...And Now Back To Beenie Man

Donald
August 17 2006, 3:18AM

I've seen posters for his new album all along 125th Street just begging for a can of red spray paint ...

Jennifer
August 17 2006, 3:54AM

"I'm not racist homophobic! Some of my best friends are black gay!"

Shut up, Beenie.

jtatum80
August 17 2006, 6:09AM

Wow keith...this really shows the power that black gays and lesbians hold if this obviously homophobic artist is willing to come out and try to soften his stance...in his own "special" way...in order to respond to the mounting global pressure of his lyrics...Way to go....and as for Beenie Man..."I'm confued"

Marlon
August 17 2006, 8:34AM

Beenie knows not what he do! He’s another victim of religion.

Didn’t Bishop Spong say, "religion has always been in the control business, and controls the population using hell as a control tactic." Therefore, I say, that Bible (book of scribbles) is clearly another control tool; it’s jammed packed with lies, but we believe the Word because you’re afraid to question ‘yo mama’s belief, seek answers beyond the periphery, and resist conformability.

So, ya wanna get to the root of Beenie’s and society’s ills - lets have a Bible burning across the nation. HA! Wouldn’t that be interesting!

You wrong Keith; you got me burning Bibles so early in the morning. I haven’t had my Wheaties yet!:-)

Mel Smith
August 17 2006, 9:00AM

We defend Beenie right to advertise exterminating us and some black people have actually said that homosexual people should be exterminated. They hate us just because we have a different sexual orienation. Now, I ask a question: how come those same individuals did not adevertise the extermination of the KKK men who killed 13-year-old child Emmitt Till or how come they did not advertise the deaths of the KKK men who kill the little children in the Alabama church bombings? I am trying to figure out why they wish harm on a group of people who never done harm to them, help them during the civil rights movement, and adopt children who they gave away.

Stuffed Animal
August 17 2006, 9:01AM

Part of his problem is that he "believes in the Bible." The Bible is a book. He ought to be believing in Jesus Christ. But the Bible is not the enemy of Lesbians and Gay men. It is simply a tool, one which can be used for both good and bad. We should not burn it; on the contrary, every Gay person should have a modern language Bible, regardless of what faith they ascribe to, regardless of whether they believe in God at all. Every Gay person should read the Bible, know what it says and does not say. It's an act of self-defense. We can defend ourselves most effectively from religious bigots like Beenie Man if we become familiar with scripture. He, like millions of other fundamentalist lemmings, is not familiar with scripture, and it's obvious. He only knows what he's been told: That the Bible condemns homosexual persons, and that has NEVER been true.

neal mc.
August 17 2006, 9:41AM

Well let me get this in the open before I say anything else. I do not support Beenie's lyrics...I am a limited pacifist, I do not believe in harming anyone except in the defense of one's life, liberty, family and property.

Mel, a few factual innacuracies in your post, hate is a strong consensual dislike, most of our opposition to homosexuality is not out of hate...but out of what is. It is not because of orietation but because you will commit an act that raises the risk of disease (well not you persay but gay males) and the fact that it is spiritual, physical and emotional death. Now onto how you have helped the african Americans, during the c.r. movement there were few out of the closet, all gays are doing is hanging onto the coattails and are you kidding about adoption? Blacks abort the babies they don't want.

Michael
August 17 2006, 9:42AM

According to the bible and to use common sense guys, men and women were created to compliment each other and that includes the sexual act. It's logic that the parts of the same sex do not naturally fit! The Bible condemns sexual acts between same sex as an abomination that eventually leads to death. The Bible also said that Jesus loves the sinner whether they are lyers, adulterers, fornicators or those who hate another person.

Through the eyes of straight men, same sex sexual attraction disgusts them, even to the point of anger because it goes against the grain of all that is logical. Their logic extends to the thought that men can be best friends for company sake and women were made for sexual fulfillment. In the mind of the straight man, those are two distinct paths. To cross them where men sleep with men goes against the grain of all that is natural, sane or logical. Hence, the anger towards men who men who sleep with men.

Marlon
August 17 2006, 9:55AM

Stuffed Animal, very interesting and needed work you’re doing; however, I highlighted some text below from your website that got my toes curling. Can you elaborate?

I'm a minister of the Gospel in Tasmania, Australia. I work quite a lot of my time with homosexuals; as a matter of fact, my own son is homosexual. Now, that helps me understand a lot more about how to treat these people. Now, I love homosexual people and Lesbians, and we get on very well . . . there are some twelve couples in our church. Now, they respect the house of God; they don't hold hands, they don't kiss, and all those sorts of things that people hate about them. They really are good people. They know that I welcome them into the fellowship.

