Prometheus 6

I was honestly interested in your opinion on it, whether I agree with you or not.

You had a strong suspicion already, I think. 

I considered emailing you about it. Thought it would be nicer, but once I saw how the discussion was developing (in typical fashion, frankly) I decided your reader could use an example of how to hold that central position without insulting Black folks.

And because of your megaphone, I really, really would appreciate it if you drop the native born vs immigrant thing. I've been playing the dozens literally longer than you've ben alive...things could get ugly.

I cannot believe he continues to go there. I finally posted (under sgb) something anecdotal that was similar to my last response here when he was spouting off before. I still can't figure out these phantom hand outs that he and clueless conservatives keep harping on and saying that all blacks need, want or demand them.

from P6...the kindness of elders...

You are far more gracious than you need to be on this issue.  As for any and all conversations regarding vacations in Montego Bay, I must begin with the red dirt that has not enriched the island in a manner commensurate with the bravado of its immigrant sons and daughters.  If I didn't understand the ties that bind us to one another (and simply believed their bluster), I would be hard pressed to find a valid reason why Boeing and Airbus are not beholden to Black folk in Jamaica for all that makes their world go round.

Perhaps there is some story about the mighty British army or the CIA that continually escapes these immigrant-US born conversations.  Perhaps there is another tale about confounded MBAs and disinterested engineers.  Perhaps folks just don't appreciate the beauty of aluminum unless its holding a can of Red Stripe.  Whatever the case, there are no Africans on this planet who can point a finger of blame and neglect at the Africans born in the US - and those born in the US should not point fingers to the diaspora or the continent...until we've had an honest discussion.

"Jamaica's bauxite reserves are large, exceeding 1.5 billion tons. At the present rate of extraction, reserves could last another 150 years. Jamaica's bauxite is not extremely alumina pure; one ton of Jamaican bauxite contains only about 0.4 tons of alumina. The island's bauxite comparative advantage lies in the easy extraction of the metal ore as a result of its close proximity to the surface.

Although generally beneficial for the economy, Jamaica's bauxite industry must import large amounts of caustic soda and heavy machinery to mine and export the ore, making the industry highly import intensive. Likewise, the mining of the ore has raised environmental concerns over bauxite by-products discharged in highly visible red lakes.

Jamaica also has significant reserves of several other commercially viable minerals, including limestone, gypsum, silica, and marble. Limestone covers about 80 percent of the island, making the total estimated reserves of 50 billion tons virtually inexhaustible. Certain limestone reserves are of very high quality. Nevertheless, limestone production has been rather small and extremely dependent on external market forces. Although 83,000 tons of limestone were exported in 1984, none was exported in 1985, and estimates for 1986 were placed at close to 100,000 tons.

Gypsum, mined in eastern Jamaica since 1949, was the second most important mineral in the 1980s. Reserves of at least 80 percent purity amounted to over 4 million tons out of total reserves exceeding 40 million tons. Some gypsum was used in the local manufacturing of tiles and cement, but over 90 percent of the mineral and its derivative, anhydride, were exported unprocessed to the United States and Latin America. Jamaica normally produced roughly 180,000 tons of gypsum a year."

I say this as someone with feet in the soil of Harlem and Ocho Rios...the solution is not in one side casting aspersions across the Caribbean as if the capacity to rebuild that island doesn't routinely board planes headed to Toronto, New York, Miami and London - with no intention of doing that rebuilding/ownership work.  Instead of worrying about the extent someone can work their 9-5, worry about the brain drain, the ongoing political violence, white British control of Jamaican music, corporation restrictions on public access to Jamaican beaches for Jamaican children, environmental degradation, and on building viable, sustainable coalitions with nations like Venezuela and Brazil.  

Distractions such as this need not be an occasion for personal attacks.  It is most imperative, however, that we swiftly and clearly apply a context to these conversations which do little more than divide and conquer.  

You are far more gracious than you need to be on this issue.

It's not my house. Plus being gracious doesn't stop me from making a single point.