I don’t know if this woman is really a lesbian or not… But it doesn’t matter. Even if she is, I have no sympathy for her.

The first rule of international travel is that you are a guest in someone else’s country–Be a good guest and follow the rules. Can’t do that? You don’t get to stay. End of story.

Thomas I find it hard to agree with your points. I’ve been to Britain and have never experienced anything other than respect and I’m black and also from the Caribbean. I have relatives over there who are black, have well paying jobs and live very comfortable lives.

There are many law abiding citizens in Jamaica who are impoverished and don’t traffic drugs. To excuse her actions because of being poor just doesn’t cut it. It’s certainly true she could face violence if deported. Personally I hope she isn’t deported if in fact she is a lesbian. Everyone must abide by the laws of a country and face the consequences if they break the law.

This case is very different than the asylum cases. This women is not someone who fled Jamaica because she was a lesbian searching for safe haven, where she could live as a lesbian without fear. Rather, she came to the UK and committed serious crimes of drug dealing and drug possession. And now, a few days before being deported after years in jail claims that she is a lesbian. I think her claim to being a lesbian seems to be fishy, a last minute ploy not to be deported.

Even if she is a lesbian, it’s not a matter of just granting her the right to stay. She is being deported because she is a convicted criminal. I have no sympathy for her. If one enters a foreign country and can’t refrain from committing serious crimes (drug dealing), then that person really can’t expect a lot of sympathy when they are deported back home. Had she behaved herself or perhaps committed a minor infraction (overstaying a visa or so), things could be different.

That said, it is terrible that Jamaica has such a terrible record regarding even the most basic gay human rights. Too bad even their leaders are so uneducated and cannot learn from the other Commonwealth nations like Canada and the UK on gay rights.

However, as a matter of law, I am unsure that the European Convention on Human Rights would allow a deportation in this instance. If she cannot be deported, however, as a convicted criminal, she would have to be housed in prison in Britain forever or until her home nation becomes “safe” for her to finally be deported.

Thomas:

‘Obviously the British would have preferred this woman work as a menial somewhere’. As one of ‘the British’ i figured i should respond. I don’t give a damn where someone is from, I don’t give a damn the colour of someone’s skin, and I don’t give a damn if they work a menial job. I respect anyone who is a good citizen, and it seems with selling Class A drugs that she quite frankly wasn’t.

As to an Irishman commenting on British hospitality, remind me, what sort of ‘hospitality’ would someone of the LGBT creed receive in Ireland?

From what i know of the case I think it is an immigration ploy. Which certainly is likely going to affect a genuine LGBT appeal in the near future. I don’t feel sorry for this woman, I feel sorry for the next person who has their appeal rejected because of being seen as a copy-cat ploy.

Thomas, NO British commonwealth member state has any immigration rights to the UK. They are independent nations, they gave up that right to migrate to the UK when they demanded their independence, just as no Brit has an automatic right to reside in the U.S. a former colony. This woman committed a serious crime, she like any other, native British citizen or not would be prosecuted in the same way except that a native of course cannot be deported anywhere. If I were to do the same in her country, I’d not only be deported but possibly harmed physically. One’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with it.

I regret that you didn’t find British hospitality in general very pleasant but you seem to paint the entire country with the same brush. I’ve been treated with the upmost respect and have never had any negative experience every time I’ve been in the UK. I’m sure there are some people in your country who may not be very hospitable to foreigners, especially Brits, but I’m not going to write off the entire Irish people because of the actions of a few. There is prejudice in every society including the U.S. The fact that Jamaica is hostile to LGBT people doesn’t mean that every Jamaican behaves in the same manner, its current anti-gay stance notwithstanding. Your comments about the Brits would imply that you’re now an anti-Brit racist, odd considering that many Irish nationals live, work and vote in the UK for decades. I wonder what it is they and myself see that you don’t?

She is a drug dealer and should be deported…. end of story. She is lucky she wasn’t doing these crimes in Singapore, then she would be going for “a short drop and a sudden stop” on the gallows.

I keep seeing this, “If your in that country, you need to abide by the law,” bullcrap. Now I do realize that the “war on drugs” is a touchy subject, but lets remember.

How many of us were breaking the law when sodomy laws were still in use even here in the U.S? Since I’m a left wing hippy, its my opinion that substance use should fall upon idividual choice, and that we should legalize them because everyone has a right to somewhat destroy there own body, but thats not even my point.

My point is that since some Laws are ridiculous, and “sometimes” ludicrous to abide by, should we really poo poo and turn up our noses at this women? She won’t be treated like other inmates if she gets sent to prison, she’ll get treated unfairly because of who she choses to love, and we be put at even greater risk there.