DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM? IS SOMETHING BOTHERING YOU? WRITE TO: TELL ME PASTOR, DR. AARON DUMAS, P.O. BOX 188, KING STREET, KINGSTON. TELEPHONE: 929-1667/8. E-MAIL: PASTOR@JAMAICASTAR.COM. OR, VISIT MY WEBSITE AT DEARPASTOR.COM

Dear Pastor,

I am a 'black American' who is happily married to a beautiful-spirited Jamaican man who is living in Jamaica.

My issue is not my relationship - all is well in that area. I visit him every month and my union with my husband is worth it. We talk several times a day, every day, and I truly know he loves me and I love him.

My issue is that, each time I am home with him in Jamaica, I find myself having to defend 'black Americans'. Jamaicans have a bad opinion of my nationality, when we are all the same. I am sick of hearing that I am "so nice, not like other black Americans". My entire family came to Jamaica for my wedding and I continuously heard, "my family is so nice. They are not like other black Americans".

Ignorance

I understand that some people visit Jamaica and display an ignorance that should not be overlooked, but is it so bad that my Jamaican brothers and sisters have developed some form of "self-hate" and that they do not understand that ignorance is not guided by colour?

We are all black, and we should concentrate on treating each other better. I recently noticed how friendly people here are to "white people", but outwardly rude, at times, to people who are from the States and look just like them.

Honestly, if you ask anyone who has travelled to the States, "white people" are extra nice to "black Jamaicans" and vice versa. Do they act the way I see people here behave? the answer is "no". Most white people are indifferent and not friendly, almost rude here in the USA.

Oh well, Pastor, I guess I didn't have a question. I guess I just wanted to share. Stay blessed.

Mrs. C., Westmoreland, Jamaica

Dear Mrs. C.,

I understand what you are saying. However, it is well known that some American blacks do not like black West Indians, especially Jamaicans. We ought not to fool ourselves, it is true. Many years ago in Washington, D.C., I was the guest of honour at a party and an American black woman, whose fiancé was a Jamaican, admitted to me that there was a time in her life when she did not like Caribbean people. She told me that her attitude has changed.

Forgiven black Americans

I can go on and tell you much more. But there are some things that Caribbean people have put behind them. We know that black Americans are changing and the attitudes towards Caribbean people are not as before. Caribbean people have forgiven black Americans because part of their problem was they did not understand our history and why we felt comfortable working with people of all races in North America.

When I was a young man, black Americans used to say that Caribbean people were "Uncle Toms" because they were too close to white Americans. But all that has changed. And we say, thank God.

I appreciate your letter. Be good to yourself.

Pastor