This message is eligible for Automatic Cleanup! (JamaineAbidogun@MissouriState.edu) Add cleanup rule | More info It is normally useless to wade into someone's stereotyping of any people and expect that they will see the error of their ways, so I won't try.
Just to note that I work regularly in Jamaica and if I use your same "method" of observation over time, I reach completely different conclusions. As an ethnographic researcher, I am well practiced in identifying and separating my biases from actual observed activity on the ground (a plug for Grounded Theory). Over the past decade of my research in Jamaica, I would observe that it is more the norm for Jamaicans to either not smoke marijuana on the scale that you imply or to not smoke it at all. While I do see the occasional Rasta men gathered under the shade of trees in the afternoon for a smoke; they don't spend their whole day in it. In fact Rasta practitioners, who I interviewed to trace African traditional medicine practices, informed me that it is their use of medicinal herbs for ailments and good health (roots) and strict vegetarian food practices that make up the foundation of their lifestyle. Many of my colleagues in Jamaica, Rasta or not, have maintained these same traditional medicinal practices from generation to generation. Perhaps the researcher you know has not learned how to conduct proper research or perhaps is a victim of her own internalized oppression and cannot see beyond it. Anyone with sense, would likely agree that the overuse of any drug leads to problems; so perhaps, in fairness, she is only looking at extreme cases and not the norm.
These are just observations; but what I hear you describe is what most Jamaicans I interview and live and work with, attribute to tourist behaviors. Your "Marley in Munich" that conjures up images of fans and Jamaican tourists, alike, often copy the iconic, commercialized parts of Marley that are attributed to Jamaican culture, like smoking and dreadlocks, but have no idea that many Jamaican traditions are health conscience and Afrocentric in their practice and maintenance.
One Love,
Jamaine
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of OLAYINKA AGBETUYI
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 6:25 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Get Up! Stand Up!! ProphetMarleyinMunich, 1980
CAUTION: External Sender
GE:
Proportional usage yes but also suitability.
There is nothing I did not experiment with my youth groups but hard drug. I KNOW if I crossed that line it would be a journey of no return yet I had a close Youth Corper friend from Rivers State who regularly used marijuana with no visible effects and closely interrogated him on it.
It suited his system very well. Fine! Others just one use and they would never be normal again.
Trust me GE I am not stereotyping. The Caribbean lady doing the study is not stereotyping. She grew up over there and came to the UK within the last decade went back for her daughters college graduation in Jamaica last October. I dont have figures because I have not done a formal study but believe me my experience is far more than twenty people and spans three continents over four decades. It is fairly accurate.
Yes there is medical use for marijuana. But as we all know there is a host of drugs used that have damaging side effects and these effects vary from person to person.
OAA
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------
From: Gloria Emeagwali <gloria.emeagwali@gmail.com>
Date: 29/04/2020 23:33 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Get Up! Stand Up!! ProphetMarleyinMunich, 1980
OA,
You are engaged in crude stereotyping, unless you can present some demographic figures demonstrating marijuana - derived schizophrenia in a large percentage of the Jamaican population - beyond the twenty persons that you met in your lifetime, so far.
That medical marijuana is used to cure brain disorders , seizures etc has been scientifically proven.
By the way I cringe whenever I hear the word "West Indies", another silly term inherited from European adventurers. The place is not West of India or the Indies. "Caribbean " makes more sense since it was in reality the land of the Caribs (and Arawaks). "Jamaica" is ok, descending linguistically from the indigenous term Xaymaca.
But lest Moses accused me of diversionary tactics, let me go back to the main issue of marijuana usage.
The use of marijuana for asthmatic relief is proven. The correlation between schizophrenia and marijuana is yet to be proven and even if it were to pass the test, we will have to talk about proportional usage, and so on, given the fact that excessive use of anything including water, can pose a problem.
In real life I do not drink or smoke
alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or similar substances ( and I go to neither the church or the mosque) but that does not give me the right to promote unproven stereotypes.
GE
GE
On Apr 29, 2020, at 4:55 PM, OLAYINKA AGBETUYI <yagbetuyi@hotmail.com> wrote:
GE:
What do you think caused the prevalence of such schizophrenia among Blacks of West Indian and African American ( some of my African American students) origins in the first place? The same is true of visitors to Fela' shrine with whom I shared dormitories in Nigeria, which was why some educated parents warned against following his music.
