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RIAJam: Take a stand for Jamaica and its music!

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The Recording Industry Association of Jamaica Limited/RIAJam is calling on all Jamaicans at home and abroad as well as all fans and supporters of Jamaican music around the world to take a stand in support of positive Jamaican music which continues to entertain, inform and inspire millions of people around today as it has done for the past 50 years.
The RIAJam wishes to make it absolutely clear that it does not in any way condone or support the recording or performance of music containing lyrics which promote or incite violence against any group of persons. This view also reflects the position of its over twenty Jamaican member companies involved in the music production, manufacturing and distribution business.

This statement is being issued against the background of what the RIAJam now sees as a witch-hunt and challenge to the sovereignty of Jamaica being launched by the gay activist group Outrage and its allies. It is our view that recent suggestions that Outrage will not relent in their campaign against Jamaican music until certain statutes are amended in Jamaica, presents a clear challenge to our sovereignty as an independent nation. The obvious disregard by Outrage of the attempts by several of the targeted artists to apologize and to commit to no future promotion of violence against gays in their music and performances, also supports the view that our dancehall artists are being used as scapegoats for a bigger agenda.

Through dialogue between our members and some of the targeted Dancehall artists we are convinced that the artists have learned from this experience and that in some instances their lyrics have been misunderstood and used accordingly to misrepresent their intent.

We are calling on all other Jamaican music industry associations, music producers and artists, as well as all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaican music to join with us in taking a stand in the defense of and support for Jamaican music. In taking a stand in the support of our music we also urge respect for and support of the right to freedom of speech and expression in our music while we continue to promote peace and love through Reggae.

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