This unique blog is Jamaica's very first blog. It documents the work and thoughts of Jamaican Philpsopher, Yannick Nesta Pessoa. I am an Artist, Graphic Designer, Copywriter, Poet, Social Advocate, Community Activist, Western Mirror Columnist and Legal Student. Follow on Twitter & Instagram @yahnyk. Follow on Youtube @ and Reply to yannickpessoa@gmail.com
Monday, June 28, 2004
IN DEFENCE OF RASTA
This article is a counter article pertains to the article by Mark Dawes which speaks of the Rastafringe. The Article is masterpiece of articulation that lacks any sort of objectivity and makes no explicit declaration of the writers biases but they are all too clear.
The article takes aim at the attenuation of Haile Selasie's divinity. This claim he substabtiates with a interview of people with locks at a concert. This an excercise in the fallacy of hasty generalisation as this small sample of locked people are not necessarily Rastas or can they represent the entire Rasta community, especially seeing they are apart of a community outside of Jamaica. Next, no authority on the matter seems to have been consulted.
The article takes a decidedly Christian stance and seems to be afflicted with the usual Christian dogma. It seriously implies that Christianity is right and Rasta is wrong, which seems a bit of a paradox, because Rasta and Christianity share an very similar origin, and most criticism that can be levelled at one can usually be levelled at the other. There is also a critical flaw in the writer's premise, not everybody with locked hair is a Rasta and Rasta is not the beginning or the end of locks. He also assumes again that Rasta is one homogeneous body, and every single person shares the same belief, he fails to give the due given to Christians to Rasta, just as Christian share varying ideas and have various denominations so too does Rasta have varying ideas that vary from house to house. So even though they have a commonality (especially beyond just locks) so too do they have differences.
So in closing I think the article is an unfair treatment of Rasta and gives the impression that Rasta is a threat(particularly to Christians), and worse yet has no concrete system of beliefs.
To read the gleaner article: From Rasta to Rastafringe
published: Saturday | June 12, 2004
by Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I beg to disagree with you Mr. Pessoa. I dont believe that his biases are clear. I took the time to read his article and i think that he is just commenting on an article that caught his attention from another magazine. I get the feeling that you are a Rasta at heart but you as well as Mr Daws have questions about this particular religion that needs to be answered by someone who has researched this religion thoroughly and can give unbiased answers. Don't get me wrong Mr. Pessoa you comparison of both religions are realistic but i urge you to do more research on rastafarism...in its true form ...it is only then you will be able to be at ease when people display igorance about a subject....always keep in mind Mr. Pessoa people write articles for different reasons...when they are knowledgeable about a subject....and when they have questions .... which they sometimes display as ignorance or even biases.....I will leave you at peace :)
Post a Comment