Jamaican Prejudice

There are subjects people refrain from talking about, especially Caribbean folks. Although individuals from the islands and Jamaica boast a very welcoming spirit and demeanor, there are those “Jamaicans” who make me EMBARRASSED to be affiliated with the Caribbean.

As a child, or teenager I harbored such patriotic pride, embracing my Jamaican heritage. As I matured, I met individuals from all walks of life who were Jamaicans and I found, they were not nice at all!

It often seemed the more well off or educated they bragged on being, the more despicable and deceptive they were in nature. At times, I found their hearts were blacker than soot.

I have been at the center of discussions by my own Jamaican people, dissecting me as if I had no feelings at all. It didn’t matter that they knew my family well, and were aware of my upbringing, every chance they got, they ripped me to shreds.

Even when I extended an olive branch, they sought to bring me down at every pivotal moment. There is a bad minded side to some Jamaicans that literally causes my stomach to turn.

For instance, many of them do not like to see their fellowmen prospering. Although Jamaicans pride themselves as being progressive, they are still one of the countries who treat gays shabbily, and will even resort to violence.

These actions make me ashamed to be a Jamaican. We cannot tell people how to live their lives and some Jamaicans are living a double standard. The young women and men have no qualms baring their “assets” all over the internet. Yet, they look down on another simply because he/she loves differently.

The bible has not condemned homosexual affairs, so why should we as humans? God loves everyone. So, Jamaicans are being hypocritical when they tote their bibles to church on Sunday, and then lynch a man or woman on Friday because he/she chooses to love outside traditional standards.

There are Jamaicans who will act as if they are completely on board with the whole “Out of Many One People” motto, then you will hear them say something ignorant like “Who is dat gal wid the pickie, pickie head or dat de bwoy look like im com from Moko?”

There are some Jamaicans who think their flatulence doesn’t stink and that they can Lord it over others with their supercilious attitudes. I have found, the ones who are judgmental and critical have more skeletons in their closets than the cemeteries.

My family in Jamaica have been at the center of Jamaica’s prejudice and biased thinking. I recently wrote about the individual who embezzled hundreds and thousandths of dollars from my family’s business. The individual and his cohorts absconded into obscurity but not without help from certain Jamaicans.

Since my biological father is married to a foreigner who is not considered Jamaican, the masses feel that the person who committed a criminal act is on point, and back him every way. They have blocked my family from getting justice from the dastardly deeds which have been done against them.

Jamaicans are only welcoming to tourists who infuse large amounts of cash in their economy. If you are a foreigner, whether you live in Jamaica for a million years or a few months, they are not going to side with you on any matter.

Because of my father’s foreign affiliations, they do not view him as a true Jamaican, almost insinuating, it is okay for vagabonds to do as they wish with his empire.

People kvetch all day long about the world changing, yet the world isn’t really changing. People are ignoring their sense of integrity, principles and morals. Or, perhaps they have stopped teaching these values in Jamaican schools.