20 thoughts on “Of Vulgar Politicians and Ethnic Bashing”

1. “So, why does a Government Minister see the need to identify Crime with one group in justifying the reasons for a state of emergency and the need for an extension? The youths involved in Crime are our youths, our families and friends’ families, our children and our grand children. They are citizens of our country. Their lawlessness and crimes affect all of us. Why this zeroing on “people who look like me” and “Mothers crying who look like my Mother”? ”

   If this is all the writer could have gotten from the wonderful speech of the Minister of National Security I am deeply disappointed. I would advise him to go back and listen carefully to the speech. It is very enlightening.

2. The best analysis I have seen on the issue so far – as we go down this dangerous route.

3. Whenever people of another race/ethnic group plan to do Africans in, they first hire managers and overseers who are AFricans.They pet them up, big them up and make them honorary whites or Indians. They know that by doing this, they will help the overseer sharpen his knife and his sword, to keep the people who look like him in their place, so that his place would be secure. The Brits, and French did this in Africa and the Caribbean, but in Haiti one Tousaint L’Overture rose up and bit the French in the bahine. Oh, for a Toussaint of the people, in TnT now.

   1. You racist….please stop it an add some intellectual and resonable discourse to such a sensitive topic. Surely you education has not done you well…

4. The first three blogs demonstrates exactly what is wrong with this country. The first (finger pointing), are those who are satisfied that other people (not “those who look like me”), are the people who are the trouble makers and are causing us to look bad. The second is a studied approach (thinking) and recognizes the need for dialogues such as this to get solutions to the problems. The third clearly not in accord with the perception, alluded to the strength of the oppressed and gave a historical example of how to survive modern day racism. This article represents the kind of conversations we should have been engaged in for as long as we have been independent. When we became independent, there were those who fought and articulated the need for independent governance and development, whilst yet another significant group felt that they would be better off remaining under the governance of our former masters. Then there are those who whilst small in numerical count represent a huge influence in the governance of the country and have a monolithic control of the economy. Under different administrations, we as a people have shied away from dealing with the problems of social issues because we continue to see it’s exposure as uncivil or unfriendly. The fact of the matter is that we are doing ourselves a disservice by trying to put the issue under a rug.
   Depending on which ethnic group you belong to the matter of racism is viewed differently especially amongst the two leading groups. All one needs to do is look at published and institutionalized policies and there are telling outcomes that can be prejudged as to how we are faring or heading directionally. Anyone with some sense of understanding public administration can foresee the precipice into which we are heading without understanding the consequences of our national policies. The history of the ‘African slave’ is rippled with people like Jack Warner and John Sandy who look like the people they are condemning but somehow manages to rationalize that yes, “I look like them but when I socialize, I am being accepted by those who control our economic survival”. In some countries such mindset are called “Uncle Tomism” but it has always been the way in which “acceptance” is defined and calculated in Trinidad culture. The writer of this article has scratched the surface of a great debate and my hope is that we shall continue no maTTer
   how embarrassing it might appear to be. WE MUST TALK IT OUT.

   1. I beg to differ with respect to Minister Warner looking up to Uncle Tom~~He’s the backbone of the PP government & if ,by your surmising,he could be the Uncle Tom!You people make me sick by your racist slant to everything proposed by this current gov’t!We are all happy that Afros lives are being saved under the SOE–had this not been done we’d have had ~~according to the prevailing murder rate, another 100 dead Afrotrinis for mothers & fathers to bury!Take your pick you fools!!Minister Sandy called the right shots!

