Here are some extracts with links to MY ACTUAL VIEWS on the issue of Colorism and Black Leadership.

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"No Colorless Rasta Movement"
August 18, 2003

I said:

"So on the basis of Merit in a Black Earth Movement that is supposed to address these issues, we should all be looking at helping the worst victims get better informed and then helping them to come forward and advance the cause (once they are interested) as they are suitably qualified, armed with both the experiences and information which is widely accessible today."

http://www.rastaspeaks.com/articles/18082003.html

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On the thread, "Barbados: White Rasta director of African Affairs"
November 13, 2004

I said:

"If everyone considers supporting people whom they perceive as being more affected by the ills in a system, and helping them forward to lead the struggle for reform, then that is revolutionary. This way the worst victims of the system get the support needed to build confidence, and to articulate their own issues, and of course, the material rewards and recognition for so doing."

http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/archive1/config.pl?read=46733

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On the thread, "Re: Malcolm X/ El Hajj Malik El Shabazz"
March 28, 2005

I said:

An important part of what I am advocating that gets lost by knee-jerk responses is the cultivation of the revolutionary attitude whereby people who feel they are better informed or more advanced start supporting those whom they feel are the worst victims, and help them forward to articulate the issues and lead the struggle for reform. This would allow a shift where people will look to others who suffer more than them and build from there. This would also allow the worst victims to receive whatever recognition and benefits that comes from the struggle, and it allows more serious victims to build confidence, get exposure, and whatever financial benefits that goes with leadership. It also allows layers of negative discrimination associated with how they look to remain center stage.

I am more interested in shifting the general attitude from one where people who feel they are better informed or better off continually go after leadership, personal fame and fortune to one that is truly supportive of the worst victims. This would allow the worst victims to rise and be the decision makers in how the move to help themselves progress.

In every movement there will be financial controllers, final decision makers and those who frame policies. Usually these people get the most exposure and credit for any 'positives' the movement makes. They are also usually financially rewarded in those positions. Usually the focus in a movement shifts when these people's comfort levels are met. I am saying a sustained campaign based on a shift in focus would leave more of the worst victims holding these positions and getting the benefits. It would ensure that more and more levels of the worst victims are being encouraged to move ahead to keep their experiences of the issues center stage. It would also mean that the worst victims have to take responsibility for how the development goes and it will temper real or imaginary perception that things are being badly done because of inexperienced leadership (people who do not experience the full effect of poor decisions).

I have tremendous respect for Malcolm X, but in my view he too lacked depth in many areas and was a little deluded (we can develop this in another discussion some other time). This does not take away from the positive impact he had on many, and it does not diminish the respect I have for him.

I stayed in the USA for a while and I have children there. Although colorism seems to be less an issue when dealing with white cops, it is an issue even in the ghetto. It is not as obvious to many because Blacks in the USA are dealing with an overwhelming majority of whites, and that takes center focus. But by not examining the colorism issue they are not sustaining a strong struggle. Generally speaking those who are lighter in complexion and have straighter hair and noses, get more attention, and are preferred by the system/media. They are preferred by even poor dark-skinned blacks. They are more likely to get out of economic poverty based on the general preference for lighter shades. Even in the USA black parents show preference for children who have straighter hair and lighter complexion. So it is also an issue in the USA.

http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/archive1/config.pl?noframes;read=53705

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On the thread, "Re: Light Skin vs Dark Skin???"
Date: March 23, 2005

I said:

"I never stated or implied that Light-skin Blacks and White people were the same.

I don't have to meet ALL white people to have a general policy when dealing with whites. I am quite familiar with light-skinned Blacks in the ghettos in Venezuela, Europe, the U.S and in the Caribbean, even those born to Black parents, including some of my own biological children. I don't have to personally meet ALL light-skinned Black people to formulate the view I have. Dealing with racism also involves addressing colourism, and although light-skinned ones are abused, they are generally preferred by the system and are less sensitive to the abuses to darker-skin Blacks. They are not predisposed to being consistent or sensitive to the root concerns of darker-skin Blacks.

Of course, uninformed dark-skinned blacks are not predisposed to being consistent with addressing the root concerns of darker-skinned Blacks either, but they still remain receptive to the most negative aspects of the system. Most dark-skinned Blacks who had 'opportunities' were more or less chosen for their willingness to toe the line. The smarter ones are not given a fair chance to do better. They are always under more scrutiny, under funded and undermined based on the many layers of unaddressed arrogance and negative discrimination they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis."

http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/archive1/config.pl?noframes;read=53314

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On the thread, "LIGHT SKIN IS BETTER THAN DARK..hell no! / What is the contention about?"
Date: May 31, 2006

I said:

"As has come to be expected, there are several attempts to twist and distort the issues surrounding Colorism and Black Leadership. The debate was never about if Africa or anywhere else has Blacks of diverse shades. That we already know. The issue was not about discrediting or dehumanizing others as I have clearly stated on several occasions, all sides contribute to Colorism. Trying to spin around these points is misleading.

The issue is about considering color when evaluating suitability for leadership towards addressing Colorism alongside Racism. I am saying that being black, especially being dark-skin kinky-hair Black without stereotypical European features may deny one all privileges in the system, but it allows one who develops special insights.

It is an indisputable fact that people who experience the worst SYSTEMATIC abuses ARE more experienced about abuses. The fact is, if conscious dark-skin kinky-hair Blacks understand and experience the worst of the system, then they will automatically be more qualified than anyone else about abuses in the system.

To disprove my premise, one has to show that some other color of persons experience more SYSTEMATIC abuses than dark-skin kinky-hair Black people.

Since Black movements are about addressing the ills in the system that affect Black people, then on MERIT, conscious dark-skin kinky-hair Blacks (people with understanding and experience who can articulate the ills of the system in its widest dynamics) will always be more qualified than anyone else about the negative impact of the system. There is no way around that.

Hence, a conscious dark-skin kinky-hair Black African is the most fitting person to lead Black causes that are about addressing issues that negatively impact Blacks.

There is an automatic meritorious position for the worst victims in the system to balance the automatic position that gives light-skin ones privileges. Light skin ones cannot have it both ways."

http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/config.pl?noframes;read=73581