Over once and for all, Please!

From a friend:


I admit: I am not Jamaican. I've never been to Jamaica. But there are some things that are just so wrong as to offend one's basic sense of justice and decency no matter what piece of ground you are standing on.

On one thing I have to disagree with the consensus - "over soon" is not what I hope for. "Over once and for all" is the only thing that will save Jamaica.

I mean seriously, even right now Golding's people are looking for some legal loophole that will allow them to not have to extradite Coke. Since when did corruption and cowardice pass as "leadership". Why do the decent and upstanding people of Jamaica, of which I have had opportunity to meet many, allow criminals to control their lives?

From what I can see, Jamaica has no leader. It has a RULER, perhaps, and if so his name is Christopher Coke. But even that gives him too much credit, he is but one gangland warlord among many. Big bad men. Gunmen. Rubbish. Even they are just pawns of a perverted system created by the invisible hand of the market to feed America's insatiable thirst for drugs.

If ever there was a need for revolution, this is it, and I don't mean a revolution of violence and bloodshed. As several have pointed out, the government is by no means legitimate. But at least it is something that makes an effort to occasionally pretend. But when the next election comes, this is one example where what I have to say next comes into play.

What I believe in is a revolution of the mind (America needs one too, by the way, but I'll save that for another day). History offers very few potential turning points, but they do happen. If the Jamaican people as a society harnessed the anger they feel over this ongoing tragedy and finally decided that they deserve to live free of the threat of violence, free of the control of criminals, and united against the forces that corrupt Jamaica - then and only then will change come. Will it come from a corrupt government that is part of the problem? No. Will it come from the media? If only. If you're asking "why don't they tell us the truth?" then you're asking a question which deep down you already know the answer to. No, change can only come from... well, from people like some of you deciding to spread a message of change at any price. The power of change is within each person. It doesn't come from outside, it doesn't come from someone else.

In the world as it is, every Jamaican has a choice: 1) adopt an attitude of submissive acceptance, turn a blind eye to the problems and hope they go away 2) vigilance, whistleblowing, organizing, demonstrating (peacefully), asking the uncomfortable questions, and taking a courageous stand wherever the opportunity arises. I'm not going to lie to you: what I'm talking about here is a dangerous thing. Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy - an assassin's bullet found its mark on all of them, and more than a few of their followers suffered or paid the ultimate price. A path of confrontation, true confrontation on the things that matter, does involve sacrifice. But before you let those words "at any price" scare you, let me ask a question. How many of you know people, good people who minded their own business and lived decent lives, murdered for no reason? The price is being paid either way, and it is a heavy one. We are all going to die one day, nothing will change that, but accepting it gives you the strength to say anything that is necessary, and do anything that is necessary to fight for what really matters to you, for what you believe in. The question then merely becomes what are you willing to die for? Are you willing to die for Jamaica?

No matter what country, no matter what culture, it doesn't matter where you are, this rule is always the same: standing up to bullies is the only way to defeat them. And make no mistake: either you defeat them, or they defeat you.

Jesse Rogers

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A lot of people share these sentiments. We must and can do better. The fate of the Diaspora depends on it.

Just my two cents.

Long time nuh chat

My 12 year old says to me last night that, "Nikki Minaj is mad wack..." Give thanks to JAH that I've been teaching her to recognize foolishness in all its forms from the day she was born. Never too early to start teaching lessons and principles. Foreign language and music lessons aren't the only things that children learn better the earlier you start.
Now for all those who like Nikki's music, I'm not knocking choice. Matter of fact there are quite a lot of songs, quite a bit of everything out there that can be quite relevant to people. Trouble is seems that many people seem to have forgotten the scripture that says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
I was raised learning ABCs and 123s. Now we as a society are bombarding them with "Shake it like a salt shaker." and it's derivatives. I'm all for artistic expression but hell, junk in junk out.

Just my two cents.

Toussaints' Peoples Will Not Be Moved

How is it that Haiti and her people suffer so? I question not the God within us, just the humanity. I heard of the tragedy while I was working. A customer of mine casually mentioned that there was an earthquake in Haiti. My own daughter informed me that her own godfather had family that was caught in the quake. I remember shortly thereafter that I was hit even closer to home because I too have family from the island. Family both by blood and by choice. I prayed so last night that the destruction, the calamity, spared as many as could be spared. I prayed that this too will soon pass as tragedy has done so in the past.

