by Ras I-Nation (Twitter: @innercitydub)
Das englische Original des Gedichts im “Reggae & Rassismus”-Special in Riddim #104
Tourist, Europeans, when you visit Jamaica and other “Third World” countries,
Nations that are the product of how Europe underdeveloped non-Europeans
Do be mindful of your words and deeds
The local is never wrong
For four hundred years he was never right,
So that you now exercise the privilege of travelling for pleasure
When you first travelled to these nations you were driven by the lust for wealth
You were called Conquerors then, but now driven by the lust for pleasure you are known as Tourist
Conqueror touring his domain
Nations you don’t travel for leisure are those you haven’t wholly conquered,
Their primary inbound still for wealth and power
Nations of your domain on the other hand transformed from plantations to resorts
Drunk on wealth seems only natural a pleasureful relief
Same people that gratified your wealth lust, now indulge, “all inclusive”, your pleasure lust
Be mindful of their conquered state of being
Be mindful they were stolen from their home, and from them, their world and reality
Be mindful that they are educated to solve your problems and not their own
Be mindful of their right to be unconquered and reclaim all what’s rightfully theirs
Be mindful of your duty not to interfere
Though in your service be mindful of their right to be treated not just as equals but as masters
Be overstanding of their hustle
Pay full and more
Give freely and generously
Be loving and grateful
You are forever in their debt
Throughout history, no other people have served more grandly and selflessly another people
With their blood, sweat, and tears they’ve not only built you a New World but continue to empower, delight, and “culture” you as soulful as can be
Over five hundred years and they haven’t ceased to see to your every need
Your real-life Alexa
Justly entitled to never be wrong, at least until fully recovered from their conquered state
They have not the luxury of travelling for pleasure
They travel for bread
High-risk not tourist
Radar up, on their arrival, best inbound unnoticed
Earn as much as able and remittance home as much as possible, their lust and desire
They aren’t Conquerors, only immigrants seeking a better life in the nations that confiscated their wealth
Some earn enough to return home, even to travel to other nations profiling like tourist
But not far reminded they are indeed high-risk
It’s unfair and unjust
Neither in yours or their homeland should they be illtreated
In theirs, you should treat them as masters and in yours also as honoured guest
Care for them as they care for you
Remember how they suckled and nurtured you “superior”
Decline from exploiting or mistaking them inferior
Refrain from being indifferent to or responsible for their plight
By right their lives should be an all-expense covered, paid vacation, for at least four hundred years
True vacationers, not squatters or unfavoured immigrants
Be their guardian angel as they have been yours for the past five hundred years
With thanksgiving a living sanctuary to their wellbeing
Though you aren’t racist also be not in denial that racism is still the governing system, the defining factor of both your lives
Your First World and their Third World both product of racism
You touring and they high-risking all because of racism,
System of subjugating non-whites to white power
Afrika enslaved, Asia colonized and genocide in the Americas its history and handiworks
Of UN’s nearly 200 nations only European, particularly western Europe, and outposts like the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, as well as a few aligned states are considered First World
The other eighty-five percent nations of the world purposefully underdeveloped for their sake
Bewildered or sleeping to think Emancipation or Independence decommissioned racism
That the system of white supremacy became a thing of the past
A grand dream while the reality remains it has only evolved in form and practice
Brutal enforcement displaced with subtle internalization
Both you and non-Europeans, particularly Afrikans, inculcated by and into the ism of race
As the lionhearted psychiatrist said, “no system of oppression is structured to consciously destroy itself”
The West is the reign of racism,
Conquerors harbouring no desire to give up their conquest
Capitalism, the source and likewise the outgrowth of said racism
No greater gaining the most for the least than Enslavement
Today’s Capitalist are burdened with paying wages, giving benefits, settling lawsuits and such liabilities their forbearers for four hundred years had the luxury of not knowing
With the conquered people engineered into consumers, those liabilities aren’t really burdening for in short order it all returnto their coffers
A grand scheme
All by design
Trial and error, not mistakes entail their lives
Black fate and faith white defined and decided
Sadly, it’s the way things are, and be it you aren’t racist you know it is unjust and truly needs to be a thing of the past
Their inhibition and disadvantage vs your privilege and immunities, is a curse you care not to pass on to your children or theirs
You never conquered and enslaved or colonized anyone, you aren’t guilty of the system but you have eaten its fruits and drank its wine
Again, you aren’t racist but your privilege is and it’s not something to be simply discarded
Your undeniable birthright, even death fails a separation
Only the death of the system itself can free you from its curse
Beautiful you are, those recognizing white privilege to be a stain on humanity and are genuinely committed to its complete removal
Against your will the vampires in power perpetuate their devious system but be not deterred, their days are numbered
Justice will not forever be dethroned by monsters
Keep steadfast to Rastafari with “confidence in the victory of good over evil”
Being not tourist but “members of a new race,
owing ultimate allegiance not to nations but to the human community”
And please, don’t make the mistake of thinking or accusing the conquered to be racist
It’s a very racist thing to do as it is to be offended by their effort to be unconquered
You must be aware of the nine fundamental areas of activity that racism rears its ugly head
Only through awareness can you truly begin to dismantle this system of evil
And only its destruction can afford a better world
“If you don’t understand Racism/White supremacy, what it is and how it works, everything else you think you understand will only confuse you”
Not only the conquered but you as well are miseducated and indoctrinated
Both of you nurtured on lies and half-truths
The most honest account of not only yourself and your history but of the world and its people is not to be found in any white-lie
Got to be acquainted with the tale of the lion
There you’ll find truth
Have the courage to be intimate with the veracity of the lionhearted, Frances Cress Welsing, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, John Henrik Clarke, Cheikh Anta Diop, Marimba Ani, Neely Fuller, Franz Fanon, Amos Wilson, Joel Augustus Rogers, Ivan Van Sertima, Walter Rodney, George G. M. James, Michelle Alexander and others of the pride
Love Marcus Garvey no less than you love Bob Marley
Be moved by Pan-Afrikan (the right and will of Black people to be unconquered and unconquerable) no less than you are moved by reggae (the search for self)
Racist wittingly embrace their privilege but you wittingly embrace the revolution to end racism
Kudos to you and others like you
