Shame On You, Andrew.... [IMO]

Image from The Gleaner

Politics has always been one of the areas I very rarely want to speak on.Quite honestly it is not something I take much interest in or care much about  (yes, shame on me) and, unlike too many people out there, I don’t like to speak on things which I believe I am under-informed about. But hey, this blog is titled "Train of Thought" and if I'm thinking it maybe I shouldn't be too afraid of saying it : shame on you Andrew.

The big discussion over the last two weeks or so has been on the JUTC fare hike that has already come into effect. This change, as expected, has had people riling up about the “un-fare-ness” of it’s implications on the poor people of our country that rely on the service. Yes, again,poor people fed-up.

My initial personal reaction to the news was, “What’s the big surprise?” Ever since school days, I've come to expect it as the norm that yearly - or so it would seem- fare would hike on, or just before, the first week of school. Then my next thought would be, “What’s the hullabaloo?”. A co-worker, thankfully, informed me that its a lot bigger of a deal than I would think. For some people who make minimum wage, by the time they’re done paying fare for the service to get to and from work, they’re left with barely anything or nothing to take care of themselves and their homes. I like it when people put things into perspective for me.

My only concern was for the impact on the seniors and children : I've always had a soft spot for those, like them and the disabled, who have limited ability for taking care of themselves.What does it mean for these people when they’re taking trips to the clinic with naught but a “bag juice money”.

With all of the above in mind, why then am I crying shame on Andrew? Because I see what you’re doing, Andrew, and for a few reasons in particular it puts me off.

Yes, let us rally the people, head to the streets and protest this unfair hike in the bus fare. The government is not thinking of the poor people of this country, their actions are inconsiderate. Nationwide protest!

All this politicking and this championing of poor people leaves me with a taste of "disingenuous" in my mouth, especially when I get the feeling it’s in  the name of getting political momentum and popularity by, quite simply, appealing to poor the masses.

While “politically” it’s a good move with a good cause, kudos to you for that Mr. Opposition, I believe, at the end of the day, what I call “surface politics” does very little if any good for the people of Jamaica. Appealing to Jamaicans’ emotions and engaging on a surface level when it comes to their problems, while it might afford you power, doesn't afford you solutions to their real and underlying problems. It also helps to perpetuate their toxically naive notions of our state of affairs and simplistic expectations of the government. It’s not so simple as keeping the fares down. Hmmm... or maybe your protest was about more than just fares?

Clovis toon from the observer

To go back to the discussion with my co-worker about this JUTC fiasco, permit me to paraphrase a point she made (I'm not certain of the extent of its truth but I never claimed to be most aware) :

“Dem a talk bout cost fi upkeep di bus dem. But dem a ship out bus fi repair. Wah mek dem nuh fly in people fi do di repairs here or train people here fi do it? And wheneva dem a ship in parts di ppl dem a tek it sell it off fi put money inna dem pockets.”

Now I know nothing about her first point made, but on the second one we both agreed that if such was the case then the JUTC needs to be audited. This, of course, is one of the things the opposition is also calling for. But is it still that simple? Would this alone be enough to solve the problem.

Can audits and  tightening up really save the supposed $10 million dollar per day bleeding in the company? Even as a layman with no business acumen I was shocked to find out that in 2009 the recommended fare on the buses to sustain operations for was $131 for adults but at the time what adults were actually paying was $50. I couldn't understand how anyone could see this as feasible or sustainable. And they've been keeping the fare below that for six years even with rising cost of everything else, such as the gasoline, and the sliding dollar ?

The way I see it, the kind of politics that Andrew is now drawing for, is low. It’s not the kind of politics that grounds people in the reality of the situation. It’s not the kind of politics that attacks the bigger underlying issues that are affecting the country. I don’t think I need to iterate how much Jamaica continually fights symptoms while failing to cure any disease. The problem with the fare hike is a small part of a larger complex of a country failing to sustain itself and promote development. And I'm not sure to what end these protest can get us.

