The beaches at Ocho Rios and Montego Bay may look like paradise, but its anything but for Jamaica's many gay residents. The latest Time magazine asks is the island nation The Most Homophobic Place on Earth?

The report wraps some of the more high profile homophobic cases and events in Caribbean—several homicides, mob beatings, and the attack of two CBS News producers in St. Maarten. There's also a short but poignant interview with a gay man who was savagely beaten by Buju Banton and is now blind in one eye. "Brian lost his landscaping business after the attack and is fearful of giving his last name. "I still go to church," he says as he sips a Red Stripe beer. "Every Sunday I ask why this happened to me." "

· An update on Chad Ferreira, who was beaten to death in the Castro.

· More on immigration, which certainly has the potential to become the wedge issue of our community. ay City News veteran journalist Paul Schindler, outlines much of the current disagreement and seeks common ground. A student editorial in the Columbia Spectator hopes to solve immigration with integration.

· Across the country, HIV/AIDS care providers are burning out from increased workloads and flat funding. Also available on Real Player.

Comments

[Rich]

For some reason people think it's all made up when there are reports of the savagery that happens to gay folks in Jamaica. People are killed and no-one cares to do anything about it. When Britain offered to grant automatic citizenship to all countries that got their independence, on condition that sodomy laws would be repealed, it was reported that the government rejected the idea. Change, if it does happen, will have to start with the mindset of people that it is ok to behave in this manner.

[Rene]

You need to know that retired Jamaican Ambassador Peter King who was slain in Kingston - Throat slashed by killers - Stayover guests quizzed
published: Tuesday | March 21, 2006
Glenroy Sinclair and David Bridger, Gleaner Reporters WAS GAY and that this was an anti-gay HATE CRIME . I know it first- hand from a Jamaican friend who lives in Kingston, Jamaica. The crime, of course was never reported as such by the local authorities!!!

[Kurt]

Jamaica is homphobic. I should know, I live there. But we must not be hasty to label Ambassador King's murder as "anti-gay". The goodly Ambassador was no paragon of virtue and many boys and poor young men have been victimized at his hands. I abhor homophobia, but many gays, by virtue of how they conduct themselves, set themselves up to be slaughtered.

[Kermit]

Kurt, NO ONE "sets themselves up to be slaughtered", to use your wording. Gay, Biracial, Disabled, Mentally ill, Transgendered, or any other person that Jamaican society or mob-followers may deem as socially unfit. NO ONE deserves this! If you are in fact GAY, then you sound like a complete self-hating homosexual, most likely hypersensitive over how masculine you are perceived. NO ONE deserves to be slaughtered for conducting themselves in a "gay" way. Is this your best explanation of the violence against gays in Jamaica (and around the world for that matter)? Your implication alone is abhorrent and malicious and lacks proper research. I sincerely hope you will reconsider the grave repugnance and contradiction of your statement.

[Kurt Wagner]

Hey Kermit. Thanks for your response. I am not saying that anyone deserves to be slaughtered. Sorry to have given that impression. And for the record, they do come "more masculine" than I. Anyways, I still maintain that we do reap what we sew. Remember that I said "but many gays, by virtue of how they conduct themselves, set themselves up to be slaughtered". My point is this, whether one is a heterosexual or homosexual predator, that is wrong. When one exploits the young, and the poor, that is wrong. Many heterosexuals are pedophiles and, for the record, when they are incarcerated, their cellmates give them a hard time. No pun intended. While I may be labelled "gay", I strive to be objective Kermit. And conducting oneself as a predator and taking advantage of the weak is "abhorrent and malicious". And, no Kermit, I was by no means suggesting that my statements are/were an explanation of the violence against gays in Jamaica. Also, I would not compare gays with the disabled or mentally ill. But, we can agre to disagree here. Peace my brother.

[Derrick from Philly]

"many heterosexuals are pedophiles"

You mean, many pedophiles are heterosexual, don't you, Kurt? I aint crazy 'bout heteros, but I aint gonna lie on 'em.

[Kurt]

Thanks Derrick. "Many pedophiles are heterosexual" is correct.

[African Boy-K]

Jamaicans "are" AFRICANS raped,dehumanised and forcefully hounded into ships ready to be sold out to the western world,because they were"BLACKS"!..
As these ships sailed the Atlantic enroute to the Americas and Europe,one of the many stop-over islands for refreshment,for the captors ofcourse,was Jaimaca!.
Jamaican were Slaves!,BLACK SLAVES treated like dogs because they were "BLACK AFRICANS"!.
1.Former SLAVES do not hate on nobody!
2.Former SLAVES dont discriminate on no one!
3.Former SLAVES,because they were treated like rejects,should have FINELY-TUNED-SENSITIVITIES!..
4.Former SLAVES weed-out prejudice on all formes.
5.Former SLAVES would have Buju Banton OSTRACIED and PUNISHED!
6.Else it is fair to say,these former AFRICAN SLAVES,deserved every single HORROR metted out to them by other "humans" because they looked "DIFFERENT"!!

[Thomasco]

African Boy-K,
Are you suggesting that people of African slave descent are not capable of wrongdoing and skewed ideology? It seems so.
If so, you are sorely wrong. Each one is responsible for his/her thoughts and actions and history does not release them from responsibility.
If this was not your intent, please clarify.

[Thomasco]

African Boy-K,
Are you suggesting that people of African slave descent are not capable of wrongdoing and skewed ideology? It seems so.
If so, you are sorely wrong. Each one is responsible for his/her thoughts and actions and history does not release them from responsibility.
If this was not your intent, please clarify.

[Crisp]

Um, African Boy-K, while I think your statements are coming from the right place, most of them are naive, at best.

[jamaicangal]

Most homophobic place on earth is an understatement.