With the return of Capelton as promoted by Bonus, once again Humboldt County is faced with the very real problem of what is deemed “Murder Music.” The continued consumption and support of which causes our community to not feel like a safe(r) place to live for queer (in this context some may read this as LGBTTIA: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Intersex and Asexual) people, such as myself.

The reality of aforementioned performer’s lyrical content and multiple violations of the Reggae Compassionate Act demonstrate the level at which he is committed to the message that queer folks’ lives must be forcibly taken from us, more than likely taken from the social environment and larger context of performers from which he originates. One need only to scratch at the surface to uncover the super hostile culture queer folks experience within Rastafari Jamaica, and how pervasive murder, mutilation and violence is. How the manifestations of a post-colonial patriarchy, embroiled in the synthesis of an Abrahamic-based faith and a nation’s people robbed of their identity via the slave trade, contribute to violence against queers and womyn is surely a worthy topic of discussion but I wish to speak to Humboldt County and how we interface with all of this.

Humboldt is often lauded as being rather liberal due to the (one-time) environmental activism and (ever present) cannabis culture. This in turn, has created an environment in which the sense of

liberalism overrides any actual issue related to social justice. Professor Christina Accomando, in a Power & Privilege class I took once upon a time, dubbed this sensation the “I can’t be a racist/homophobic/misogynist because I recycle” syndrome. The most rampant example of this line of thinking is related to cultural appropriation, and the unmindful consumption of afro-centric media.Now, I don’t want to reproduce any of the literature regarding cultural appropriation versus cultural appreciation, there are free ‘zines and essays on the Internet, so trust me when I say that the utilization of Rastafari iconography, aesthetic, and media by white cannabis culture is predominantly cultural appropriation, meaning that they are stolen from the context they originate in and are used as a “cultural spice.” And in Humboldt, it is easy to witness this, due largely to the overwhelmingly white demographic of the county and the saturation of cannabis culture. And it goes unquestioned, unspoken against. (Aside from that “anti-racist haircut” campaign the Black Student Union at HSU had a few years back, but campus activism rarely penetrates the community at large unfortunately.)

It is this drive to assimilate and appropriate that allows for performers such as Capleton to stay in business, as those involved consume all that which is Rasta with little thought. I have read several communications stating that those who attend are “peaceful” and “come for the beats and music,” and most likely do not understand the lyrical content. I posit that if these people were engaged in mindful consumption instead of appropriation, the promoters and venues would not have had a sold out show for this performer two years ago and be faced with choosing profit over justice; that if they examined the ways in which their consumption effected not only their own community, but the way in which this cultural export supported the system of violence from whch it originationes, they would not insist that Capleton’s performace be allowed.

For those that say that this is “freedom of speech,” I challenge them to grow up queer in Humboldt County and suffer the death threats, beatings, bullying and associated suicidality that living in a culture that refuses to acknowledge the very real threat hate speech poses.

I urge this community to meaningfully and wholly engage in anti-racist activism. I declare with urgency that queers and our allies must make a stand against those that would have us dead.

And I offer us all a blessing:

Dearly departed nuns of the above and our blessed saints, please give our community the strength to challenge itself to come to understanding. Grace us with the guidance to create spaces free of hatred and despair. Nurture the love within all of our hearts, so that we may embrace once another for support on our path to healing. May universal joy be promulgated, and stigmatic guilt expiated. Ah-men. Ah-womyn. Ah-all of us.

Qaiel “Sister Gaia T” Peltier is a member of Eureka Sisters Inc., Abbey of the Big Red Wood.