Listen, no one is arguing that conditions in the country could not be worse. The Bahamas actually struck down its laws against homosexual sex for instance, which is usually a primary thing asylum granting countries look at; it is also not a crime to be or promote homosexuality. But as was said earlier, the law does not extend the full range of protections to LGBT individuals in terms of things such as labor, for instance.
Umm...so you claim to know that "There is no Bahamian who can say that they are persecuted because of their sexual orientation" and then when people would make claims you'd guess that "that was't the whole story"? OK, because that is completely reasonable...
No, America is not the answer to everything. But protections against discrimination are human rights, which are supposed to be universal. Certain other societies have advanced in a way that leads to a better society expanded human rights--we will follow eventually, at least if ignorance, fear and stupidity are lessened.
No one can give you exact statistics on bias crimes because we refuse to collect the information in that way--the category of "hate crime" does not exist in the Bahamas--but if it happens to one person--and it has, that is already enough! Furthermore, given the homophobic nature of some law enforcement, do you think people even report all the crimes that happen to them? Hell, people don't even report regular crimes. Asylym cases happen on a case by case basis. You have to prove that *you* have a reasonable fear of persecution. Some people are denied. Obviously the 16 were successful in proving their cases.
People need to get their facts straight. A) There are many grounds under which asylum is granted. Some of those grounds have to do with not having full range of legal protections in a country that heterosexual people have B) LGBT people do not have the full range of protections under law that heterosexual people have. Example--go and read the Employment act and see the grounds under which you have protection from unfair dismissal. Sexual orientation and gender presentation are not included. If you are found to be gay or transgendered in this country, you can be fired, held back from promotion, not hired etc without being able to seek redress in law. D) There are people in the Bahamas that have been dismissed from jobs, held back from promotions etc because of their sexual orientation --or even perceived orientation. Furthermore, yes there are people in the Bahamas that have been assaulted because of their actual or suspected sexual orientation. Just because you personally don't know them doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Given the fact that there are no protections in law, such matters are actually underreported and not collected as specific hate crimes, and this is one of the criticisms that our fellow members of the UN lobby at us every time these matters get reviewed in Human Rights reports--because we have no institution dedicated to collecting information about hate crimes, or crimes specifically caused due to sexual orientation or gender, the amount of such action is constantly underreported, and we can sit back and say "those things don't happen here." Lastly it is a myth that gay people are any more successful than the rest of the population--even generally. There are poor gays, rich gays, smart ones, idiots. Just because we can point to the two bankers or politician and his lawyer bf who are living in a gated community doesn't mean there isn't a poor butch girl in Kemp Rd who is struggling to get by.
cauchemar says...
exactly! people who have no personal experience of the issues want to talk about what persecution other people might face. God...
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 4:23 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
Listen, no one is arguing that conditions in the country could not be worse. The Bahamas actually struck down its laws against homosexual sex for instance, which is usually a primary thing asylum granting countries look at; it is also not a crime to be or promote homosexuality. But as was said earlier, the law does not extend the full range of protections to LGBT individuals in terms of things such as labor, for instance.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 4:19 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
Umm...so you claim to know that "There is no Bahamian who can say that they are persecuted because of their sexual orientation" and then when people would make claims you'd guess that "that was't the whole story"? OK, because that is completely reasonable...
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 4:09 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
No, America is not the answer to everything. But protections against discrimination are human rights, which are supposed to be universal. Certain other societies have advanced in a way that leads to a better society expanded human rights--we will follow eventually, at least if ignorance, fear and stupidity are lessened.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 3:52 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
And where is your proof that most crimes involving homosexuals and committed by homosexuals? This is a tired tired claim.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 3:49 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
No one can give you exact statistics on bias crimes because we refuse to collect the information in that way--the category of "hate crime" does not exist in the Bahamas--but if it happens to one person--and it has, that is already enough! Furthermore, given the homophobic nature of some law enforcement, do you think people even report all the crimes that happen to them? Hell, people don't even report regular crimes. Asylym cases happen on a case by case basis. You have to prove that *you* have a reasonable fear of persecution. Some people are denied. Obviously the 16 were successful in proving their cases.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 3:44 p.m. Suggest removal
cauchemar says...
People need to get their facts straight. A) There are many grounds under which asylum is granted. Some of those grounds have to do with not having full range of legal protections in a country that heterosexual people have B) LGBT people do not have the full range of protections under law that heterosexual people have. Example--go and read the Employment act and see the grounds under which you have protection from unfair dismissal. Sexual orientation and gender presentation are not included. If you are found to be gay or transgendered in this country, you can be fired, held back from promotion, not hired etc without being able to seek redress in law. D) There are people in the Bahamas that have been dismissed from jobs, held back from promotions etc because of their sexual orientation --or even perceived orientation. Furthermore, yes there are people in the Bahamas that have been assaulted because of their actual or suspected sexual orientation. Just because you personally don't know them doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Given the fact that there are no protections in law, such matters are actually underreported and not collected as specific hate crimes, and this is one of the criticisms that our fellow members of the UN lobby at us every time these matters get reviewed in Human Rights reports--because we have no institution dedicated to collecting information about hate crimes, or crimes specifically caused due to sexual orientation or gender, the amount of such action is constantly underreported, and we can sit back and say "those things don't happen here." Lastly it is a myth that gay people are any more successful than the rest of the population--even generally. There are poor gays, rich gays, smart ones, idiots. Just because we can point to the two bankers or politician and his lawyer bf who are living in a gated community doesn't mean there isn't a poor butch girl in Kemp Rd who is struggling to get by.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 3:37 p.m. Suggest removal