Ladyshy: I think what Rammie maybe trying to say,( rather crudely) is that...it is no achievement (or progress for that matter) to continually strive to wear our masters clothes.. The 100 black britons is a very bad joke (on us) that is areaction to the 100 great briton from which blacks were pointedly excluded...(this was done for a reason.) We were excluded because we are seen but sadly not heard in this country not because we are not GREAT but because we are not deemed British...yet we still like an Ol'fateful lap dog try to please master by showing him how much we want to be like him/her..it is very sad, pitiful & degrading to watch. it also smacks of desparation of the worst kind..I mean what would be the criteria for black greatness for instance:

• The first Black to Emulate European standards..
• The first Black to be admitted into European insitutions.
• The first Black to play european sport better than they do.
• The first Black to be allowed to sit with the European big boys at the table..

Progress to me has got to be about more than proving the obvious or mimicing someones else game,otherwise what is the point.. How does it empower us as a people to continually putting Europeans at the centre of our lives, the centre of our thinking and the centre of our benchmark for excellence...

There is a saying that goes Power is taken NEVER given...and if you reflect about that saying historically you not see a sngle example where POWER has been given and it has lasted or the people truely have experience power in its proper sense..

However getting back on point when I looked at the list first published in the Independant on 2/10/03 I have say upon reading that following people were nominated:

• Diana Abbott
• Cleo laine
• Oona King
• David Lammy
• Lord Taylor of warwick
• Jazzy B
• Martin Offiah
• Lee Jasper
• Naomi Campbell
• etc etc

I pretty sure that this was a sick joke..the European people must have been shaking their heads and killing themselves laughing at the Black burke who listed the example above among many more whos only claim to fame appears to be that they were (a) Black, and (b) widely known in white circles...Since when did these two criteria become the bench mark for greatness in any color why are we now expected to settle for second rate heros and second rate Role whos crediblity and contribution is at best questionable..

What I want to hear are about those Africans living and born in Briton..that are great because they acted significantly in the 'struggle'..or those who made significant contributions that affected the conciousness of blacks..or those who fought, sacrificed and died to enchance our opportunities... Sorry but who among those that I have named can even come close to this criteria who?

Certainly not those above or these:

• Goldie.
• Gabrielle
• Paul Ince.
• Chris Eubanks
• Nigel Benn
• Oswald boteng..
• Paul Boteng.

I say that the very idea of 100 Best Black Briton is a BAD idea and one tha demeans us and disempowers rather than empowers us..