Iziz sistren Iya360,

I think I understand what de I is trying to say. Context in context is key to many of these issues. And yes, we cannot get caught up in theology and forget important issues. For example, some of the self-appointed mis-leaders amongst I n I would prefer if we never had such discussions about basic day to day livity in the trod.They want to pretend like everything is Irie and breezy when it's not. To make any reference to some strife or point of contention or conflict is seen as a negative thing. As if I n I are there to infiltrate and destroy. I have never worked for any US or foreign police network and I don't think that they ever will hire me for better or for worse. I really resent the way that basic issues such as class, color, race, ethnicity, gender, and language are never addressed or allowed to be discussed by the mis-leaders. So long as you have long dreads and you look like Bob Marley then you can pass seems to be the motto. I hate that prejudice and I want to say fiyah burn a million times. We seem to uphold the massa's beliefs more than what we proclaim that we're about. In the city where I live I have yet to come across a so-called Rasta or dread that I can trust. They are prejudice, judgmental, and treacherous. Anything you say or do is cause for them to run to the next one and gossip negatively. I feel blessed that I don't have to come across them on a daily basis. I pray to move away to Alaska perhaps where I can live in peace. I used to live in other cities where the dreads seemed more intellectually atuned to their environment. In these instances they were more likely to disect some of the reasons why the treated each other negatively, Not here where I live now. Here the sole motto is if you're black get back, if you're brown stick around and if you're white you're right. Unfortunately, I feel that this contributes to the high instances of domestic abuse of all kinds, mental, physical, sexual etc.. that we find amongst us. What would HIM and HER say about all of this? I believe that the trod should focus on the works that the Empire of Ethiopia established so that we can move forward. I am truly appalled at the self hatred that I see within the members of the trod in my city. It scares me a great deal because they want to act like there's space only for a few or one and they mean to be the one by any means. I would like to have a community of ones and ones in the trod that I trust especially since I have youths and I want them to see that they're not alone. Until that time, I will continue to trod alone. I like to read and I remember a few years ago when I had met a couple of Haitian dreads who said that they were Rastas. I proposed a reading group. I was so excited and I truly believed that it was going to provide us with the forum to discuss real issues and truly get to know one another. I should have foreseen the forces of self hatred that would deny us that opportunity. I made the list of books I typed it up really just wanting to read the material and have a basic discussion about the fact in the texts. Well that was never to materializeI think that they felt that perhaps because I had more years of schooling and had a relatively high educational attainment that I could not be trusted to be a team player during our group. The dawta never called or responded to my queries and neither did others that I had asked to participate. That experience was a painful one for me because I am so not used to not being taken seriously by my academic peers. When I was an undergraduate such an opportunity would have been welcomed by others.I would love an opportunity to discuss His majesty's autobiography and other works such as his speeches and even works that were written about HIM and HER. I might even want to discuss the bible although it doesn't hold much weight for me. Folks take it for truth when it's not. It is a group of people who got together and put a book together a composite of works that were written by many others. I would like to discuss its relevance to HIM and HER's reign and to see some of the parallels. All the same it's a sad state of affairs when self hatred keeps I n I from seeking the truth. I feel badly for the Aristides and their family who were exiled to Africa because of self hatred. They are accusing him of things that he probably never did. It is time for so-called drugs or street pharmaceuticals such as cocaine and marijuana to become legal. They spend more money trying to curb their traffic than they probably spend on education or health care. It's ridiculous and I believe that it's a public health matter.