http://www.solopassion.com/node/7074

Gay fascists have won a victory over homophobic fascists. The loser is freedom of speech and conscience, says SOLO Principal Lindsay Perigo.

In response to gay fascists, Big Day Out organisers in Auckland, New Zealand, have pulled Jamaican performer Beenie Man out of next year’s event.

Apparently, Beenie Man’s lyrics at one point included, “I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays.”

Gaynz.com content editor Jay Bennie had called on Beenie Man to be axed from the line-up to send a message that homophobia was not acceptable in New Zealand.

“I’d never heard of Beenie Man till now,” says Perigo, who himself is gay. “I know, quite apart from such revolting lyrics—which are probably inaudible—I’d loathe his brand of headbanging anti-music. But in the spirit of Voltaire I’d defend to the death his right to perform it to consenting adults.

“The Big Day Out website says while Beenie Man has renounced those sentiments, signed the Reggae Compassionate Act [!!] and promised to stick to ‘peaceful and humanistic values’ at Big Day Out, ‘the depth of feeling and hurt amongst these groups has convinced us that for us to proceed with his Big Day Out appearances was, and would continue to be, divisive amongst our audience members and would mar the enjoyment of the event for many.’

“One wonders what would happen were the homophobic misogynist Eminem the ‘artist’ in question,” Perigo muses.

“BDO, of course, have the right to extend and revoke invitations as they see fit. But it’s a shame they’ve succumbed to pressure from a group of toxic totalitarians who form a significant contingent of New Zealand’s Politically Correct Thought Police, who won’t be satisfied till they’ve criminalized ‘offensive’ and ‘inappropriate’ speech.

“Bennie and Beenie are flip sides of the same coin. Both would benefit from a course of sensitivity-training in the spirit and practice of, ‘I disagree with what you say, but defend to the death your right to say it,’” Perigo concludes.

No one is suggesting BMs music be banned from shops or that individuals not be free to listen or not .
Just that under longstanding rules for visitors he be refused entry.
We even prevent visitors with very little money ( Marie of Romania comes to mind )from staying, they are put on the next flight home.
This doesnt mean poor people allready living here are going to be kicked out

That is why beanie man is a joke, socially and scientifically and the correct response was what happened today, free people coming together to speak with mainly one voice and say his message is unacceptable and the event organisers responding… Trying to have him banned from the country was a silly and dangerous idea…

I reply:
OK, and here’s where I start having problems with such a broad definition of incitement. I’ve just received the announcement of the Auckland Theatre Company’s 2010 season — which includes William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, which contains (not to put too fine a point on it) murderous gang warfare, statutory rape, and a sympathetically presented teen suicide pact. I would be singularly unsympathetic to the idea that the ATC is guilty of “incitement” to commit any of those crimes.

They are no more persecuted than any other minority. They just whinge the loudest.

Bill.

How the hell can anyone answer that question with any certainty? Do you really need to be reminded of what usually happens when governments take it upon themselves to ban rival political parties?

“Bill, the Ku Klux Klan used ‘freedom of expression’ to carry out a reign of terror through the American South as well.”

What nonsense. They did not use freedom of expression to do anything of the sort. It was the criminal acts of violence that created the terror. I find it utterly incredible that anyone would use the example of the Ku Klux Klan, or the behaviour of other disreputable gangs of thugs as an excuse to promote restrictions on free speech, or to ban political parties.

Bill.