5. “In any mature, ethical and moral society, Minister Sandy and Minister Warner would have been called upon to resign by the Prime Minister for their racist and dangerous statements in the highest court of the land.” Cecil Paul
   The reasons Cecil are obvious, and our 2, more level headed thinking, globally savvy, patriotic humanist Trinis ,in Cuz Kian, and Madame L,explained it quite well.
   It is not only in Jambalaya /Calaloo country T&T , that this disgusting behavior, is prevalent, but globally. Many opportunistic Africans folks, sometimes for less than 30 pieces of silver, would often sell their own, and so Field Marshall Sandy, Little Black Boy Gypsy,Panday’s future cell mate,Uncle Jack,the two new ,T&T Trade Union enemies, David Abdullah, Errol Mc Cloud,and Tobago Sell out Jack, de ANR Robinson clone,are just the tip of the iceberg.
   By the way ,how pathetic , but is that once relevant political comedian, Makandal Dagger, still sailing around the Caribbean ,on his fishing boat , while his Lavantlle people starve, and treated like escaping, pro Gaddafi Libyan supporters?
   Seriously folks,you and I know it , that as sure as night follows day,there would come a time , when this collection, would serve no useful purpose , and as such, they would be discarded, like rotten Cascadoo along the Churchill- Roosevelt,and Uriah Butler Highway,by bare feet entrepreneurs.
   I am coming around to the firm conviction, that the policy wonks , and alleged experts- foreign , and domestic- who are advising the present regime, are either very naive , foolish , or of sub par intellect ,from another far away planet.
   If not , then worst yet , the high end recipient leaders ,of the government must be, for going down this road, without much concern as to long term negative consequences, for their actions.
   How else can one explain , embarking on a policy that would see maybe 10,000 young Afrikan males arrested,in what, three months,only to have them eventually released into the society ,perhaps ,as more hardened ,fired up / angry criminals ,once the curfew is over- in time for carnival? Pray someone tell, how that will take a dent out of crime?
   I am certain that our young prison head guru overseer, Israel Khan Jr ,informed them about the impact of the overcrowded prisons by now. Maybe there is future plans, to spend our resources to construct , a massive ,’Prison Industrial Complex ,’like big brother America , as less is placed in social services , such as schools ,infrastructure , and job creation initiatives- where the returns are greater?
   Fortunately , a few of us progressive thinkers , are on record,warning folks, on this political con game, they were being snared into, in the run up to power ,by the more palatable, anti Panday figurine, Queen K, and her bunch.
   Here are the signals they should have recognize,but ignored. Any leader that could decide to have Dr.Goopiesing -a life time racist, who erroneously accused all Afrikans of genocide-as part of her regime,proved to me to be dangerous signal.
   Here is something to chew on. A leader that would make as part of her policy, the denunciation of every African looking civil service head ,or middle manager , then upon assuming power , without much forethought , push to remove them , often in embarrassing fashion ,and replace them with only fan like cronies, or foreigners , was sending a not too subtle message. Oh yes, Westminster system dictate’s such huh?
   Now for the ‘Coup de Grace,’ as to why this regime can afford to move the way they do, with seeming impunity, and scant regards to the Human Rights of decent folks , via their faulty ploys of national security .
   It is due in great measure to the fact that the Opposition as controlled by Dr Rowley , and the ‘Sando, political Ever ready Bunny Patrick Manning,’ is in total shambles. Not only that , there are no other viable political force out side of the PNM , that can articulate ,a coherent alternative, for running a democratic , cosmopolitan country.
   For those well known , imbedded blogging fans such as mamboo, and T-Man,I am almost certain that no is claiming that a security crisis does not exist, that requires immediate attention by the government, as a 1st step towards sustainable development. It is very stupid however , to think that our dismal state of affairs, when it comes to criminality,was however , solely due to the actions ,and inactions, of one group , and that only one group, has the foresight, for solving it all . All of us have dirty hands , and it would take every hand, to solve it, not twisted thinking.
   Don’t know what they teach you guys in those elite London , and Canadian law schools, but ‘to be forewarned , is to be forearmed,’ Madame PM!
   This suspect war on crime ,as trumpeted by Afro overseer ,Field Marshall Sandy, is doomed to fail , if you and your party ,refuse to get to the heart of the social malady that , evolved into the present crisis.
   To halt same , here are some prudent suggestion , in addition to necessary overdue , national tough luv :- a. Respect of the other,be it race, ethnic groupings ,class, or geographical enclaves.
   b. Equal playing field justice ,that ensure blue color thugs are given the same treatment as white color bums.
   c. Equatable distribution of our natural resources ,so that the historically neglected folks from Tobago , still awaiting a functional hospital ,do not feels like Scarborough ,is located 2 miles from Puerto Prince Haiti.
   d. A comprehensive land regularization policy that benefits all,including East/West corridor Brazillian favellalike dwellers.
   f. A sensible job creation initiative-including forging a PEACEFUL climate ,that might create confidence to prospective investors , not scared ,that the tinder box call T&T ,would soon explore-so that all citizens can benefit.
   I wish our country well.

