The Top Mid-Week Talk: REBEL-lious Straight Talk

REBEL-lious Straight Talk: 

Tony Rebel strikes Marriage Equality

"Luvs, this was the best of Jamaica, save and except the intemperate and near vulgar outburst of Tony Rebel, who sought to use the platform of our national celebration to reinforce his own prejudices and to comment on a parochial matter, albeit, one with national import. But one on which the courts have ruled in one instance, and yet to make a determination in another." Stated Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor to the Gleaner in his Column.

Its a  been a little more than week since the gigantic "Official" (careful using this) Celebration at the National Arena, where the Grand Gala stole the evening on August 6; our Athletes in London went on their usual rampage on the Track. Yet the buzz is still in the air not because of the fireworks, skillfully choreographed dances or the high level officials that were in attendance (PM Portia meet, President Zuma and Collin Powell) but by the populous and rights afforded but ill-timed pronouncement during Tony Rebel’s usual: high energy and controversial (captain obvious) performance of crowd favorites from the old days till now.

Rebel switched over from "Performer" to "Commentator/Activist" half way his set, all was good with the world while he went on a political bashing spree (I Can’tRecall, personal favourite) then he does the thinkable (at the wrong time and place), he utters "Marriage must be between a man and a woman", of course, the pre-dominantly Christian and straight crowd (God forbid, maybe some gays and Muslims were there - but who cares?) roared in scriptural agreement with his “Straight Talk”.

The backlash came some days after, on Social Media, Radio talk shows and Current affairs programming; comments came stagnantly  by a few justly bewildered viewers of the nights’ events that focused on -in a huge way- Jamaica’s motto “Out of Many, One People” as a theme for a segment of the performances. The comments were mostly hesitant and indirect condemnation of the timing and not the artiste himself (Politically Correct).

Out of the Many, Same People

There is no doubt that the counter opposition to the opposition of the statement is actually louder and stronger than the actual support for the artiste himself. We have not yet gathered our “individuality and uniqueness” for “ourselves” and not allow society to dictate: “How unique and/ How individual we can be”. Jamaica has not settled on a moral code of conduct (contrary to popular conservative Christian belief), we have been “Bible Blocking” it all this time trying to instill  a Theocratic hold on social norms that will never create whole hearted people. There must be some level of “Relativism” within a society that holds the root of “Traditional Values and Ethics” as strong as Jamaica. This intolerable idea that if someone is not like me or not of the same mind, I should neither want or try to associate with that person. (From a Liberal Christian)    

 Democracy of Inequality 

In an interview on SmileJamaica, Tony Rebel claims he has Freedom of Speech and Jamaica’s Democracy on his side which is very much correct, in fact we all do, lest never overstep the boundaries that are set by Democracy that allows us the said Freedom of Speech, while the debate on Homosexuality will continue as vigorous and as passionate from both sides, we must keep in the back of our minds that Democracy or an argument isn't one way but a dual system. We will never hear the heart felt Gay stories from families with accepted Gay members in Jamaica to get the other side of the story that isn't (cross dressing scammers) on the front pager of The Gleaner (front-pager in chief) but instead complete "Straight Talk". 

P.S.

Politically Speaking

• I wasn't surprised by the silence of the Government, Opposition, Human Rights and the ever so fickle Jamaicans For Lesbians All-sexual and Gays (JFLAG). Expecting PM Simpson-Miller to do her  Liberal-peek-a-boo (as she did in the Debates) was far from thought she would have gone Left for a second time, making the public uneasy and uncertain of the fate of the 'Almighty' Buggery Law (dum,dum,dum)   

• The same way of condemnation dealt to Tony Rebel is exactly how the United Nations (U.N.) is treating Syria, condemning the actions of al-Assad and not prosecuting the man himself (why Libya and not Syria).