COMMENTARY: Back to our roots
By Shaina Smith, Contributor
A few mornings ago, as I thought about current local affairs, a map of the Virgin Islands popped into my mind with the words ‘We The People’ on the back. I started seeing lines drawn on the paper with the labels gender, race, nationality, income, island, district, politics, and age. I took a pair of scissors and started cutting the paper along the lines. And as I gathered up the pieces of paper, these thoughts came to mind …
In every community, we will not always agree on everything but if we are not careful, the difference of opinions can cause us to lose sight of the big picture because we believe our perspective is right.
I don’t think that disagreeing is the problem. The issue is we argue, instead of debating solutions that we can agree on. As I cut the paper, I felt the social tensions currently dividing us and felt sad because when the dust settles, we are only as strong as the smallest piece ?.
My question to us today is, “how do we move from the chaos to a state of calm?” And my answer is simple … We must get back to our roots.
We must go back to our African roots and learn Umbutu: ‘I am Because We Are!’ That is at the foundation of the community our fore-parents grew up in. The villages laughed and cried together; we built each other’s homes; we raised each other’s children and bartered with each other for survival. In other words: “Your Success is My Success.”
When we moved away from this value system based on love, humility, respect, and integrity; we lost our way.
As we celebrate our freedom from slavery, let’s hit reset in our minds and remind ourselves of who we are and from whence we came.
As Marcus Garvey put it, “A people without knowledge of their history, origin and culture, is like a tree without roots.”
And trees without roots eventually die. We must go back to living these values out and focus on leaving our country better for future generations to thrive in and not just survive.
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Start by having honest politicians working together to solve the Territory’s problems (education, jobs, health care, housing) instead of the last few decades worth of elected officials who have generally taken advantage of their positions for personal gain. And, enough of the disparaging of expats, most of whom are hard working people who bring skills to this Territory that many don’t want to learn.
If you feel connected to your African roots and language then perhaps you should pack your bags and move back to Africa. Please remember to take all your intermarried relatives with you. That would leave the Territory with just expats and down islanders. What a wonderful world it would be.
I don’t think it’s helpful to propose a solution to racial differences being to go back to “our” African roots. That only ignores the fact we are made up of all sorts of races and cultures and you are proposing only one as the basis for solving problems.
It shows a blinkered and racist mindset that is the basis of a lot of division. Much better to look at the roots of everyone here and find common ground there than dictate that the majority must impose its will. It’s also simplistic to believe that somehow there’s an African culture. There are all sorts of cultures in Africa just as there are in every continent.
In short, this is an unsophisticated approach that belies the racist assumptions of the writer.
Seems you are enjoying your Government contract/s while you sit and judge the rest of us.
I will certainly give you credit for good points, and substance, but in the end all you do, and all you have ever done, is talk!
But, I do find myself wondering whether this is just another desperate attempt to stay relevant through your narrative, and set a platform for your next political ambition!
Your captaining of the CCHA has been almost (possibly more) embarrassing than that of our own elected Government.
Could it be that your fear to truly fight for the private sector is because you worry more about your very own Government contract/s that will be compromised should you fight too hard?
You’re a smart woman, an ambitious woman (and I respect that), but the day you realize that the shackles that hold you down are those of your very own making and maybe then you’ll understand! Have the courage to cut the safety net away that you so heavily depend on, and then you will see just how terrified the private sector really is at this time, and why you as the leader of the CCHA, has taken it absolutely nowhere, defended your members for nothing, and use it for a paper platform of propaganda and self aggrandizement!
I WISH THESE NEWS SITES WOULD FIND IT MORE CONSTRUCTIVE DO IT RATHER THAN HOLLERIN OUT ABOUT WHATS GOING ON IN THE UK AS BREAKING NEWS – AND VERY LITTLE OF WHATS REALLY GOING ON HERE
Good Article Shaina. Let’s do that.
Let’s face it, Shaina. It’s a really poor commentary.Really a bit embarrassing.
Of course nothing that caters to the rights and well being of locals will sit well with the exploiters.
Another snout in the trough: wannabe politician who will never be able to see through entitlement and government handouts