Letter to the Editor

Upper Tindale Road,
St John's,
Antigua.


3rd November,1954


Observer News Paper Publications
Coolidge,
St John's ,
Antigua.


Dear Editor,
                  On Saturday 30th November, I stood at the corner of Orange Lane and watched as Brother Man came walking down  the lane. As I looked on I notice Brother Man stopping and trying to speak to the jeering, jibing crowd behind of him.But the barbaric crowd shouted rude remarks such as Down dey old Ras Tafarites! Murders dem......... " and "nuttin but chop man and rape woman, an scuffle an pass bad money, an't t'ief!".All of a sudden a woman bulldozed herself through the crowd to the front and flung a half-brick towards Brother-Man which hit him in the side of his head. All of this is because of  previous act of a couple by someone who has the  features of a Rastafarian.suddenly Brother man , the gentle,kind religious turned into a attacker or criminal of such a harsh crime.
The Rastafarian movement emerged from the slums of West Kingston in the 1930's.It was a cultural movement as much as a religious movement designed to provide black people with a voice and identity outside of the colonial structure.As a young person of the Caribbean it really disappoints me that Rastafarians are abused, because these people are generally peaceful people , who look at their mother land "Africa" for their culture and history. "Our" culture and history! Rastafarians engage in conscious-raising with regards to black religion, black pride and basically being in the world.and for their own "black people" to turn on them, and beat them is highly dishonoured and unfavoured by me. Rastafarianism should be treated like every other religion, with respect.It is a choice by humans to practice what ever they want and should not be ridiculed for their choice




Disturbed Bystander .