6. Those who are still wet behnd the ears may never have heard of the Sullivan principles, proposed by the late Rev leon Sullivan of the USA( Google him please). These were some ethical principles for dealing with racist South Africa during aparthied. It cause many American and later ritish companies doing business in South Africa to divest themselves of their holdings there, while South Africa remained tied to its racist policy called aparthied. The Japanese, long considered one of the most racist people, accepted from SA that status of honorary whites, so that they could trade without discrimination, and stay at hotels reserved exclusively for white people. That was more than twenty years ago., South Africa achieved independence under MAndela in 1994
   Since I learned of the “Honorary Whire ” status, I have owned four vehicles, a BMW, A LAnd Rover and two Hyundais.(32 years of car ownership) I will never buy a Japanese car, nor any product knowingly made in Japan. You see Mamoo, I am not a racist, I have pride in my Africanness. These are two different things. I never buy at Walmart either, because of their union busting tactics, and quietly, my friends are beginning to pass up those “Bargains” bought in blood. That is my Christian conscience in action. So those who want to stand on the back of their donkey cart and yell “racist” could go on till their voice fails. I speak truth, to the powerful, and to support the weak.

7. Whether the slave master is in the 18th century or whether he or she is the 21st century, the methods do not change. They always look for weak assed negroes to front for them. In Guyana the current day slave master has Greene and Lumumba, in T&T his counterpart has Warner and Sandy. All parties are inheritors of genes that prescribed their current behaviour.

   I for one an glad this is happening. Let them do their worse so that our brothers and sisters can understand what it is that we are confronting, and thus make up their minds whether they wish to retrogress into the captive role of their ancestors under the boot straps of the new slave masters, or whether they will open their eyes to the truth.

   We spend too much damn time and effort on renconciliation politics with people who are culturally programmed to assume an oppressive role in their dealings with us. The entire Caribbean need to wake up and make our numbers count in resisting the efforst to stratify the region into a demographic replica of India. Only this time the descendants of those who left there as Dalits will become the Bramhins, and Africans will ushered into the dalit roles. Black people need to wake up and smell the damn coffee.

   1. Unfortunately, it seems that as Black people we can only read the handwriting on the wall … when our backs are up against the wall.

      Without trying to cite truisms as truth, it is nonetheless corect to say that ‘making progress in any venture is always preceeded by having clarity’.

      For Black people, as for others, and presuming you have the courage and resources, if you know who you are you will also know what to do.

      Today, and for centuries past in one way or another we have been ‘last’, and prophetically so!

      Shalom!

      1. Ok , neverdirty , so tell us something new , and what is the game plan? You and I know that the vast collection of the masses need to be reeducated , and led , so what is the problem?
         No race on earth , or ethnic group , including our Indo Trini brothers ,and sisters were always in the drivers seat, as seen by any present day successes.
         Since independence for example Hindus , and Muslims, have murdered maybe 300 million in the ancestral lands of India, Pakistan, Banmgladesh , and we will throw in Sri Lanka , and Nepal for good measure.
         Notice any fighting in T&T amongst them? Do you think that if for example, Tobago was dominated by East Indians and not Afrikans that political – com social atrocity would be allowed to exist?
         There are Jews , Arabs, Europeans, Chinese, all coexisting peacefully in high end enclaves across our blessed nation, while we mainly in catch tail never dirty, caranege, Mt Dr Road, John , John, Belmont , and the likes … are purchasing carnival out fits for 2012, and returning from Yankee West Indian Labor day celebration in Zoo York, while reading our stupid white ,heaven god bible , and turning the other cheek , as if all is well. How do we change that?
         Your call, when you are ready for change!

8. When we realise that someone/race/people will always be made a scape goat to cover up the crimes of the white-collar criminals; then you know how selfish humans can get.
   Please note that the little black boys are the END OF THE FOOD CHAIN IN THIS WHOLE CRIME SCENARIO.

