Everything we know about civil society, family life, Christianity, morals and religion was taught to us by our Loyalist and Protestant masters....
That is to say, Bahamian society evolved over the years on knowledge and practices handed down by our British and American ancestry. Everything we do, the way we speak, how we regard each other and our understanding of God were handed down to us.
So how now, all of 'an sudden, we know better than those who crafted, designed and taught and preached to us this morality, Christianity and civil discourse. In our own national development march to first world status we take best practices, programs and schemes from those same countries and put them into practice here. We follow them in every single sphere of society....Yet we feel that we have some superior understanding of the Bible, that the Bahamas is God's segregated protectorate where any ungodly action will bring swift judgement by God or any of His overzealous servants. We know about God and Christianity because of geography not providence.
So how can we consider ourselves superior to those countries in matters of human rights, GLBT issues, gender equality, etc, when we are the students and they are the teachers? This knowledge that we have was given to us by those same societies, how can we presume to know better than they? Hubris and vanity beyond comprehension.
It's so disheartening to witness that ignorance, intolerance and misinformation reigns majestically in our beloved Bahamas.
We lie to ourselves - perhaps to make ourselves feel better - when we say that discrimination and violence against LGBT people does not exist in The Bahamas. We indulge in name calling, the cruel and crude jokes, within the earshot of all, not thinking of who we hurt. Our churches and religious bodies spew hatred on a weekly basis and our governments refuse to table laws to protect the vulnerable in our society....Yeah, discrimination is rampant and we are all complicit.
A quick search of Canada Immigration and Refugee regulations will impart a beavy of knowledge to the seeker. The process for claiming asylum for refugee status is quire difficult and limited to a few scenarios. Human rights matters are at the top of their list as Canada believes in freedom and the rights of the individual to live freely.
Be it for political, sexual orientation, gender issues or religious persecution, all claims for refugee status must undergo a series of interviews, where proof of stated discrimination must be presented and finally court hearings for determination. It takes anywhere from 2 - 10 years for a claimant to get a determination from the board.
So yeah, we Bahamians should feel a collective shame that our fellow citizens have to resort to pleading for protection from another country.
We will be dragged - kicking and screaming Old Testament damnations - all the way into the first world. Some of us will faint and some may perish...but be sure of this, the Bahamas will get there. Sooner than some of us think and in ways that most of us are not comfortable with.
I think in this article it was The Tribune that was asking...and only one PLP candidate is running against Mr. Gomez and he's no Cabinet Minister....focus!
But it 'aint the PLP or DNA who asking the question. It's our free and independent 'mainstream' media...all of them (even this one who unabashedly supports the candidate's party). He just can not give a straight answer...
While Mr. Gomez is busy dodging darts about his character, former (or current) employment, US visa status and unveiled shenanigans by the former PM to secure his nomination, Mr. Curry is addressing issues important to the North Abaco electorate. The choice seems clear to anyone who's eye 'aint red from having fingers poked in it...
The obvious lack of explanation and overriding declaration of his 'ready-to-lead' status leaves me to opine that Mr. Stuart was set-upon by forces greater than himself to bow out of this race. He was one of the first in the party to declare his candidacy for the deputy leadership, and now the first to abandon that lofty pursuit. It is likely that party executives saw his candidacy as 'muddying the waters' for the establishment favorites!
Jessemo says...
Everything we know about civil society, family life, Christianity, morals and religion was taught to us by our Loyalist and Protestant masters....
That is to say, Bahamian society evolved over the years on knowledge and practices handed down by our British and American ancestry. Everything we do, the way we speak, how we regard each other and our understanding of God were handed down to us.
So how now, all of 'an sudden, we know better than those who crafted, designed and taught and preached to us this morality, Christianity and civil discourse. In our own national development march to first world status we take best practices, programs and schemes from those same countries and put them into practice here. We follow them in every single sphere of society....Yet we feel that we have some superior understanding of the Bible, that the Bahamas is God's segregated protectorate where any ungodly action will bring swift judgement by God or any of His overzealous servants. We know about God and Christianity because of geography not providence.
So how can we consider ourselves superior to those countries in matters of human rights, GLBT issues, gender equality, etc, when we are the students and they are the teachers? This knowledge that we have was given to us by those same societies, how can we presume to know better than they? Hubris and vanity beyond comprehension.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 25 March 2014, 4:50 p.m. Suggest removal
Jessemo says...
It's so disheartening to witness that ignorance, intolerance and misinformation reigns majestically in our beloved Bahamas.
We lie to ourselves - perhaps to make ourselves feel better - when we say that discrimination and violence against LGBT people does not exist in The Bahamas. We indulge in name calling, the cruel and crude jokes, within the earshot of all, not thinking of who we hurt. Our churches and religious bodies spew hatred on a weekly basis and our governments refuse to table laws to protect the vulnerable in our society....Yeah, discrimination is rampant and we are all complicit.
A quick search of Canada Immigration and Refugee regulations will impart a beavy of knowledge to the seeker. The process for claiming asylum for refugee status is quire difficult and limited to a few scenarios. Human rights matters are at the top of their list as Canada believes in freedom and the rights of the individual to live freely.
Be it for political, sexual orientation, gender issues or religious persecution, all claims for refugee status must undergo a series of interviews, where proof of stated discrimination must be presented and finally court hearings for determination. It takes anywhere from 2 - 10 years for a claimant to get a determination from the board.
So yeah, we Bahamians should feel a collective shame that our fellow citizens have to resort to pleading for protection from another country.
We will be dragged - kicking and screaming Old Testament damnations - all the way into the first world. Some of us will faint and some may perish...but be sure of this, the Bahamas will get there. Sooner than some of us think and in ways that most of us are not comfortable with.
On Bahamians given asylum in Canada
Posted 24 March 2014, 3:48 p.m. Suggest removal
Jessemo says...
I think in this article it was The Tribune that was asking...and only one PLP candidate is running against Mr. Gomez and he's no Cabinet Minister....focus!
On North Abaco candidate accused of false claims
Posted 3 October 2012, 2:05 p.m. Suggest removal
Jessemo says...
But it 'aint the PLP or DNA who asking the question. It's our free and independent 'mainstream' media...all of them (even this one who unabashedly supports the candidate's party). He just can not give a straight answer...
On North Abaco candidate accused of false claims
Posted 3 October 2012, 1:46 p.m. Suggest removal
Jessemo says...
While Mr. Gomez is busy dodging darts about his character, former (or current) employment, US visa status and unveiled shenanigans by the former PM to secure his nomination, Mr. Curry is addressing issues important to the North Abaco electorate.
The choice seems clear to anyone who's eye 'aint red from having fingers poked in it...
On Curry puts education on campaign agenda
Posted 1 October 2012, 2:07 p.m. Suggest removal
Jessemo says...
The obvious lack of explanation and overriding declaration of his 'ready-to-lead' status leaves me to opine that Mr. Stuart was set-upon by forces greater than himself to bow out of this race. He was one of the first in the party to declare his candidacy for the deputy leadership, and now the first to abandon that lofty pursuit. It is likely that party executives saw his candidacy as 'muddying the waters' for the establishment favorites!
On UPDATED: Cassius Stuart pulls out of FNM deputy leader race
Posted 25 May 2012, 11:12 a.m. Suggest removal