But then I also remembered that Haiti is of a strong and mighty peoples as well. Toussaint would still be proud of the peoples he helped liberate so many years ago. I won't begin to allege that I know her full history. I won't behave as though I know the half. What I do know is that while seemingly amidst great tragedy always, the peoples of Haiti have always shown me great love and affections. Their pride is strong yet balanced. Their resolve has always been and will remain strong, maybe even stronger today and tomorrow. I pray that her people suffer little.

For all of my friends and family who have close ties to Haiti, you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers. JAH Love Protection and Divine Guidance

My 2 cents

Time for us to grade you Mr. President

Housing: fail...People still getting a hell of a hard time from banks. How does it make sense that banks hold on to their properties instead of selling them to people willing to buy them in this economy? Wouldn't they get them back at some point anyway if buyers default down the road?

Jobs: fail... Do you realize how many people are still out of work? What is to be expected when the quid pro quo was for many years to send jobs and companies overseas only so that millionaire CEO's could fatten their pockets even more?

Healthcare: fail... It still costs me less to feed myself better and exercise than any healthcare plan your government can come up with. Yes, in the event that I need emergency surgery I might be flat busted, but hell at least I won't go broke the 10 or 20 years prior paying for benefits that I never use. Apple a day, brush your teeth and get off the damn couch...

I really don't think much in this world will change until the heads of these companies who have been fleecing the public generally and poor people specifically are called to and held accountable. If that means publics hangings or executions of another nature, well that will probably be the beginning of new corporate attitudes. How much damn money do you need in your pockets? When your employees can't afford to take care of their bills without having to work extra hours, extra jobs and put spouses to work as if they are being put on the stroll, how is that any different from SLAVERY? The emperor only has new clothes.....


MY 2 cents...

I had a funny feeling about the full moon yesterday....

I can't sleep. Well, I really should say that I'm having a hard time falling asleep. Doesn't help that I'm now sitting here writing a blog. You know in the spirit of all manner of sincerity and all honesty, I spoke on matters last night that I thought might give better clearance and give some measure of perspective into just how it is I rest. Never could have imagined for an inkling that the words that were to come out of my mouth would have been so damaging. I mean generally when I speak and the shit is about to hit the fan, I am fully aware of the impending doom.
When is being honest too much? I have heard my whole life, this one and many before, that honesty is always, ALWAYS, the best policy. 'The truth will set you free.' Well I've learned that the truth hurts more often than it helps. I mean, yes everyday truths, such as who drank the last of the orange juice and left the box in the fridge, probably have little bearing on the longevity of your life. Hell if those little truths carry so much weight as to be of possible detriment, you can have those as well. No wonder no one speaks when there is but a swallow of juice in the fridge, lol.
But seriously, I thought that my desire to be honest in certain regards as opposed to years of skillful and deliberate avoidance, was a sign of growth at best. Do I continue to teach my children that surreptitiously holding on to the facts and truth is truly in fact the best policy? I would hate for them to grow up to be exactly as I was all the time. Aren't our children to supposed eclipse us in every aspect of the word? Aren't we ourselves to learn and grow and teach better?
My two cents

Winter Wonderland

Last weeks winter storm caused lower retail sales to the tune of over a billion dollars less than last year. That's billion with a b. Mere coincidence or divine intervention? Stop commercializing faith. Today should have been a day for reflection and the opening of hearts. Not a mass exodus to retail establishments to purchase gifts to show by material means how much we love and care for one another. I pray all a safe and blessed weekend no matter what faith your heart manifests.

Disney's new Princess

Last month the Disney conglomerate released the story of the Princess and the Frog. In this incarnation, Disney "Princess" happens to be of African ancestry. For the first time in the company's history, the main character of a feature happens to resemble a relatively large part of Disney's viewing audience. I use resemble here fairly loosely because the artwork, while exceptional as hand drawn illustration goes, does little in the way of truly intimating African features. All that said, if it can even briefly show a young Black child that the past hangups, misconceptions and stereotypes about Black Womanhood are invalid; that yes Black Woman can be as royal and regal as they once were.

Conversely, how is it that we are still allowing these entertainers to talk about and systematically degrade and destroy the Black Woman specifically, but women in general. Yes they might not be speaking about "you", that argument is plain. But they are speaking directly to the minds of innocent youth. We teach our little ones with song because the repetitive nature of the rhymes and melody draw them in and open them up to be more receptive of the lessons taught. It's little coincidence that record company exec's promote so eagerly the type of artists who can deliver "sick" tracks and "wicked" lyrics and wordplay. All the while, it's women who are left in the balance, most often with names sullied beyond most recognition.

It's a crzay world we live in and that's my 2 cents,