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| Action Alert: Gay and Lesbian Jamaicans Need Your Help! |  |  |  |
| Monday, 11 February 2008 21:52 | |||
| International Action Alert from Metropolitan Community Churches Two minutes of your time can help save the lives of LGBT people in Jamaica. Let me explain... For many years, LGBT people in Jamaica have faced a horrific campaign of harassment, intimidation, violence, ostracism, hate crimes and even death. Time Magazine described Jamaica as "the most homophobic country in the Western Hemisphere." Now the situation has taken still another deadly turn -- and we must band together and bring international pressure to stop the violence. On Tuesday night, January 29, 2008, an anti-gay mob invaded a private home in Greenvale, Manchester (Jamaica). The mob attacked three gay men inside, beating them and hacking them with machetes. Two of the men have been hospitalized with serious injuries; one had his ear cut off. One man remains unaccounted for and is feared dead. This is only the latest in a long series of hate-filled crimes against LGBT Jamaicans that too often go unprosecuted by civil authorities and under-reported by the Jamaican press. Will you speak out for our brothers and sisters in Jamaica? Send an e-mail to The Honorable Dr. Kenneth O. Baugh, Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Call him to accountability for the well-being of all Jamaican citizens, both as an elected leader and a person of faith. Tell him that the eyes of the world are watching what is happening. Demand an investigation at the highest levels of the Jamaican government into this latest round of violence against LGBT people, including the delay in police arrival and the failure to yet again hold anyone in the mob accountable. Demand that the government of Jamaica take all necessary steps to protect LGBT people from this ongoing pattern of harassment, violence, and murder. Won't you take two minutes right now to click the e-mail link and send your message? It is so important that Jamaica's government hear from as many people as possible around the world. If you want to get further involved in ending the campaign of violence and hatred against Jamaica's LGBT population, here are three additional steps you can take: + Help get the word out! Forward this message to your e-mail lists. Post it on listserves and message boards and websites. Include it in your blogs. Print it and post it on bulletin boards at libraries, colleges and universities, community centers, and LGBT-friendly houses of faith. + Attend a CALL FOR LOVE campaign event on Valentines Day, February 14, 2008. Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) is partnering with community groups and faith groups to hold public CALL FOR LOVE events at Jamaican embassies, high commissions and consulates around the world on Valentine's Day. Show up to demonstrate your solidarity with the LGBT community of Jamaica -- and to tell the world that it's time for the government of Jamaica to protect the rights of all its citizens. Together, let's use this day devoted to love as an opportunity to end hatred. To locate an MCC congregation near you, visit www.MCCchurch.org and select "Find A Church." + If no CALL FOR LOVE event is scheduled for your area, organize one! If no Jamaican embassy or consulate is near you, find a public space to hold a rally. Invite community groups and faith organizations to join in sponsoring the event. If you need more information, write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We'll send you a list of steps to organize an event in your area, along with a sample press release you can use to announce your event through the press and media. "One Love One Heart Let's get together and feel all right"Jamaican songster Bob Marley wrote those lyrics because he wanted the violence and hatred between peoples to end. I want that, too, with all my heart. And I believe the day can come when we can live together as one human family. It is because I believe that so strongly and because of the urgency of this moment in history, that I am asking all people of goodwill globally to join me in these actions. Together, let's take Valentine's Day 2008, a day devoted to love, as our opportunity to work for an end to hatred. "As it was in the beginning (One Love) So shall it be in the end (One Heart)"Bob Marley
Rev. Nancy L. Wilson P.S. Remember, if you schedule a CALL FOR LOVE Valentine's Day event for your area, or if you have further questions, please write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Be sure to let us know when you schedule your event -- we'll promptly send you some basic steps to organizing your event along with a sample press release that you can use to promote your event to the media in your area. P.P.S. Below is a partial list of Jamaican embassies, high commissions, and consulates to assist with your planning. Jamaica Embassies and High CommissionsNOTE: "High Commission" indicates the embassy of a British Commonwealth nation that is located within another British Commonwealth nation. AUSTRALIA CANADA Consulate of Jamaica DENMARK ENGLAND GERMANY Consulate of Jamaica PHILIPPINES SOUTH AFRICA
Embassy of Jamaica Consulates ATLANTA (area) BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS HOUSTON LOS ANGELES MIAMI NEW YORK CITY PHILADELPHIA RICHMOND SAN FRANCISCO
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