ONE LOVE PANDEMIC
By Sista Irie
October 6, 2021
ONE LOVE, ONE HEART, ONE DESTINY!? In 1965, a young Wailers group released a ska single entitled ‘One Love.’ Twelve years later, the roots reggae version was released on the album ‘Exodus’ by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Soon, the lyrics of the song became a universal mantra for reggae music. ‘One Love’ was also eventually adopted by the Jamaican Tourist Board as a reflection of Jamaican culture. Since that time, roots reggae music has fueled an international movement to love one another, to help your bredren and sistren and to uplift the lives of those oppressed by an unfair and racist system. Spiritually, the song stirred the world with the joyful sounds of “Let’s get together and feel alright.” ‘One Love’ pulsated to the heartbeat of a new world order aimed to unite a diverse international community; a global community comprised of many skin colors, languages, religions and cultures and the message was to embrace humanity as ONE. Solid as a rock, right?
And then…. in 2020, everything began to fall apart. Nothing ever created a bigger divide among the reggae family as the intensely strong feelings associated with Covid-19. Misappropriated anger, self entitled preaching, disrespectful verbal attacks were launched towards people’s personal health decisions and ignited a spiritual war. Without pause, the reggae family became fragmented by those who chose vaccinations vs anti-vaccinators; masks and no masks. The divide came in many waves. From the very beginning, too much dependency was placed on social media. Some took their lead from science, some from conspiracy videos, some put trust in their own immune systems, some resisted due to mistrust of government and medical institutions and some just needed to digest their alternatives with more time. Meanwhile, chaos erupted all over the world. Even the ‘One Love family’ began to fragment with no apology.
The facts for and against vaccines became muddled and confusing. Forces behind the scenes (on all sides) benefited from misinformation. No one really knew who was to be trusted or what could be considered reliable information. As a result, many people chose to believe what they wanted to believe. Reggae artistes began espousing their personal stance like preachers on a pulpit. Seriously, what qualifies a reggae artiste to speak ‘with authority’ and provide guidance regarding the science of a pandemic?
Culture Yard and Tuff Gong Studio photos by Sista Irie
Perhaps, attitudes and verbal attacks would not have erupted so intensely had the information highway been less of a venting ground and more of a reliable sharing source. Each individual should be wise enough to go beyond social media and their favorite cable tv news and educate on the basics of disease and medicine. Then decide what you should do, armed with real facts. I am not saying non-vaxx’ers are wrong. Not at all. I am just saying how many people really understand what is an mRNA vaccine, how is it different than other vaccines, how long has it been in research, what is the shot comprised of, and most importantly, what are the risk factors based on your own personal health history? All of those things matter. Be educated first, using legitimate sources and then make decisions based on your own personal health and living environment. Each person should be freely allowed to make their own decision as long as it does not harm other people. One should not try to influence others whose health you know nothing about.
On January 6, I was stunned to witness citizens of this country erode into violence over the philosophical division of political parties. I was disgusted to learn so many Americans were hidden racists. In the weirdest sense of aligned synchronicity, the reggae family simultaneously blew up into hateful agitated arguments over the pandemic. Standing back it looked as if the far left had adopted the philosophies of the far right. What really happened? This needs deeper exploration.
Recently, Facebook admitted that anger fuels income, and therefore, they have purposely allowed controversial information on their platforms to keep anger alive and growing. Unfortunately, this is the social media many have come to depend on for validation. The owners of Facebook purposely kept the money rolling in by inciting societal unrest…. while civilization grasped at life and death decisions.
One can only wonder what Bob Marley would be thinking about the spiritual and philosophical demise of the ‘reggae family’ and the apparent loss of the One Love mentality. As it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end?
ONE LOVE CONCERT
“One Love! What about the one heart?
One Heart!
What about?
Let's get together and feel alright
As it was in the beginning
(One Love!)
So shall it be in the end.” Bob Marley