It is cool to be a Jamaican!

We love our country, our heritage, our language, our aggression, our passion, our loyalty, our loving vibes, our music, our diversity, our impact (positive or negative) on every society we enter, our accomplishments abroad, The Reggae Boyz, Rasta, Christianity, spiritual vibes, our people, OUR FLAG!

Fidel Castro rid his country of the American Imperialists. He recognized that if he were going to live in poverty it would be better self-imposed as opposed to the oppression "Third World" countries may suffer from. American, Canadian, British, Dutch, French, German or Italian, "first world" nations, who pass themselves off as the conscience of the planet, yet South African children die in the MILLIONS from the Aids epidemic, while these folks continue to rape nations that they label as weaker or less important. "What, no gold or oil in South Africa or Rwanda?"

Yes, if I were an affluent Cuban family who lost assets, property, family heirlooms and fat bank accounts, I would be among the hundreds of thousands that hated Castro. As a Jamaican who has seen the alternative, I'm truly a fan of Fidel. I have seen a thriving economy in Jamaica, arbitrarily obliterated by western greed. I have seen the increase in organized crime - currently one of the only occupations available to ambitious young men and women. I have seen the desensitization of a people to death and murder. I have seen terror and fear. I have seen the influx of firearms with the words "made in America" or "made in Russia" on them, as Jamaica has no munitions factories making guns.

How is the crime in Cuba? Are Cuban men killing each other? From what I understand the crime rate is negligible and there are no guns on the island.

Do I blame Americans, Canadians or Europeans holding interest in Jamaica? Do I blame Russian / Cuban / Socialist regimes fighting for a piece of the pie? Do I blame the PNP or the JLP for siding with the sharks and barracudas whose sole intent is to continually rape / ' Liberate ' "Third World" nations as it is their nature to do for the past 400 or so years? Do I blame the 'fat cat', affluent Jamaicans who continue to live comfortably while others (90%) suffer? Do I blame the corrupt politicians who line their pockets and foreign bank accounts with profits that belong to Jamaica? Why bother? If it weren't them, it would have been another bunch anyway.

Within their oppression, the ingrained systems keeping us apart are well entrenched in our psyche and will continue to work for sometime, as they are way too subliminal for us to detect. For instance, I'm not sure why I succumb to the 'crabs in the barrel' theory. I am currently unable to unify folks within my community to a common cause even though it may prove profitable. I do not shop solely at black owned or Jamaican businesses. I have not opened a savings account in Jamaica allowing for re-investment of funds by its people. I have not visited Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, The Congo or any other African nation. I have neither supported nor encouraged the tourist trade to Africa as opposed to the standard European ' hot spots ' like Paris, Monaco, Milan, Holland, Italy or London.

I live in Toronto, Canada where young Jamaican men are killing each other based on situations associated with organized crime. They kill innocent folks at nightclubs to maintain their reputations for ' badness ' like back home. Yet I stand back and blame the system that sends the wrong messages to our youth, we do nothing to dissuade.

THE BUCK STOPS HERE! It is not cool to kill our own! Let's tap into the thing that is our greatest asset. Our own people! Let's invest in ourselves and our country! Send $5.00 a month to a banking institution of your choice in Jamaica. Plan vacations to mother Africa and make that as chic and as glamorous as Monaco or Milan.

The fault is my own! I have not spent enough time reaching out to like minded Jamaicans worldwide in order to make the necessary change that MUST happen. So I begin today. One simple truth!

Any crime against Jamaicans by Jamaicans is truly a loss of self. These young people would not shoot their mothers! Killing another Jamaican is killing a family member. Let us stand firm. If those of us with any education, wisdom and maturity start spreading this to the ignorant youth who may be some of the most talented designers, doctors, engineers or musicians on the planet, it MAY make a difference. Let us give them and ourselves a chance. Spread the vibe…………