By Mark Laporte From Caribbean News Now

St Lucia is an African nation.

St Lucia is a Nigerian county.

You doubt that? Will explain in another article.

On September 4, 2015, an article appeared online entitled: Caribbean-Nigeria connection expands to St Lucia. When I use the phrase ‘that article’ I refer to the September 4, 2015, article mentioned above.And as a matter of fact there are several Caribbean pilots who presently pilot for airlines in the Middle East. There are also many Caribbean pilots who have flown in the Middle East and Africa as well.

That headline gives the impression that the Nigeria-St Lucia connection is a new thing and it implies that this connection is bad; that the writer is unaware of, or seeks to belittle, the ties between St Lucia and Nigeria, indeed between St Lucia, the rest of the Caribbean and Africa as a whole.

I have no respect for fools nor do I give them the time of day. However when the article mentioned and focused on Earl Moona,I read it carefully. The photos were about Earl flying for a certain Nigerian airline.

It mentioned that he had been let go by some American airline company. It was hard to make sense of the article. What was its point? That Moona flew for a Nigerian airline? That Moona had left a western airline company? Was the writer questioning flying veteran Earl’s aerial skills? However, it seemed to take particular umbrage that Earl was flying for an airline that was based in Nigeria, and that he flew passengers to religious festivals in Saudi Arabia, a nation which graciously supplies the West with oil.

Be that as it may, historically, St Lucia has had warm relations and family ties with Middle Easterners, from Syria, Palestine, Jordan, etc, who generations ago settled in St Lucia. When the Syrians first came to St Lucia, many worked as road salesmen, who sold clothes from ‘grips’ the local name then for a suitcase. We all knew those Syrian road salesmen. We could count on them to give a discount when we shopped from them.

We remember their opening sales pitch spoken in their heavily accented English: “Amigo, nice pants, shirt, I have good price.” When they were questioned about the price of a pair of pants for example they would reply. Good pants ten dallar, but for you six.” We St Lucians nicknamed them Amigos.

Their sons and daughters, some of whom mothered by St Lucian women are now in the mainstream of St Lucia’s haberdashery business. Rodney Bay now showcases a famous business establishment owned by the children and grandchildren of the first Amigos who settled here.

Friends

I had many Amigo friends. I remember one time Winston S. Sr. and I were on a spree. A wild night in Vieux Fort. (Only Winston knows which Winston I refer to here.)

We rented rooms in the Damascus guest house then owned by a Syrian, a Middle Easterner. Each morning the Syrian owner prepared us a superior breakfast for Winston and I and our lady friends. I remember that with great fondness. But what does that have to do with Earl? The friendliness and helpfulness of those early Amigos set the scene for what Earl would undoubtedly use to help form his decision. Second, of all I consider Earl a friend. He is a wonderful man. A friend in the St Lucian way of friendship. He always has a kind word for me and is always happy to see me and I him. He is a contemporary. He is a friend of my friends. We move around to some degree in the same St Lucian circles. If I am in St Lucia and Earl is there too we will eventually meet at some social gathering.

That’s one reason that disparaging article about him is so bad. Secondly, whatever decision Earl made to fly for a Nigerian airline, it is almost certain that what Earl knows of the warm relationships between St Lucia and the Amigos whose descendants are St Lucian, must have helped — as mentioned above — to guide his decision, to spread his wings farther afield.

And what’s this thing about Hajj? The hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca; the site holy to Muslims. It is a once a year Muslim festival just like Christmas is for Christians. Never mind that Christianity is a phallic worshipping religion, millions would be upset if someone tried to interfere in their worship of it.

Any worshipper of any god has a right to worship his god. So Earl did no wrong thing here by working for an airline that flies people to a religious festival.

For www.dictionary.com defines pilgrimage as follows:

pilgrimage

[pil-gruh-mij]

noun

1. a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion: a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

2. Islam.

1. the Pilgrimage, hajj.

