Social contributor – Dickson Igwe
DOWN ISLANDERS, PHILIPPINAS, AND IGNORANT RHETORIC
Any observer of Virgin Islands national media, or a certain section thereof, will easily recognize a growing rendition to fear, xenophobia, and even jingoism, in this small country. Jingoism in the context of this story is alluding to the, INSIDER VERSUS OUTSIDER, or DOWN ISLAND VERSUS BORN HERE song and dance of recent months. That this growing intolerance is happening in this small community of many different races, peoples, and cultures cannot be denied.
This is a new and extreme form of nationalism, and do bear in mind that Virgin Islands nationalism is a good thing indeed for the national self esteem. Healthy nationalism creates strong, inclusive, and harmonious societies. But a new strand of Virgin Islands nationalism is today emerging from certain quarters, and it appears to be exclusive, opportunistic, extreme, and even nasty.
It will not do this country any good: only divide an already fractured community! And in a country that depends on tourism and global finance for its bread and butter, these soundings from persons in the media, people of real influence, who should know better, is very unhelpful and potentially damaging. In any event, this small country should have moved on from a small island pettiness and petty mindedness of yesteryear. And those who want to hold on to a backward mentality have every right to do so. They will look increasingly absurd, even anachronistic, in this fast moving and fast paced day and age.
There is a tendency to generalize, or label whole groups of residents and citizens negatively, by a vocal minority. And this new rendition to social and ethnic division springs probably, from a questionable political agenda in some quarters. Only recently, a marketing executive was rightly ostracized for apparently making a racial slur against whites. So this type of ignorant rhetoric is nothing new. It is however, unacceptable.
Do bear this in mind, that these broad generalizations about sections of a country’s population, and painting groups of people with the same brush, in this case, stating that a certain segment of the Virgin Islands populace has a bad attitude, is root, trunk, and branch, of tribalism, ethnic hatred, racism, and worse.
This is a story of intolerance of others, leading to some of the worst crimes and atrocities in human history, including apartheid, mass murder and genocide. These allusions are not farfetched. Hitler’s odyssey of hatred, murder, and genocide, began with generalizations about non Germans, being inferior, deceptive, and treacherous.
And in a community that came out of slavery and colonialism, such as this one has, to hear a respected and highly regarded black commentator and TV show host speak in the worst tones about his neighbours and fellow human beings: men, women, and children, of a similar historic and cultural background, is simply a throwback to the darkest days of intolerance. It is very sadly a rendition to insensitivity and thoughtlessness.
This Commentator knows very well that he could have never made that type of comment in say the USA or UK, about any racial or ethnic, or social group, without national outrage. Residents of these Antilles, he knows, are generally quiet and non controversial, so he will get away with those types of remark here.
This is a sad reflection on this community however. It is an old story that has led to the creation of modern day FRANKENSTEINS; objectionable personalities, controversial orators, and tyrannical types, of the likes of Idi Amin, Adolf Hitler, and Pa Pa Doc Duvalier. These were leaders who started off by painting Jews, Mulattoes, and Asians with the same brush, using similar broad generalizations. This then developed into something much more ominous.
The claim that Caribbean peoples from, ‘down the islands,’ have a bad attitude is a clearly derogatory remark meant to stir up emotions. These are fellow residents and citizens who live, contribute, and pay taxes in this community; most of them fine and outstanding men and women. Many that are skilled professionals, university and college graduates, who have lain solid and deep roots in this community: businessmen and women, media personalities; doctors, nurses and lawyers; teachers and educators; wives, mothers, fathers, grandparents, sons and daughters. In any event, a simple observation of prominent Virgin Islands families will reveal that most came from, or had important links with these selfsame and so called DOWN ISLANDERS, and the DOWN ISLANDS, this clearly gifted commentator, has tarnished with his thoughtless remarks.
Travel to any West Indian island: St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Trinidad, and so on, and one will find West Indians are culturally similar, with the same history, society, and ethnic makeup: a motley mix of peoples of African, European, Asian, and Native Indian descent.
