Society Debate: How has Rastafarianism influenced the youth?

Negatively! Rastafarianism is such a lost cause and of terrible influence to the young generation. In 1991, Benny Guerrero, returning from a trip to Hawaii was stopped by officials at Guam’s International Airport. Guam is a US territory on the Pacific Ocean. Mr.Guerrero attracted the eyes of authority because he was carrying a book about Rastafarianism and marijuana. A search of Guerrero’s luggage turned up five ounces of marijuana and some cannabis seeds. In his defence, Guerrero argued that he was a practicing Rastafarian and that his use for marijuana was religious.In the Rastafarian religion, Marijuana is sacred. This is where they went wrong. “Rastas embrace the consumption of marijuana; they believe in vegetables and plants being pure and planted by God himself. For the case of marijuana, it’s considered a pure herb that heals thousands of diseases.” Lawrence W. Levine, {1973}, “Black Culture and Black Consciousness”, Oxford University Press, London. This leaves me wondering, if God equipped humans with the wisdom to separate good from bad, why would Rastas choose marijuana! Rastas’ being peace loving and good doesn’t make them saints. Youths are lighting up owing to these dreadlocked fellows. Which other passport would lure a teenager into abusing drugs because they call, “marijuana sacred.” How can a drug abuser preach peace and positivity? Peace and drugs are contradictory yet Rastas call marijuana, “the test for their capacity to achieve.” Young people have fallen for the Rastafarian fallacy of marijuana’s positivity, regardless of whether they are rastas or not. Who wouldn’t react to the Rastafarian campaigns for ganja! Youth don’t only dance to the sweet reggae tunes; they practice what the rastas preach. Look at Marlon Usher’s ‘Ganja planter’ where he calls for legalizing the drug, Jean Paul’s usual phrases like ‘I have lots of trees up in my head,’ and Ugandan Bobie Q’s hit embracing weed, appeals to the world, not the Rastafarian group. I would rather have a cigarette and alcoholic generation but a weed one, No way! While the rastas are comfortable with drug consumption, marijuana is also blamed for mental health and respiratory problems. Pray we don’t get mentally retarded youth soon. After all Rastafarians are worshipped, I am certain no stone will remain unturned. Dreadlocks and thick mustaches, dressing in Rastafarian colours, is the trend among the youth. They don’t mind what dreadlocks symbolize, all they need is to be a Rasta and that’s all. Some would rather miss out on their mother’s funeral than Bob Marley’s birthday. Sure, if Emperor Haille Selassie still lived, he would be the happiest man. Does people’s obsession for Rastafarianism provoke Rastas to be exemplary? A big NO. An example is of St Agnes place, a Rastafarian temple in Britain that owners turned into the biggest drug supper market, it took police’s intervention. Do you still underrate the negativity of Rastafarianism? lillianean@yahoo.com