Dear friends,



Three weeks ago today, I was there when one of the members of our community was assaulted while being called “faggot” on King Street. He sustained a concussion and fractures in a several places in his face. I never thought it could happen in Santa Cruz, but since that date I’ve heard stories from four other people of similar incidents. Hate speech results in hate violence and now the Catalyst is bringing one of the most virulently homophobic singers in the world to our community tomorrow (Sunday the 11th) and I plan to speak out against it.



I will be joined by members of the GLBT alliance and our community who believe that the Catalyst bears responsibility for their decision to invite, profit from and give venue to a group who openly calls for the killing of gays and lesbians. Sizzla is by far one of the worst of the worst, bragging about having killed gay men and inciting others to do the same at a concert in Chicago. He has repeatedly refused to apologize for his actions and has said that it is gay and lesbian people who should apologize.



While I certainly believe in free speech, I believe there is a difference between free speech and hate speech. There is a difference between defending a person’s rite to free speech and profiting from their virulent homophobia. If they called for the murder of women, African Americans, Jews, latinos, or any other minority, there wouldn’t even be a question of whether they should be invited into our community. As a gay man, I’d like to think that this should be no different.



I ask all of you to join me and other members of our community to speak out and let everyone know that these are not our values and that the Catalyst should be held accountable for profiting from hatred.



WHEN: Sunday, Sept 11th – 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Catalyst (1011 Pacific Ave)

WHO: Those who choose not to remain silent



Some information about Sizzla:



Sizzla has gone well beyond denouncing homosexuality; they have openly and repeatedly advocated the killing of gay men. At a reggae concert in Chicago, Sizzla bragged that he kills queers and incited the audience to murder gays and lesbians. Sizzla’s recent British tour was cancelled because the British government refused to allow him into the country; a reggae festival in France at which Sizzla was set to perform was cancelled because of the singer's virulent homophobia; a major reggae festival in Jamaica this summer was fined a reputed $20 million by its sponsor because of Sizzla's homophobic performance -- and now he's coming to Santa Cruz. Sizzla has repeatedly refused to apologize for his virulent homophobia and has said that it’s the gay and lesbian people who should apologize.



Some of Sizzla's lyrics include (translations in parentheses):



Pump Up
Step up inna front line (Step up to the front line)
fire fi di man dem weh go ride man behind (burn the men who have sex with men from behind)
Shot battybwoy, my big gun boom (Shoot queers, my big gun goes boom)



Boom Boom
Boom boom! Batty boy them fi dead (Boom boom! Queers must be killed)



Get To Da Point
Sodomite and batty bwai mi seh a death fi dem (Sodomite and queers, I say death to them)
Mi no trust babylon fi a second yah so (I don¿t trust Babylon for a second)
Mi a go shot batty bwai dem widdi weapon ya (I go and shoot queers with a weapon [as in gunshots])



Additional Resources:



www.jahworks.org/music/fea..._in_UK.htm - Sizzla Banned in the UK over Homophobic Lyrics
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/enter...4041183.stm - No apology from 'anti-gay' singer
www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifest...ZLA.asp - Sumfest likely to drop Sizzla
hour.ca/music/music.aspx - What happened to "one love"?, Richard Burnett, Hour Magazine


Additional information can be found at www.homosexualagenda.org.



Thank you all in advance,



--Sean Gallavan