Hey all, my question pertains to the fact that since living in JA for the past couple years as a volunteer I have faced more outright racism and judgment based on my skin color than I have ever experienced in my entire life, or even heard of. It goes further than people just calling me white-boy, (which i believe is more an ignorant disrespect), but its grimaces, stares, people not using a specific ATM after me and telling me its because i'm white, people calling me names like *****, and batti boy, when I haven't done anything or even talked to them ever, and the always classy, people yelling fire pon di white man! From someone who has grown up from a moral background, instilled with a great respect for all people and their points of view, i find my experience here has made me bitter and after my service is over never wanting to return, which also may have something to do with being robbed twice, and cut on one occasion. And before you say I have not tried to become part of the culture, I have, and do have select few Jamaican friends, although its hard for me to make friends with males my age because all they talk about is sex, and I'm down for a little sex talk once in awhile but I like intellectual talk whenever possible, so I get bored and feel out of place after awhile. Anyways, I dont want to bash the country, but it is hard to find redeeming qualities in it, besides the older people, whom i almost always find to be congenial and easily be-friended, I just want to know, why do i get so much flak for being white?
i find most jamicans to be more about classism than racism...im thinking maybe you just rub the ppl wrong and it may have nothing to do with your color at all considerng many black ppl feel same way as you....that they expericence racism in JA.
can't really explain in detail, but its about community development and agriculture
So let me see if I understand. You want us, a community of people who are Jamaican, or love Jamaica/Jamaicans, to discuss with you, a complete "stranger" to our forum, why Jamaicans are racists, a highly complex and volatile subject, but you don't want to explain what program you volunteer for?
I'm sorry. But I'm suspect. I've been here, done this.
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There are no words in the English language to capture my feelings...
Hey all, my question pertains to the fact that since living in JA for the past couple years as a volunteer I have faced more outright racism and judgment based on my skin color than I have ever experienced in my entire life, or even heard of. It goes further than people just calling me white-boy......... I just want to know, why do i get so much flak for being white?
Okay let me attempt to answer your question....
1st off you need to bare in mind that Jamaica is a "predominantly" black nation therefor you as a "white" visitor are a minority.
To the poster who says Jamaica is more classist than racist sorry and respectfully I call bull**** on that. Yes things were that way back in the day but no longer.
2nd'ly Mr whiteMan, just based on your skin colour one will assume that you are coming from the land of "plenty" so why then are you now here trying to tell me what to do an how to do it?
3rdly Are you sure there were'nt some gay rumors going around about you?
...bottom line discrimination SUCKS regardless of where you are and what you are, however there is stil that tiny part of me that says Hey now you know how I felt when I moved from Ja to TN and was treated like that.
btw...I'm just throwing ideas out there I don't really know the answer to your question.
Last edited by TanyaTanya : 12-09-2008 at 04:18 PM.
Reason: clarity
To the poster who says Jamaica is more classist than racist sorry and respectfully I call bull**** on that. Yes things were that way back in the day but no longer.
.
Oh really?.............can you supply date and time that this change has come about please and thank you cuz you still see nuff ppl complaining all the time bout this issue and nuff articles still being written.
but hey...each has thier own oppinion...yours is what it is and mine is what it is.
lawks go back go read what mi seh. I did not say it does not exist I said that racism is more predominent now than classism. that same classism people try to keep clinging to is part of the issue. for a country that is 99% black why is it that the upper class/elite society is predominently white/very light/or syrian.
An tell me seh is class why dem naw hire black man fi build di touris hotel dem an haffie a bring in people from China an Spain and etc.
have your opinion but try looking at things with an open mind.
Hey all, my question pertains to the fact that since living in JA for the past couple years as a volunteer I have faced more outright racism and judgment based on my skin color than I have ever experienced in my entire life, or even heard of. It goes further than people just calling me white-boy, (which i believe is more an ignorant disrespect), but its grimaces, stares, people not using a specific ATM after me and telling me its because i'm white, people calling me names like *****, and batti boy, when I haven't done anything or even talked to them ever, and the always classy, people yelling fire pon di white man! From someone who has grown up from a moral background, instilled with a great respect for all people and their points of view, i find my experience here has made me bitter and after my service is over never wanting to return, which also may have something to do with being robbed twice, and cut on one occasion. And before you say I have not tried to become part of the culture, I have, and do have select few Jamaican friends, although its hard for me to make friends with males my age because all they talk about is sex, and I'm down for a little sex talk once in awhile but I like intellectual talk whenever possible, so I get bored and feel out of place after awhile. Anyways, I dont want to bash the country, but it is hard to find redeeming qualities in it, besides the older people, whom i almost always find to be congenial and easily be-friended, I just want to know, why do i get so much flak for being white?
Just want to say hello. You sound like a good guy, sorry to hear your experience in Ja is being difficult for you. Volunteer work is an awesome thing to do and I admire people who are willing to put themselves out there for others. My mom used to say that no good deed shall go unpunished. Seems like more often than not that tends to be the case in my experiernce. I can't give you any feedback, just wanted to say hey. And good luck. And watch your back.
lawks go back go read what mi seh. I did not say it does not exist I said that racism is more predominent now than classism. that same classism people try to keep clinging to is part of the issue. for a country that is 99% black why is it that the upper class/elite society is predominently white/very light/or syrian.
An tell me seh is class why dem naw hire black man fi build di touris hotel dem an haffie a bring in people from China an Spain and etc.
have your opinion but try looking at things with an open mind.
Some of the articles in the Gleaner make it clear that classism exists in a big way. Especially the social columns. I stopped reading them, that stuff gets on my nerves big time, so stupid................
lawks go back go read what mi seh. I did not say it does not exist I said that racism is more predominent now than classism. that same classism people try to keep clinging to is part of the issue. for a country that is 99% black why is it that the upper class/elite society is predominently white/very light/or syrian.
An tell me seh is class why dem naw hire black man fi build di touris hotel dem an haffie a bring in people from China an Spain and etc.
have your opinion but try looking at things with an open mind.
I stand corrected. I misread your comment. Sorry.
__________________
There are no words in the English language to capture my feelings...
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