The Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) is planning to challenge the constitutionality of buggery laws of various Caribbean countries in the courts of some territories. Offending countries are Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and St Lucia.
A Barbados TODAY article stated, “According to Executive Director of ECADE, Kenita Placide, this step is the next one in a four-year journey which involved tremendous research and dialogue with lawyers, members of the LGBTQI and other groups to better understand the impact of laws targeted at the community,” (Barbados TODAY, November 5, 2019). It is a little strange and unusual to say that our laws target any particular group! We would like to think that when our nation’s constitution and laws were passed their purpose was for the general welfare, protection and order of the society as a whole. Not the focus of any one group in society.
In fact, the buggery laws of Barbados were passed many years ago. Therefore, it is really a stretch of the imagination to say that they were legislated to target or marginalise any group of recent vintage!
Placide went on to say, “Unfortunately there are persons who believe that LGBT persons do not have rights and that infringement is sometimes violent and whether our culture, our governments, or our people want to admit it or not, people feel they have the right to hit or kill LGBT people for being who they are.” Perhaps Placide would let the public know where all this violence is taking place.
Rather, we have been a region most tolerant toward homosexuals and lesbians than many other places in the world. They have always lived among us. That has been our history. Isolated cases of offences should not be generalised.
Another thing, the executive director of ECADE should also further educate the Caribbean public about the evictions from houses and job losses experienced by LGBT people. We also need further information about those parents who Plicade said refuse to support their children through school because of the latter’s LGBT lifestyle. Perhaps the stats and corresponding countries would be given later.
Placide has also reported to have said, “At the moment, what you have is a constitution that beats you on one hand and the Bible, which the religious folks use to beat you on the other…” (Barbados TODAY)
But the “religious folks” can only say what the Creator of the Universe and of mankind has said. They are earnestly repeating what is outlined in His Word. Remember, the prophets of old also warned their countrymen about the results of living their lives outside of God’s will… And every one of those disastrous consequences came to pass!
Present-day people of God are acutely aware of God’s Word and the result of not heeding it. Therefore, we eagerly encourage others to live for God and let Him direct their lives.
Thank God that we have witnessed the transformation of lives under God’s direction. We have seen the alcoholic become sober for life; the drug addict become free of addiction; and the promiscuous young person’s life changed to one of sexual purity. Plus, there are loads of testimonies (just waiting to be googled) of LGBT persons who have been transformed from that lifestyle by the love and power of God!
We, the “religious folks” of the world, will continue to encourage others to live wholesome lives which will last for eternity.