It’s the kind of politic, Holness, that might get you popularity but in the long run will come back to bite you in the @$$ when if you do win the next election and” Mama P” is once again in her fitting role as champion for the poor and kisser of babies (She can still play it much better than you Andrew). It will come back to bite you, if you can secure another election, when you have to make tough decisions for the long term benefit of the people and Mama is down there weeping with them at the “injustice”.(By the way, where is Mama P in all this???)

I believe for any form of growth in our country then there needs to be some form of cultural shift, a shift in the attitudes and outlook of our people. That alone is terribly difficult enough with there being no shift to better politics.

The politics I want to see has an opposition not only mobilizing for protests in the name of change (*coughs* and gaining relevance and visibility and popularity in the political landscape) but also mobilizing for change and the betterment of our people in different ways. An opposition that maybe sets an example by using whatever resources it has to do something, ANYTHING, that (*ahem* feasibly and sustainably) contributes to the development of our nation. You may not have the reigns but surely you might be able to lead oppose by example: Less talk, more constructive action.

Maybe the opposition can work more closely with, or start up, nonprofits and programs that are making a difference where we,as a country, have deficiencies. Get innovative. How can you as a party mobilize for assisting with joblessness, education,poverty that doesn't involve just making noise? And then when you've figured it out, put that in the media. The media prefers protest you say? I see you on my Facebook Mr. Holness, I know you know how to put yourself out there. Just make the message more than what we want to hear. Make it what we need to hear. Make it edifying.

Or maybe It’s just a naive dream of mine and a party not in power really doesn't have the resources or wherewithal to effect any substantial positive impact or change in such a manner. Or maybe you do do these things but I just don't know it.

I'm interested to know if I'm the only one who sees this protest only as the beginning of a roll out of a political strategy. I'm not one to follow politics, but if the first news on Andrew that manages to find me, in the seclusion and unawareness that is my life, is a protest on bus fare hikes and injustice to poor people, then I can't help but think this is simply a political move, especially given the full reality of the situation.

Maybe the end justifies the means. Maybe gaining leverage and momentum at the cost of feeding into the emotions of a hurt and hungry population instead of appropriately feeding into their understanding of, and attitudes towards,  their our situation will pay off when one get’s into power and start doing wonderful things for the country. Or is that just the cycle?

Maybe I should call it “hungry politics”.

But I wasn't even at the protest, maybe there was more good in it than I see.

…………………………..

Please leave your comments, guys. As I said, I like when people put things into different perspectives for me. But as it stands now, the above is mine and simply IMO...

The Science of Depression by ASAPScience .... [The More You Know]

Just to add to a previous post I made about depression. There's a lot to be learned here. I wish more people would take time out to learn *sigh*

5 Things Jamaicans Should Know About Atheists ... [IMO]

Here we are another week where I am posting about something completely unplanned (what was planned has taken the back burner) but I couldn't help it after waking up this morning and musing over the story I read on Daily Veritas and then followed up on over at The Gleaner about Damion Crawford’s ranting on twitter a few days ago. A lengthy twitter debate ensued after Crawford asserts that being atheist or agnostic “a nuh Jamaica” - meaning it is un-Jamaican(?).

Many were of the view that as a politician and public figure he should not be so irresponsible in how he represents himself and beliefs in a public forum. While I agree with this to an extent, this is not what I’m here to highlight. It is the ridiculousness of the notion that the “prevalence” of the “openly ungodly”, i.e. “atheists and agnostics and undecided and non believers” , bear some form of detriment to our country.

There are a few things to note before I go further.

Surely, if we still hold the record of most churches per square mile, it’s reasonable to assume most Jamaicans are still theist. No need to worry yet about Jamaica becoming a nation of non-believers. A friend of mine quite accurately pointed out that Jamaica is the only place where you can go to club and they put on gospel music, everybody is suddenly in praise and worship mode then the dancehall comes back on and we’re back to bumping and grinding and gun pointing like it’s nobody’s business. Yes, it’s still very fashionable to be a believer in this country no matter who or what you are and whatever manner of sin you do. Again, we needn't worry about those darn atheists.

In the Gleaner article it said  

“Crawford charged that the so-called liberals are of the misguided notion that other persons in Jamaica, who are not of like mind, are not entitled to express their belief in a God, in the name of democracy.”

and also

"People have a right to say that they don't believe in God, so why is it that people who believe in God shouldn't exercise their rights to say so?"

