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Letter to Michelle Higgins, Travel Writer

I found your recent article in the New York Times, "Gay Cruises Are on the Seas and in the Mainstream," (October 29, 2006) to be excellent, and wish to take the opportunity to offer you additional information on your reference to Jamaica as a "destination that gay cruises avoid."

Your article referred to the murder of two gay rights activists over the past two years as a reason why Jamaica is not the ideal travel spot for the gay community.

However, having spent time in Jamaica and having worked with human rights groups there on behalf of Metropolitan Community Churches (a Christian denomination with churches in 26 countries and which has a primary, affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons) the true story is much greater -- and far more disturbing -- than solely the two incidents cited in your article.

Especially insightful is the Human Rights Watch report "Jamaica Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence, and Jamaica’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic" (Issue: November, 2004). In the summary section is found a poignant story that is representative of the broad level of homophobia there. The reports says that "on June 18, 2004, a mob chased and repeatedly 'chopped, stabbed and stoned to death' a man perceived to be gay in Montego Bay. Several witnesses told Human Rights Watch that police participated in the abuse that ultimately led to this mob killing, first beating the man with batons and then urging others to beat him because he was homosexual."

This story is but one of the many hostile and violent incidents experienced on an ongoing basis by the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities in Jamaica. While many such cases have been documented, the truth is that even more go undocumented. In far too many cases, people who are the targets of anti-gay violence have no one to turn to for help, including the legal and civil authorities. There have been cases, widely known in the LGBT communities, in which people perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender have simply "disappeared." It is for these reasons that Human Rights Watch lists Jamaica as the most homophobic country in the Caribbean.

In fact, homophobia is so powerful in Jamaica that it negatively impacts the health of people who live there -- and that impact goes far beyond physical assaults. I know firsthand of people who are HIV+ who refuse to get treatment, people who are at risk who refuse to get tested for HIV, and people who refuse to buy condoms -- all out of fear that such basic medical protections may cause them to be perceived as gay. In Jamaica, the reality is this: For many, the societal fear of being "outed" or subjected to violence for being perceived as gay is far stronger than the fear of AIDS.

The international movement of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) is dedicating significant effort to the support of the gay and lesbian community in Jamaica. MCC currently offers religious and spiritual resourcing, as well as social justice support, through our denominational commitment and through the congregation of Sunshine Cathedral MCC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Metropolitan Community Churches is committed to providing ongoing support and encouragement to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons through our contacts in Jamaica, and we encourage the media to clearly portray the severity of the anti-gay prejudice and violence in Jamaica.

To declare that Jamaica is not the ideal tourist location for gay and lesbians only tells a part of the story. The rest of the story is that Jamaicans who may simply be perceived as gay live their lives every day with threats to their safety and well-being.

Those of us preparing for vacation can avoid Jamaica. But gay Jamaicans have no such option.

/signed/
Rev. Robert Griffin, Member
Moderator's Global Social Justice Team
Metropolitan Community Churches

Rev. Robert Griffin, M.Div.
Moderator's Global Social Justice Team

Unfinished World, Unfinished Calling
Metropolitan Community Churches
Office: 954.462.2004 ext 206
Cell: 301.992.7957
Fax: 617.812.0768

www.MCCchurch.org

Op-ed from the
Human Rights Campaign

919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
email: hrc@hrc.org
http://www.hrc.org
________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Contact:        Wayne Besen
Friday, January 18, 2002        Phone:  (202) 216-1580
        Pager:  (800) 386-5997