   THE BIGSHOT WITH THE YATCH AND MULTIMILLION BUSINESS IS THE FIRST PART OF THIS CRIME CHAIN, HOWEVER THEY HAVE THE money to KEEP and to pay corrupt officers IN THEIR POCKETS; thereby keeping them quiet about their crime activities.
   He has the MONEY TO FINANCE POLITICAL PARTIES AND CALL THE SHOTS, ABOUT WHETHER to have OPV or which officier should clear his container, what to import, or what the GOVT should not import.What type of agricultural products we should grow ect, all this to the detriment of the wider population.
   The crime King-pins have vision, as to how they can get the GOVT., TO CLOSE YOUTH CAMPS, TRADE CENTERS AND OTHER opportunities that have been available to HELP the little black boys,(which can give them a headstart). By doing this they get them to loose focus, become delinquents.
   They will then become their employ, in their drug-trade business. I say the love of money,i.e, it includes materialism is the route of all evil.(When we forget the most important is the spiritual connection).
   I WILL LIKE TO KNOW; Why did we allow Calderhart to sell-out our country, while he blinded our eyes to focus on crime? Back then, we did nothing to help the little black boys.
   WHY DID WE ALLOW A PREVIOUS GOVT TO REMOVE THE YOUTH CAMPS AND TRADE SCHOOLS, that kept the little black boys focused, and we did nothing? All these were set-ups by the crime bosses.
   The King-pins are eyeing every activity in the country and befriends those in-charge. They invite them to their big parties and get-together. Little by little they sell them the vision they have for the country, i.e., how to turn the country into their playing field.
   BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THOSE IN-CHARGE SELL OUT to them, AS THESE PEOPLE CAN LEND THEM MONEY, FINANCE ELECTIONS, OR PROVIDE MONEY FOR BIG GOVERNMENT PROJECTS. AS THE SAYING GOES MONEY TALKS, BEFORE ANY MORALS ARE PUT IN PLACE. THIS IS WHERE CORRUPTION STARTS.!!!

9. I dont want anyone to feel that I am in support of the young black criminals. I see them everywhere I go in Trinidad (not Tobago) and they are a frightening bunch, they are the product of what was sewn 20 or 30 years ago by those who rejected the teachings most African parents gave their offsprings. But guess what? they are our children, our neighbours, our fellow motorists, our sports enthusiasts, our fellow restaurant customers, our fellow shoppers and so on. The point here is that we CANNOT escape them, they real estate in this island is not large enough to separate us, unless one choses to become reclusive, in other words we must interact with them in some form or the other and as such there should be some form of common behaviour that is acceptable to all of us and we shouyld be taught and practice it in order to be self-respecting. That is the reason why government whilst using it’s security forces (to teach lessons)should look towards understanding the reasons for anti-social behaviour and be civil enough to employ practices in our schools and places of public discourse where we can learn to be respecting and civil to each other. The goulag methods did not work in the former U.S.S.R, the lynching in the Southern USA or apartheid in South Africa. There is a feeling all over the world that in order to put black peo[ple in their place coercive methods must be applied to make the young submissive and docile. This has never worked anywhere (even the slave masters recognised that there must be an end game) and in modern day societies there is more than enough information about psychology to tame the arrogance of youth.

10. In one phrase, ‘societal expectations” are at the core of ethnic bashing as this pertains to Black people and in partticular, Black males.

    Many teachers, as are the rest of society, assume that designing curricula is the prime modus operandum by which to grow children into becoming mature, prudent adults.

    This approach would be useful if all things being equal, all the citizens and their offspring in the society were equally well or ill-considered according to what the society expected of them, and as well what they expected of themselves.

    In short, curricula, which should be, and is ubiquitously missconstrued as being a lifeline can ironically become, in the hand of an insensitive teacher and education system, a veritable noose.

    Theerefore, a child societally expected to become an athlete, for example a basketball player, is more likely to walk to school with a basketball than wwith a library book, and to play basketball in school than a child societally expected to do well in physics.

    As a former teacher, I know how easily and irreversibly a teacher, based on their expectations of black children versus those of chinese children can affect and determine the amount of effort put into tutoring the one as opposed to the other.

