Here is today's letter June 22nd
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I write with reference to the letter by the Rev Rico Kaplan, titled 'Ja must cherish moral traditions', published June 21.
While one can possibly agree with part of his thesis regarding evil perpetuating itself when good people fall silent, I must disagree strongly with his equivocating homosexuality with immorality and degradation of society.
Maybe the goodly reverend could advise us, the members of the public, why is homosexuality considered immoral, outside the biblical context? Many persons in our society are not religious but tend to exhibit characteristics that would put most persons who profess 'Christian' values to shame. And why is it that human sexuality, a basic biological and human imperative, is so hypocritically moralised in our society?
Why are Jamaicans - whether gay or straight - made to feel ashamed by the American evangelicals (and their Jamaican franchises) of what is their natural sexual instinct?
a better world
It is high time that we tell these pontificators and others of such ilk that the modern world, despite the doom and gloom being preached, is an infinitely better world than the era we have left behind. If someone is gay, that does not make them immoral. Rather, it would be immoral to continue to keep homosexuals driven underground because of someone else's religious belief.
One would hope that this newspaper and the media on a whole would stop perpetuating this nonsense by publishing articles, such as the 'lesbian gangs' nonsense, which only serve to foster the environment of hate and violence which young homosexuals endure in this country.
We need to embrace diversity in this country if we ever hope to move forward. It is telling that a recent CNN article, which humorously ranked countries by their 'coolness', ranked Jamaica number 3 (what a ting if it was 2!), but noted, as a downside, our virulent homophobia.
We are fast becoming a laughing stock on the international stage, and part of it is because of the backward view some have of morality in our society.
ROBERT COLLIE
robertcollie@gmail.com
(image from slapupsidethehead)
lest the original letter writer missed the boat the United Nations finally passed the resolution to include SOGI Sexual Orientation and Gender Issues as a part of the Universal Declaration specifically so anywhere discrimination such as these occur there is more grounds for responsibility by the governing bodies and the agents of the state to act to offer redress.
Things and times are certainly changing.
Peace and tolerance
H
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