The Caribbean today is characterized by grave intolerance and mistrust at all levels. Intolerance is an unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect opinions or beliefs contrary to one’s own (Cambridge). Mistrust means having doubts about the honesty or abilities of someone (Cambridge). The state of our society today is as a result of our historical experiences and is influenced by our concept of identity.
Historically, we were exposed to the intolerance of the whites. This did not help to nurture an environment of inclusivity and bred mistrust. The discrimination we faced has left mental scars that cannot be eradicated in such a short period of time. Hence, the Caribbean people have learnt, under the tutelage of our colonizers and thereafter, our ancestors, to mistrust government or authority figures and to be intolerant of all forms of social control.
As a result of this, Caribbean people have developed stereotypes, prejudices and homophobic attitudes. We have even adopted colourism among ourselves after being psychologically attacked by racism for centuries. Colourism is prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group (Oxford). In addition to developing these negative attitudes, the enslaved were also taught violence as a form of social control and hence, many of these attitudes have led to violent interactions. In 2018, aspiring Jamaican entertainer France Nooks was murdered during a dispute over $100 JMD. (Francis, 2018) This story demonstrates the gravity of the unfortunate predicament we’ve found ourselves in.
To conclude, the manifestation of crime in the Caribbean as a result of intolerance and mistrust can be traced back to our shared colonial history. Enslavement has had psychological and social impacts on persons within the Caribbean and plays an integral role in defining Caribbean identity.
-Dacia Reid
Intolerance. Mistrust. The Caribbean. 