Stay in Your Lane Jamaica!

There is nothing I dislike more, than when Jamaicans, mainly overseas Jamaicans, declare that Jamaica needs to stay in its lane. We also get it a lot from bigger more arrogant and ignorant people from developed first world countries but I hate it more when it comes from Jamaicans. The fact is, the lane they are telling us to stay in, was not created by us but was created for us. Being told to stay in your lane is the most demeaning thing you can tell a Jamaican because we are not accustomed to staying in any predefined lanes, except when breaking world records at various athletics meets. That is not who we are but it seems it is who we are destined to become, people who stay in their lane and live at the mercy of others.

Chop up him claat yes!

Staying in your lane is like being a hamster on a wheel, void of imagination, vision, ambition, and innovation. Being told what to think, what to say and how to live for the reward of crumbs from their table. Staying in your lane means never revolting against slavery. Staying in your lane means never fighting for human right, workers’ rights, universal adult suffrage, and independence. Staying in your lane means never standing up and opposing Apartheid, colonialism, and imperialism. Staying in your lane means turning a blind eye to injustice and oppression, allowing the strong to brutalize the weak. Staying in your lane goes against the principles of "We Likkle, But We Tallawah" and "We are More than a Beach, We are a Country". We know Jamaica is a developing third world country but that has never stopped us from taking an open and objective stand based on solid principles. No, we are not anyone's puppet. 

Jamaica was populated with unruly and undisciplined slaves but what is being unruly and undisciplined when you are being unruly and undisciplined against British slavery and oppression. Jamaicans were the ones the British regarded as troublemakers. Slaves from other colonies who refused to conform, who refused subjugation and who fought against enslavement and fight for freedom, were taken to Jamaica. Just think about it, the type of personalities that stood up against slavery, oppression and subjugation are not the worst of us, as the British would want us to believe BUT THE BEST OF US, the freedom fighters, and liberators. Fighting the British was a good thing, the best thing, the brave thing, the most noble and honorable nation building thing to do because the British were murdering, slave driving oppressors. It was our inalienable right to fight for our freedom and the future of our people. 

We are being told to stay in our lane because we fear repercussion from the people we might have to stand up to. I understand these people can hurt us, and they have hurt us in the past as punishment for us not staying in our lane and obeying their commands. But part of having Morals, Principles and Values means we are not afraid to stand up for right over wrong, stand up for human rights and social justice even in the face of their wicked brutal repercussion. 

Stay in your lane means not having any open and objective opinion about the state of the planet or you country. It means to be subjugated and subservient, hoping others will throw us a bone as a reward for not taking a stand. 

Jamaicans are now slaves to materialism and Visa and will give up all principles, moral and values to secure these things, “afta principles, moral and values cyah nyam”. With that mindset, no nation building can take place because our innovation and imagination in limited to eating a food. We are afraid to anger the giants and filled them with a terrible resolve against us. This is how the Western World Order wants us to be and how they keep us in line, like fishes dangling on hooks having us silently performing for our supper, while ignoring the evil things they do. Once we have agreed to look the other way, turn our backs on our moral, principles and values then we are destined to become a failed state. Because one cannot have moral, principles, and values sometimes and not other times, you either have it or you do not have it. Once we start to Stay in our lane on an international level then it becomes easier to stay in our lane on a local level. We no longer feel the need to tackle anything or anyone, we start to compromise for an easy life and fear of repercussion. In Jamaican terms, we begin to small up ourselves mentally.

There was a time when Jamaica was not afraid to be on the right side of history, based on principles, moral and values which meant more to us than material goods. It seems when we were poorer, we knew all we had was our principles, morals and values and we were not afraid to stand up for them. We would declare to the world that we are small, poor and we might not have much, but we have our integrity, morals, principles, and values and we are not afraid to stand up for them no matter how big, bad and powerful you are. Then after the evil wicked giants circle the Wagons around us and start to inflict blows, we would recite in defiance, “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay.

 If We Must Die

BY CLAUDE MCKAY

If we must die, let it not be like hogs

Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,

While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,

Making their mock at our accursèd lot.

