Letter to the Editor

                                                                                                                                     Friars Hill Road

                                                                                                                                     St. John's

                                                                                                                                     Antigua

                                                                                                                                     3rd November,1954

Editor
Observer Publications
Coolidge
St. John's
Antigua

Dear Editor,
                   Recently, on November 1st, I witnessed the brutal attack of a man informally referred to as 'Brother Man'. The brawl took place in a small village called Orange Lane in Jamaica. I watched as the savage villagers involved in this attack chanted "Down de old Ras Tafarite, murderers dem" whilst women and children joined in the harsh words and shouting.
    As the chanting worsened and grew louder the crowd became more enraged, more violent against the man chanting and singing obscenities such as "Run man wi'dout beard, beard man after you" in-sighting violence into many persons hearts. A woman decided to release her rage and in doing so threw a brick aiming directly for Brother Man's head.
    Even as the blood splattered and the man grew weak, persons still threw the stones, unafraid of committing murder as long as one less 'murderer' was off the streets. The blood-thirsty crowd continued on like a pack of wolves descending upon their prey. The scenery was so gruesome, I never once imagined a people to be so cruel to their own kind.
    I, however, was a bit enlightened when an old lady came on the scene and threw her frail, weak body over Brother Man's as if sacrificing herself for his own protection and safety. I, a young female did not have the strength to intervene yet this old woman did, I was a bit envious of her strength and will. But yet again, I was filled with disdain when the woman had hardly any strength was yet another victim of these blood-thirsty, heartless villagers.
    It was truly a very sad day in that little village in Jamaica. A day when an innocent man was victimized and ostracized, in the very society that he helped and healed persons, based on pure generalization and stereo-type. It was apparent to me that he was a strong-willed Christian man whom was loving to everyone whether wicked or kind; rich or poor he showed no sort of bias whatsoever, however, persons easily overlooked his kind character and God-like nature simply because of his locks and beard.
     Rastafarianism is often perceived as a malpractice. However, it is often referred to as a malpractice based on discriminative views and opinions of society. Society, not being accustomed to seeing men with long beards and locked hair view it as a rebellion and as a revolt from norms and values in the society. Because revolt and rebellion is associated to Rastafarianism in most cases, persons also make use of this to instill their discriminative beliefs in-sighting visions of murder and theft into the minds of the persons in society.

                                                                                                                 Signed,

                                                                                                                 An Unimpressed Onlooker