Festival celebrates murder music

Straight Pride is Homophobic Pride

Organisers are proud to be anti-gay

London - 14 July 2008

A small, self-selected group of reggae labels, promoters and artists
have announced that they will hold a Straight Pride Parade in New York
on 31 August 2008, in defence of homophobia and anti-gay lyrics that
incite violence against lesbian and gay people:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1077774.htm

Commenting on the planned Straight Pride, gay human rights campaigner
Peter Tatchell, a spokesperson for OutRage! and the Stop Murder Music
campaign, said:

"The US is a free country. Let them have their misnamed Straight Pride
Parade. They say it is a celebration of heterosexuality, but really
it's a promotion of straight supremacism. Their parade is driven by a
homophobic agenda. They defend artists who incite hatred and violence
against LGBT people.

In their news release, the organisers promote a song by the singer
Stapler called "Hit Them Hard," which openly advocates violence
against gay men.

"They falsely claim that the Stop Murder Music campaign is an attack
on reggae music. Nonsense. It is an attack on a small number of reggae
singers who have perverted reggae's message of peace, love and
justice. They have betrayed the liberation ideals of the reggae
pioneers and are hijacking the genre to turn it into an anthem of
homophobic hatred and violence. They are encouraging civil war in the
black community. They want black straight people to kill black
lesbians and gay men.

"These idiots don't realise that one of Bob Marley's most famous songs
contains lyrics that send a coded message of support to black gay men.
It's called 'No woman no cry.' It was very popular in gay clubs when
it was first released and it still gets played today. Some gay men
sing along and add the words that Marley dared not himself say: 'No
woman no cry…when you got gay guy,'" said Mr Tatchell.