Medical Benefits & Social Security Reparations For Rastafari
Observation
Fifty years ago as the Revelation of Rastafari made its presence of felt in Antigua & Barbuda, the war zones were established in the hills of Antigua where the young men built their trash houses and shacks.
Thus began a program of ostracism by the Christian minded citizens, orchestrated by the Police, under the hand of the Attorney General of the day.
The trickle down effect of police wars carried all the negatives which they linked with the use of marihuana, ganja, weed, the holy herb, now legally cannabis.
As a result there was such a wave of anti-Rasta sentiment that even parents and grand-parents were glad to cooperate with police.
Often going as far as walking to the police station in Graysfarm to report Rastas smoking in their yard or on the block, and begging police to come lock them up.
In those days no business and nobody would hire Rastafari for any job, for fear of police and marijuana, or worse because of their own fear of Rastaman! Additionally, Rastafari were considered ungodly because of their Revelation, and their insistence on their diet, dress and contempt for the continuing colonial life.
This exclusion from the system has ultimately defined their exclusion also from Social Security and Medical Benefits.
When one considers that today we now have young men and women who were forced to grow up without participation in the health system, and outside the Government Social Services, all for the most part by exclusion.
Additionally the youths who first ran to the hills are now grown men and women, some old and some even dead. None of these dreads have benefitted from Social Security and Medical Benefits.
Whereas the Social and Medical systems came into being within the past fifty years, certain entitlements were supposed to be built in for those who were no longer working, still alive without having contributed.
Government should now consider establishing reparatory measures to include Rastafari within certain age groups, in some participatory link to benefits from the two Social Services systems, established to insure the livelihood of our people as they age, and not able to work.
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Is it true that as the then “Investment Officer”, Tabor approved the purchase of a FRESH WATER BOAT to be used on SEA WATER????
This son of Mami_Wata and Papa_Elegba CHRISTened #Jumbee_Picknee at life’s crossROAD ❌⚔️☠️☦️☦️☦️🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️⚔️⚔️🙅🏾of SWASTIKA and SQUARE says,
1…who determines #Who’re Rastafarians, since, locks don’t make one a Rastaman, smoking marijuana does not make you a Rastaman, reading bible verses does not make one a Rastaman, eating a certain diet does not make one a Rastaman.
2…this is another one, of the ABLP ELECTION PLOY, to con those that consider themselves to be Rastafarians to vote for ABLP, just as they did with the Act to decriminalise marijuana, yet, they the ABLP Government turned around and gave the LIONS SHARE of the INDUSTRY to companies which had nor have the Rastafarians Movement best interests at heart.
3…the Black Power Movement and its members/followers many of whom began chanting Ras Tafar I, as well.
Gaston “Jesus Kristos SUPERSTAR” is using these giveaways from the Treasury hoping to have the SHEEPLE Celebrating his birthday like they celebrate Christmas…
Teach Us to fish, grow food, free college education this is the kind of REPARATIONS the people need and must have.
Handouts are for dogs/pets which one wants to control.
Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
Ras, many grown Rastafari are falling ill possibly from untreated issues during the early days and now that there are Rastafari qualified and offering medical advice, they are not able to access the services because they have not contributed.
SS had built in for persons deprived for whatever reason like predating the start of the program. This is the concession being referred to here, and it is to trigger respect of the period when Rastafari were excluded from entitlements as citizens. And trust me Rasta and dreadlocks are known among the elders for whom this effort is being raised.
@Rastafari…while some of what you’re saying is plausible, and while the treatment(s) meted out, to those who practiced, trained, indoctrinated into the various forms, norms, habits, rituals of the movement, re-legion, gang or band was harsh by the system, anyone, again anyone who was researching, reasoning through the ESSENCE of Marcus Garvey, Ras Tafar I, and countless elders, would’ve REALIZE and RECOGNIZE, that FREEDOM comes with responsibility to a system of governance.
Although Prophet Priest Emperor King Haile Selassie I came to fulfill, the ESSENCE of life’s ETHER, as in the Past, Present, Future(Mother/Father, Flesh, Spirit), he Ras Tafar I, was not oblivious, ignorant, anti the entire system which governs HUEMANS in this dispensation.
A prime example, he Selassie I, gave up his palace to become an educational institution, he sent thousands of Ethiopians to learn the same Babylonian systems which many who were calling his name rejected. In other words, Business is not BABYLON, it’s life.
This now leads me, to your point of and for healthcare for the elderly rastafarian, my good Rastafari, it’s not just Rastafari Elders who are suffering due to lack of proper healthcare and geriatric services. Many others in the Nation are suffering as well.
I will conclude and say this, to you Rastafari or any other elder, priest, musician, artist, revolutionary within the Movement of Ras Tafar I…
A…ignorance is bliss, but the simplicity of it says, I must be ignorant, to learn and grow towards the Realization’s of being blissful.
B…the Jamacanism Re-Legion has caused much stagnation within the thought process of the movement. One cannot be chosen and let self-centredness be your guide.
To be honest, it would be so nice, if all of the BILLIONS made through the uses, of Ras Tafar I name from music to clothing to marijuana of course were put to better use, than what we are presently observing from Ethiopia to London to California to Antigua to Florida to Europe! The movement own isms and skisims have help put it in a place, to be accepting hand outs and bribes from POLITRICKTANS, CHARLATANS and crooks.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood!
So, what again is the definition of “Rastafari”? cause the mere wearing or plaiting of one’s hair into “fashion” locs does not make one a “Rasta” or “Rastafari”. Maybe it makes that one a “rass” or a “weekend-rasta” – knowing that the fashioned hair style is for a time limit or period.
So, we need have a proper definition of who or what constitutes one as a “Rastafari”.
Greetings
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