KLRU
Appalled at Beenie Man Recommended
RECEIVED Mon., Nov. 10, 2003
I am absolutely appalled that the Chronicle chose to recommend the Nov. 9 performance by Beenie Man at the Flamingo Cantina ["Music Recommended," Nov. 7]. This particular artist, although a major star in Jamaica, is a viciously homophobic hatemonger.
His song "Damn" begins, "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays." In his hit song "Bad Man Chi Chi Man," Beenie Man tells his fans to murder gay DJs if they see one onstage. He was awarded a Grammy for a previous album on which he offered to shoot and kill homosexuals.
There is a fine line between free speech and speech that incites physical danger. In Beenie Man's home country of Jamaica, many people are killed or beaten every year just for being gay. There are no reliable statistics as to exactly how many, because most of the survivors are afraid to report the crimes and out themselves to a hostile government.
Austin is not immune to gay-bashing either, as much as we would like to think so. Just ask Officer Dewayne Friar and his partner Romer Galang, who were attacked by a gang of thugs on Fourth Street, a story that was reported in the same issue ["Naked City: Bashing the Wrong Guy"] as your recommendation of this show. Shame on you for being so two-faced.
His song "Damn" begins, "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays." In his hit song "Bad Man Chi Chi Man," Beenie Man tells his fans to murder gay DJs if they see one onstage. He was awarded a Grammy for a previous album on which he offered to shoot and kill homosexuals.
There is a fine line between free speech and speech that incites physical danger. In Beenie Man's home country of Jamaica, many people are killed or beaten every year just for being gay. There are no reliable statistics as to exactly how many, because most of the survivors are afraid to report the crimes and out themselves to a hostile government.
Austin is not immune to gay-bashing either, as much as we would like to think so. Just ask Officer Dewayne Friar and his partner Romer Galang, who were attacked by a gang of thugs on Fourth Street, a story that was reported in the same issue ["Naked City: Bashing the Wrong Guy"] as your recommendation of this show. Shame on you for being so two-faced.
Beth Westbrook
