You said: “ but let's not forget that as far as early Rastas were concerned, the Hebrews who wrote the Bible were not considered to be Semitic people at all, they were considered to be Black Africans. “

* I do still think that the “original Hebrews who wrote the Bible” were Semitic (Hyksos) invaders, brutal and oppressive. They were pastoralist Semites from the Southwest Asia region who invaded Africa. These Semites were the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and then the Libyans, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs and the Europeans who entered into Africa as the centuries went by, changing the very gene pool of Africa from negroid African to being today more mixed in the North and purer black African in the Southern part.

I am not looking forward to celebrate or have the desire for Semitic faith. Semitic faith & rule was/is slavery for indigenous Africans!!!

You said: “ and again remember that as far as the early Rastas were concerned, Judeo-Christianity *was* at root a traditional African concept that they felt had been hijacked and distorted by Europeans. “

* Judaism, Islam, and Christianity were religions that were created to enslave the human race, and they still do today. You cannot say these religions reflect any of the faith of African ancestors. By logic, if the belief systems of African ancestors were buried in fathomless pits, and DESTROYED, that makes the current Judeo/Christianity (that was forced on us) not an African faith or culture… By continuing to ignore our ancestors’ beliefs, we continue with this lack of respect for ourselves because we are a manifestation of our ancestors. Our people know this but are constantly ignoring this fact.

You said: “ I certainly know quite a few rastas who hold fast to concepts like "Haile Selassie is the almighty in flesh" but certainly do not seem to be "ashamed" of their Blackness, in fact promote Blackness to the fullest, some of whom might even look at me with a bit of distrust because I am light skinned, at least until they know me.. “

* Your statement is very paradoxical, and quite the opposite of pro-black mentality... Is there any reason why you expect a pro-black person to dedicate himself to a mixed race Gods or people? I do not hate others and judge them but I am not driven to identify with mixed race Gods or people. No Black Nationalist in his or her right mind would be pro-mixed race.

You said: “ But actually in terms of the type of prejudice some african caribbean rastas might have to continental people, from remarks that I personally have heard, it's not so much about continental Africans being "pagans" or whatever, or too dark skinned or too "primitive", it's about them not being militant enough. “

* Brother Gman, watch what you say... Certainly, continental Africans proved to have made important contributions to the movement of Pan-African liberation than most think! Yourself you know that among the most eminent African Nationalist leaders who served as major figures in the Pan-African movement were Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta, Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere, Guinea’s Sekou Ture, and the Congo’s Patrice Lumumba. These leaders started movements that continue to make various people "militant" continental Africans. Leave it up to the Western media and you might think otherwise…

The images you see of Africa broadcasted on the evening news are images or occurrences that are abnormal or of absurdity. We don't need the media to show us positive African militant behavior or lifestyles. I suggest you go examine what is actually happening in Africa... One of the key reasons for this is that you can to recognize there are much more African activists in the Motherland than most think.

You said: “ There is a perception that because we been through slavery we got "blood in our eyes" and will not take any kind of crap especially from white people without a strong and often violent reaction, whereas there is a perception (an incorrect perception IMO, but it is there) that continental Africans tend to be "softer" and allow Europeans to run rampant on the continent with little resistance. “

* Thus, the "hardworking" black man is Diasporian-African and the "lazy" black man is continental-African? What a silly and useless thing to say! The reality is that there is a lot Diasporian Africans who not know about the continent Africa, and most don’t care. I think it would be very helpful, and better, for the Diasporia Africans to try to visit their Motherland and learn. Continental Africans were bitterly attacked by colonial powers, and they still are today! At the reckless mercy of Britain, France, Spain and Portugal they were whipped, lynched, and raped like animals as well. It’s very sad to see how deep too many Diasporian Africans have inhaled the rubbish history of Europeans.

B.K