Cornwall seems to have a problem

[Trab]

Cornwall, UK

[Steven Keiths]

Sad, so very, very sad.

[Tanuki Racoon]

I agree. Sad.

[Cole Parker]

The accompanying videos are truly terrible.

C

[DesDownunder]

I don't supposed I am surprised; dismayed, horrified, sickened, but not surprised.

Ignoring the crimes against people because they are thought to be gay, regardless of whether they are gay or not, is tantamount to a crusade against common decency, justice and human rights.

When combined with political maneuvering by the conservative right-wing, the safety of gay people from prosecution through trumped up charges is perilously close to an inquisition, a witch hunt by any other name is still a witch hunt.

There is enough material here for a first class movie; an expos? of the whole situation in Cornwall. Maybe someone amongst us could write a fictional story inspired by this video. My own time is too restricted to devote to the task, and in any case I am already writing a story on abuse of gays by officialdom. (It is a difficult area to write about.)

I would venture to say that such a story does not have to be a constant depiction of suicide and depressing maltreatment of gay people, although these would be part of the story. And remember it would be fiction so you can write a story of heroic proportions as well as romance.

What historic influences thrive deep in Cornwall (and other places) that still spurs this hatred of gay people?

Much to think about.

[Paul Schroder]

Here is another video about the attitudes of Corwall authorities towards gays. Here. This is especially tragic in that it regards their treatment of a young teen

[DesDownunder]

Is Cornwall a law unto itself? Sounds like what Tasmania used to be like.

I thought homosexuality had been decriminalised in the whole of the UK, not to mention laws on discrimination being in place to stop this outrageous and objectionable maltreatment of gay people.

Are Cornwall authorities totally devoid of any human compassion?

Isn't one of the members of the Royal family, the Duke of Cornwall?

I would think that contacting him would be an avenue of achieving some public notoriety of these gay people's plight.

Didn't Dianna come from Cornwall? I rather think she wouldn't have been too happy about the situation.

[Trab]

Maybe some of our UK members can shed some light on the politics of the region, and the structure of the administration there.

[Richard Norway]

I too had asked myself the same questions that Des has asked. What is going on down there in that far SW corner?

[Bruin Fisher]

Only one county lies between me and Cornwall so I guess I'm the 'reporter on the scene'. However sadly I can't contribute anything authoritative to this discussion.

There are problems with some of the police forces in Britain. The Metropolitan Police, for instance (London) have acknowledged continuing and institutional racism, which I find shocking in 2009. To the best of my knowledge, however, homophobia in the Cornwall Constabulary has not been reported on by the press, and neither have I heard about it from any other source than the vociferous few who are lobbying via YouTube. That's not to say they're wrong, of course, but we have to allow that they might not be unbiased.

There are laws forbidding prejudice on grounds of sexuality and Britain is not a federation. All English law applies to all English counties - and Wales, although there are some minor differences in Scotland. Cornwall does have a certain spirit of independence, the ancient Cornish language, for instance, is being kept alive by a small enthusiastic group. And I've noticed myself that there is an attitude there that 'we're too far from London for them to notice what goes on down here - so we can just do as we please'. It shows up among some regarding traffic laws, and among some regarding tax law. In my experience most residents are thoroughly law-abiding and upright citizens. Of course Cornwall's economy is heavily based on tourism and during the summer months about three quarters of the population there are tourists, just visiting.

I wish there was something more concrete I could contribute!

[JamesSavik]

I'm going to shock you by saying Cornwall ain't crap compaired to cops in the Southern US.

If you are gay they'll find the evidence to convict you whether or not it actually exists.

You better never complain about them either or your body will never be found.

[DesDownunder]

Bruin, you have in fact contributed quite a lot.

You confirm my understanding about English laws applying to "all English counties."

Also I have seen some reference to the racism problems in the Metropolitan police force.

I also was aware of the difference and quite respectable differences that Cornwall has in maintaining its culture and language.

What I found disturbing was that in 2009, there were still these pockets of homophobic prejudice in the Cornwall authorities causing such torment to so many as according to the YouTube reports. I agree with Bruin too, that there is a need to authenticate the YouTube videos, but I'm prepared to consider them at face value given that some of the references in the video should be easy enough to verify at the local level in Cornwall.

As I stated above we had a similar situation in Tasmania where the authorities refused to budge on the local criminal law in regard to prosecuting gay men for homosexual acts.

Finally Rodney Croome took the case to court in the UN and the High court of Australia and won.

Rodney is an online activist. Googling Rodney Croome will display many relevant articles in addition to the one I have linked above.

And from what James is saying about cops in the Southern US, then Rodney Croome's success story may well be important reading for other places as well.

I think it is worth remembering that conservative, fundamentalist forces who normally disagree with each other do have one thing in common: Homophobia. Their potential to reverse our hard won freedoms, is a constant danger, no matter where we live.

[Trab]

I think it is worth remembering, in regard to homophobia, that some protest entirely too much. The vehemence of the homophobic protests suggest a much more intimate nature to their 'concerns' and reactions than warranted by their 'targets'. Not that this would help anyone much, but it may allow one to put it into the perspective of angry frustrated pity for them, rather than outright bitterness.

[DesDownunder]

Well said Trab.

Many of these people suffer from homophobia directly linked to their own beliefs and fears. In many cases these fears are due to ignorance born of long term indoctrination so incumbent in conservative and fundamentalist conditioning.

Overcoming such conditioning and indoctrination will not be achieved by physical force. Violence is not an acceptable answer for people who really are only seeking the right to love.

In the words of a far greater man than I can ever hope to be, I will say we need a dream, a dream of a world where homophobia is a thing of the past because homosexuality is no longer seen as something to be feared or something believed to be in conflict with personal belief.

The rights of homosexual people everywhere to live and love without fear, is also the right of those who are heterosexual to live and love without being coerced into hating, fearing or not accepting the homosexual.

There are many places, countries, nations, where individual rights are sacrificed on the alter of cultural extremes and traditions. The battle is against those cultures, where they continue to teach and impose homophobia amongst other things, on their peoples.

Already in my lifetime, the once unthinkable acceptance of homosexuals has been written into law in many nations, in time others will follow.

Speaking out against the enslavement of people's minds and thoughts, is as much as part of the process of individual freedom, as is the liberty of the homosexual.

This is what is so exasperating, appalling and depressing about the reported homophobia in Cornwall.

We must never forget that liberating the homosexual to be accepted, also means liberating the heterosexual to be accepting.

[Paul Schroder]

We must never forget that liberating the homosexual to be accepted, also means liberating the heterosexual to be accepting.

Beautiful, Des. Thank you.