If we must die, O let us nobly die,

So that our precious blood may not be shed

In vain; then even the monsters we defy

Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!

O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!

Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,

And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!

What though before us lies the open grave?

Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,

Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

Most young Jamaicans are a disappointment to me. They are shallow and spineless in every way, void of all principles, morals, values, and integrity. They have sold their souls for the perception of prosperity, the entertainment from merriment, the simplicity of profiling and for shiny objects. They make me laugh when I hear them regurgitate some word they read in a book because you look into their eyes and you see nothing there. No values, no morals,  no convictions, or commitment to anything bigger and grander, no great ideals. Their only interest is their personal selfish desire to accumulate shiny stuff and to profile with shiny stuff. Even the educated ones are disappointing because education alone is not enough to achieve nation building. Educated people are not always enlightened people with vision or innovation. Most of the young people who are educated are also extremely shallow and selfish, consumed by their own greed and self-importance. Their educational achievements are trophies for flossing and not for the betterment of the humanity. Nothing is ever done in the National Interest! No playing her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.

The Dumbing Down of Jamaica: 65% of the people leaving high school in Jamaica, have NO SUBJECTS!

How can we Nation Build with that?

Leave it up to the people to decide is the most idiotic statement to make, if most of the people are dumber than a bag of rocks, semi-literate, greedy, selfish, self-serving, and consumed with their own self-importance. The expectation that these type of people will naturally select what is best for society or themselves when most are semi-literate and dysfunctional is delusional. Social engineering is a vital requirement of Nation Building, but you will need fully qualified social engineers as leaders. Progressive Leaders with vision, innovation and imagination who can share their visions with the people and get them onboard working as one, towards a common goal. We have no such leaders in Jamaica today.

Politics is not about right or wrong. Politics is not about truth and justice. Politics is not amount Morals, Values, Principles or the Rule of Law. Politics is not about nation building and better lives of the people. Politics is about Selfishness, Greed, Power and the perception of all the above.

Today’s generation has become so Shallow, Callous, Narcissistic, Needy and Greedy, always looking for approval from likes boasting about how much virtual friends they have. Living most of their days, in front of their phones taking selfies and posting them online. I feel sorry for them sometimes, the shallow generation no matter how educated they are. 

You will never get these people to stand up on principles or put moral and values over their need to for material goods and merriment. These people will never put the needs of the many, in the interest of the country and nation building over their shallow personal needs. Back in the days of nation building, Jamaica was blessed with people who had nerves and backbones of steel. These people had vision and innovation and they were not afraid to challenge forces a million times greater than themselves and win! Our nation builders of the past would put the needs of a nation above themselves and many times paid with their lives. Our current generation just crawls on their knees, no matter what the obstacle or who is demanding them to bow, they would bow and gravel without shame for stuff. They have mastered the art of Staying in their Lane that was created for them.

The Jamaican National Anthem

Eternal Father bless our land,

Guard us with Thy Mighty Hand,

Keep us free from evil powers,

Be our light through countless hours.

To our Leaders, Great Defender,

Grant true wisdom from above.

Justice, Truth be ours forever,

Jamaica, Land we love.

Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

Teach us true respect for all,

Stir response to duty’s call, strengthen us the weak to cherish,

Give us vision lest we perish.

Knowledge send us Heavenly Father,

Grant true wisdom from above.

Justice, Truth be ours forever,

Jamaica, land we love.

National Pledge

Before God and all mankind, I pledge the love and loyalty of my heart, the wisdom and courage of my mind, the strength and vigour of my body in the service of my fellow citizens; I promise to stand up for Justice, Brotherhood and Peace, to work diligently and creatively, to think generously and honestly, so that Jamaica may, under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.

“I rejoice I am a slave no more, and you are slave no more, Jamaica is slave no more. Amen!” Ex-slave, Thomas Gardner, shouted these words in Jamaica on August 1, 1838, as he celebrated the abolition of the system which had dehumanised his fellow Negroes in the British Caribbean and England for more than 150 years.