Jamaica's Reaction to Statement By Portia Simpson Miller X

The following are letters to the editor, published in the Jamaican Gleaner

Shame On JLP For Mockery

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Why have I finally decided to vote for Portia Simpson Miller? Spiritually good people don't belittle others. Bad people do.

If the Jamaica Labour Party displayed a good spirit to others, they wouldn't be belittling anyone, especially a lady of our soil, culture, race and creed. I am really ashamed of the JLP's approach.

Portia Simpson Miller is being herself and being a good person. God doesn't love the criticism and He encourages us to walk in His footsteps.

This is why I cannot vote for a party that belittles anyone that resembles me.

H. MILLER

thetruthspeak@ovi.com

Issue:Keeping Out The Gays?

Homosexuals are people too

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Many Jamaicans are oblivious of the laws that prohibit homosexuals the rights that characterise them as human beings.

Most of you do not think about your rights, and they are frequently taken for granted. Also, numerous people have preconceived notions of how homosexuals behave. Attitudes toward homosexuality are overwhelmingly negative.

All I ask of you is to look around. Homosexuality is part of society. People, such as your neighbour, hairdresser, relatives, friends, and people you have known all your life, could be gay! Does that make them different?

Many people say that homosexuality is not natural. But I ask you, what is natural? They are a component of society, and we must grant them equal rights. Homosexuals face religious criticism and social injustice every day of their lives. So for the prime minister to be saying that his sentiment must be guided by the sentiment of Jamaica, that, essentially, is homophobic.

Some aspects of human identity are so fundamental that they should be left to each individual, free of all non-essential regulation, even when manifested in conduct. An individual should not be penalised personally or prohibited socially from enjoying basic rights and freedoms because of sexual orientation or the country he/she is from unless that person's behaviour inflicts harm on other people.

Government should provide basic rights, freedom, and justice to every person without regard to an individual's sexual orientation. Governments should offer to all citizens the civic rituals and arrangements that are offered to any citizen.

ALEX M. LODGE

alexlodge1992@yahoo.com

Jamaica's Reaction to Statement By Portia Simpson Miller Part IX

The following letter to the editor was published in the Jamaican Gleaner.

Christians Should Not Discriminate

THE EDITOR, Sir:

There is so much talk with regard to the 'don't ask, don't tell' statement made by the leader of the Opposition during last Tuesday's debate.

She was very specific. She said that she would not pry, and that she would make decisions based on ability. She also stated that she would review the buggery laws in consultation with the Jamaican people. That was a very diplomatic statement.

I am, however, stunned by the response from some among the body of Christ. These betray the very foundation of the Christian principles. We should not discriminate against any human being because of sexual preferences. We can debate the issue from now until judgement day, we cannot win, for all of us are sinners.

Many among us fornicate, commit adultery, steal, lie, we could go on and on. Even though we cannot understand the deviant sexual behaviour, let us acknowledge that we all have to account for our sins.

The million-dollar question is, how would Christ deal with the homosexual? He did not treat the lepers or the adulterous woman as outcasts. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters.

VERNA GORDON BINNS

theashton@cwjamaica.com

PO Box 123

Church angry, gays happy Comments [Pictures]

Jamaica's Reaction to Statement By Portia Simpson Miller Part VIII

I think I missed the memo that Jamaica had become a theocracy. The following was taken from the Jamaica Observer. 

Church angry, gays happy

PNP on collision course with Christians

THE perennially controversial issue of homosexuality appears to have set the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) on collision course with some sections of the Christian Church.

PNP Leader Portia Simpson Miller shocked the television audience watching her debate with Prime Minister Andrew Holness Tuesday night, with her suggestion that the buggery law should be reviewed and that she was not opposed to having gays in a Cabinet led by her.