Suggestion: instead of how to treat these people, maybe the glbt community. And I'd totally delete the get on very well, hold hands, kiss stuff. LOL Bro!

Mel Smith
August 17 2006, 9:59AM

Why can't black gay people agree on things sometimes? Anyway, now, Neal, you wanted to correct me on some things that I have type. First, I respect your opinion to disagree with me. Now, you type like you were hurt by someone. I want you to read my comment again before you so quickly attack another person views. I think I typed that I have had black people say that they wish I were killed. Now, that's not hate to wish death on someone? Two, the words that you type are strongly misguided by Christian oppressive Bullsh!t. You obviously have a problems with homosexuals because you forgot to write about the heterosexual people who also engage in same sex behavior. It seems that you really get a kick out of trying to degrade who someone is. Yet, you try to degrade us as if you like us. I really suggest that you love your own self before you come at me. Then, defend yourself against Beenie and other people who will try to hurt you just for looking gay, dude!

Stuffed Animal
August 17 2006, 1:12PM

Marlon: The text you quoted from my blogsite post "Loved In The Worst Way" was itself a quote. I cannot change it. Read the entire post, so you can understand the context. Michael: Familiarize yourself with the ancient definition of the word "eunuch." That's the word Jesus Christ used to describe what we now call Gay men. Specifically, read what He said about eunuchs in the 19th chapter of Matthew. It's clear from the context of that passage that some, if not all of the Christ's disciples were Gay men. Also, God did not create man and woman to complement each other. They complement each other because they were once part of the same body. The Bible indicates as much, but the creation process is elaborated on in Christian Gnostic scripture. God took the female essence out of Adam in order so that there would be a being he could procreate with. Originally, Adam was androgynous, like LGBT people. When androgynous beings unite sexually, male and female join in a different configuration.

ap.
August 17 2006, 1:23PM

It's great to be compassionate, educated and philosophical. However, moma would say the boy is just plain stupid.

clay
August 17 2006, 1:58PM

you know, Beenie should just fire her PR people -- why does he keep answering this question the same way??? He isnt saying anything different ... gays are taking it too literal, etc. doesnt he get that trite excuse did not work three years ago and it isnt working now? he really is a mess and needs some serious PR training - his publicist should be fired!

Shabaka
August 17 2006, 2:19PM

Yeah, well, I can see the correlation between two men together and his own sexual confusion. I don't find it disgusting when I see an old couple holding hands and smooching. Why? Because it's none of my business. Are they still able to procreate? Nope! I guess taking his comments seriously is more ludicrous than the actual comments.
Michael,"real" straight men care very little about what other men do in the privacy of their rooms. To be angered by something that has no bearing on your everyday life is nothing but repressed feelings boiling to erupt. Nothing more. The old and tired "procreation" excuse has been proven time and again to be another strawman from fundamentalist camps.

C. Baptiste-Williams
August 17 2006, 4:06PM

I by no means condone Beenie Man or any other reggae artist's homophobic lyrics. However I think that it is very important to read the entire article of the Beenie Man's interview. My only reading one person's take on the article you are also missing Beenie say:
"As a man, you don't like to see two men together, you find it disgusting. But that's their life. To you it's disgusting, but to them it's happy. That's why they call themselves gay, they are happy people. They are happy with their life and they're doing their thing. So it's not for you to come and make these people feel sad and unhappy. And dancehall music never set out to do that because people are people. When I see a gay man, I see a man."
"In Jamaica, gay is rape. It's a big man with their money going into the ghetto and picking these little youth who ain't got nothing. And then give them money and then involving them. There were 550 youths who got raped inna Jamaica you know? And nobody seems to speak of that..."

James Mathis
August 17 2006, 5:15PM

[NOTE: This comment about Michael Knight from Project Runway has been removed from this thread and re-posted to the bulletin board. Thanks for your cooperation in keeping the discussions on topic.]

Site Administrator

Cadence
August 17 2006, 5:38PM

C. Baptiste-illiams, in this country men who rape youths are called pedophiles, not homosexuals. In fact, most men who sexually abuse boys have never had a sexual relationship with another adult male. It's not logical to equate pedophelia with homosexuality. The vast majority of sexual abuse cases involve adult men abusing young girls, but I've never heard the homosexual community, or anyone else, equate this to heterosexuality, or use it to condemn all heterosexual men.

Marlon
August 17 2006, 9:38PM

Stuffed Animal - thanks - I stand corrected. Nice Blog!