I find this very interesting as his own tweet had said

“when since it ok to be openly ungodly they need to stop it yow”

Sounds to me like no-one should have a problem with him openly declaring his personal beliefs but anyone who is atheist should not be putting that out there, not in Jamaica at least. So much for equality.

Speaking of equality if anyone, ANYONE, can explain this (also from the said gleaner article) to me in such a way that it makes sense, please do :

“Crawford suggested that the loss of the nation's collective conscience had robbed it of its sense of equality, which is fundamental to Christianity.”

Or maybe that’s just on the part of the Gleaner misinterpreting his message? In any case I find it hard reconciling Christianity and equality.

You put your thoughts out there in social media? Don’t expect them to go unchallenged. An atheist might not be so naive as to put his or her thoughts and beliefs on facebook or twitter without expecting to be challenged. That is the nature of the platform that connects everybody. Everybody will inevitably have different points of view and discourse will ensue. Just be prepared to defend yourself without looking like an idiot.

I’ve already spent too much time before actually getting to what this post was supposed to be about. That is, what I believe atheist are doing while theists are going to dancehalls and carnivals (not to say that atheists don't “get down”). While theists are charging the unfairness of the ban on dancehall artists in other countries because of lyrical content. While theists are committing robberies, murders (of course they answer only to god who will forgive their sins if they repent or maybe they've accepted hell as their ultimate destination and are fine with it).

All these, of course, are just in my opinion [IMO]. Feel free to support or blast them... Here we go :

1) Atheists and agnostics are getting degrees.

Yes, there seems to be a correlation between atheism, agnosticism and getting higher education. Scholars are often (or should be) liberal thinkers who don’t readily take in every dogma that is fed to them. No wonder so many “guh university guh tun weh from God”. But truthfully, they likely possessed (*sees potential pun right here*) the mindset from long before they even finished high school. It’s the same mindset that has them striving for knowledge and seeking out higher education in the first place. Many who are undereducated and, coincidentally, religious will see colleges and universities as a breeding ground for the ungodly instead of fertile soil for the intellectual. They might forget that higher education in our citizens is important for growth and development in our countries. Some might even forget that atheists, agnostics and the “ungodly” are considerable contributors to our development if solely through seeking higher education.

2) Atheists and agnostics are working.

I think there’s enough said by simply making that statement. When you think about those “fashionable” non believers, how may come to mind that aren’t upward toiling? How many are not contributors to our economy?

3) Atheists and agnostics are rich.

They own companies, hold high positions and are making money. Why? They’ve let go of the notions of long suffering and fasting and prayer to get what they want. They’ve realized that only through hard work and education can they achieve their goals of wealth and prosperity. They don’t carry the shackles of superstitiousness and suspicion that many religious people do towards being rich and towards the wealthy. Souls don’t have to be sold and people don’t have to die in order for anyone to be successful.

3) They are preserving and perpetuating our artistic culture and heritage. 

They sing (even the gospel on choirs), they dance, they act, they write and contribute to the work being done towards preserving our cultural heritage. Whilst not being believers, many do admire and understand the culture of religiousness and spirituality that springs the beautiful art and culture that is uniquely Jamaican. They won't shy away from learning and taking part in and replicating the aspects of our culture that many may shun as un-Christian or ungodly : The bruckings, the jonkonnu, the revival, the reggae, the dancehall. It’s all the same to them. They’ll play that blessed drum and invoke those spirits until…. well because thy kingdom won't come (for them at least).

4) Atheist and agnostics are volunteering and serving the community. 

Not having a religion doesn't mean an atheist has no moral compass. They still have empathy and compassion and a sense of social responsibility and humanitarianism that nudges them to go out and do good on a Sunday or Sabbath. They don’t need scripture to tell them that the hungry needs to be fed, the homeless need a place to live, the blind needs someone to help them see, the children of the poor need help and role models to steer them towards educational success and that that 5K needs to be run (lol). They don’t spend time in church praying for better and for change, they simply go out and make it happen.

5) Atheists and agnostics are championing equality and human rights.

