Bunny Wailer 'homophobic' speech
[Bunny Wailer 'homophobic' speech – Part 4: Personnal opinion + Rub-A-Dub sleeve analysis]
There are four different pages related to that speech included on my website. A) Transcript B) Setlist C) Analysis of the speech D) Peronnal opinion and Analysis of the Rub-A-dub CD sleeve. All the links can be found at the bottom of this page.
Concert: Rebel Salute Festival 2001
Place: St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Venue: Port Kaiser Sports Club (outdoor venue)
Date: January 13, 2001
I've been suggested to tone down my commentaries on the speech made by Bunny Wailer, which I did. It is true that taking the time to write it down and taking the time to analyse it and discussing it with Jamaicans made me realised that maybe it was not as 'ugly' as it sounded in the first place. But I still it stupid to put down homosexuals in order to promote heterosexuals values, whatever the context is. Following is my initial comments, before I tone done the introduction to the transcript and it's analyysis. They still reflect my disapointment.
PERSONNAL COMMENTARY
Finding out that some of the Wailers members would have homophobic feelings is not be a big revelation. Rastafarian faith mixed up with the Jamaican context can easily explain such feelings. But there is a huge difference between thinking something and going on a stage and spreading hatered. Knowing the musical heritage Bunny Wailer has on his shoulder, I am extremely disapointed to find out that he could behave in such an hawful way. When finding the existance of that speech, I was devided in what to do with it, simply because I am promoting The Wailers music on the main section of my website (soulrebels.org). I am positive that other Wailers fans around the world may be as shocked as I am when they will read it. But this website was partly design to help you choose your music and therefore this information belongs here.
Well, I am a big fan of The Wailers music. For me, it was a great disapointment when I first heard about it and again when I listened to the speech a few years later, on mp3 sources. I am not a fan of Bunny Wailer's solo career, although I do have 11 of his solo albums, all of which were purchased before knowing about this. For me, Bunny Wailer is part of the one of the best group in music history. His partnership along with the one of Peter Tosh shapped the musical chemistry of the Wailers and the songwriting of Bob Marley's repertoir. In late 1973, the three artists separated and Bob Marley pursued his international career. That same year, Bunny recorded the wondeful songs 'Hallelujah Time' and 'Pass It On' (both featured on The Wailers's Burnin' album). These could undoubtly belong among the best reggae songs of all time. And I quote Bunny singing on Pass It On: 'We're not here to judge what's good from bad, but to do the things that are right' – 'Be not selfish in your doings, Pass It On, Help your brothers in their needs, Pass It On'. The energy of these songs lost a huge part of their glowing, once you know about the speech.
This is a direct message to Bunny Wailer: 'You obviously don't know what you are talking about. This is probably due to a lack of transparent information on the matter that you read. You are allowed to think what ever you want about homosexuality. We are accustomed to be surrounded by people that have their heart filled with intolerance. Please don't use your fame to spread discrimination and hatred. I find this attitude totally unacceptable. I suggest that you document yourself. Maybe you could start by reading 'Boy-Wives And Female Husbands: Studies In African Homosexualities', you could find out that African tribes were living in harmonies with gays and lesbians before the European colonization. What we are witnessing in Jamaica society today is just an other extension of the ravages made by slavery: the imposition of Christianity and it's moral system value. You have a responsibility towards mankind. This responsibility is even greater from someone who was part of the creating process of songs like 'One Love', 'No More Troubles', 'Kinky Reggae', ''Sun Is Shining', 'Don't Rock My Boat', 'Lively Up Yourself', 'Concrete Jungle', 'Guava Jelly' or tons of other classic reggae music. When you reach a certain age, it's even a greater challenge to reconsider some of your moral values. I hope you come to find some enlightenment on the matter. If you ever regret spreading homophobia, I welcome you to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act, to show that you have moved on towards those negative vibes.
Equal Rights!
And out of that shall emerge Peace Love and Harmony.
Signed: Irie Ites, 'Reincarnated Soul' from that time
.
.
.
.
[Bunny Wailer 'homophobic' speech – Part 4: Personnal opinion + Rub-A-Dub sleeve analysis]
There are four different pages related to that speech included on my website. A) Transcript B) Setlist C) Analysis of the speech D) Peronnal opinion and Analysis of the Rub-A-dub CD sleeve. All the links can be found at the bottom of this page.
Concert: Rebel Salute Festival 2001
Place: St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Venue: Port Kaiser Sports Club (outdoor venue)
Date: January 13, 2001
I've been suggested to tone down my commentaries on the speech made by Bunny Wailer, which I did. It is true that taking the time to write it down and taking the time to analyse it and discussing it with Jamaicans made me realised that maybe it was not as 'ugly' as it sounded in the first place. But I still it stupid to put down homosexuals in order to promote heterosexuals values, whatever the context is. Following is my initial comments, before I tone done the introduction to the transcript and it's analyysis. They still reflect my disapointment.
