May be, just may be many of us Jamaicans think of ourselves as patriotic. But I question that number of patriotic Jamaicans when I look at the line at the US embassy on Old Hope Road. After 54 years of national pride I wish more Jamaicans could express their patriotism economically and not only emotionally on Independence Day. I don't think It's fair to ask persons to show patriotism when they don't own any land or even a stock unit of a Jamaican company. I wish more Jamaicans were 'financially independent' like what the country should be. If this JamRock, culture and language are our commonalties, I just feel more Jamaicans should be individually and collectively profiting from the assets of the land in some shape or form. I don't think I am patriotic and I own pieces of Jamican companies (and very soon lands). A matter of fact, I know I am not patriotic.
Patriotism, according to Dictionary.com, is defined as
devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.
Being a patriot may also entail defending your country's interests. Would I defend Jamaica's Interests? I don't think Jamaica's politicians have done a very good job at that over the years since our independence. The loyalty and support for even my high school was very low compared to that of my colleagues. So since leaving high school, loyalty to country has been thoroughly considered.
Loyalty to country is a very misunderstood term. Some of us define country way different from the ruling minority. And the ruling minority I draw attention to is not only the 'high colour' ones we have grown accustomed to 'cussing' out, but also the 'never si come si' african descendants who have 'climbed the ladder' to riches and leadership. In light of the Olympics in Rio, which is one more proof how a country can betray its people and then turn around asking for support from the betrayed, I must say that the peak of Jamican patriotism will be portrayed and spoke of from August 6, till about a week after the ending of the olympics. So looking at a few definitions of the word country, I realized that I may have a little hope of some common sense in the little brain of mine. The common definition for country, or the definition which I believe 90% of Jamaicans actually mean when they speak, is one related to a nation. According to
Oxford Dictionaries, a nation is
a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory
Therefore, we define a country simply as
the people of a district, state, or nation.
Other definitions include:
- an area of land that has its own government, army, etc.
- the land of a person's birth, residence, or citizens; a political state or nation or its territory
If we look at Jamaica's political system and the distrust the populace show in the government as well as governance of the people of the land, we can very much define the country as the voting public and the politicians.
However, with olympics in the air, we get a different feel of what and where is the country of Jamaica. When Bolt runs that 100m final we will say he is running for Jamaica. Even bolt will say he is running for Jamaica. But with fairness I relieve him of that task which is not a reality. Bolt runs because he wants to run. Bolt runs because he gets paid to run. Bolt runs because he gets paid to do something he loves to do and no one else does it as well as he does it. Bolt running for his country and defending his country's interests in Track and Field is secondary to his pay check.
You see, I question patriotism or loyalty to any cause because many persons make it a requirement for social acceptance, when this really doesn't have to be. It is the unrealistic country before self connotation, those in leadership require from we the 'sheep' of Jamaica, that I want to dispell. I say I am not patriotic because I know that given information and incentives for my benefit I will make decisions to progress myself first before benefitting my country. Anything I am loyal to, is just because I want to be loyal to it. Better said, I see and recieve benefit from being loyal to that cause.
I recently, heard of a Utech lecturer telling his students how everytime he saw a Carib Cement Truck passing he would stop his car get out and cheer on the driver. He told his students he did that because he knows that driver is helping Carib Cement to make his money work for him. Tears of joy fill his eyes and heart everytime he speaks of the Carib Cement massive share price increase he reaped a couple years a back. He showed interest in Carib Cement with his life savings (struggled to make ends meet for a while) and the Company paid him back with interest after a few years. Now he defends Carib Cement's interests. I will never die for my country because my country will never die for me. That is a cold hard fact- the physical land will never die for me, neither would the people. If I may, I can even question what will my country do for me, after I have done for it.
Naturally, humans are selfish for survival and only seem to be kind to others when they fully or start understanding that it is essential to survival or self preservation to LOOK OUT FOR OTHERS. As soon as one starts to expand his perception of self to include others his loyalty to himself will be beneficial to the group of people he is a part of. The group will eventually grow to the majority's view of a country. All our sports men and women, including embattled Chris Gayle and the 'Pocket Rocket', Shelly-Ann, (to name a few more of our wealthier athletes) perform on the world stage for their survival and advancement. They are Jamaican athletes/ sports persons because they were born in Jamaica. They represent other Jamaicans because they were born and raised in Jamaica like the rest of Jamaicans. Some Jamaican athletes 'rep' for us because they have Jamiacan heritage. Sometimes only one of their parents are Jamaicans. Its on that note, that I don't want anyone to ask me about my patriotism when they don't see me in my black, green and gold clad on JA's Independence Day. Yes. Don't beat around bush. Ask me "if I am loyal to you?"
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