The Faces May Have Changed, But the Rhetoric Has Not

By Wayne Besen

The infamous anti-gay kingdom still sits ominously on the far right bank of
the river of misinformation. Guarded by its devoted holy warriors, it
remains a wealthy and powerful political force. But for the first time in a
generation, the throne eerily sits empty, waiting for a new potentate to
fill the vacuum created when King Pat Robertson recently "stepped down" from
the Christian Coalition.
The royal court is also in shambles. Prince Jerry Falwell was deposed
shortly after Sept. 11 by a palace coup led by his mouth. He still acts as
though he is a member of the Royal Court, but the rest of the kingdom knows
he is simply a court jester.
 Additionally, former Family Research Council President, Gary Bauer, the
kingdom's lead general in its cultural wars, was toppled after his
presidential run came up flat. The kingdom's anti-gay elder, Jesse Helms,
has announced he will retire and perhaps just as significant, the lead wise
man, Ralph Reed, found new masters to serve.
        In the far away LGBT empire, there has been much rejoicing over the
apparent demise of the Right's most prominent leaders. Some have even
suggested that the right is a paper tiger. Even social conservative leaders
like columnist Cal Thomas believe the Religious Right's influence in
politics is waning, and they should focus more on prayer than politics.
        According to Thomas, "The meltdown marks the second time in a
century (the first being Prohibition) when an attempted marriage between
church and state failed both institutions...The time is ripe for
conservative Christians to spend less time trying to influence Caesar, to
consider what it means to render unto God, and to start rendering."
        While I wish Thomas and other critics were right, I believe it is
premature to write the obituary of the Religious Right. According to
election experts, in the last presidential election the GOP got 15 million
social conservative votes. While not all of these social conservative voters
are anti-gay - many of them are - and they represent a formidable voting
bloc that can stand in the way of LGBT people achieving equality.
        The main question is who will emerge to claim the throne and lead
this huge bloc of voters? In answering this, the axiom "the devil you know
may be better than the devil you don't"  comes to mind. While Robertson,
Helms and company were incredibly mean-spirited and antagonistic, they were
still familiar foes. Their diminished roles do not mean that the new crop of
right wing leadership will offer better alternatives.
        In fact, the attacks from the far right have not abated as the
barbaric warlords from smaller organizations compete for Robertson's coveted
throne. The American Family Association, for instance, has stepped up their
anti-gay attacks across America, recently launching several unsuccessful
anti-gay initiatives in Michigan. Included in AFA's repertoire are cartoons
marketed to children that promote physical gay bashing.
        Focus on the Family and its powerful leader James Dobson are also
stepping up its anti-gay agenda, expanding their Love Won Out conferences,
which is a nationwide road show that spreads misinformation about gay
people. Recently, addressing a bill that would allow California residents to
take part in civil unions, Dobson said, "The California Legislature has been
captured, almost without opposition, by those who hold a gay and lesbian
philosophy...The result is a tsunami, a tidal wave, of anti-family and
immoral legislation that is rapidly forcing the citizens of California to
accept and live by an alien system of values..." The Family Research
Council's new president, Ken Connor, joined Dobson in denouncing the bill
saying it "would create a counterfeit marriage".
        In a gay rights referendum battle brewing in Miami, the anti-gay
group Take Back Miami-Dade referred to a local pro-gay group, SAVE Dade, as
"corrupt enemies of democracy" who "are not qualified to speak for the great
majority of non-exhibitionist, nonviolent homosexual persons living in this
community."
        Perhaps the most invective spewing organization of all is the
Traditional Values Coalition, led by Lou Sheldon. While the group bills
itself as "pro-family" it is almost exclusively anti-gay. For instance, four
out of the five press releases leading their website are about gay issues.
They also peddle a horrible video, It's Not Gay, that repeatedly refers to
homosexuality as a "destructive lifestyle" and ends as an "ex-gay" walks
past a graveyard while morbid music plays in the background.
        The familiar faces of the Religious Right may have changed, but
their hateful rhetoric has not. If anything, it may have become more acerbic
as sundry anti-gay leaders compete for media attention.  While the throne
may be empty, it is clear that there is no shortage of wannabe kings who
will use the backs of LGBT people to try to climb their way to the top.
While the LGBT community has made significant gains, opposition from the far
right will only intensify before full equality is achieved. We must not
allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security by focusing too
much on the empty throne, while ignoring the anti-gay barbarians storming
the gates for control of the kingdom.

