Talk:Persecution of Rastafari
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This article was nominated for deletion on 24 August 2007. The result of the discussion was keep. |
[edit] Reasons for persecution
It might be hard to distinguish between persecution of real Rastafari and "poseurs". For those who have genuine religious beliefs and follow strict dogma, including (for example) an ital diet, I would expect that the degree of persecution would be somewhat less than those who "dabble" in the religion by picking and choosing only the "fun" parts such as cannabis use and reggae music. It would seem to me that these "fake" Rastas bear the brunt of persecution, and cause the faithful to be misunderstood and looked down upon. Bulbous 16:06, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
Hmm, not sure I agree with any of that. There is no question that in the early days the rastafari were severely persecuted for their dreadlocks, their herb use and just being Rastafari. My own experience is if you put up a picture of HIM people think you are a herb smoker, which in some countries is far more serious than in others, SqueakBox 16:21, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
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- I'm sorry, I should confine my comments to modern times. The problem as I see it is with some people who enjoy smoking cannabis and also enjoy reggae music. Knowing that they have at least that much in common with Rastafari, they self-identify as such, even though they may not have any use for the rest of the philosophy, or even know who Haile Selassie is. It is such people who earn the enmity of others, and probably rightfully so. It would be not unlike someone self-identifying to be a Mormon for the sole purpose of have multiple wives. Bulbous 00:03, 23 December 2006 (UTC)
- Well I definitely consider myself in the category of people you are criticising. Yet I have learnt most of what I know about Rastafari through listening to reggae music's conscious lyrics while under the influence as a youth, and that is unquestionably how I learnt about HIM. Surely it is by listening to reggae while stoned that on learns about Rastafari. I wouldn't openly identify as Rasta living in a country where possession of herb, while not generally enforced, carries serious consequences, and where my reputation is critical to what I am trying to achieve, building up an off shore business, so I certainly feel unable to openly identify with Rastafari except I dont have a problem pumping out reggae music. Dreadlocks or pictures of Selassie I could have serious consequences, but maybe I am not actually the type of person you are criticising, not being young or with a rebel attitude, SqueakBox 16:59, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
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- So, how do we seperate persecution of the Rastafari from persecution of cannabis users? Or are you suggesting they are linked? Bulbous 21:01, 25 December 2006 (UTC)
I definitely think they are linked though I believe the authorities would argue they persecute Rastas not because they are rastas but because they break the cannabis laws, SqueakBox 00:36, 26 December 2006 (UTC)
Well my wife's uncle cut off his long locks when he returened to Honduras after years in the States, and later told me if he had known I was going to give him a job he wouldn't have done so but with his only apparent options being to return illegally to the States, or get a job here he decided to cut them (I know people get criticised for that but I dont really buy that myself). When I said to my wife how about wearing dreadlocks she said it wouldn't be socially acceptable for her to do so, though her social circle is definitelt not middle class. Amongst the majority Spanish speakers Rastafari is almost unknown so when you do see people with dreadlocks they tend to be English speakers, mostly with experience of the US. There are a couple of young lads in the local colonia with dreads but it is pretty rare. I think for me it wouldn't be the police so much as the lawyers, bankers and local businesses as well as businesses in the UK (with whom we do business) that would make me nervous to wear dreadlocks or do anything that would make them associate me and my business with the herb (whereas I am not worried in the same way about wikipedia as I only let my family and good friends know which editor I am here), SqueakBox 18:43, 24 December 2006 (UTC)