2. umrah.

3. any long journey, especially one undertaken as a quest or for a votive purpose, as to pay homage: a pilgrimage to the grave of Shakespeare.

Yeah, Muslims have a right to worship just like Catholics, Hindus, etc, etc. I suppose that Necrophiliacs have a festival too!

What about those of us who practice black magic? Wonder who would criticize that. Hmm.

Earl’s work with the Nigerian based airline, one would guess served to give him more experience, broaden his resume especially in the context of the relationships we as St Lucians have with Middle Easterners who live in St Lucia.

Something Stinking

That article about Moona, its tone and its spurious objective, is a product of a westernized male mind obsessed with an ego that considers anything and anyone outside itself, including their own western females, as inferior.

It is that western male’s view of anyone outside itself that led them to be soundly pussy whipped by their females, by means of the feminist movement and the women’s liberation movement; a pussy-whipping, I might add, that is ongoing. So that writer from his westernized (I use this word euphemistically) male dominant view point had to turn to someone on whom to exercise his machismo ,and in so doing the writer tried to introduce something stinking and loathsome into the St Lucian mind.

Further, the article tries to drag St Lucia into the Muslim-Christian controversy. Something we should avoid at all costs, especially bearing in mind that our black race has been subjected and are still being subjected to enslavement, harassments, discriminations, murders, exercised on behalf of and by members of the multi-headed Abrahamic religion, such actions sanctioned and endorsed, by the god of that religion.

Ask the Haitians of the voodoo religion for their very recent experience. So that article stinks. It tries to drag us into something we should not be involved in. Common sense shows that we must, as a matter of survival, maintain close relations with all nations as best we can. That includes Middle Eastern nations. And especially African nations.

It is that god then that has to be restricted, controlled, and rendered powerless in the very least, if not destroyed. It is possible to destroy spirit. Spirit is very different from power. We must not fear, worship or serve the Abrahamic god from which all those attitudes and behaviours against us have their conception; but I am ahead of myself.

That article tries to contrast Moona’s employment with the Nigerian airline with the writer’s view that the airline indicated should be barred from flying to the UK and the US, because somehow it is a ‘bad’

Airline. In what sense? Make a long story short. You know something? Criminals or so called criminals are beginning to look good, even better, than all those super righteous people, organisations and nations who run around the world committing mayhem and slaughter, in the name of some insatiably bloodthirsty god who, they claim, somehow or in some manner gave them the right to do such things.

The writer tries to paint Moona as an international criminal, whereas the writer of the anti-Moona article tries to cloak himself as in some way attached to the US investigative agency, and conveniently quotes some law to bolster his position. But that is a whole load of fart. It establishes nothing.

That article against Earl is extremely distasteful. Further, whatever a black person does will always be considered evil or bad by those people. Not that it matters anyway.

One Root of the Thing

That article against Moona displays a mindset that has long religio-philosophical roots. Let us trace it a bit. It started with Abraham, sometimes called father, by the less fortunate. At that time Abraham was supposedly called Abram which means exalted father. Know that term?

Abraham was a wandering sex pervert who had delusions of grandeur, who left Ur, because his father Haran would not put up with his bullshit attempts to usurp family power. He had tried to destroy his father’s gods, and his actions were upsetting the stability and peace of the area and creating friction which would have also created intertribal hostilities and threatened to plunge Ur and its surroundings into conflicts. See that? That is where the conflict began. On his wanderings he also got into problems Egypt’s Pharaoh as well as King Abimelech of the state of Gerar (which means lodging place).

He went into established sovereign countries trying to usurp power in order to establish a lodging place for himself. He wanted to take over legitimate countries by deceit. (Notice the progression, and we will apprehend the relation with the anti-Moona article.) Abimelech King of the Gerar scolded Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us ? What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this?… no one should ever do what you have done. Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”

Prior to that tongue lashing Abimelech had a conversation with God (we do not know whether these events happened but the story establishes an interesting precedent).In that conversation Abimelech tells God, “Hey the man said she is his sister. Will you destroy an innocent nation, he said that she is his sister and she confirmed it by saying that Abraham is her brother. I acted in complete innocence.”