MILLER… it is saying that moral values become secondary to ability to perform  1/4

“That is very concerning for me [reviewing the buggery law] and I am disappointed that we are still insisting to go back in that direction, because the matter was dealt with in the amended Bill of Rights earlier this year,” said Rev Al Miller, pastor of the Fellowship Tabernacle in Kingston.

Miller said he was equally disappointed with the Opposition Leader’s stance that she had no problem admitting anyone to her Cabinet once they were qualified to carry out their duties.

“I am seriously concerned about that, because it is saying that moral values becomes secondary to ability to perform,” the pastor said, adding: “That kind of approach would be difficult for Christians to support because character and integrity takes precedence over ability.”

Associate pastor of the Tower Hill Missionary Church, Rev Mark Dawes also took offence at Simpson Miller’s stance: “If we remove the buggery law, then we might be opening the floodgate for sexual anarchy,” he cautioned.

He said, however, that he understood her belief that no one should be prevented from being apart of a Cabinet once they were qualified to do so, even if they subscribed to the gay lifestyle.

“If the person is not promoting that lifestyle, then I could grow to be comfortable with them in the Cabinet, but if it is somebody who is championing the lifestyle and advocating for it, then I’ll have a problem,” Dawes said.

In the debate, Simpson Miller said: “We should have a look at the buggery law,” distancing herself from Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding who told a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) interviewer he would not allow a homosexual in his Cabinet.

The Seventh-day Adventists also rejected the call to revisit the buggery law, while saying they had no problem with gays in a Cabinet.

“The issue is with reviewing the law, that’s where the church has an issue. Like any other faith-based organisation, we are concerned because it goes against the biblical side of things,” said SDA director of communication, public affairs and religious liberty, Nigel Coke.

But general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, Rev Karl Johnson commended Simpson Miller for tackling the issue head on when asked by a journalist in the debate. Reviewing the law did not necessarily mean that a change would occur, Johnson argued.

“I think it is a commendable thing to always review our laws to see whether they speak to current realities, whether they are still informed by values and norms that we can sustain both as a country and I would say as a religious community,” he said.

President of the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, Bishop Rohan Edwards said he believed that a review of the buggery act would not affect the way the church viewed the homosexual lifestyle.

“We don't have a problem with the revisiting buggery law, but we know the law that we have to answer to which is the word of God. So they have the right to revisit anything they want to,” he said.

For its part, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) welcomed Simpson Miller’s position. Executive director of the lobby group, Dane Lewis, said: “We are very encouraged by the statement, it was a very bold statement by a political leader knowing the history of statements which our leaders have made and so we look forward to seeing what is to come if they certainly do form the next government.

“It really speaks loudly to a respect for the human rights of all Jamaicans, including those who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender,” he noted.

He said he was disappointed with the response given by Holness who was very cautious in his response when he stated that his “sentiment must be the sentiment of the country”.

“We are disappointed that the prime minister, even though he had another opportunity to make certainly a bold statement, he didn’t,” he said. “It is very clear that he is going to pander to the religious community and vaguely step around the issue,” Lewis asserted.

Portia Says Nothing Is Wrong With Gays In Cabinet

The following was posted by Jamaica Gleaner following a question posed about gays in the parliamentary cabinet


People's National Party President Portia Simpson Miller has declared that she would have no problem with appointing gays to her Cabinet. 

Simpson Miller says no one should be discriminated against because of his/her sexual orientation. 

According to Simpson Miller, ministers should be appointed based on their ability. 

Jamaica Labour Party Leader Prime Minister Andrew Holness was less committed in responding to the question, saying that his position would be guided by the desire of the country. 

At the same time, Holness said Jamaica would continue to protect the civil and human rights of all citizens. 

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We can remember that in 2008 then Prime Minister Bruce Golding stated that he would not have gays in his cabinet:

Also in 2009 MP Earnest Smith of the Jamaica Labour Party, accused gays of over running the police force, of being extremely violent and called for an investigation of J-FLAG:

As the reactions come in to this statement I will compile them and do a more detailed blog post on the issue.