities in their own country.

* Refuse visas and work permits to "murder music" singers and others who incite homophobic and transphobic violence.

* Oppose all opt-outs from equality and anti-discrimination laws by religious organisations and remove special treatment allowing faith schools to promote homophobia on the grounds of religion.

* Comprehensive training for teachers and educational staff on all diversity and inclusion issues; schools to promote equal opportunities in their anti-bullying procedures; equalities issues to be monitored in teaching recruitment.

* Implement a UK wide strategy to tackle violence against women including domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse and trafficking.

* Ensure that effective action is taken to prevent discrimination against disabled people.

* Work towards ending stigma against people with mental health problems including discrimination in employment.

* Enforce penalties against employers who continue to implement unequal pay

* Work vigorously towards ensuring that all levels of government are representative of the diversity of the populations for whom they work.

* Support human rights and democracy struggles including those of LGBTI and women's movements in oppressive states, such as Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Iran

Wait until the law is changed! (Low Wearing Pants)

Michael Burke

About three weeks ago, a senior police officer in St Catherine said that men wearing trousers below the waistline would not be allowed to do so in his jurisdiction. By all indications, the statement by the policeman is very popular. I do not like the style at all. It smacks of vulgarity and to me it is a sign of moral decadence. But can the indecency law as it stands be stretched to include the exposure of underwear? I do not think so.

What the law seeks to prevent is the exposure of naked genitalia and buttocks. At the time when the law was made, it was customary for people to bathe naked in rivers and streams at least 25 feet from the main road, which I do not have problem with, but naked exposure in public was illegal. Underwear in those days was made from heavy material, was not tight, was long enough and in most cases sufficiently covered areas one would not want to expose. Men would normally put on their footwear before they donned their baggy trousers.

It was published in the 1980s that when National Hero Norman Manley practised law, one day he forgot to don his trousers and discovered the memory lapse when he arrived at work. Apparently he had told his chauffeur not to disturb him while being driven to work as that was the only time that he had to read the newspapers. One morning while being driven the chauffeur kept calling "Mr Manley", but Mr Manley did not answer and kept reading the newspaper.

When Norman Manley arrived at work, the following dialogue took place:
Manley: Didn't I tell you not to disturb me while I am reading the newspapers in the car?
Driver: But it is important, Mr Manley!
Manley: Well, what is so important then?
Driver: You don't have on any pants, Sir.

Norman Manley then looked down and saw his exposed legs in his shoes and socks and burst out laughing. But while you may frown on Manley for making such a mistake which was part of his absent-minded nature, no one would have arrested him for indecency.
Four decades ago, Rastafarians were rejected by Jamaican society. It was not until Bob Marley and Peter Tosh had gained international recognition in Reggae performances that Rastafari became acceptable in Jamaica. The police, who have always sought to please the upper and middle classes, decided on their own to arrest and cut the locks of Rastafarians and anyone with the large "Afros" which were in vogue in those days.

On one occasion, my father the late Keith C Burke who was an attorney, wrote a letter to the newspapers pointing out that police had no legal right to cut anyone's hair. The cutting of anyone's hair by police subsided after that because of my father's reputation as a no-nonsense, civil-suit lawyer. It has long been suspected that police will appear to be doing the right things by going after things that annoy the upper classes. Some suspect that this is a cover for illegal activities by the police.

So it was assumed in the 1960s that anyone with locks was "bad" and now it is being assumed that anyone who wears his pants below the waist is "bad". In this way, it is believed, the real criminal gets away. Indeed, it is much easier to go after the more innocent people than to track down the hardened criminals. But this "baccra-massa" pleasing by police has a very long history. The current police force came into being after the 1865 Morant Bay Rebellion to ensure that poor black people would never again rise up against the white planter class of the day.
Unfortunately, at political independence in 1962, many of the brown people who took over the top government jobs from the English people saw themselves as the new "baccra", which may still be the case today. Despite nearly 48 years of political independence, neo-colonialism persists among the wealthy and among the poor. It is seen in the adoption of vulgar styles of dress from North America and Europe.

I would never like us to go back to the days of heavy dressing in a tropical country. But it is vulgar for anyone to wear clothing publicly that does not adequately cover the private areas. I do not like to see men dressed as women and vice versa. Indeed, I have a song written and sung by me that has been played on some radio stations called, Man fe look like man. And I do not defend slackness. Nor do I support the moral decadence that is found in too many places. Yes, it is against the law to expose naked genitalia and buttocks in public.

Should the law include exposure of underwear as indecency? Perhaps it should, but at present there is no such law. And it is a most dangerous precedent for the police to be making their own laws as they go along. Today it is pants worn below the waist. What will it be tomorrow? I opine that those with strong views against the low-wearing of pants by men or women should make representations to Parliament to repeal the law. And the rest of us should simply wait until the law is changed.
ekrubm765@yahoo.com

Why Jamaicans are homophobic (Observer Letter)

Dear Editor,

I note that the recent International Reggae Conference at UWI, Mona, saw it fit to address the issue of homophobia and its impact on Jamaica's music industry. I recently conducted a very unscientific survey which sought to answer why Jamaicans are homophobic. Say what you want about Jamaicans, we are not hypocrites. We tell it like it is. Therefore, while most of the responses were hyper-critical of the gay lifestyle, they nevertheless confirmed to me that we support decency, fairness and tolerance. We also have an overwhelming (if not always demonstrated) concern for our young.