They are defending not only their own right to say and believe what they want, but also the rights of the religious and the theists. Atheists and agnostics understand the impact of social justice and know the plight of the marginalized, especially those for the sake of religion and “morality” (yes this includes the gays that we all, as “Jamaicans”, should fear). They will be quick to take on the controversy that is Mario Deane’s death, mobilizing and vocalizing for the change that we need to see in this country.

I'm not saying that theists and the religious don’t do all these things too. I could never say that. But I find that Jamaicans, especially the “religious” Jamaicans, waste too much time on focussing on things that are NOT a real problem instead of the things that are. The atheists, the agnostics and the like minded theists are getting it right. They realize that what is important to focus on are the aspects of our country and culture that do need to be worked on for the betterment of us all. Let’s look at the state of our economy, our education system, child abuse, the socio-economic disparity, lack of opportunity, social injustice, inequality, poverty, crime, violence, and a host of other maladies that plague our sweet island home. Let us look at those things and declare that “that a nuh Jamaica” and work towards towards that being the truth. People who are atheist, agnostic or secular-minded will never be Jamaica's real problem. Plus dem is jus' as much Jamaican as anybady else and dem a serve dem country too.

Hoarder.... [My Not So Ugly Truth]

Anyone who knows me as well as I know myself - which is no-one - would know that Sunday, more often than not, is my start (over) day. If there ever was a project I needed to commence, a lifestyle change I needed to make or something I've just been meaning to do, I often leave it for Sunday. So it was a Sunday that I chose to complete moving all my things into a new room and, not for the first time, I had to face one of my ugly truths : I'm a hoarder.

Now, I may not be anywhere near the level of compulsive hoarding that you see displayed on  one or two of those reality TV shows that people fancy - where you see persons homes stacked quite literally from basement to roof with things that should have long been towed away by the garbage  man - but when I stop to think about it I'm not too different from them either. In fact, my hoarding ways seem to come from much the same place as theirs.

I, like my crazed counterparts, have difficulty separating myself from things. It’s an aspect of my human condition that I both appreciate and abhor at the same time. I, like the compulsive hoarder, will utilize several tools of self-deception in order to hold on to anything - you’d be surprised at the ridiculousness of some of the rationale we use to keep things - chief among them:  “I might need it later”.

Yes, anyone who would ever call himself a hoarder knows exactly what I'm talking about. This is the first barrier we encounter when it is we are to dispose of anything we posses. But on this particular Sunday (like others in the past where I had to make these difficult decisions) I had to get real with myself. And this is where the bargaining begins. “Anthony what are you really going to do with this lab report on the The Isolation of Plasmid DNA from E.coli  ? You've never read that document on UWI Social Media Policy. And how, just how, are you ever going to use that high school notebook with debate speeches?”

Oh the bargaining : “Take solace in the fact that you can keep all your old comic book scripts. Fine, you can keep the stack of blank folder leaves and graph sheets, but the reports go. Trophies fine, the expired gift certificate, NO!.”

Now it’s interesting to note that a lot of the things tossed out on this particular Sunday had previously survived other bouts of “cleaning out”. How? The next major tool in my tool box : sentimentality.

I can often find some reason, some meaning behind why I should keep something. The most often used, and least reasonable of all, it’s memories. The notion that every single item we have has some memory attached and that it would be sad to lose it, and the memories, forever is one that far too often would win me over and keep my “keep pile” far too large. I have terrible autobiographical memory so keeping things means keeping their memory alive.

I remember the last time I was home and my aunt was renovating. Just lying out there in the yard was my old closet. In fact, it wasn't just my old closet. It had served more than generation. So it wasn't just my memories lying out in the yard, but memories that might have spanned thirty years to half a century. Who knows how long? It was there before I was born.

Perhaps it is my great grandmother whom I should blame for my hoarding ways and sentimentality towards objects, particularly antiques. She herself seemed to be a minor hoarder. I was always fascinated by the things I’d find tucked away in, and displayed on, her old furniture. Whenever I would go through these things (give me a break, kids do this stuff all the time) I would come across old trinkets, jewellery, photographs,letters, birthday and holiday cards, even dated birth certificates. She had a hoard of interesting glasses that I've never seen used, in my near 24 years, just sitting in a glass-paned cabinet. I would marvel at the fact that they were from another time, before I even existed, and imagined what those times were like when those photographs were first taken, the jewellery first worn and letters first read. I was always fascinated and delighted that they were preserved so that a neophyte to life, like myself, could stretch his imagination and wonder at the memories of before his time.

