By Raffique Shah
April 29, 2007
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog
If the pastor’s daughter plans a career as an exotic dancer or a “dutty winer”, I applaud the 15 year-old. How many children at that age would make career decisions? Most are looking at their school curriculum, trying to determine what subjects suit them; what they would want to succeed in order to move on to A-Levels (now CAPE). They may even be thinking university education or skills training, but few would have carved career paths that would take them through life.
Indeed, some have not gone beyond tomorrow in mapping their lives. There are those who have grown up in gangland territories who would look on with awe at “community leaders” carrying firearms openly, daring the police, daring their rivals. They would know how many “notches” Mr. So-and-So has on his gun, meaning how many people he has “iced”, in crime-speak. And many would have decided by the time they were ten what they wanted out of life. Lots of easy money, nice rides, the best “brands” in everything, and girls hanging onto their every body part, dying to share their goodies with the baddies.
Here’s a girl who took the bull by the horns, in a manner of speaking, and here we are, hypocritical Trinis, condemning her for her God-given talent (praise the Lord, Pastor!). Not only that, but she’s a damn nice-looking chick. If I were, say, 18, I would be impressed, to say the least. Maybe those who condemn her envy the girl’s beauty. Maybe they wish they, too, had a neat torso like hers. Hell, many would be envious of that tauntingly-etched tattoo that seems to scream at you: want to see what’s beyond that? And a pierced navel to top it off! What a dish.
Now, let’s cut the BS and get real. The pastor dyed-jeri-curls-et-al, is crying foul now that the mess has hit the fan. While apologizing for his darling daughter’s “mistake”, he slams into Club Zen’s owners for allowing an underage, innocent child onto the premises.
He berates artiste Akon for seducing the girl onto the stage, then exploiting her in a sexually explicit manner. I imagine, too, he’s fulminating from the pulpit at “maccocious” Trinis who have nothing better to do than watch his daughter dance on videos posted on the internet. He and his crime-fighting son also slam the media for keeping the issue alive, begging us to lay off the “poor child”.
Not to be outdone, Prime Minister Patrick Manning gets into the act. He, too, speaks of the “exploitation” of the “vulnerable child” by the club’s owners. He vows to go after Club Zen. Within hours of the PM’s statement the police raid Zen, and hours later the club is closed for not having a restaurant license. Quick action! I wonder what the pastor’s son (I must show reverence…this is a very religious family!) would say about people who have been robbed, raped, mauled and worse, and who, months or years later get absolutely no attention from the police? What did the police or the PM or the pastor say or do when there was a nightclub in Cascade that boasted of “coconut oil” and “golliwog” nights? Were they stricken blind and deaf when a club in State-owned Chaguaramas treated Black people like dogs?
As for the girl’s innocence, who permitted her to have her navel pierced? Or have tattoo etched centimeters above her bottom? If all parties who are responsible for the upbringing of this “innocent child” agreed to allow her these symbols of rebellious womanhood, then that tells us even more about the pastor. If they did not know about them, just as they thought she had gone to buy ice-cream on the night she ended up in Zen, then that, too, tells an even sadder story of a dysfunctional family. In fact, even as you read this, as the pastor might have done earlier today, he must be calling hell and damnation on Shah’s “dutty mind”!
Those who know me understand that I make no pretences to morality-a-la-bible or any holy text. When I was the age of the pastor’s daughter I was one b-a-a-d son-of-a…! Even so, I could not leave Haniff’s house saying I was going to the palour and end up in a panyard or a club. Licks in my backside, big man though I thought I was. When my own children were growing up, even when they became adults, they still sought permission or informed their parents of any nighttime outings.