Therefore, unlike the president of the Islamic Council of Jamaica, Mustafa Muhammed, I was not surprised to find that none of the respondents advocated death for gays, not even the fundamentalist Christians, who felt Jamaica's acceptance of homosexuality would unleash the wrath of God on a magnitude of the recent Haitian disaster. This belief echoes Roman Emperor Justinian over 2000 years ago who blamed earthquakes on the practice of homosexuality. Some beliefs are hard to shake, it appears. Most survey respondents based their contempt of the gay lifestyle on what they perceived to be the (unsubstantiated) threat of its negative impact on our nation's youth. In sum, normalising the gay lifestyle would hurt children, even though there is no evidence of this from other countries which have decriminalised buggery. Meanwhile, the private sex act of consenting adult males, though universally condemned as unnatural, was nonetheless felt to be nobody's business.

The message from this unscientific survey appears to be that Jamaicans view private same-sex intimacy as no longer an issue for legal regulation, and politicians therefore stand to lose very few votes for supporting the decriminalisation of buggery.

Maurice Tomlinson

maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/letters/Jamai_7455533

Police Hide male lovers at station (Star News)

Rasbert Turner,

A police station in St Catherine was the scene of hostility yesterday after residents demanded their own brand of justice for four men who they believe are lovers.

Police reports are that about 5 p.m. the men were at home when one went to a nearby shop and persons started to call him 'fish'.

The man went and reported this to his friends who drove to the shop. They were attacked and their car damaged. They went to report the matter to the police, when a mob converged and demanded that they come out.

deal wid dem business

"We want them fi let out di bwoy dem mek wi deal wid dem business, in a cold cold time yah dem a wrap up in a de place," an irate woman screamed.

"A long time mi a notice sey dem a fish and we want them bad fi gi dem a proper beating," another woman said.

The men told THE STAR they were homosexuals.

"Yes, you can let the world know that although we a fish, we a pay mortgage for the house for two years and want to live in peace," one who gave his name as Barbee said.

The men danced up a storm and declared that they would live their lives as they want.

Persons climbed trees and roof tops to get a glimpse of the men.

Up to late last night, the men could not be released as the angry residents remained resolute that they wanted to administer their own form of justice.

Yes, you can let the world know that although we a fish, we a pay mortgage for the house for two years and want to live in peace

Feed Your Sex Drive

THROUGHOUT history, many foods have been touted as aphrodisiacs, able to arouse or stimulate sexual desire. While the aphrodisiac quality of many has not been scientifically proven, some experts -- and avid users -- will tell you that there are certain types of foods that have been serving as sexual sustenance in many cultures for thousands of years.

So if you are going through a bout of low libido and want to rise above it, then maybe it is time to check your refrigerator and restock if necessary!

Ripe bananas are believed to contain the bromelain enzyme, which increases libido

* Cow cod soup: This is a Jamaican dish that many men swear by. Ask any man and he will tell you that the dish, made from the nether regions of the bull and cooked with bananas and scotch bonnet pepper in a white rum-based broth, is the fastest way to get them aroused.

* Mannish water: This a goat soup believed to have properties to put you in the mood. It is made from various goat parts, sometimes including the head and brains.

* Ginseng: A 2002 study by the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine found that in laboratory animals, both Asian and American forms of ginseng enhance libido and copulatory performance. These effects of ginseng may not be due to changes in hormone secretion, but to direct effects of ginseng, or its ginsenoside components, on the central nervous system and gonadal tissues. In males, ginsenoside can facilitate penile erection, the study said.

* Celery: It is believed that this is a fantastic food source for sexual stimulationi. This is because it contains androsterone, an odourless hormone released through male perspiration and turns women on. This is more effective if eaten raw.

* Raw oysters: This is said to be one of the most popular types of aphrodisiacs. Oysters are high in zinc, which raises sperm and testosterone production. Oysters also contain dopamine, a hormone known to increase libido. Some men even feel that sucking a raw oyster is in itself erotic.

* Ripe bananas: Ripe bananas are believed to contain the bromelain enzyme, which is believed to increase libido and reverse impotence in men. Additionally, they are good sources of potassium and B vitamins like riboflavin, which increase the body's overall energy levels.

* Avocado (pear): Some natives of central Mexico called the avocado tree 'testicle tree' mainly because avocados tend to look like that body part. These fruits are believed to contain high levels of folic acid, which helps metabolise proteins, thus giving persons more energy. They also contain vitamin B6 (a nutrient that increases male hormone production) and potassium (which helps regulate a woman's thyroid gland), two elements that help increase libido in both men and women.

* Dark Chocolate: This is believed to be one of the more potent turn on foods, thus the reason for its popularity come Valentine's Day.

--Donna Hussey-Whyte

450,000-signature petition against anti-gay bill delivered to Uganda’s parliament

PINK NEWS

Civil rights activists delivered a petition containing almost half a million signatures to Uganda’s parliament today in protest over the country’s anti-homosexuality bill.

The online petition was organised by campaign group Avaaz, which hopes to eventually garner one million signatures.

It was delivered to Uganda’s parliament in Kampala this morning by a delegation led by Anglican priest Canon Gideon Byamugisha.

The petition was accompanied by a letter asking parliament to reject the controversial bill and instead pass legislation to protect gay people.

The Daily Monitor reports that the Speaker of Parliament Edward Sekandi promised the delegation he would refer the petition to a committee for scrutiny.

If passed, the legislation will impose the death penalty on those who have homosexual sex with a minor, disabled person, while infected with AIDS.

The death penalty would also be imposed on repeat offenders, while others convicted for having gay sex would be jailed for life, instead of the current 14-year term.

Those who fail to report homosexual activity, such as relatives, teachers, landlords or health workers, would also face prison sentences.

The bill is now before parliament and awaiting debate.

Pressure has been building on Uganda to reject it in the past few months and world leaders such as US president Barack Obama and UK prime minister Gordon Brown have urged Ugandan leaders to withdraw it.