Dear Editor,

This year’s celebration of Jamaica’s Independence and Emancipation from slavery is particularly hurtful because Jamaica, in its governance and sociological trajectory, is increasingly being returned to the former injustices which we once suffered, courtesy of certain among our political and corporate class, to the extent that if our national heroes and ancestors were here today they would again have to rebel — and would likely be condemned, punished, or demanded that they denounce or apologise for the truth and justice that they believe in.

The hypocrisy of it is as poignant as that of the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time on Earth, who claimed that they loved and honoured God, but yet denied “the truth” which He sent to them recorded in John 8 : 42-47.

Let us not be fooled; for those who socially and politically have dominion over us it is not about the mere riches; but rather, it is about claiming glory, which herein, lies the pinnacles of today’s oppression of the Jamaican people.

Below are three such illustrations using Jamaican reggae artistes:

In Chronixx’s Black Is Beautiful, he sings: “They never told us, that black is beautiful.” There is so much which “they” have not told us, or choose to highlight about being black which is so critical towards our morbidities, and even our survival, that it is a sin. Take, for example, the value of vitamin D-3 to our reproductive, mental, musculoskeletal, vasculature, dental, gut and perhaps the most powerful and capable of the systems, the immune system. More than half of black people’s health and sociological issues can be resolved with the acceptance of this truth, coupled with the truth of our enhanced susceptibility to vitamin D deficiency because of our skin’s dark complexion, plus the gradual but continual climate change and lifestyle-driven tendency to keep ‘out of the sun’, a major means of getting this vitamin.

Which may lead us to Buju Banton’s Hills and Valleys. He sings of men spitefully withholding, if they could, even God-given gifts, like “the sun and the snow”, from others. He also sings, “Only Rasta can liberate the people,” and there is no reason to think the contrary as far as our local socio-political landscape is concerned. Rasta, however, was not created, or sent if you prefer, to exact rulership over the people, but more as prophets and ‘advisors’ to our leaders. It is ridiculous, for example, to convene a constitution reform committee in Jamaica without revered and fully-empowered Rastafarian influence being a part of it; just pure ‘bald heads’ who probably cut their hair every week, and who probably do ‘same’ to their sense of truth and justice.

Lastly, is Damian Marley, also known as Jr Gong. A major challenge to carrying across any message, via any platform is to identify the message with its sender, and his or her state of being. Damian’s last name, his fame and wealth, his likely dual citizenship and his complexion, might detract from the impact of his protesting and belligerent lyrics, but he is still Rasta, and a son of the soil. In his Catch A Fire, Damian sings, “You influence the youth, a turn dem’ into gays and…” Now, pro-LGBT activists and sympathisers might argue that you cannot influence somebody to be what they already are. However, it is becoming increasingly convincing that this supposedly “innate” homosexual tendency is linked to irregularities or deficiencies within the reproductive system, via its reproductive hormones, and, incidentally, by extension, perhaps vitamin D-3 deficiency may play a crucial role in our sexuality-related challenges. Notwithstanding this, Jr Gong was making reference to how some conspire to put ‘stumbling blocks’ in the way of others, and offer the potential victim the bait of relief from this ‘constructed’ burden, and before you know it you are sold and screwed. How be it that a major local commercial bank recently ‘tampered’ with its customers’ point-of-sale card machines under the guise of an “upgrade”, rendering it incapable of accepting bank cards of other major financial institutions, causing loss of sales for those businesses, and then turn around to propose multimillion-dollar loans to them. Gramps Morgan sang that, “There is a place for people like you.” Damn that bank and those like them.

Andre O Sheppy

Norwood

St James

astrangely@outlook.com