Local LGBT Groups Protest Upcoming Reggae Show
Several local LGBT groups including Equality Ohio and Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio have started a campaign to push for the cancellation of the upcoming Buju Banton show scheduled to take place at The LC on October 3rd. Messages from these groups have been re-posted on Facebook earlier today and are denouncing the reggae musician as homophobic for song lyrics that call for the murder of homosexuals. Some of the lyrics were also posted here on The Buckeye State Blog.
Update: 9/11/09 6:30PM - The show has been canceled.
Several venues in other cities have already canceled tour dates for Buju Banton, citing similar outcries from other LGBT groups and activists. Those canceled cities include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Dallas and Houston.
Below is some additional information about the musician from a recent article in On Top Magazine:
In his native Jamaica, where being gay is punishable by 10 years in prison, anti-gay violence is rife and typically tolerated by the authorities. In 2004, Banton was tried and acquitted on charges that he participated in the beating of six gay men.
Both Equality Ohio and Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio are encouraging people to politely call or email Amy Cooper, The Marketing Director at PromoWest Promotions at 614-461-5483 or amy@promowestlive.com to expression their opinions on this scheduled event.
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Related Tags: concerts • Events • lc • lgbt • Music • promowest • protest
September 11th, 2009 at 12:48 am
Sent my email to Amy.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:32 am
I called and the answer I received was that the LC was “just renting the facility” to the artist. Would the LC allow an artist to perform at their venue that called for the of black people or Jews? Why is it acceptable to “rent the facility” to an artist that calls for the death of LGBT peoples?
September 11th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Renting the facility to the artist? That implies that they’re not actually paying the artist to play there, which sounds like bullshit.
September 11th, 2009 at 9:43 am
shame on all parties involved.
September 11th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Just playing devil’s advocate here, but the dude wrote boom bye bye when he was a teenager as a byproduct of location-based politics and culture. I’m not sure what acts come through the LC but I guarantee that if it was possible for NWA to reunite and play a promowest show, almost -nobody- would protest when they performed Fuck Tha Police.
September 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Well if it was canceled in Cincinnati, then it DEFINITELY shouldn’t happen here.
September 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am
People have too much time on their hands.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:10 am
He’s got one of those names that’s hard to forget and I should have recognized it on a thread a few days ago, like local homophobe Lida Harvey. They’re not names to be taken lightly.
It will be a sad day in Columbus if they let him play his hateful trash.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am
A sad day for who? Certainly not the reggae fans wanting to see a good show whilst stimulating the economy with their entertainment dollars.
GLBT’s ought find something more productive to “protest.”
September 11th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Ignore it. He has bad karma.
This guy will be faced someday with the ultimate irony when he’s discriminated against for his skin color or national origin.
September 11th, 2009 at 11:52 am
We might not be able to change anyone’s beliefs but we can do our darndest to make sure this jerk doesn’t get a big fat paycheck for playing in our city, which the Advocate rated one of the best places in the country for gays and lesbians to live.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Do you really believe what you are saying snarf or are you playing devils advocate? Are you the person authorized to tell the GLBT community what they should protest? Do you really think that this concert has that much of a positive economic effect? And lastly how importantly is it to you to defend homophobic comments made by someone else? Is it really worth it to you? Just curious.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Free speech.
I think that people that like Banton should be able to see his concert, period.
And I would also think there are a lot more important issues facing the GLBT community besides a reggae concert at the LC, wouldn’t you?
September 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
If people that like Banton want to see his concert then let them go to some other city where his message is welcome. Its not welcome here.
There are a million more important issues facing the GLBT community. Its a good thing I can multi-task.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Let people choose with their wallets. Freedom of speech people, there’s an upside and a downside. If you don’t like LC’s decision to let him play there, then you can boycott LC. That’s what I’ll do.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I’m disturbed to see this happening, but happy to see so many people who speak out about it.
I am annoyed by the assumption that GLBTQ people are only protesting this. Clearly, it’s a human issue. And as much as you might proclaim they have a right to perform, others have a right to object. It’s still legal for the KKK to march, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with being actively and vocally opposed.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
@Snarf: Perhaps I should have done a little digging before I sounded off. Over two years ago, he and other raggae artists signed the Reggae Compassionate Act.
In the Reggae Compassionate Act the singers pledge to:
One thing I’ve learned is that people can change for the good over time. Getting out of Kingston and meeting people from different corners of the globe I imagine has been life changing for him. Meeting other people and looking into their eyes can have a sobering effect.
http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/07/July/2302.htm
September 11th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I thought that too, patient_zero BUT he later denied that he had made any such commitment.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9251.html
September 11th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
As Columbusite said, let people decide with their wallets. When was the last time this particular artist had the song in question in his set list? I don’t know, I don’t follow him, & chances are I’ll never see him in concert.
As Patient_Zero noted with some research the guy might have changed considerably as he grew up. I know when I was younger I made some off color comments about women/cooking/kitchens, does that make me a sexist today?
*Edit* The guy is probably still a homophobic ass though.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I am with Columbussite on this. It gets weird when groups force venues to ban musicians. Not to mention it is actually good for the artist in the long run to be censored.
September 11th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
10sun, just pointing out my last post again. Banton denied he ever signed any Reggae Compassionate Act.
Meanwhile, in todays news, British honorary consul, John Terry, was murdered in Jamaica with a note on his body saying “This is what will happen to ALL gays”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6829343.ece
September 11th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
OMG the tiny island of Jamaica is going to take out the world’s entire gay population! RUN!!!
September 11th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I’m not saying it is wrong to protest him. Just as a gay dude who’s been called names plenty of times, I choose to ignore people like him. Not worth the angst.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I’m glad you find murder funny, Snarf.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
he does have free speech rights, but so do you, if you don’t like it picket the LC and Promo West, tell them you will never go to a show there if they continue to insult your community and friends.