"Now onto the broader issue. Here is the thing. I am white. I follow as closely as I am able my conception of what a rasta livity entails. I am a 'white rasta'? I dont think so. You see I have a fundamental problem with using the expression 'rasta' as some kind of label, at least for myself. It is true that I try to live rasta, but that does not mean that I "am a rasta". I think that this distinction is important as it means that rasta is for me an ideal to aspire for rather than some sort of identity that I can appropriate, or movement that I can get my grubby white paws on and attempt to 'help' or 'influence'. "

This is where I find Iself as well. Never once have I called myself a Rastaman. I tell people that Rasta has influenced how I live my life, and if ones call me that, I'll acknowledge the call.

Obviously it's impossible for I or any other whites on this board to erase what's been done. And, yes, we too are inextricably involved and caught up in massive cultural and institutional racism that pervades today. I'd still like to think that that does not make us all inherently bad people.

I think that Garvey was an amazing force within America at his time. I see him as one who genuinely cared about the improvement of the lives of Blacks in America, and did something about it. I raspect him for actually putting theories into action: establishing helping organizations, buying the boat, etc.

Joshua Liontree