    It is not surprising that, in her efforts to try to reedeem the current state of distress, and to prove the absence of racial profiling by her government in its widespread arrest of black males, that the PM, in six or seven of her recommendations to be undertaken by Prof Selwyn Ryan, almost all refer to the possible efficacy of sports in one form or another.

    None refer to academia, and more specifically to those disciplines as those of Chemistry, Maths, etc.

    No surprise here.

    When one of our sons got a scholarship to the US, the attending Immigration at the US border assumed, jovially, that it was a scholarship based on sports.

    When told that it was in Bio-Chem, his friendly and courteous attitude evaporated!

    Black people in general, and black males in particular suffer, and are made to suffer from low expectations, and from an evolution of declining expectations not only by the society for them, but also for them of themseelves.

    Parents and guardians and other adults responsible for raising and educating Black students, generally, and Black maales particularly must address this issue of “low expectations” for them in Physics, but “high expectations” for gthem in Phys Ed., or worse in criminality!

    These expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies, which goes to show that even a “lie” prophesied in high decibel frequency, and thus given sufficient societal legitimacy can eventually become the societal ‘truth’!

    Hitler’s Germany is the Imperial architecture of this, and the racialist oppressions experienced by Black people in the last four hundred years is the undergirding of it.

11. And yet Trinidad and Tobago has produced Dr. Stephan Gift, who discovered the Fifth LAw of the CAlculus of Variations.(but he is a Tobago boy) from before oters went there. As I said before, what we do are considered one and done rather than a precedent set. Children born in Africa who go to school in the US are much more grounded in the success mode, and their strong families push education. In Trinidad and Tobago, an absence of books on Africa is an issue. you know, I did a Literature degree at UWI, graduated in 1967, and there was not a single African novel on the reading list. We did European literature almost exclusively. Everyone who wanted to read African literature hd to look for it for themselves. Wilfred Crtey’s “Whispers from a continent” introduced me to the literature of Africa. I was then able to teach others about this literature. West Indian Lit. was treated equally skance, and I was doing an honors degree. Since we were all coming out to be high school teachers, what could we teach our children of what we did not know?

    Subsequent to this I saw statement about the french that said the Purpose of France’s education in the colonies, was to teach the French way of life, nothing else.It applies equally to British education.
    Now,I no longer have the CArtey book, but here is a randon list of African writers that you can use to improve your education, if you have not yet read them
    Chinua Achebe of nigeria, Wole Soyinka of Nigeria, Bloke Modisane of South Africa, Birago Diop of Senegal(I think), Nadne Gornimer of South frica(white, but really worth reading).
    This is merely a start. If we read writers who look like us, it maks a difference. In terms of reading African history, one needs to read HArold Courlander, and BAsiil Davidson, who are europeans, but offer a comprehensive look at the history of Africa. In addition,one can check on the history of the Yoruba people, the Kingdom of Benin, Greater Zimbabwe, the Igbo people, The Epic of Sundiata,and also the ancient African Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.

    This is a mere drop in the bucket, or as CArl Sandburg would have said, one grain of sand in the corner of a large room. You can begin your African journey today, then take someone along with you. If you can locate that Cartey book, “Whispers From A Continent” its really a gem of scholarship. It cost him his eyesight.

12. The bigger question in my mind is,” What are Afro Trinidadian Men prepared to do to save themselves in a society that is seeking to rid purge itself of them?” This sad story has been played out all over the Western African Diaspora and it is very shameful to se what is happening. Most Asians look at the worl in terms of group. If people represent or hold cultural values and ties with Asian cultures, they are most likely to see people in terms of groups. The majority of the world is Asian so it is not hard to understand the trend and the world view in regards to Africans. Accountability is what is needed inorder to survive. I just read nothing about accountability. There were questions about other groups, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is a disproportionate number of one group being killed and or being imprisoned for little or no reason considering the grand scheme of things. I say get rid of BET and aspirations of yankee versions of ghetto fabulous. This should be a wake up call to all Afro Trinidadians. I’m not speaking about us vs. them, but rather taking a stand against self destruction. It should be obvious that no group of people will respect us until we show soldiarity and unity amongst ourselves. All that self destruction does for others (in their minds and unjustly) is to justify any phobias, sterotypes, angst, and hostilities toward that particular group. If we don’t correct this social issue in our “group” amongst “ourselves”, who do you think will and at what cost? In my mind, one only needs to look at Guyana as a “local” reference or at any other City in the Western hemisphere where attacks against us by not only one another are the norm, but also death by law enforcement sactioned by government and systematic oppresion. If things aren’t fair now it’s because we made it that way. We gave away important sources of power (economic,Political, and now land) and are wondering whats happining and crying about the perception of us by others after we continuously show that we don’t value ourselves but expect others to value us. TNT is a multicultural society, but as any society it is inevitable that TNT will eliminate undesierables which are deemed undesireable based on social distance. Whats the use? If by now people don’t understand that they have to respect one another and comand others to respect them, then they will always be pushed around. I just ask that men stand up and stop allowing young thugs to dictate what it means to be an Afro Trinidadian not to please anyone else, but to be able to build a community that can stand alone and flourish. By the way, someone spoke about integration. You can’t contribute to balanced integration if you have nothing to offer. To try to do so is to assimilate to someone elses social norms and perceptions.

