by O.O. Skippings
JAGS’ dream lives on!
In truth and in fact.
It has never died since that glorious day that it was born.
As such the legacy of jags will never die,
As long as his immortal dream survives.
For as incredible as it may seem, our national hero lives on,
Although to the grave his body has long gone.
If this truth you dare dispute,
Then you are living a lie.
For in us who are genuinely nationalistic, with patriotic pride,
JAGS spirit lives on deep, deep down inside.
Who is this legend of a man that they called JAGS,
Of whom I dare to boldly brag?
How did he set us free?
Questions from the mouths of those who are ill informed or blind and cannot see, or ignorant of our most potent and relevant his-tory.
One ingredient of the makeup of the man called JAGS of which we can all boast and brag
Is that he had a will & a way to deliver his people from poverty and rags.
So that we would no longer be in bondage and mentally enslaved.
James Alexander George Smith McCartney is the name he bares
He was humble, but he never let his wounded heart succumb to doubt or fear.
He was a giant who was powerful, resolute and strong,
Who fought against the evils of racism and oppression in every shape and form.
The road was traitorous & treacherous, the way was hard, the journey was long,
But that did not stop JAGS from pursuing right and stamping out wrong.
He had a dream which he fought hard to make a reality,
From colonial oppression he wanted his people to be liberated and set free.
They said we were not qualified,
And kept overlooking us and passing us by.
So we couldn’t get any empowering and dignified work,
Not beyond cleaning their offices, yards or washing their cars and trucks,
For a measly couple of hard earned bucks,
Their oppressive attitude was like, “tough luck”.
Or other menial jobs like scrubbing their floors on bended knees,
Or being subservient nannies to their prejudiced families.
Even then only if we were lucky or had straight hair and milky skin,
Would we be sort of embraced and psuedo welcomed in.
JAGS insisted on higher education,
Which he considered a necessary preparation,
and an invaluable key to our full liberation.
And if we were not qualified,
He was agitated and unsatisfied.
Then he would ensure that his people would be trained,
So he didn’t stop until better opportunities for his people were obtained.
Do you think a real ambitious man, In his own homeland,
Should have to fight so hard to defend his ability to hold his head high and stand?
JAGS was tired of bowed down heads and lowered eyes,
Bowing at the feet of colonial oppressors who would have us unjustly criticized, penalized and ostracized?
He got tired of not being able to walk the streets,
Without being harassed by brainwashed police.
He got sick and tired of not being able to eat in certain restaurants that were present in his own native homeland.
He got weary of Turks and Caicos Islanders not being able to walk or swim at our own beach.
So, he fought and put our natural resources within his peoples’ reach,
Yes! my friends, we are talking about JAGS McCartney's outstanding legacy.
It's the exceptional good that he did, so we could all be free,
In our own beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos country,
Experiencing the benefits of true liberty.
I’m not using my vocal chords, my computer keys or the ink in my pen,
To see violence return once more again.
To this our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos homeland,
By nationalistic patriots who took a revolutionary stand,
Who were derogatively labelled the black power band.
I’m not engaging this patriotic tongue in my seemingly agitating mouth,
To reignite the tensions and justifiable hostilities that were once rampant about.
But today we can fight with our intelligent minds,
We can rekindle the fire of unity that jags left behind.
Using God’s breath and our vociferous outcry to let the world know of the disguised modern genocide,
That has morphed into presumptuous diplomacy and has been modernized, legalized and constitutionalized.
We need to let them know that the indigenous, oppressed people
with weary, frustrated faces forlorn
Are a people who jags made proud, resilient and strong,
That he taught us to stand up and fight and not to settle for injustice and wrong,
Yes! JAGS indoctrinated us to stand for justice freedom and equality,
because this is our blessed land and we have an inalienable right to be empowered and be free!
So today, when you take your challenge to the freedom track,
I want you to run with pride with your head held high and don't look back.
I want you to run in remembrance of this great legend of a man, our champion and national hero, the people's loyal and dedicated friend,
Who valiantly stood his ground to the very end.
The one who gave his love, life and limb to liberate this great Turks and Caicos land,
So let's unite and complete the mission standing and fighting together hand in hand.
