Two California men arrested on gay cruise in Caribbean

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/2-us-men-arrested-gay-cruise-caribbean-215601159.html

By CARLISLE JNO BAPTISTE | Associated Press – 2 hrs 13 mins ago

ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Two California men on a gay cruise of the Caribbean were arrested Wednesday in Dominica, where sex between two men is illegal.

Police Constable John George said police boarded the cruise ship and arrested the two men on suspicion of indecent exposure and "buggery," a term equivalent to sodomy on the island. He identified the men as John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 43, but did not provide their hometowns.

George said the men were seen having sex on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship by someone on the dock.

The two were later charged with indecent exposure and are scheduled to appear before a magistrate Thursday morning. If found guilty, they could be fined $370 each and face up to six months in jail.

The ship carrying about 2,000 passengers departed Puerto Rico on Saturday and arrived in Dominica on Wednesday. It departed for St. Barts without the men, who are being held in a cell at police headquarters in the capital of Roseau.

The cruise was organized by Atlantis Events, a Southern California company that specializes in gay travel.

President Rich Campbell, who is aboard the cruise, said in a phone interview earlier that he thought the two men would be released. He later said in an email that the company has organized many trips to Dominica and would "happily return."

"Many countries and municipalities that gay men visit and live in have antiquated laws on their books," he said. "These statutes don't pose a concern to us in planning a tourist visit."

Campbell said he expects the two men to be released on Thursday and that they only face misdemeanor charges.

"The guests actions were unfortunate but minor in this case and have no bearing on our overall guest experience," he said via email.

The presence of gay cruises in the Caribbean has riled several conservative islands including Jamaica and Grenada, where anti-sodomy laws are enforced with strong backing from religious groups.

According to Cruisemates.com, no gay cruise lines sail to Jamaica or Barbados for fear of homophobia and possible violence. It said other places like the U.S. Virgin Islands welcome gay cruises.

In 2010, the Cayman Islands rejected the arrival of an Atlantis gay cruise amid protests from religious groups even though homosexuality is legal on the archipelago.

Don Weiner, a spokesman for Atlantic Events, referred all questions to Campbell, including why the company organized a trip to Dominica and whether it knew about the island's anti-sodomy laws.

Elizabeth Jakeway, a spokeswoman for Celebrity Cruises, referred all questions to Atlantis.

The last time authorities in the Caribbean intervened on a gay cruise was in February 2011, when agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested a California man aboard the Allure of the Seas, which had docked in St. Thomas. The man, Steven Barry Krumholz of West Hollywood, pleaded guilty to selling ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine to fellow passengers.

[Danno 1,228]

Yeah we have the same thing going on in the neighborhood parks right around here, you can see them every afternoon during the week.

The newspaper reports another "hot spot" out by the airport runway.

In NJ it was the rest areas along 295 and the turnpike.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Yeah we have the same thing going on in the neighborhood parks right around here, you can see them every afternoon during the week.

The newspaper reports another "hot spot" out by the airport runway.

In NJ it was the rest areas along 295 and the turnpike.

Do you hang around there giving rainbows?

[luckytxn 2,265]

Wonder if they will like jail.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Wonder if they will like jail.

[Danno 1,228]

Do you hang around there giving rainbows?

Hang around my park?

Thats part of the problem, you can't hang around or they think you are waiting to find a partner to take a walk in the woods with.

Couple of years ago I was sitting in the parkinglot waiting on someone running and this guy driving a box van backs in next to me and every time I glanced over that way he would try to make some meaningful eye contact.

Here this guy is on his lunch break trying to get a bj in the company vehicle. Wonder what the boss would think if his Insulation truck was part of some "Gays in the Park" sting.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Hang around my park?

Thats part of the problem, you can't hang around or they think you are waiting to find a partner to take a walk in the woods with.

Couple of years ago I was sitting in the parkinglot waiting on someone running and this guy driving a box van backs in next to me and every time I glanced over that way he would try to make some meaningful eye contact.

Here this guy is on his lunch break trying to get a bj in the company vehicle. Wonder what the boss would think if his Insulation truck was part of some "Gays in the Park" sting.

It's ok. You can come out of the closet.

[Leatherneck 693]

Wonder if they will like jail.

They just might enjoy the stay.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Buggery on the high seas. nuff said.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

** Two posts removed for hate speeach, which is against TOS ****

[Danno 1,228]

It's ok. You can come out of the closet.

Dude I have been out of the closet for some time now, thats why I am an authority on these topics.

[MyLittlePony 340]