If, therefore, this reprobate had advice for the pastor, it’s this. Examine, dear sir, the “beam-and-bricks in thine eyes before thou pointest” to the motes in Akon’s eyes. It may take you years to clean up the family act, but accept it as penance. It’s God’s will that your innocent daughter’s exposure had awakened you. Give praise, pastor. And I do pray your daughter matures into a woman of substance.
http://www.trinicenter.com/Raffique/2007/Apr/292007.htm
NEWS UPDATE: May 07, 2007
Tonight TV6 News reported that police investigators have closed the books on investigations into the Danah Alleyne/Akon raunchy dancing incident at Zen nightclub.
The TV6 News report said, “According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Winston Cooper, the investigations have reached a stalemate as witnesses aren’t coming forward to support the police.”
It’s been three weeks since police officers launched an investigation into the lewd dancing incident involving the fifteen year old pastor’s daughter, Danah Alleyne, and the hip-hop singer, Akon at Zen nightclub. A video clip of the act was posted on the internet and this sparked a national debate about such conduct and who is to blame.
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog’s URL for this article:
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=232
Tks Raf. The Pastor typifies what is so wrong with society today. No personal responsibility – what a shame.
U R right nice lady to look at, but really, if it had not been a pastor’s daughter, just another footnote in history.
I’m not sure this is a great career move for this young lady, but if she ever comes to visit where I live, I’d love to take here out – just no dirty dancing, only Ballroom. She will learn fast.
Again we see the hyprocritesssss of the Ruling PM with regards crime, what a farce….cares more for the feelings of a winer girl than for real crime victims of crime. We in deep trouble….deep deep trouble….
Keep spreading the truth RAF…..Keep spreading.
Regards…
Tanks Mr Shah.I could not believe that the PM made this a priority or that some of the religous leaders are such hypocrites.I totally agree with everything you said. I do not care what anyone says, her parents are to be blamed I also blame her brother. If that was my child I would beat her a?? from here to thy Kingdom come.I wish her luck in life and I hope this will be a lesson that will help to keep her on the right track. Of course she will make make mistakes, but I am sure she would yhink twice before she leaps.
I agree with Tracey. Lack of personal responsibility has taken not only Trinidad but society on the whole, down a wrong turn somewhere. It’s a shame.
I shudder to think of a future even 10 years from now.
Verizon ends tie with ‘rape rapper’
Verizon Drops Akon Over Explicit Dance
Akon Axed by Verizon Over Simulated Rape
Verizon Ends Partnership With Hip-Hop Star Akon Following Simulated Rape
Verizon Drops Akon
Verizon Cuts Off Rapper’s Sponsorship After “Simulated Rape”
Verizon Ends Partnership With Hip-Hop Star Akon Following Simulated Rape
Verizon ‘konvicts’ Akon
click on pic to zoom inAkon…ONE of the world’s largest cellular phone providers Verizon has ended its partnership with hip-hop star Akon. Fox News newtwork online edition reported that the Senegalese-born star was axed by Verizon Wireless after he (Akon) simulated the rape of a 15-year-old girl on stage at the Zen nightclub three weeks ago.
“This week the partnership ended,” Verizon said in a statement sent to Fox News. “We have music services on our cellphone service and we were promoting him as one of the artistes. The other part of the sponsorship was the Gwen Stefani tour, of which he was an opening act. We are no longer sponsoring the tour.”
Akon loses US sponsor
Zen dirty dance blamed
Akon axed over dirty dance
US communicationS giant Verizon has fired Akon over the American rapper’s crude and sexually-charged dance with Chaguanas teenager Danah Alleyne in Port-of-Spain three weeks ago, a number of Web sites reported yesterday…
Akon and performers like him should not be allowed to exploit his audience in that degrading manner.Having said that,the young ladies who put themselves in those situations have no one to blame but themselves.Mr.Alleyene is still in a state of denial concerning his sister’s behavior.
That is sad now other performers will not want to perform in T&T. Especially since 98% of the people do not blame Akon, this is not the first time he has performed that way but it has never been with a 14 year old. How can we blame him for this 14yr old behavior. T&T has a very big double standard because check out the Carnival Monday & Tuesdays vhs we see the same lude behavior and no one know how old these young women are, but are we going to stop Carnival? I think NOT.
