Relevant, David? Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but I don’t find the submission even intelligible…what’s Ras Jahaziel trying to say, exactly?

I read it again, David. (three times more, actually)..still bemused at the whole thing…

I pick the following excerpt for special mention because the author used capital letters in one phrase, so I assume he considers it a particularly important point:

“A creature of Colonialism called “a proud Bajan” singing anthems that mock his intelligence and seek to make of him a fool; and he stands at attention loudly proclaiming “these fields and hills are now our very own” and never questioning WHERE ARE OUR FIELDS AND WHERE ARE OUR HILLS?”

Our fields and hills are in Barbados, right? Or is he saying they are in Ethiopia with Haile Selassie’s bones?

Here is some more intervention from Ras:

As a prelude to the attached article that follows let us review Haile Selassie’s words about independence again:

"However, this achievement (independence) can not redound to the credit of African peoples if independence attained is one in name only. In such a situation, the emergence from colonialism is but illusory, and the use of the word "independence" would constitute not only a distortion, but also a disservice to the cause of African freedom by erecting a screen behind which  those same foreign influences which hitherto were revealed to the world as colonialist interests could, in disguise, continue to operate."

SEE article below that was written in 2009 

http://rastafarivisions.com/matrix2c.html

Included in the article is a reference to an earlier article that looks at the THE EVOLUTION OF SLAVERY in greater detail, Here is the link for those that are not too busy to unravel the colonial mystery.

http://www.rastafarivisions.com/wageslave2.html

What is this jackass presenting as an alternative? That we all bow down and worship Ras Tafari the black decedent of Jesus?

Anyone following a religion that is not built on logic cannot lead us anywhere.

Rah Jahaziel or whatever it chooses to call itself needs to go back to the bush and smoke some more weed (not to be taken literally of course – smoke tea leaves). Stay there and leave civilized peoples alone to get along.
Start with personal grooming (wash that dirty smelly hair – it offends the public), stop thieving (civilized societies are run by the rule of law and order), believe in a real religion (if any at all); then you can present us with an alternative model of society.
Until such time, you and your kind have absolutely no moral authority upon which to stand in criticism of modern civilized society.
If Barbados is not good enough for you, try living in Ethiopia or Sudan and come back and tell us how welcome you were as a black warrior and follower of Ras Tafari (the biggest fraud in black history).

Written by someone uncomfortable in their own skin – poor creature.

@ David

Dave, when its convenient could you check your e-mails? I just e-mailed you an interesting message. Thanks.

This is a question that has always puzzled me. Just how independent are the “independent” countries of the Caribbean?
How independent can we be when all we have done is exchanged one set of “colonisers” for another? Isn’t that what in reality we have done? These new “colonisers” that we call “government” can come and tell us, the taxpayers, who pay their salaries that “if we (taxpayers) don’t like what they (guv’ment) are doing then we can all lump it”! These new “colonisers” (political elites), as soon as the votes are finished being counted, arbitrarily appoint themselves our “Masters” to whom we are now expected to pay obeisance and to whom we are now also expected to defer! And we consider ourselves “independent”? Do we really need a guv’ment consisting of some 18 (or more) “ministers” to govern perhaps something like 130,000 adults? Can anyone imagine a private enterprise being SUCCESSFULLY operated with so may CEOs? What mass confusion will prevail, as does now, with the top heavy guv’ment that we are forced to endure? Just a few thoughts folk. I wonder what views my pal ROKie might have on this topic?

great article ras reflects alot of what is being said on th streets independence for african peoples is purely cosmetic the queen and her inbred kin have now been replaced by with tht imf, the world bank world death sorry health organization which are been run by her distant cousins

Having read some of the other contributions, I’m starting to get a glimmer of understanding (I think) for Ras Jahaziel’s point. It seems to be that the day-to-day existence that we currently enjoy/endure is no better than the days of enslaved African labour in Barbados. If we accept this, I don’t know what that does to the fabric on which our society is built, but let’s say that we do accept it, for the sake of argument. What is the “solution”? Maybe Ras Jahaziel has created a problem for a solution that he wishes could be implemented? It seems that way to me, but maybe I am too cynical.

Rather than have us speculate, I wish he would tell us how we can become independent, in his view. Or maybe there is no nationalistic “we” in the first place…

The problem with articles such as this is that the authors are writing from a position of relative wealth and comfort and have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about what it was like to be a slave. To be forced to work for nothing. To be aboslutely deprived of freedom of any kind, including freedom of expression. Cuddear, even the inhabitants of Dodds have that! Consider the plight of the Haitians right now. Do you think that they are thinking about mental slavery at this time when they would take the Bajan lifestyle in a shot? It really is time to get real and count your blessings rather than crab about abstract notions of “independence”.

Peltdownman, you are complaining about freedom of expression while blogging anonymously?
@ Enuff,
Personally I think Best & Mason was overrated, but I take your point. CBC will always be a political football. The newspapers were too…until the blogs came along. lol

What is freedom?
“Free will, the purported ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints.

Political freedom, the absence of interference with the sovereignty of an individual by the use of cocercion or aggression.

Economic freedom, the freedom to produce, trade and consume any goods and services acquired without the use of force, fraud or theft”
Wikipedia

If we use the above criteria, there are many countries whose citizens are not free. . .they have degrees of freedom. That is not surprising, because there is never “total freedom” in a society. The individual has to give up certain freedoms to be a part of society, the alternative is to live hermit like, to do as one wishes, without constraints.

Often those who say we are slaves – and we might be – are never able to show us examples of a people who are “totally free”, and who live a life most of us would aspire to. .I know not of that utopia.

I see some here trying to catch water with a sieve!

@Ras Jahaziel…….Your article is pregnant with stark realities, realities that are blinding to your average go-along-to-get-along bajan.