I hold on to things. But it’s more than just the memories or the usefulness.I hold to things, to my things, because they are mine and I love my things. Once something is mine I work to keep it.This is one of the things I do admire about my quirky personality. Perhaps there in the hoarder lies the capacity to bond so simply, yet profoundly , to an external that he would hold on to for the rest of his life… Perhaps...

JUST FOR THE FUNNY :

 

On Depression, Suicide and Insensitive @$$-holes .... [not just IMO]

Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) 

It was not so much the sad news of actor/comedian Robin Williams’ passing, so much as some of the responses to it that prompted me to write this post. In the light of his tragic demise, which from all indications seemed to have been a suicide, it was iterated that Mr. Williams was a man severely depressed - herein lies the irony that someone who brought laughter and smiles to millions, over decades, ended his life in sadness. While most of the responses to his tragedy were of sympathy and remorse, in 2014 there are still persons who are ignorant of truly what depression is and how it can lead one to take his own life. They do not understand,or cannot comprehend, rather, the condition of the severely and clinically depressed and suicidal and are oblivious on how to respond to such situations. I also find it interesting to note that several of the persons who declare that persons who commit suicide do not deserved to be mourned or sympathised with, staunchly religious or not, point to so some form of religious or Christian basis for their scorn.

It is coincidental that before this incident, and before the facebook posts and discussions that followed, over the weekend I was reading an article published in the Gleaner entitled “Before you commit suicide ... Think of the pain you will cause”.The author pointed out -I'm not certain with any factual basis - that :

“It is believed that persons who are humble, unselfish and God-fearing are less likely to commit suicide.”

and

“It may be said that those who commit suicide are among the proud, selfish, unkind and ungodly.”

It becomes quite clear that the author has a profound lack of understanding of suicide and it’s major cause, depression.

People are unaware of, or turning a blind eye to, the fact that depression, in the form of depressive disorders, such as Major Depressive Disorder and Manic Depression, are actual medical conditions. More so, it is not purely, or simply, psychological, but the brains of persons with these conditions are physiologically and biochemically different than for the “normal” persons who do not struggle with these conditions. So, whatever the reason might be for anyone’s depression, trivial or not in our eyes, keep in mind that there is more at play than sheer will and “mental strength”. For many it will take medication and extensive treatment and therapy to get through their suffering.

The role of relatives and friends can be very important in helping persons who are depressed and suicidal cope. In fact, I believe, if you lose someone to suicide, save for extreme cases where there has been plenty done to treat the afflicted but still failed, then you should have just a tinge of guilt because it would mean you have failed them. Before we go around calling people selfish and egotistical, let’s ask ourselves, “If our friend or loved one was suffering, what did we do to help?”.

It is far too easy to judge someone when we have never been in a similar situation as them and are unable to empathize. If it is one life lesson I've been slapped with (one that I've actually been conceptualizing a dedicated blog post for) it’s learning just why it is unfair to judge someone whose situation I've never been in, whose shoes I've never walked in and whose skin I've never lived in. We all have our own unique experience in this world,and we are all cut from different cloth, we all can react to the same things in different ways. We cannot measure someone else by our own rule. Be wary of the judgement you pass on other’s and the way you treat them as a result.

My ugly truth is that I have fought with depression and it’s comorbidities. I know what it’s like to feel utterly hopeless, to feel like everything is wrong with no way of fixing. So compelling a condition it can be that it defies good reason and asserts it’s own. It suddenly seems more rational to believe there is no way out but one. It can be only in hindsight that you realize how irrational and unhelpful your thoughts and feelings were in that time. And even after you come to your senses, you can end up right back there again in that sorry state.