She is a typical teenager and everyone makes mistakes but who are we to judge and condemn each other for what mistakes we do. From all the background stories we have heard about this young lady we can assume that she love that type of lifestyle. Unfortunately she got carried away. And as a result of her irresponsible behavior, the situation has made big head lines in the media.
Each of us esspecially christian people need to examine this sittuation and learn from it. From this we realise that we, christians, have an impact on this world and when people look at us they expect to see certian behavioural charactatistics.
What Parents can learn from this is that they need to pay close attention to their children and observe if they see anything that is negative and find ways to correct the situations. Draw the line, make them know that when they are a certain age what you say goes and they should have no objections to what you say.
Young people should learn that this type of behaviour is unacceptable for the wise thinking people of this world. Females have no right to project her self in any manner that would the opposite sex an indication of lewd brhavior.
At the end of it we should remwmber that in time when she is truly ready to repent God would forgive her of this act because he is a merciful God.
You to, when you have sinned once you really in your heart ask for forgiveness God will forgive you and he would expect you to go and sin no more.
We have sadly forgotten the purpose and beauty of dance. I was blown away when I heard Akon’s voice in his song about the Ghetto, I felt like, wow! Ok…someone is getting it and singing about it. Then lo and behold i hear that awful song about smacking and yeah, the rest is history.
We have truly forgotten how and why we dance. What was once a celebration of life, a release from the mundane has become some crass imitator of what we are fed from tv. The Media is the idol and when you think about it this way, you understand why in some religions, the image is forbidden.
But anyway, I digress. We have forgotten why our ancestors, from India, from Africa…why they danced. We have forgotten the importance of songs and instead of singing about thanks and praises we singing about men who don’t have no money and sex like it going somewhere? Anyways folks, we have forgotten how to dance. And just in case ya’ll wondering if there might a connection between that 14 year old grinding up there on that stage like that and what we, the supposed adults are allowing to be viewed on television, check this out:
http://www.guerrillafunk.com/thoughts/doc1153a.html
And remember, the image is, in the end, mightier than the sword.
Oh, and don’t tell me that this is how trinis dance, because none of the trinis or myself for that matter–dance that way. And if the former is the case, then maybe we need to examine ourselves and remember the origin of the dance and the pride and dignity inherent in who we have descended from.
blackgirl on mars!
I’m sad to see that Blacks in Trinidad have such low esteem, that they allow their women to be abused, and msitreated like Akon did with Danah.
I lost a lot of respect for Trinis after that incident.
What is wrong with trinidad, this the same behavior I see during the carnival season and much worse but no one talks about it. These hypocrites of the church need to go back and read the bible especially the pastor because it says, if he who have not sinned cast the first stone. I really dont care what people say, that 14 year old needs to take responsibility along side her family for her actions instead of blaming everyone, blame yourself. First no one told you to go buy a ticket for a concert 18years and over the dress the way she did, and have the guts to go on stage with your underage self and dance. Okay,I too have been to clubs and at the the time being underage knowing that they would not ask for id. but I never tried to draw attention to myself that, would bring embarassment to me or my family.The only reason they’re acting this way, because she got caught and they have to answer for the hypocracy the church and everyone especially the role thr media played. Media, what you need to do is focus on all these senslees killing and kidnappings that the police fail to do their jobs and protect and serve the community. You should do report repeatedly on how, all day the police sit in the station and do nothing then take 2hours to respond to a call. Why they shoot into crowds and kill people and get away with it, dont they have any training what so ever in crowd control, how about policing the streets to make it safe especially at night, do you know that time flys fast when you’re actually doing your job. Learn how to talk to people when they come in to make a report. Why police and lawyers dont show up prepared for a trial when they suppose too and still get paid on the job when they messed it up and let criminals walk free, are the in on the decieving and corrupting of the justice system and let why not focus all our attention that the current government is making a mockery of the constitution of Trinidad,(Come on, A road through the Botanical Gardens GET REAL, is just about money).Why is babies getting burned in hospital and no drastic action is being taken against neglect of the hospital staff. Have we got our priorities so mixed up that we put all the attention on something that was done out of not in good taste. That the real stories are being pushed aside for peoples own personal gain. I love my country, but sometimes like that old calypso said captain the ship is sinking. Trinidad and Tobago get it together, before we end up on the list, like some of these countries. (I will never come to this country ever again or I am migrating list).