Paul
August 17 2006, 10:52PM

Ok Beenie
open your mouth and show the world how fucking stupid you are. Everyone's entitled to an opionion but some opinion should be left un said.He is trying to be intelligent or sound intelligent. Stupid is , stupid does.

Mel Smith
August 18 2006, 12:58AM

Hey, everyone, the other day, I noticed that some of the adult heterosexual security guards at the high school that I work at, flirt with some of the young girls who attend summer school. Now, is it right for me to equate or judge all heterosexual people for those grown a$$ men who flirt with underage girls? In my 26 years, I have had some black people wish death on me. Now, I just want to know how come they were not so 'tough' when people killed 13-year-old Emmitt Till? Where was the tough talk at then? Yes Jesus said that we were born gay. They won't accept his answer because they will no longer be able to judge us. Bullies only attack people who they think are weak

Nicholas P.
August 18 2006, 4:21PM

Beenie Man isnt stupid because to gain the level of success that he has is outstanding and he is also on of the people that are keeping the small Island of Jamaica on the map, as are numerous of intelligent Jamaicans. Beenie Man is still a great man who has love for his country and a musical passion.
The people like him who have great influence need to seize lyrics all together that preach a NEED for hypermasculity, that preach violence to all, and start unifying everyone into one cause of further beautification of Jamaica. There is a large amount of financially deprived people feeling multiple insecurities in their lives, so cycles of negativity are strengthened. They are desperate for answers to rationalize the reasons why they aren't progressing. So they buy in to the lyrics that tell them to rob, to kill, to blame, and to hate simply because they have nothing else to loose.
But the start of a better Jamaica begins with a better education for the poor and less teachings of hate and more on how to love.

a.p.
August 18 2006, 9:31PM

nicholas p. I was taught many things by many people. The dumb muthafucka is grown. He's spreading hate in a country that kills people based on their idea they are gay. It's not time for us to be "chi chi boys". get up off it. Shut this bitch down.

bemused
August 20 2006, 2:35PM

i have no time for beenie man but just so you know there is one thing more harmful than beenie mans lyrics it's the imf / world bank structual adjustment
policy which has probally caused more deaths of gay people than homophobic lyrics.

there is a movie called life and debt in jamaica by stephanie black if you really want to know how jamaica got so angry

http://www.lifeanddebt.org/

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,12102,904020,00.html

I hate homophobia and I enounter it frequently and I can see how it has taken hold amongst the poor, kept poor by debt repayment to the worldbank/imf/wto/usa as if these organisations are not rich enough

defense
August 20 2006, 5:31PM

i do not care if he believes in the Great Pumpkin coming back to take his people to a better planet; and I do not care if he was raised by she wolves and don't know any better. i hate gayhaters. i won't financially and emotionally support him in any shape, form, nor fashion and i hope anyone with a mind and some pride and some backbone will do the same thing. he did the worst thing: he rapped about black on black violence and murder and think its alright becuase one segment of people is gay and not living according to the Lord.

I hope, and I do hope it, that someone Gay or Straight do take his words literally and hang him.

bemused
August 20 2006, 6:47PM

he rapped about black on black violence while the imf/worldbank/wto/usa are actually taking black lives save some vitriol and direct it where it will make a difference not at some stupid rapper

as chris rock said "White people sell guns, that's all right. Black rapper *says*, "Guns," congressional hearing! "

C. Baptiste-Williams
August 21 2006, 3:43PM

Cadence - Beenie is not from this country nor does he live in this country nor was that article in American media. So as it is not logical to equate pedophilia with homosexuality... it is not logical to judge another country on American standards.

sante
August 21 2006, 5:20PM

Just a few months ago people were throwing an established AIDS charity under the bus and patting themselves on the back on their win, and meanwhile a prominent NY radio station and their sponsors raking in the dough on a sold out show next week and I don't hear a peep from the "activists".

Hot 97 Presents On Da Reggae Tip Live 2006

Andrew
October 29 2006, 6:15PM

In response to one of the comments above, Beenie Man is an idiot and Jamacia does not need people like him to stay on the map. Jamaica has always been on the map and it was not through people like him.

He keeps changing his tunes, and when you read the article above the only conclusion you can draw from it is that although he might be an international reggae star it does not necessarily make him an intellignet person.

These are the kind of people that gets 14 year old girls pregnant and then boast about their virility, not realising that what they are boasting about is being a Paedophile, yet these same idiots equate being gay with Paedophilia.

Where is the intelligence in that? I'm saying this, because although I now live in England, I grew up in that culture and saw and heard all the ridiculous things that would boggle your mind, the beatings, the intimidation and the fear.

As much as I don't wish bad on anyone, they will untimately become a victim of their own hate, by the hands of their own friends.