- END -

Wayne Besen is the Associate Director of Communications for the Human Rights
Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian political organization.
http://www.hrc.org/pressroom/hrc_staff/besen_wayne.asp  (To Download Photo)


Resolutions for a Changed America

By Elizabeth Birch and Candace Gingrich

As 2001 draws to a close, America's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
community can look back on many significant gains. A marked increase in the
number of employers offering domestic partner benefits. Rhode Island's
addition of gender identity to its non-discrimination law - and the happy
end to a lawsuit challenging Maryland's non-discrimination law. Hawaii's and
Texas' passing hate crimes laws that cover sexual orientation.  The
successes were myriad and heartening.

But the GLBT community - along with the entire country -- will forever
remember this year for the Sept. 11 attacks and the terrible results that
are still be played out in the world.

One of the many lessons America learned from Sept. 11 is that there were
GLBT victims and heroes, with names and faces and ordinary life histories.
Because so many in our community are now committed to living honestly, we
had the privilege to learn about these brothers and sisters now that they
are gone. Like many of those who died, they also left behind grieving
partners, children, houses with mortgages, unpaid car loans, monthly bills -
the same sad remnants of so many of the lives stolen by the terrorists.

One key difference for the survivors in our community, however, has been
their inability to rely on the same safety net that has caught other
surviving families. Because our laws and society don't recognize our
relationships and our families, survivors from the GLBT community have had
to fight for relief funds from the federal government and from some state
and private agencies. They will never get the same Social Security and
pension benefits other surviving families have received, and have taken for
granted as their due. And if these GLBT families never put their legal
houses in order, the survivors now face losing their homes, their children,
their health insurance -- their basic security.

The events of Sept. 11 made clear the power of living outside the closet.
They also made clear how vulnerable the GLBT community remains.

As we look to 2002, remember that New Year's resolutions aren't all about
quitting smoking or losing a few pounds. They can also be about taking the
time to thank those who deserve it, protecting our loved ones and working to
make a safer and more accepting world for generations to come. Here are a
few suggestions:

*       Write your will. Sept. 11 should be a wake-up call for everyone, but
especially gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Because the law
does not recognize our families, it is imperative that we specify who will
receive our money and possessions when we die. While many aspects of this
planning revolve around couples and children, it is also important for
single GLBT Americans, especially those who may not have good relations with
their biological families. Other important documents to consider are powers
of attorney, living wills and hospital visitation authorizations. For more
information and sample legal documents, visit www.hrc.org/familynet.
*       Come out to your health care provider. Being honest about your
sexual orientation or gender identity can be a matter of life and death -
or, at a minimum, essential to getting effective care and treatment. There
is still much misinformation in the medical world about GLBT people and many
stereotypes to overcome. By being out, you will help educate your doctor and
ensure that you get appropriate care.
*       Come out to your elected officials. Politicians can ignore us if
they don't know we exist. You can take advantage of HRC's Action Network,
pay a local lobby visit, or write a letter about an issue that concerns you.
Not only will you be exercising your right to political action but you'll be
assisting local, state and national organizations working on GLBT issues.
*       Be a mentor. Many GLBT adults we've spoken to say that their coming
out journeys would have been easier had there been an understanding ear.
Contact your local GLBT youth group or community center to see how you can
help. You can also pay a visit to your old high school's guidance counselors
to share your experiences and explain the needs of GLBT students.
*       Thank someone. Far too often, we only speak up when we're unhappy or
disgruntled. Thank your mom for including your partner in family gatherings.
Praise an elected official for voting your way on a piece of legislation.
Thank the person who delivers food to your homebound neighbor living with
AIDS.
*       Remember the pioneers. Too many GLBT people have forgotten (or never
learned) the history of our movement. We're quick to name the Ellens and
Eltons as trailblazers because they're famous today. But what of Bayard
Rustin, Phyllis Lyons, Del Martin and Frank Kameny? What about Barbara
Gittings, Lisa Ben, Harvey Milk and Christine Jorgensen? Get to know the
giants whose shoulders we - as well as Ellen and Elton -- stand upon.

