Buju Banton, the homo-cidal Jamaican reggae artist (best known in these parts for his song “Boom Boom Bye”, which describes him spraying acid at and gunning down gay men) has been nominated for a Grammy Award, AND has Pepsi sponsoring his concerts in Uganda? Perhaps we’re over-reacting, but for a man to be nominated for a Grammy when their songs would constitute incitement of violence in many countries, and who was investigated for his role in the 2004 beatings of six gay men in Kingston, Jamaica feels a little like nominating Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl for an Oscar because Triumph of the Will has many beautiful, well-constructed shots. To top it off, Pepsi Corporation has sponsored at least one of his concerts in Uganda, according to the Daily Monitor, a Ugandan newspaper, where he “stuck a sword of words into gay people” and sung about how he “would like to cut the throats of all gay men.” However, it’s not clear if this was a local affiliate of PepsiCo acting independently of its US-based management, or the PepsiCo company itself. Funny thing is, Pepsi is a target of a boycott by the American Family Association for “supporting the homosexual agenda.”

Elsewhere…

D.C. – And speaking of Uganda, Rachel Maddow’s piece on the country’s “kill gays” bill got lost in the general gnashing of teeth over the New York marriage loss last week. It’s still worth checking out, though. What’s more important: demanding respect for human rights, or not acting like a colonial power (we’re one of Uganda’s biggest aid donors)? (h/t The Box Turtle Bulletin)

California – The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles just elected an openly lesbian bishop, the first lesbian to head a bishopric in the Anglican Communion. Of course, this makes the head of the Communion, Archbishop of Cantebury Rowan Williams, very mad, unlike the “kill gays” bill in Uganda, which he has yet to condemn. (Times of London, Pam’s House Blend)

Florida – McDonald’s wants to be your least favorite corporation. When a trans woman applied to an Orlando McDonald’s as a shift supervisor, she was told “we don’t hire fagots.” Needless to say, she never got so much as an interview. (Transgender Legal Defense and Education Network)