Angry Citizen

Crosbies

St. John's

Antigua

5th November 2010

Editor             

of Jamaica Sun

Tivoli Gardens

Jamaica          

West Indies   

Dear Editor,

                   I am writing to report a civil indecency that I witnessed on Orange Lane. I witnessed a savage vengeful crowd descend upon one poor citizen by the name of John Power or more famously hailed "Brother Man". The crowd rusheed this citizen out of pure ignorance and prejudice and it saddens me to have to report it.

                  The crowd was enraged because a few days prior a brutal homocide occured in which a man with dreadlocks murdered a young couple. Since then the people got the mentality that all people with dreadlocks or rastafarians are murderes or essentially bad people. This is so far from the truth and I am crestfallen that people in this day and age are so one-minded and thick headed. Have we not grown past the stereotyping and irrational prejudism? In these times it cannot be acceptable that people have the mentality that "one rasta is a murderer so they all must be murderers too". Also our society doesnt condone citizens who take the law into their own hands and exercise vigilante justice. We as a society have established a legal system capable of prosecution for offenders, therefore it is unnecessary and illegal for citizens to take the law into their own hands.

                 In my opinion, Rastafarians are not any diffrent from regular people. Rastafarianism is a monotheistic religion that believes who worship Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, former Emperor of Ethiopia as God incarnate, the Second Advent. Rastafari is not a highly organized religion; it is a movement and an ideology. Although the religion and beliefs for Rastas are different, it does not mean that they are extremists or murderers. The only "criminal" belief that rastas have iz the fact that they use cannabis on a regular basis for spiritual purposes while most Christians societies beleive cannabis is an illegal substance. So it can now be seen that Rastafarians are not that much different from Christians. Furthermore, i reiterate the fact that even if one Rasta did have an "extremist" mentality it does not mean that all Rastas share in his ideals.

                It saddens me to have to write this letter to you Mr. Editor but i just felt that I should share my opinions and concerns, thank-you for your time.

                               

Yours Thankfully,

Zachary Phillips