There’s a pain you endure. You can’t escape because it’s with you in your room, in your shower,walking to work, at the quiet corner or in the middle of a social gathering. It’s behind every time you’re forced to smile or tell someone you’re “ just tired” because it’s believable and easier than faking it.

But my intention is not to use another few hundred words detailing to anyone what being depressed or suicidal is like. It is just to bring it to the attention of people who don’t stop to try and understand, or accept - if they simply can’t empathize- , a person’s condition before passing judgement.

Look around you. Someone might be suffering and locking themselves in instead of seeking out help, simply because of the shame attached with their experience. The shame perpetuated by a world that preaches toughness, and positiveness and scorns those who are “weak” or “negative” or depressed. The world that really doesn't understand.

So take some time out. Do some reading. Edify yourselves. Stop being a******s .

On Afrocentrism, Race and Identity in the Caribbean… [IMO]

this photo went viral on the internet amidst the "controversy" of the Exodus casting

After a very lengthy discussion on a facebook post, yes this is where a lot of discourse takes place in 2014, I was once again forced to evaluate my own outlook on race and how I see myself in this post-colonial modern world. The discussion surrounded a  “controversial” casting of a new movie ‘Exodus : Gods and Kings’ and the apparent whitewashing of the lead cast in roles as Ancient Egyptians. 

Among the questions I had to ask myself as a result of these discussions were : should racial profile in the casting matter? Why are we so upset about the casting of white as opposed to non-white, blacks specifically, in the roles? Are Egyptians (modern and ancient alike) even black anyway?

I found that I had two main criticisms coming out of this whole casting fiasco that led me to answering my own questions:

1. The whitewash casting of this movie was an oversight bordering on ridiculous, considering our modern societal climate.

As a  black man born,bred, and still living in the Caribbean, I must say I can’t fully grasp race relations in the United States of America. I'd like to believe this is true for the most of us. But I do have ,what should be, a universal awareness of the sticky topic of race and how it sets off, sometimes unwarranted, alarms. It should have occurred to  producers or casters or  whichever powers that be, that given the historical time period and location of the movie’s setting, and the racial sensitivities that exists today, it would have been wise to have a more racially diverse and balanced casting, that would have at least given an appearance of attempting to be historically accurate. In casting this movie  my sensibilities would have me throw a few racially ambiguous and/or black people up in there, in roles other than lower class and servant folk.

Of course, you want to cast persons that will bring out audiences to the box office: Christian Bale certainly will, and casting him alongside non-white actors to play royals and leaders would have been nice. It would have been smart actually. Maybe that would have sufficed to avoid a hashtag, “#boycottExodusMovie”.

This movie would have had the perfect opportunity of featuring non-whites in  leading roles in an epic and it was disregarded in favour of whitewashing, whether wittingly or not, the lead cast. In 2014 when people are more vocal in criticism of their entertainment, largely due to the internet, having the blacks play the “slaves” would not have gone unnoticed. The casting was a five minute internet scandal waiting to happen. So yes, racial profile in the cast should matter.

I seemed to have better expressed this thought  in a FB message I sent to one of my friends in continuing the discourse. He had asked :

“As it relates to accurate representation, which is more important, the story being told or the picture being seen?”

my response:

“to answer your question though... they can be true to history and also (inevitably) take some artistic liberty.... they will inevitable have less accurate depictions of people of that time... i'm sure the pool of American-Egyptian actors is very limited lol... but they should also try to be (somewhat) accurate in their visual depictions as well... I iterate that the smart thing to have done would be casting more racially ambiguous actors and adding to the colour spectrum of the primary and supporting cast as well... Egypt was always a very mixed group due to its geographic location and history especially... nowadays they are more homogeneous it would seem.. so mixing cast is a good idea... but they should have been careful to make sure its a more balanced mixed... they should have known there would have been a backlash in the country where race is still an issue #USA ... and that black ppl would not take well to seeing themselves depicted mainly as underlings when the casters could have taken advantage of the place and time time period of the setting to include a more balanced diversity”

By now you must be wondering “On afrocentrism, race and identity in the Caribbean” ?  I haven’t digressed. My next criticism follows.

2. Many of our under-informed internet-distorted manifestations of afrocentrism in our sense of race, history and identity is another unfortunate result of slavery.

