I anticipated the problem, so I ought not have been surprised. An associate from Barbados messaged me saying how much he enjoyed the recently held symposium and the rich information disseminated.,,then added “I am no socialist … not even left-leaning’ then confessed that he did not let that get in the way of his thorough enjoyment.
The problem is the perception that this was an event for those on the left of the political spectrum. Then shortly afterwards, I was very nearly draped up by a friend from left of center. “How could we invite a Pastor who co-founded the Caribbean Israel Leadership Coalition? Were we defending repression and genocide? Were we now giving cover to settler colonialists? How could we be anti-colonial with one breath and back ethnic cleansing with another? They also appreciated the symposium but this deeply disturbed them. And maybe at another time and in another world, I could glibly dismiss both comments undertsanding that our aims had been addressed, however tentatively. Should one regard human opinion too highly, one would never get anything done.
Notwithstanding, I can never say with certainty what Jesus had in mind when he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” I’ve learned not to ask, and generally not to care about the answers to that question. Once I was convinced of how little people understood about the matter of identity, (whether my own or theirs) I decided it was a superpower to understand and be misunderstood. I am sure it was not insecurity that prompted Jesus to ask the question. He certainly had no doubts about his own identity.
But labels, whether political, religious, cultural, national or whatever category allow us to define or at least organize life neatly in fixed categories which allows for policy making and disposition. Yet, walking requires both legs. And personally, I generally lean left when ever the right has power and right whenever the left has it. Not to be contrarian, though I’m accused of that often, but I’m anticipating which foot comes next.
To say I have no political commitments would be far from the truth, but democracies require a dance, that as a Christian, I prefer to be focused on the balance required to prevent the body tipping over. In all my public political narratives I have sought to emphasize the common interest, not to demonize and certainly not to assume that right and left correspond to right and wrong or vice versa.
On the matter of Federation, I have often said, and intended to repeat, but for time constraints, that the Bustamante / Manley rivalery probably served both the nation and the region well, inspite deep misgivings. It was in times when there was active collaboration across the aisle that Jamaicans were not only most well-served, but as Scree Bertram mentions in his book NW Manley and the Making of a New Jamaica, those were the times we were on top of the world, with the Singaporeans coming here to take a leaf out of our book and not the other way around.
I actually do believe Dr Morgan’s expressed sentiment: We do have it in us not just to occupy somebody’s backyard, but there is nascent potential to excercise co-regency with the Americans in the stewardship of the West, should we awaken to who we are, and rather than being terrorized by giants, make moves to nurture that which is gigantic within ourselves, should we be able to shake the given mindset that blinds us to that truth, so obvious to everybody else, watching us like a hawk to make sure we continue to sleep.
But to speak openly like this is dangerous. I must be slipping. (better than sleeping however).
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YeKengalé 