I have been reading the replies to shah’s blog, and find that just about everyone has the same thought eg.,
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO IS GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. PLEASE REMEMBER PEOPLE YOU ARE THE ONES THAT VOTED FOR THE CORRUPTED ONES. YOU ARE THE ONES WHO COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO BRING THE COUNTRY UP, UP, UP.
HERE IS A SUGGESTION:
Make sure you have your home in order. To do so, you must put GOD first by obeying HIS COMMANDMENTS. They are almost the same as those found in the court house. CHECK OUT EXODUS Chapter 20. THEN CHECK OUT DEUTERONOMY CHAPTERS 27 AND 28 FOR THE GENERATION CURSES AND BLESSINGS. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF AND MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY DESCRIBED IN THESE CHAPTERS. THE CURSES AND BLESSINGS ARE DETAILED. YOU CHOOSE EITHER TO BE BLESSED BY GOD OR CURSED BY GOD. IT IS ALL UP TO YOU.
I TRUST THAT YOU WILL BE SOOO BUSY TRYING TO BE BLESSED AND TO BE A BLESSING TO YOUR MATE, YOUR CHILDREN AND OTHERS, THAT YOU WILL HAVE NO TIME TO WORRY ABOUT OTHER FAMILIES.
IF EVERYONE PAY HEED TO GOD’S LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS WE WOULD HAVE NO MORE MURDERS, HUSBANDS WILL LOVE THEIR WIVES THE WAY GOD MEANT FOR THEM TO. WIVES WOULD LOVE THEIR HUSBANDS LIKE GOD MEANT FOR THEM TO. CHILDREN WOULD OBEY THEIR PARENTS LIKE GOD PRESCRIBED. BECAUSE IF THE THEY DO NOT OBEY THEIR PARENTS, THEY WILL NOT SEE LONG LIFE. WE WOULD NO MORE HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOUR (YES! IT IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOUR. IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE ME. lOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR. IF YOU HAVE MALE ORGANS YOU ARE A “MAN”. IF YOU HAVE FEMALE ORGANS YOU ARE A “WOMAN”. IF YOU HAVE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, THEN I WILL SUGGEST THAT YOU SEE A SPECIALIST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM). I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE THINGS IN LIFE THAT WOULD CHANGE, BUT I MUST STOP NOW.
GOD DID NOT MEANT FOR PEOPLE TO BEHAVE IN THE MANNER THEY ARE BEHAVING. THAT IS WHY HE GAVE US LAWS. HOWEVER, PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY, AND THEY HAVE ALSO ABANDONED GOD’S LAWS. SEE, SO NOW WE HAVE A “LAWLESS” COUNTRY AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY FOR NOW.
IF THE SHOE FITS THEN WEAR IT!
well said mr shah,they stand on the pulpit and berate the congregation thinking and having us believing that their house are in order and we have to follow by their exemplary conduct and have us saying a million and one pennances when their have no control, , and say in their own homes.this that young lady living life long time, and everything she said in her apology was written and rehearsed for her by her brother and father for the public , doh worry with them their know which part she was and what she was doing is just this time it make papers and everybody knows,where the mother in all of this.don’t blame akon and zen and the prime minister need to be agressive like that where serious crime and suffering is taking place in the country.