Toronto activist have spearheaded numerous campaigns against musicians with explicit hate language targeted towards the LGBT community. Join the group take action.
Here’s the latest:
Uganda this year has experienced a rash of vigilantism in which accused LGBT people were publicly identified in the newspaper, radio, and TV. A new proposal before the Ugandan Parliament assigns a death sentence for certain homosexual “crimes” and outlaws all advocacy or defense of LGBT people with a punishment of 7 years imprisonment. This has provoked an international uproar; Stephen Lewis commented on it recently saying, “This intended anti-homosexual statute has the taste of fascism.”
It was in this horrific context that LAST WEEK Beenie Man played a show in Uganda at Kampala’s Kyadondo Rugby Club where it was reported:
“The King of Dancehall stuck a sword of words into gay people through singing and talking. ‘In my family, we don’t have any gay person but if you’re gay, my brother that’s not my fault,’ he said as he performed his song Mi Nah Wallah, in which he says he would like to cut the throats of all gay men.”
One of the sponsors of the show, Pepsi, upon hearing of the show and their sponsorship of it, issued this statement:
“We are appalled by his lyrics and find them repugnant. We are not associated with him in any way.”
Now, mere DAYS after inflaming anti-gay sentiment in a country contemplating a law that will result in government sponsored gay executions KOOL HAUS is bringing him to Toronto unless we contact them (and their President Charles Khabouth) and compel him to pull this show. Kool Haus should not have allowed him to play in the first place, but this has become more than solely about offensive lyrics, it’s about sending a message to LGBT Ugandans that we won’t ignore their struggle or support those that do.
Please call or email (or facebook graffiti their FB Page listed below) and let Charles Khabouth know how you feel (FYI: he also runs The Guvernment, This is London, Ultra Toronto, Tattoo Rock Parlour & DragonFly NightClub):
Phone: 416-869-0045
email: clubevents@theguvernment.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/INKEntertainment
twitter: http://twitter.com/inkevents
Do it soon as the show is in THREE days.
“No one wants to leave home. Will I risk all that, for the chance of being home? No. It is not pride. It is not bravery. It is just simple despair. What do I do? What do I do when this law is passed?”
– Anonymous gay Ugandan blogger.