As a most difficult year draws to a close, we look back with gratitude to
those GBLT Americans whose honesty has made all our lives easier and more
complete. And we look forward to those whose openness will help effect the
change we need to protect all our families.

EDITORIAL
October 31, 2001   VNN.org 

"I Destroyed The Idols, Killed The Worshipers"

BY FRANCOIS GAUTIER

EDITORIAL, Oct 31 (VNN) — The genocide beyond the Hindu Kush

The West seems to have suddenly woken up to Muslim
fundamentalism in South Asia when the Taleban demolished the
Bamiyan statues, in spite of frantic appeals from all over
the world. But there is a bit of hypocrisy in the outrage
triggered by this destruction. 


“...the exact toll of the Hindu genocide suggested by the
name Hindu Kush is not available. However the number is
easily likely to be in millions.”


Firstly, Islam is very clear about statues: didn't Prophet
Mohammad break the first stone Gods himself? Thereafter, it
became a holy duty for all good Muslims. Firuz Shah Tughlak
(1351-1388), who has an avenue named after him in New Delhi,
wrote: 'On the day of a Hindu festival, I went there myself,
ordered the executions of all the leaders and practitioners
of this abomination; I destroyed their idols and temples to
build mosques in their places.' As Belgian historian Konraad
Elst points out, 'Muslim fanatics are merely faithful
executors of Quranic injunctions. It is not the Muslims who
are guilty, but Islam.' Thus, the Taleban, who want to
restore the early purity of Islam, really thought they were
performing a righteous act by destroying the 'heathen'
Buddhist statues. 

Secondly, does the West ever protest when Hindu temples are
destroyed periodically in Bangladesh and Pakistan? The HRCBM,
a Santa Clara- based organisation that investigates and
exposes human rights violations in Bangladesh, has recorded a
few outrages against Hindus in Bangladesh during 2000: 

On March 29, 2000, Malarani Roy of Karagola village was
abducted by Muslims. She was brutally beaten up and
gang-raped. The local police found her, but refused to
register a case. On June 26, a group of Muslims directed
Smriti Rani Saha of Sirajganj town to migrate to India. When
she refused, she was abducted, gang-raped and brutally
murdered. On May 28, Debasish Saha of Poradaha was fatally
shot by a Muslim gang. On June 4, Mayaram Tripura of Balipara
was shot dead by local Muslims. On October 6, 2000, Muslim
devotees, after offering namaaz at the Gajipur Jama Masjid,
strolled across to the Hindu Kali temple, destroyed the puja
pandal, smashed the idols, and looted nearby Hindu-owned
shops. 

Take a look at the figures of the Hindu population of India's
Muslims neighbours: in 1941, in what would become Pakistan,
there were approximately 25 per cent Hindus and 30 per cent
in what would later become Bangladesh; in 1948, only 17 per
cent in Pakistan and 25 per cent in Bangladesh; in 1991, a
bare 1.5 per cent remained in Pakistan and less than 10 per
cent in Bangladesh. 

Thirdly, the West has not yet realised that for the Muslims
of South Asia, Hindus are kafirs by excellence: the Buddhists
adore only Buddha, the Christians only Jesus, but Hindus
worship a million gods and goddesses; and that makes them --
even today -- the number one enemy of Islam. This is why
Kashmir is so important: it is not about territory, it is
about a holy war against Hindu India that has been going on
for 15 centuries and it is only the first step of the
encirclement of India by hostile Muslim neighbours: Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, with soft nations, like Nepal, often
lending them a helping hand. 

