Incognito..I would agree that the suspicion you cite I have seen, but that is culturally Jamaica or significant parts of it is no at peace with itself for obvious reasons, be it political tension, crime, dog eat dog culture in parts and when you throw in the foreign or sorry new returnee element that is another factor in the pot.

But coming to your related point I don't think the suspicion to returnees is unique to JA but everything is more exaggerated in JA not only because of numbers, but how culture manifests. We cannot sidestep that the political culture in Jamaica is very unique to Jamaica, with possibly Trinidad coming a close second in terms of its history of trade unionism and their use of violence. I was in Antigua just after the Baldwin elections and heard from people how when the ruling dynasty realised it was all over they hired young bad boys to go to rallies and fire shots. Went to see a Dr who they attempted to assassinate by blowing up and you should have seen the man's office. But Antiguans went beserk and turn againt the old regime even more for introducing or dare introducing Jamaican tactics into their country..So that is a crucial distinction. The people of Jamaica have been subject to violence not only from the enemy but its political class from day one.

They used the same raw violence against the Jamaican people of the master but for political ends...The people of Jamaica have been betrayed by these people and most of them know it...

Jamaica is the most culturally rich and deep island in the Caribbean with no comparsions or comparators. They have a concious and deep understanding of their culture at complex levels than any other island. You will meet people in Jamaica of a particular type like nowhere else in their understanding of things to do with their country, their close association and pride in it. Rasta is the most obvious and so is reggae music which is my main music because nobody has produced a complex art form that could even match. Now my friends in Trinidad and other Eastern islands like Barbados etc would take exception and cite the longer tradition of calypso which is rich and deep and complex and musically out there when you are deep into it and really experience that tradition of music...

There are tons of calypso scholars and intellectuals who would disagree. But reggae is historically I think far more deeper and potentially more complex and definitely more influential. But that reflects the things I have said about African Jamaican culture being more rich deeper and multi layed on the popular level.

But wait. Jamaica also leads the Caribbean in a whole heap of stuff. I am working on one of several business projects which involves a whole heap of research and travel etc. Where have we gone to find best practice in a whole heap of areas..Jamaica by far. It has more educated professionals coming from the US, Canada, Europe than anybody else and some of our highest and most pioneering achievers..We were reviewing Government Trade and Investment Web sites and when you compare JAs to everybody else..Man and boy...Jamaica is cutting edge and is in line with the rest of the world in that area in terms of what you would expect a top flight country marketing itself..

Oh pound for pound JA has the hottest women in the Caribbean in terms of sheer volume type and range. Probably find the most stunning in Martinique and Guadeloupe if you want to see some macca black kill man dead African queens..but for pure range and depth..Can't test JA pon dat...

So Jamaica is pivotal to the whole balance of the English speaking Caribbean and is culturally a sleeping giant and a major exporter or ideas, good practices, techniques and technology, standards to other islands.

Incognito..Sorry I missed a point you made about scales and size of population. Let me tell you one of the things that turns my stomach as a man but at the same time given my work and professional interests I am drawn to it...The issue of violence and its cultural manifestations..I think there is more male to male violence and male to female violence in JA than most places and I don't think you need to be too bright to do the math on that one. You have an extreme violent culture in any locality...Men will be more violent to women, more women and children will experience rape and sexual abuse or just violence..

And the stats will tell you that. But one thing that sickens me as some one who monitors the Caribbean media and crime/security side of things particular when reading court reports is a week does not go by without some sickening crime against a woman or child and you name the island you will see it. So I don't doubt for a second slavery has produced some sick and twisted and fragile forms of Caribbean masculinity who find their satisfaction in these morally and culturally heinous forms..

I don't necessarily buy Dr Joyce Learies concept of post slave syndrome as articulated, but I do think she has a generally important point and this is not Jamaican specific, although the numbers and its extreme manifestation may make it seem more of a priority, but region wide...that we as a people never mind on a personal level..have not addressed or even acknowledged the personal or collective damage which that experience has done to us.

You are dead right Black Lion, there is a very clear problem today. This "new" mentality has been a feature over the last few decades. If you study what has gone in Jamaica over this period it reflects itself amongst the Jamaican community abroad. In Jamaica, a rapid de-politicisation process has taken place in Jamaica at the heart of which is the corruption of the leadership in Jamaica. It has given rise to an anti-culture with a corresponding outlook amongst certain sections.This has been "exported" and reflects itself abroad. In Jamaica today, the latent hostility in day to day social relations expresses itself very clearly in the chronic crime rate.

To prove my point, there has not been a single murder in the Maroon town of Accompong, St Elizabeth/Trelawny for over 20 years whilst less than 30 miles away towards Montego Bay, some of the worst homicides are now taking place. Why? The main reason is the political awareness based on the continuity of Maroon traditions and culture. Such places are not in the politically corrupt orbit.

Jamaicans and Americans have a particular affinity that isn't seen between other Black ethnicities.It was this collaboration that produced Hip Hop.Jamaicans are generally respected in Black America and vice versa from my experience.Sometimes you have to be a fool NOT to be mad..

What is it with us Jamaicans and our temperment?

Wow...talk about generic....again...oh dear...this thread might offend a lot of people...