Your understanding of Garvey is superficial. Did you know UNIA had an official liturgy? Garvey was not against religion.

You seem to not understand Rasta. Just because a person wears dreads doesn’t make them a Rasta.

What are you talking about? HIM is not a teacher. His words have nothing to do with what you are talking about. HIM was always speaking about white racism. He was an advocate of Africa for the Africans. The founders of Rastafari created Rasta for the liberation of black people, not white, Asian, Latin or any other race but Black. These are facts beyond change. Why don’t you go join hippie movement.

Rastafari is a black power movement for black people to liberate themselves from white supremacy and colonialism thats what the leonard howell and his followers said when the movement was formed in the 1930’s and if you dont believe me go and read the history or watch the documentaries

Lyrical themes tend to reflect common misconceptions that the basic tenets of Rastafari culture are:
1. Use of cannabis.
2. Infatuation with reggae music; especially that of Bob Marley.
3. Adoption of dreadlock hairstyle.
4. Using words like ‘Jah’, ‘Ganja’, ‘Irie’, ‘Roots’, etc.

If the complaint of culture appropriation is ever made against these groups, typical rebuttals will include phrases like, “It’s just all about the good vibes”, and, “Rasta is whatever I interpret it to be”. This will be accompanied by accusations that the inquisitor is “just being negative, man”.

As such, the ‘cool’ or ‘fun’ parts of Rastafari can but celebrated, while the difficult parts requiring lifestyle changes and self-discipline can be foregone without consequence.

For example, the aforementioned group SOJA (Soldiers of Jah Army) even wrote a song in response to complaints they’ve received of culture appropriation called ‘Can’t Tell Me’. In this song lead singer Jacob Hemphill goes on to list numerous aspects of his lifestyle then makes the claim, “I don’t really care if it’s Rasta to you”, implying again that Rastafari is a completely subjective concept open to wide interpretation- and you ‘can’t tell’ him otherwise.

Such a statement seems to be a copout designed to alleviate any sense of responsibility to uphold any Rastafari standards whatsoever. The musician can be promiscuous and sexually indulgent, regularly use foul language, use tobacco, eat meat, drink liquor, ignore scripture, etc., and yet still claim to be a Rastaman.

This is culture appropriation at its absolute worst. If Babylon seeks to downstroy Rastafari this is an effective start. Brainwashing the young masses into thinking Rastafari is nothing more than a subculture centered around smoking weed and listening to Bob Marley; one which anybody can claim to be without being held to any standards or practices whatsoever; meanwhile diluting this truest of movements with the derivative ocean of banality that is self-indulgent ‘Babylon’.

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