That god’s response to Abimelech confirms Abram’s lying two-timing attitude. ”Yeah,” god said, ”I know you are innocent, that’s why I moved to protect you.” Paraphrasing Genesis 20:1-11 New Living Translation.

We notice two characteristics of Abram/Abraham in that story First, he shaded the truth about his half-sister wife and himself. He told Abimelech only half the story. Secondly Abraham proceeds to call Abimelech and his country a godless place! Genesis 20:11.Imagine that! That is the same nation and king that his own god determined were innocent. Thirdly Abraham tries to come across as some godly person, as he calls Gerar a godless place! Notice that! Repeat… that’s the same place that Abram’s god inferred and confirmed was innocent, for a country reflects its rulers and vice-versa a ruler reflects the country.

But Abram disagreed with his god’s judgement as to the innocence of Abimelech and his country Gerar. That same attitude of disagreement and confrontation that got him kicked out of Ur by his father Haran. As such Abraham set the philosophical pattern for Christianity and nations that espouse that religion.

Abraham did the same thing in Egypt! So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply.”What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Take her and get out of here!” Pharaoh ordered. So Pharaoh had his soldiers escort Abram, along with his sister-wife and all that they had out of Egypt. He had Abram deported out of Egypt, made him persona non grata. Genesis 12:17-20.He then went up to Gerar and tried the same crap. The same crap, I repeat, that his father Haran kicked him out of Ur.

It also appears that Abram and his wife and entourage had some sort of communicable or contagious disease which Abram spread among the people of the countries he went to… Genesis 12:17 and Genesis 20:17. Abram spread some infection by means of his diseased wife who may have suffered attendant complications including some gynecological condition. For Pharaoh said, “What have you done to me?” It was a personal infection on Pharaoh himself by Abram’s wife …what have you done [action] to me [personal pronoun].

Abimelech of Gerar said, “What have you done to us?” This suggests at least two things. (1) Abram and his wife spent time among the people of Gerar, allowing time for the disease to spread. (2) that whereas the infection was localized in Pharaoh’s household, Abram and his wife accomplice infected the entire population of the nation of Gerar! Now where in present times have we seen and experienced exactly that same attitude of Abraham?

It is interesting to note that both Egypt and Gerar were black or negro nations. Abraham disparaged both, took advantage of and abused negro hospitality, and proceeded to call black people, as he said of Gerar, godless.

We are black people.

Moona is a black man.

That confrontational, truth-shading, two-timing, self-righteous, domineering, enslaving, attitude is the same attitude displayed in the anti-Moona article. It shades the truth. Conveys half the story. Hides much of the facts surrounding Moona’s stint in Nigeria, and it comes across as having the monopoly on what is right and what is wrong. Yet it conveniently forgets that most of the acts of terror, war ,slaveries and genocides, murders, etc which have occurred and are still occurring on this planet earth have been and are committed under the auspices of Christianity and attendant religions!

Joseph, Abram’s great grandson would exhibit that same attitude, when Joseph revealed to his father Jacob that he had a dream in which Jacob his father and his mother as well as his eleven brothers bowed down to him. An alarmed Jacob, sanctioned his son Joseph’s execution, but later had Judah modify the plan. Jacob was not about to lose his gains to any son which he himself stated that he took by force, in warfare, from the negro Amorites with his sword and his bow Genesis 48:22 The fruit falls close to the tree.

Joseph was like his grand-father, Abram who was kicked out of Ur by his father Haran and subsequently had problems with Pharaoh and Abimelech! Jacob’s modified plan regarding Joseph his son called for his exile to Egypt, for the familial and social implications of his, Joseph’s, ambitions were too dangerous to be tolerated.

