Entering Politics
I just heard the news that Rosa Parks has passed away.
While she was an activist, and not a politician, it reminded me of my commitment to enter active politics. The problem is, at the moment I'm not able to create a point of entry I'm happy with.
As I mean this to be a shorter blog intended to get the mental ball rolling in a particular direction, I'll keep this short.
Rosa Parks actions turned out to be the catalyst of a tremendous sequence of historic changes -- much more than she had ever planned. Many others had "refused to sit at the back of the bus" but it was her action that unexpectedly created a snowstorm of other activity, that helped catalyse the US Civil Rights Movement.
I also want to create a snowstorm.
And I want to do so in a place that brings up almost a universal sense of revulsion among Jamaicans -- local politics. Just letting people know my intentions has been enough to bring up strong feelings of anger and hostility in some.
Beyond that anger, however, is a deeper commitment that just about every Jamaican has, which is to be lead by people whom they respect and who respect them, and want the same things that most of us all want.
It's that simple.
Sometimes.
posted by fwade @ 10/24/2005
1 Comments:
The frustration I feel as a Jamaican is the increasing feeling of helplessness in the face of the growing violence.
As Jamaican people we tend to take it as a personal insult when others talk about our country, no matter how vile the circumstances. We would rather treat it like an abusive relationship, keep quiet, save face while taking the beating and surround ourselves with empty rhetoric "One Love" "No problem man" while all around us things are falling apart.
It's time the Jamaican people started speaking truth power, holding our elected official and tourism official accountable, calling things for what they really are and demanding our country back even if that means some negative press.
It's not enough for us to gurantee the safety of visitors to our country when the average person has to live in fear.
We might be critized initially, but someone will have to be courageous to stand up and be counted. In the end the person who has the scruples to do so will have my respect and full support.
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