Ancient Egyptian Papyrus

Afrocentrism defines an American ideology that focuses on the history and cultural contributions of Africans. The main connection with afrocentrism and the issues arriving out of the movie casting is that some of the most vocal protesters are of the impression that the lead cast should have been black because [they believe] ancient Egyptians were black. It has always been a hefty debate among afrocentric ideologies and their opponents whether or not ancient Egyptians were black and/or “Negroid”. Where afrocentrism meets conspiracy theory in when many an “afrocentric” will claim that ancient Egyptians were definitively black and that there has been a concerted effort by “the white man” to whitewash our history, painting over a whole culture and people as having Caucasian origin.

Examining both sides of the debate from the layman, scholarly and especially scientific perspectives my conclusions are: ancient Egyptians then and now are a mixed people ; their racial and cultural origins are hard to pin ; modern Egyptians would be the best representatives of what the racial profile of ancient Egyptians were.

Truthfully, I do not consider modern Egyptians as black. Wait… what did I just say? Just hear me out.

Egyptian school-aged boys

It is reasonable to assume that modern Egyptians accurately reflect what ancient Egyptians would have looked like. Of course there is a colour and feature gradient in which any given Egyptian might appear more Caucasoid or more Negroid but in any case I would not consider them black… wait… What?!.. If it’s any consolation I don’t consider them white either, though, by and large, they seem to be a Caucasoid group. {I can feel torches being lit already}. Their history is one that lends them ancestry from Eurasia as much as, or maybe even more than {guns cocked}, the rest of Africa.

I believe the idea that everyone on the largest continent in the world should identify as the same is a ridiculous notion. Egypt and most of the horn of Africa do not share the same history, and experience with colonialism as the rest of Africa. We cannot hold them to disassociating themselves from a race or ethnic group with whom they do not share a history. That, added to the fact that the majority of them don't closely resemble the majority of Afro-Americans or Afro-Caribbean, or western and southern Africans, should be enough for us, in the Americas, to stop making claims to a people and a history that isn't ours.

I believe the watered down, far from scholarly, “afrocentrism” that many of us do display is a sad act of self validation in a society that has taught us to look down on ourselves.  We want to believe that we are a great people who built pyramids and all that Jazz. We seek out information that confirms and asserts our greatness, whether or not accurate or closely related to us and who we are.

We should be focusing on the real reasons we are a great people. We overcame slavery, became leaders of our states and have been making progress in steady strides out of the darkness and cruelty that lies in our history. We've been surviving, and some thriving,  in a climate that puts us at a disadvantage, especially if we’re from a white dominated county as the USA.  We've lost a lot of our original cultures and identities and have managed to newly define our own. We do not need African history to validate ourselves, we need only our own history and accomplishments to do so.

If Egyptians don’t identify as blacks,fine. I don’t identify as Egyptian. I don’t Identify as African. I identify as black (regardless of whatever mixing some of us just love to point out), and I identify as Jamaican and Caribbean. There is no doubt that slavery and colonialism has significantly affected our sense of identity. Now when left to assert our own identity we often find it difficult. But why make it difficult? It has always been that peoples of the past identified as tribes and localities and nations distinguished by appearance,yes, but also locations and cultural practices. Why complicate things? Two things, for us, are certain. The first is that we are black (most of us) and the second is that we are Caribbean (or American or whatever). We easily identify with each other because of our shared history and experiences, our culture and our place in the world. Why hold on to things and places  and histories that don't belong to us?  

There is nothing wrong with getting connected to our roots and wanting the truth in our histories. But we must be wary that, in doing so, we don’t inadvertently grasp at everything that glorifies black Africa and demonize (although often rightly so) “the white man” ; that we don't claim the entire continent of Africa and its people as our own.  Instead, be rational and scholarly in your approach to information.

Jamaican school children

To make it simple, we only need to look at each other, look at our own faces, and look at the bits of the motherland retained in us and our culture to know who we are and the history we belong to and the people of the present we belong to.

Jamaica just celebrated it’s Independence Day and Emancipation Day. Let us focus on who we are and where we need to go as a people of our own.

“Out of many, one people”