#BTSpeakingOut – Wrong move

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Dave & Marcia Weekes

Barbadians, we know that credibility is a major pillar for any organization that seeks to represent the interest of others.

Apparently, the LGBT community of Barbados privately approached some artistes that were scheduled to perform at the “Watch Out My Children” rally on Saturday, December 10 to dissuade them from participating.

The rally was focused on protesting the inhumane, traumatising, indecent and illegal “Computer PreTest” given to some of our 11-year-old children in October this year. They never approached the organisers.

All the promotions, including flyers, social media posts, radio ads, etc., made it clear that the focus of the rally was the children.

Nowhere, in any form or fashion, was there mention or even a slight suggestion of intent to attack, defame, malign or castigate the gay and lesbian community.

Would you believe that it seems individuals from that group contacted some artistes and advised them not to perform because the rally was against the LGBT community? Can you believe such propaganda?

Two of the artistes actually complied and pulled out, leaving the organisers holding an empty bag at the last minute.

You would assume that the gay and lesbian folk had a credible source of their information, but rather went to great lengths to apparently pressure the artiste.

So was it the intent for an entire event to be held to ransom on the whims and fancies of a few… literally a handful of Bajans who believe they are so special that anything coming from faith-based quarters must be gung-ho against them?

This totally disregards the monetary contributions of ordinary Bajans with a conviction regarding the plight of the children and the work and effort that went into organising such a well-executed rally.

Truth be told, the event went on very smoothly without the artistes who withdrew and without any bashing of the LGBT community.

The highlight for many was the well-researched and well-delivered legal exploration of the focus-incident, breaking down and making very clear the glaring illegalities of the Ministry of Education (MOE) by lawyer Tyra Thompson.

Also brilliant in rallying all people with a faith-based conscience and calling for unity was Rastafarian and host of weekly online show “Politically Incorrect”, Emmanuel Beryllia.

Bajans, if we don’t rise up and focus on the plight of our children, I am sorry for this nation; our future looks dreary. The adults, whether they be straight or otherwise, can or should be able to fend for themselves.

This is not even a faith-based or LGBT issue. No one wants their child to be sexualized from such an early age. Plus, what about the rights of the parents?

Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Rastafarian, Hebrew or none of the above, you want to have a say in what your child is taught… anywhere, period.

To borrow a quote from one of the speakers, Bongo Spear, “The children are our only hope for the future, but we are their only hope for the present.”

Barbadians must unite on this issue propagated by the MOE.

The LGBT community had no right seeking to promote further disunity and sowing seeds of discord in the wider community.

Shame on you. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin makes it ashamed. Go figure.