Aug 23, 2007News: Bounty Killer and Buju Banton to Perform in New York?
By vanrozenheim
(USA) - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today urged Clear Channel to withdraw the sponsorship of its Power 105.1 station from the upcoming Reggae Carifest, featuring anti-gay performers Buju Banton and Bounty Killer. The event is slated for August 25 at Randall's Island in New York. GLAAD is also encouraging the media to spotlight these performers' violent, disturbing lyrics and to question Clear Channel's support of messages that promote violence against the LGBT community. "Buju Banton and Bounty Killer continue to perform songs with virulently homophobic lyrics that in some cases support the murder of gay people," said GLAAD Senior Director of Media Programs Rashad Robinson.
"It is unacceptable for Clear Channel, the concert promoters, and the other sponsors to provide these performers with a platform to promote messages that put lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in harm's way."
Both Buju Banton and Bounty Killer notoriously celebrate brutal acts of anti-gay violence in their music. For example, lyrics from Buju Banton's song "Boom Bye Bye" refer to a gay person as a "batty-boy," which is a slang term equivalent to the f-word. "Boom Bye Bye" goes on to glorify violence against gay people by telling listeners to take any "batty-boy" and "burn him up like an old tire wheel." Bounty Killerıs song "Another Level" explains that "S**t men (gay men) must be drowned and that's a yardy man (Jamaican) philosophy." Around the globe, these performers have been met with protests and cancellations because of their unabated encouragement of anti-gay violence.
"People around the world have successfully called for companies and venues to respect human dignity by not supporting these performers," Robinson said. "GLAAD is calling on Clear Channel to do the same."
GLAAD is collaborating with Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD), Queer Justice League, People of Color in Crisis, The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce and the New York City Anti-Violence Project to call on Clear Channel to withdraw its support for these anti-gay performers and to urge Buju Banton and Bounty Killer to sign and support the Reggae Compassionate Act, a pledge to stop anti-gay lyrics.
The coalition of activists will protest anti-gay violence at the Reggae Carifest on Saturday, August 25, at 5 pm. Demonstrators will meet at GMAD, 103 E. 125th St., #503 at 4pm and travel to Randall's Island to speak out against those who encourage violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. GLAAD encourages the media to report on these voices of protest as they cover the Reggae Carifest event.
To voice your concerns to those who are supporting these violent anti-gay messages, please contact:
Josefa Paganuzzi, New York Spokesperson
Clear Channel Radio-New York
josefapaganuzzi@clearchannel.com
(212) 398-8061
Power 105.1
Clear Channel
power1051@clearchannel.com
(212) 704-1051
Lisa Dollinger, Chief Communications Officer Clear Channel
lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com
(210) 832-3348
D'Iniscio Brooks, Team Legendary
TeamLegendary@gmail.com
Reggae Carifest NY, Inc.
(718) 856-3336 / (718) 856-5946
info@reggaecarifest.com
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, visit www.glaad.org