Nothing symbolises more the absoluteness of Muslim
belligerence towards Hindus than the Hindu Kush.
Historically, the passes across the Hindu Kush have been of
great military significance, providing access to the northern
plains of India to foreign invaders, starting from Alexander
the Great in 327 BC, to Taimurlane in 1398 AD, and from
Mahmud of Ghazni, in 1001 AD, to Nadar Shah in 1739 AD. 

As noted by Srinandan Vyas on the Hindu.org web site: 'In
Persian, the word "Kush" is derived from the verb Kushtar --
to slaughter or carnage, because all Hindus living there were
slaughtered. Encyclopaedia Americana says of Hindu Kush: The
name means literally "Kills the Hindu," a reminder of the
days when Hindu slaves from Indian subcontinent died in harsh
Afghan mountains while being transported to Moslem courts of
Central Asia. While Encyclopaedia Britannica mentions that
the name Hindu Kush first appears in 1333 AD in the writings
of Ibn Battutah, the medireview Berber traveller, who said
the name meant "Hindu Killer," a meaning still given by
Afghan mountain dwellers who are traditional enemies of
Hindus.' 

'Unlike the Jewish holocaust,' writes again Vyas, 'the exact
toll of the Hindu genocide suggested by the name Hindu Kush
is not available. However the number is easily likely to be
in millions.' A few known historical figures can be used to
justify this estimate. Encyclopaedia Britannica recalls that
in December 1398 AD, Taimurlane ordered the execution of at
least 50,000 captives before the battle for Delhi; likewise,
the number of captives butchered by Taimurlane's army was
about 100,000 . 

Encyclopaedia Britannica again mentions that Mughal emperor
Akbar 'ordered the massacre of about 30,000 captured Rajput
Hindus on February 24, 1568 AD, after the battle for Chitod,
a number confirmed by Abul Fazl, Akbar's court historian.'
Afghan historian Khondamir records that during one of the
many repeated invasions on the city of Herat in western
Afghanistan, which used to be part of the Hindu Shahiya
kingdoms '1,500,000 residents perished.' 

Why does not the Government of India tell Indian children
about the Hindu Kush genocide? The horrors of the Jewish
Holocaust are taught not only at schools in Israel and USA,
but also in Germany. Because both Germany and Israel consider
the Jewish Holocaust a 'dark chapter' in history. Yet, in
1982, the National Council of Educational Research and
Training issued a directive for the rewriting of school
texts. Among other things it stipulated that:
'characterisation of the medireview period as a time of
conflict between Hindus and Moslems is forbidden.' Thus
denial of history, or negationism, has become India's
official 'educational' policy. 

It is high time that the West realises that India is fighting
a lonely battle against Muslim fundamentalism in Asia. The
French for one, who have a definite problem with Muslim
terrorism, should support India more openly. 


OP-ED from the
Human Rights Campaign

919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006
email: hrc@hrc.org
http://www.hrc.org
________________________________________________________