13. People who percieve themselves as under threat, unite against the possibility of erasure. Perhaps now, the Afro community in TnT would come together to fight erasure. Since Independence, we thought we were ahead, now the truth is coming out after the great national sell out.Perhaps now, people would begin to understand the voting patters, hiring practices of other groups, and begin to consolidate the Afro community against the onslaught.

    1. Thats all that needs to happen and without interference from others whom only seek to distract and detract from a greater goal.

14. Racial profiling is a shared predisposition of all members of the Aryan gene pool. In the US it is termed DWB, driving while black. In T&T, from the moment the PP came into power, they introduced their own equivalent. To wit, EWB, existing while black.

    Africans in T&T and the entire Caribbean must wake up and confront this nasty threat against our very existence. The Blofields in this blog will attempt to divert you and obfuscate their machinations with accusations of racism. Well, don’t be bashful about making it plain.

    Those who come from a heritage of racial and ethnic stratification are always trying to pawn their despicable traits off on us. Of all the major racial groups in this world, Africans and the indigenous peoples of the Americas are the only two groups whose heritage is absent religious and cultural belief systems steeped in discrimination and marginalization. After thousands of years of this enculturation, ain’t possible that many of those in this Caribbean region can cleanse their minds of that disease.

    http://www.trinidadexpress.com/

15. All of that is true (generally speaking) Mr. Williams, but I must say that in this world where there are people of African decent in every class level of various societies. The fact that there are well documented current and historical examples of our rise within the most hostile nations and societies is a testament to our resilliancy and capability.
    However, I believe that the greatest threat to us has never changed and it has always come from within our group.
    The signs that are easy to notice are expressed through ethnocentric policy and actions expressed against us. However, it is now time to look within and challenge social constructs of reality that allow the prominent amongst us to stay silent and hidden away in other communities where (in many cases) we aren’t wanted fro possibly the same reasons why we won’t live amongts ourselves when provided the resources to live anywhere we want. We must stop Black on Black crime and self destruction. It not only cripples communal growth, social fabric and innovation, but it also wrecks havock with dire consequences on generations to come perpetuating a cycle of poverty, despair, ignorance and unemployment which as a result weakens the group and places us at the mercy of others.
    This is catastrophic for TNT as a hole and for Trinidadians of African decent especially because the implications of this lifestyle turns a group of people who can really call no other place home into “foriegnors” within their own country. Black Trini’s have been giving away the country by not growing what they had all along and now want to cry foul against the praople who have taken the opportunity and initiative to do what any other group of people on “strange shores” would do in any country of the world which is grow vexes any person of reason who has a clue as to what it takes to nation build.
    We cannot “lime” our way to a better future or out of this mess that we find ourselves in.
    We all know that no government official or employee should ever make race based comments that threaten the solidarity of the country. We also know that all policies created to govern members of our nation should not be based on race.
    Government can’t legislate behavior, but parents can. We must govern ourselves not because of how others feel about us, but because we love and care for one another. If we can’t demonstrate enough backbone to stand up straight and defend liberty, freedom, civility, and rightousness within our community, how can we expect other to do it for us? I could go on and on, but I get the sense that the people who need to read this are far from wanting to create change.

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