In Egypt, Joseph tried that same nonsense his great grandfather Abram tried, but he also tried to seduce the wife of the high priest, the chief obeahman, of Egypt, hoping to use her as an avenue to power. He paid a price. Later Joseph would try to entice Pharaoh with the idea that he was some sort of dream interpreter, an elementary art of magic, forgetting that Pharaoh was himself a master obeahman. But Pharaoh broke the calculating Joseph’s pride.

From Abram, To Joseph, To Today

So we find then a mindset, which started in Abram, spanned several generations, and was evident in Joseph, and continues and is perpetuated to this day in Christianity, which is the holding mechanism underpinning the western mindset, and which is so apparent in that anti-Moona article.

Friendliness

The last time I met Earl was at Gros Islet at Charles’ place. I enjoyed our conversation. Our conversations have always been warm and friendly. That is his nature. He is lighthearted and carefree; at least that is how he comes across to me. And although I repeat myself, no doubt that this carefree, genuine spirit, plus what he knows of ‘amigos’ in St Lucia, played a part in his decision to fly for a Nigerian airline which has been mentioned as flying pilgrims to a religious, yearly festival, pilgrims who have not complained ,as far is known about their flying experience with Moona.

His stint at the zip line shows his, lightheartedness, natural enjoyment of life, his resourcefulness, as well as his resilience.

To some degree that’s the measure of the man.

So Earl, I consider you my friend. Stand strong. You broadened your flying experience; you enjoyed a different culture, one I might add that is being needlessly vilified, by a person or persons who fear the consequences of their own actions. So you too as well as all blacks are being vilified. That’s no big thing.

You made mistakes? So what? Welcome to life. If you care to, sit down and write down your mistakes on the right side of a sheet of paper. Then write in the on the left side the mistakes you know of the person you suspect wrote this about you. Or simply choose some politician, businessman or nation, etc, and write down what you know. Then make a comparison. After that exercise, get up, take a bath (I suppose you know what I mean) and continue to enjoy life the best you can.

The Turban

I can almost hear Earl’s answer in response to some question: “Turban? I care about turban. My work I doin’ garcon, I care about turban?”

Jesus wore turbans. Turban is a part of Christian dress, Christianity started in the Middle East. Land of desert and dust. That’s why they wear turbans… a shield from the heat and dust.

A Lady’s Comment

I sat under a tree contemplating writing this article. A lady I know walked up to me. “Mark how are you?” “Oh hi Missy (not her real name) long time since I last saw you; where have you been?” “Oh I went to Santo Domingo to see my son and to visit his father.” “So you had a fun time. How is your son?” “He is fine,” she replied. I asked, “Will he join you here like the last time?” To which she replied, “Yes, and the father is trying to come too.” “Interesting,” I replied. “How are the two, you and your man, getting along?” I questioned, my mind on other things, if the opportunity presented itself. “Oh I try to work with it, with my situation, there is no perfect relationship.” Then she made this comment which simply took my breath away with its preciseness in respect of this article I am now writing… “Life is messed up,” she continued, “all I try to do is enjoy those small moments of happiness.”

I said, “Missy you hit the nail on the head, that’s all we have just those small moments.”

Gift

So Earl wherever you are, whatever you have done, the mistakes along life’s way are part of the human condition. I am happy I learned that. So now please do not worry what this nebulous writer wrote about you. Get up. Take your bath. Strengthen your resolve. I suppose that you will continue to fly the zip-line too…smile.

So here is a gift for you, one that Missy gave me under that tree here in San Juan,

Whatever life is. Whatever life does. Please, as I know you have the ability to do… enjoy “those small moments of happiness”.

Mark Laporte is a St Lucian writer and agriculturist, and a former teacher. He researches and develops topics of interest whether or not he publishes them.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Commentary%3A-Support-for-Earl-Moona-28794.html