2. I have a mature student who works in the care industry, originally from the West Indies who confirmed my fears and is in fact doing study on the trend at the moment.
3. I have seen white ladies who use the drugs who were balanced mentally about a decade or two ago with recreational use, but progressively got worse with addictive use.
OAA
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------
From: Gloria Emeagwali <gloria.emeagwali@gmail.com>
Date: 29/04/2020 16:03 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Get Up! Stand Up!! Prophet MarleyinMunich, 1980
This message is eligible for Automatic Cleanup! (gloria.emeagwali@gmail.com) Add cleanup rule | More info
Well let me kill three birds with one stone, so to speak. First of all, to OA who has assumed rather too confidently that marijuana causes schizophrenia.
But what if it is the other way around, namely, that some folks with schizophrenia use marijuana as a coping mechanism and a therapeutic device?
Distinguishing the evangelical and secularist use of the term prophet is helpful.
As for the disproportionate percentage of African American deaths to Covid 19, mentioned by the poetic Ocello Ocelli, the following comes to mind, granted that it relates to a segment of the AA population, and not the whole:
1. Lack of access to sound affordable medical care in normal times, and the dismantling of Obama's health care initiative.
2. Inherited dietary deficiencies and practices - perpetuated by the fast food chains, low income, and decades of inattention to obesity generating foods.
3. Excessive exposure to Covid-19 in nursing homes - and jobs as CNA workers, hospital aides,
delivery etc. - that are detrimental in the era of Covid 19. High -paid medics and nurses are also at risk.
4. Crowded residential areas, in densely populated cities that preclude social distancing procedures.
5. A narcissistic President, slow to act in securing protective gear
for exposed individuals - believed to be outside loyalist voter -catchment zones.
6. Blind faith, crowded churches -that initially defied social distancing measures.
We all have to guard against the covert eugenical use of Covid 19 by politicians - worldwide.
GE
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 28, 2020, at 4:38 PM, 'okello oculi' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:
BOB MARLEY would have asked the NEW AFRICAN DIASPORA TO DO RESEARCH ON CONDITIONS AT THE ROOT OF THE HIGH LEVELS OF DEATH FROM COVEID-19 BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS. THIS WOULD HELP TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE AFRICAN UNION TO SPEAK UP FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. A SITUATION IN WHICH PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL ENCOURAGE HIS ''SUPPORT BASE'' AMONG WHITE RACISTS TO CELEBRATE AND /OR IGNORE THE CARNAGE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS BUT MAKE SYMBOLIC GESTURES OF FRIENDSHIP WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES MUST NOT BENEFIT FROM YOUR SILENCE.
On Monday, April 20, 2020, 03:36:09 PM GMT+1, Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:
I used "Prophet" for Marley in a secularist term, to mean a person whose words can be immortal or can come to pass. I can say that Steve Biko was a prophet but not in an evangelical term.
The use of English allows us to do this.
TF
Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
From: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of agbetuyi <yagbetuyi@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: Monday, April 20, 2020 at 9:26 AM
To: dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Get Up! Stand Up!! Prophet Marley inMunich, 1980
GE.
Marley favoured Rastafarianism with the dreadlocks as the outward symbolic manifestations of that religion.
In fact he popularised that religion and hairstyle across the globe. That religion is associated with viewing marijuana smoking as medicinal on account of which many Jamaican young men had grown schizophrenic over the decades.
Rastafarians located their utimate spiritual leader in the late Emperor Haile Selasie of Ethiopia, the Lion of Judah, who reigned while Marley was alive and was descendant of biblical Queen of Sheba ( whose country's undefeated resistance to colonialism represented the hope for African resurgence from colonialism and emancipation from bondage of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Angola. He championed the freedom of these countries in his lyrics. This led to the fantastic albums 'Uprising' and 'Survival' The track 'MPLA' was dedicated to one of the freedom fighter parties in Angola.
In his masterpiece 'Rat Race'
He countered the notion that he was an undercover CIA agent by singing
'Rasta do'nt work for no CIA'
He also titled one album
'Rastaman Vibration' with a title track of that name.
Marley perfectly walked the tight rope between secularism and religion.
OAA
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------
From: Gloria Emeagwali <gloria.emeagwali@gmail.com>
Date: 19/04/2020 20:16 (GMT+00:00)
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Get Up! Stand Up!! Prophet Marley inMunich, 1980
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