Social Security Needs to Include All Families

By Winnie Stachelberg

Inequities in family law that discriminate against lesbian and gay families
are nothing new. But historically most of the discrimination caused by these
unfair laws has happened behind closed doors, with much of the public not
recognizing that such unjust laws are in place. This changed in the
aftermath of September 11, where much of America saw vivid examples of the
survivors of same-sex couples denied fair and equal treatment.
There are a plethora of Social Security benefits our families are currently
denied. One of the most obvious areas of inequity was the denial of Social
Security survivor benefits to surviving partners and their children. This
inequity can lead to a far less stable retirement for gay and lesbian
couples.
        Consider this story.  Tom and Jane have been married for forty
years.  Tom, a salesman, has paid into Social Security his entire career and
retires at 65.  Jane has always worked at home, raising their children and
doing community service in their small town.  They have lived their lives
frugally yet their combined pension and savings are relatively small,
considering that they paid for their children's college education. Sadly, a
year after his retirement Tom passes away unexpectedly.  Jane is devastated
personally, yet not financially because of the safety net provided by the
Social Security system. Jane is eligible to receive survivor benefits from
Social Security and will be able to continue to pay her mortgage and not be
forced into poverty.
        Now, consider if it were life partners Jane and JoAnne in the exact
same situation.  They too have been together for forty years and only had
one breadwinner because they  chose to raise children. And the death of
JoAnne leaves Jane devastated, yet unlike the married widow, the stay at
home partner cannot benefit from the Social Security system.  Despite the
fact that the working partner has paid into the system as much as Tom and
Jane did, they cannot reap the same benefits. In addition to this financial
strain, the living partner is also denied assistance with burial costs
through a one-time payment.
An opportunity to change the current exclusionary system was missed this
week, when a panel appointed by the president to examine ways to reform
Social Security made no  mention of the inclusion of same-sex families. The
omission in the draft report by the Presidential Commission to Strengthen
Social Security left same-sex families out in the cold and vulnerable to
nightmare scenarios like those that unfolded for many gay families following
September 11.
While the Commission did not address providing parity for gay and lesbian
families, the Commission did put forth three options for reform, all of
which included some form of voluntary private accounts.  These proposals for
the privatization of Social Security have both potential benefits and
drawbacks for gay and lesbian Americans.
While privatization may provide increased flexibility for gay and lesbian
families to designate their own beneficiary, these plans offer only partial
privatization.  Therefore, the large majority of funds will still be placed
in the traditional Social Security system with no option for providing
retirement security for gay and lesbian families.  There are also serious
financing questions that will need to be answered before going forward with
any privatization plan.
Without changes in Social Security, gay and lesbian Americans are forced to
pay generously into a system that does not protect their families. This
taxation without representation means same-sex couples are using their
hard-earned money to protect other peoples' families while leaving their own
families potentially exposed to financial difficulty and ruin.
This is particularly disturbing since divorced widows and widowers, who were
married more than ten years, may receive survivor benefits, while gays and
lesbians who lose lifelong partners are ineligible for benefits.
The most unfortunate losers in this battle for equal benefits can be the
non-biological children of gay and lesbian families who cannot receive
survivor benefits if the deceased partner was not able to obtain a second
parent adoption.   Denial of these benefits only serves to hurt these
children.
Our families not being officially recognized deny another key social
security benefit -disability insurance. Once again, even divorced spouses
may qualify for assistance, while committed life partners are cruelly shut
out.
        Fortunately, the public seems keenly aware of the need to cover all
families. In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in November 2001,
nearly 70 percent of all Americans support Social Security benefits for gay
and lesbian families. The September 11 terrorist attacks clearly moved the
issue from tangential to tangible, as the obstacles real Americans face came
to light. While many people still have theoretical trouble with the concept
of homosexuality, they can readily identify with an individual struggling to
pay the mortgage, sending their children to school and putting food on the
table after the tragic death of a loved one.
        The latest census made it clear that same-sex families live in
virtually every county in America. The choice for our nation's leaders is to
ignore the legitimate needs of these families or treat them with dignity and
respect. Our government can take a page from corporate America where private
retirement accounts, 401 (k) plans and pensions permit gay and lesbian
couples to designate their partners as beneficiaries. If this can be
successfully done in conservative corporate America, there is no reason why
our government - which is supposed to represent all Americans - cannot
expand social security benefits for same-sex couples.
        While the Commission did not address our families, the ultimate
decision on updating and equitably expanding Social Security will be left up
to Congress. They will decide whether to treat all their constituents
fairly, or continue to protect certain families while discriminating against
others. The Human Rights Campaign will continue to educate Congress and work
to ensure all American families can have equal access to one of our nation's
most successful safety net programs, Social Security.

Winnie Stachelberg is the Political Director of the Human Rights Campaign,
the nation's largest LGBT political organization.

- END -

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