12 May 2008

Steer clear of Jamaica

Jamaica has been described as "The Most Homophobic Place on Earth". It is a deadly dangerous place for the gay people who live there, people who face assault and murder on a regular basis. Many gay Jamaicans come to Canada as refugees, including a gay activist who hadn't yet been murdered, and even a police officer.

Many are calling for a boycott. I support the idea, as nothing forces societal change but brute economics: education only can happen at a teachable moment. The people of Jamaica are as uninterested in ending violence against gays today as white people in the American south were uninterested in ending the lynching of black people fifty years ago. Only an ongoing campaign of economic, legal, and social pressure ended the wholesale torture and murder in the United States; it will take nothing less to change the situation in Jamaica (and on surrounding islands).

Some claim that a boycott will hurt more than it helps, causing Jamaicans to further persecute gays for "being the reason" for the boycott, and unjustly punish the innocent people of the society. Well, the society as a whole is responsible for how it treats its most vulnerable members, and for enforcing the law: the fact that they choose not to protect people from violence and murder means they should be ready to bear the economic consequences. Even if they choose to punish their gay neighbors for the boycott, it could hardly be worse than what they're already doing, so allowing Jamaicans to hold their gay people hostage under threat of worse treatment makes little sense. The "boycotts hurt those they purport to help" argument is worn out.

3 comments:

Scott said...

Even as a white heterosexual male affluent American, I would steer clear of Jamaica. Unless you're on one of the sterilized resorts (or compounds), I'm told it's not very safe. And sitting on a sterile beach, eating at sterile restaurants, and learning nothing of the local culture, is not my idea of a good vacation.

Unknown said...

Good point, Scott. There are much nicer places to go.

Adolfo said...

I support the boycott. Hate crimes must not exist. It is sad to know that the government is not doing anything, but supporting it instead. What do all those people (haters) have on their minds?