Prominent Virgin Islands names, such as TURNBULL, O’NEAL, CHRISTOPHER, PENN, and LETTSOME, are to be found on many Caribbean Islands. The STOUTT’S, DE’ CASTROS, LAKES, ARCIBALDS, and others, are entered into the much dispersed annals of West Indian social and economic history. All around the Caribbean, these families, and others, such as the WILLOUGHBYS, HORSEFORDS, RITTERS, and SMITHS; or the VANTERPOOLS, HARRIGANS, AND HODGES, and the like, are just as old school, educated, urbane, hardworking, and honorable, as any found on these Virgin Islands.
In any event, Virgin islanders would never accept being labeled in a negative manner, and are wise enough to reject this type of scurrilous assertion. And there are many honorable men, women, and children, of these Virgin Antilles who reside, say in other countries such as the USA, where many Virgin islanders live and work! Yes, labeling foreigners and expatriates poorly is easily a double edged sword cutting one and all. It is a very unwise rendition indeed.
Alluding that Africans and Philippinas don’t mind being treated poorly, as long as they have access to the mighty dollar bill, is also another ignorant assertion that shows a lack of understanding, and a complete disregard for the personal dignity, and social welfare and human rights of fellow residents.
One wonders if comments and opinions of some public figures are not being used by invisible persons in these Spectacular Antilles with a ‘darker agenda.’ These are men and women of the press being used unwittingly and even unknowingly, as mouthpieces for those who would do real harm to others, had they the opportunity.
Intolerance. Photo courtesy bbc.co.uk
The old political tool of divide and conquer appears to be rearing its ugly head in Virgin Islands politics once more, in certain circles. One can intelligently see a narrative beginning to form, a less than attractive political agenda adopted by some, that may well be an underlay in the fight for power at the Virgin Islands General Election in three years and a bit. Xenophobia and intolerance will not be beneficial for this community. But more will be written about this ugly trend in the coming months and years: God willing!
So once again, instead of looking to the businessman and businesswoman, to innovation and resourcefulness, to the best education and training money can buy, and to free market economics, to get this beautiful country moving socially and economically, the cry from these local media pundits is for government to bring out the, ‘BIG STICK,’ and correct this perceived anomaly. Look after the interests of Virgin Islanders first, they cry.
This is the old plantation song, with government as MASSA and provider of the daily bread. A perennial looking to government for all things bright and beautiful: government must correct this problem of too many foreigners in this country. Aliens are destroying the fabric of this society. That is a mistaken assertion however!
A simple look at the backgrounds of some of these most ardent ‘VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONALISTS,’ will show that their parents, grandparents, even wives and step kids, are all so called DOWN ISLANDERS; so one wonders whether this drumbeat against their fellow West Indians actually springs from a deeper inferiority complex.
Like Adolf Hitler who was not 100% German, having to become a raving lunatic of a German, to prove that he was one of them; using the innocent Jew as scapegoat for his own failure and lack of ability. One further wonders what would happen if society denied these ‘news personalities’ the oxygen of publicity upon which they so obviously thrive and survive.
But another thing is this; this new disease of promoting hatred of foreigners by a thoughtless handful is simply an admission of failure by policymakers, who over many years have failed to fashion a viable immigration and labor policy for this tiny island. The process got caught up in local politicking and even nepotism and corruption, in the past. Former regimes were well known for allowing certain Government departments to become the personal hiring and firing agencies for certain high and mighty individuals.
This was an example of unethical leadership, sadly overlooked by past UK Governors, for whatever reason; and thereby allowing for a serious inequity, and even injustice in the process; a rendition to denying legal status to the law abiding resident; persons living in the community quietly for decades without a single blot on their integrity.
Instead this privilege was granted to friends overseas, and to every opportunist that had a wallet full of cash; persons who probably resided in the country for a number of months, but who greased some notable and powerful palms.
Now the bottom has fallen out of the immigration and labour barrel. And these selfsame pundits want to blame HUMBLE JOE DOWN ISLANDER for the mess. Today the results are clear. The law has failed to protect the interests of both the local and expatriate.
In any event, xenophobia and fear will not work in today’s globally oriented economic climate! Protectionism and jingoism, these days, are the last refuge of the huckster, scoundrel, trickster, hypocrite, and political opportunist.
To be continued