Let's be our brothers' and sisters' keeper and each others friend,
On whom each others can assuredly depend,
let's not give up the fight until our struggle ends, and we are first class citizens in our own native land.
So let's all embrace and revive JAGS' dream that he did sow,
For that's the only effective and successful way to go in true remembrance and honor of our national hero!
From mental slavery, free your enslaved minds first,
That is a hangover from the colonial & the slavery curse.
Ignite your pride, let it flow like a mighty river for all to see,
Dare to go where the oppressors forbid you to be,
For that is true freedom and real liberty.
Dare to be a visionary and pursue your ambitious dreams,
Gird up your loins with self pride and forge ahead with dignity and self esteem.
Ascend the ever ascending ladder that will take you wayyyy beyond the sky
And don't be handicapped by the proverbial "sky is the limit" jive for that is only a ploy to mediocritize,
But rather let us place no limits as we dare to fly high.
Know your prowess and carve out your coveted place in society,
Wield your determined hand and make your indelible mark in history.
Let us not letup until we achieve true democracy,
That is the very essence and insignia of JAGS McCartney’s mentality,
The determination not just to survive, but the will to excel in humanity.
Daring to be bold, fearless and audacious,
Willing to sacrifice for the liberation of our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos.
Letting nothing stand in the way of our progress,
Never succumbing to defeat but committed always, to achieving success.
Laboring, persevering, praying, while trusting in the God of our salvation,
To bring us peace, prosperity and freedom in our blessed nation!
Now hear these words of wisdom that I dare to tell,
While in tribute we bade JAGS farewell.
Don’t ever let his fertile and potent dream of hope to die,
And never bade his impregnated, vision goodbye.
But let's join hands across denominational and party lines,
Blacks, whites and peoples of all races and kinds.
Let's unite in love and not in psuedo infatuation,
And build our country into one progressive prosperous nation.
No more prejudice , racism or ethnic invasion,
But a humanitarian mind of one fair, indiscriminate persuasion.
Be it black, brown or Caucasian, European, American or Asian,
Canadian, Dominican or Haitian or any other foreign nation.
As long as we’re a part of a dedicated and committed Turks and Caicos Equation,
Let’s show love, respect and sincere appreciation,
Until we achieve our goal of a unified, prosperous and progressive nation.
In conclusion my brothers and sisters of our nation,
For every existing and available vocation,
Let’s educate and otherwise equip ourselves in preparation.
If we are to ever break the chains of oppression and alienation,
And arise from the slums of degradation,
No more mental and constitutionalized slavery, but uplifting, empowering and genuine emancipation.
Let's demand our human rights, our fundamental rights, our legal rights, our birth rights, and our indigenous rights,
Even if we have to stand up, be counted and even die in the fight.
Let us demand jobs which we deserve and for which we qualify,
And stop letting them discriminate, ostracize and pass us by.
Let us in calculated preparation deliberately poise to embrace self determination in enthusiastic anticipation and expectation,
To take the reins of our now besieged nation,
And propel our people to their privileged and deserved elevation.
Yes! Yes! Yes! That was the essence and summation,
Of the right excellent James Alexander George Smith’s determination,
In his relentless effort and dedication.
To bring social, economic and political salvation,
For his beloved beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos nation!
Farewell JAGS!
You have done well JAGS!
You have excelled JAGS!
To the benefit of the bearers of both the bell and the shell.
Our beloved patriot JAGS, son of the soil, rest in peace,
You still have a few patriots seeking peaceful unity and progress who will never cease.
Who are willing to stand hand in hand to sacrifice and continue the fight
with all our might? And even sacrifice our much cherished life,
Until our people are fully liberated and given all their human and fundamental rights!
JAGS, whoopy, the fearless freedom fighter, revolutionary, visionary patriot, first chief minister of the Turks and Caicos, first national hero, last but by no means least, the Right Excellent James Alexander George Smith McCartney.
If the truth be told,
By both young and old,
And by every living honest, conscious soul.
Even in the sweet by and bye,
Our love, respect, and appreciation for you will never ever die!
We love you JAGS, and by the grace of god on high,
One day we’ll meet again, in the glorious sky.
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