PERSONNAL COMMENTARY
Finding out that some of the Wailers members would have homophobic feelings is not be a big revelation. Rastafarian faith mixed up with the Jamaican context can easily explain such feelings. But there is a huge difference between thinking something and going on a stage and spreading hatered. Knowing the musical heritage Bunny Wailer has on his shoulder, I am extremely disapointed to find out that he could behave in such an hawful way. When finding the existance of that speech, I was devided in what to do with it, simply because I am promoting The Wailers music on the main section of my website (soulrebels.org). I am positive that other Wailers fans around the world may be as shocked as I am when they will read it. But this website was partly design to help you choose your music and therefore this information belongs here.
Well, I am a big fan of The Wailers music. For me, it was a great disapointment when I first heard about it and again when I listened to the speech a few years later, on mp3 sources. I am not a fan of Bunny Wailer's solo career, although I do have 11 of his solo albums, all of which were purchased before knowing about this. For me, Bunny Wailer is part of the one of the best group in music history. His partnership along with the one of Peter Tosh shapped the musical chemistry of the Wailers and the songwriting of Bob Marley's repertoir. In late 1973, the three artists separated and Bob Marley pursued his international career. That same year, Bunny recorded the wondeful songs 'Hallelujah Time' and 'Pass It On' (both featured on The Wailers's Burnin' album). These could undoubtly belong among the best reggae songs of all time. And I quote Bunny singing on Pass It On: 'We're not here to judge what's good from bad, but to do the things that are right' – 'Be not selfish in your doings, Pass It On, Help your brothers in their needs, Pass It On'. The energy of these songs lost a huge part of their glowing, once you know about the speech.
This is a direct message to Bunny Wailer: 'You obviously don't know what you are talking about. This is probably due to a lack of transparent information on the matter that you read. You are allowed to think what ever you want about homosexuality. We are accustomed to be surrounded by people that have their heart filled with intolerance. Please don't use your fame to spread discrimination and hatred. I find this attitude totally unacceptable. I suggest that you document yourself. Maybe you could start by reading 'Boy-Wives And Female Husbands: Studies In African Homosexualities', you could find out that African tribes were living in harmonies with gays and lesbians before the European colonization. What we are witnessing in Jamaica society today is just an other extension of the ravages made by slavery: the imposition of Christianity and it's moral system value. You have a responsibility towards mankind. This responsibility is even greater from someone who was part of the creating process of songs like 'One Love', 'No More Troubles', 'Kinky Reggae', ''Sun Is Shining', 'Don't Rock My Boat', 'Lively Up Yourself', 'Concrete Jungle', 'Guava Jelly' or tons of other classic reggae music. When you reach a certain age, it's even a greater challenge to reconsider some of your moral values. I hope you come to find some enlightenment on the matter. If you ever regret spreading homophobia, I welcome you to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act, to show that you have moved on towards those negative vibes.
Equal Rights!
And out of that shall emerge Peace Love and Harmony.
Signed: Irie Ites, 'Reincarnated Soul' from that time
.
.
.
.
OPINION ON THE TEXT FEATURED ON THIS DISC
To me, it's nothing less than a twisted homphobic text. "Jamaicans are presently experiencing a change in the dance hall that is unacceptable to the tradition of the original dance hall style of males and females embracing and combining their dancing talents which had created an atmoshpere of love, peace and harmony in the dancehall." The first song featured on this album 'Man And Woman' was partly sing during the homophobic speech that Bunny Wailer made while performing in Jamaica in January 2001. In that speech, he criticized homosexuality. A transcript can be found by clicking on the link at the bootom of this page. You see that when it's time to put it on a disc, Bunny Wailer temper down his speech... For what? Probably to avoid offending his international audience... So even him knows that his philoshophy and speech is not shared or accepted by the majority.
NOTE: The same CD is also available with a different title: 'Combination Vol.1'. The sleeve has a drawing of a lion with a lioness holding each other in their arms.
••• BACK TO ORIGINAL WEBSITE •••
PAGE 1: TRANSCRIPT OF BUNNY WAILER 'HOMOPHOBIC' SPEECH
PAGE 2: BUNNY WAILER LIVE AT REBEL SALUTE 2001: SETLIST
PAGE 3: ANALYSIS OF THE SPEECH
PAGE 4: PERSONNAL OPINION + ANALYSIS OF RUB-A-DUB CD SLEEVE
Image of the back of Bunny Wailer's Rub-A-Dub album, released in July 2007.