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'Understand racism & not expect to be honoured by racists'- Cromwell Smith

-says daughters were taught early on about systematic racism
As the conversation surrounding institutional racism deepens around the world, closer to home, talk show host and social commentator, Mr Cromwell Smith aka Edju Enka say that early on, he has always thought his American daughters about the presence of systematic racism in America. Photo: Facebook
According to Cromwell Smith, persons should comply with police requests, however, according to Ms Christoper, the behaviour is almost as if he is propagating for the training of African people into submission. Photo: Facebook
According to Cromwell Smith, persons should comply with police requests, however, according to Ms Christoper, the behaviour is almost as if he is propagating for the training of African people into submission. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - As the conversation surrounding institutional racism deepens around the world, closer to home talk show host and social commentator, Mr Cromwell Smith aka 'Edju Enka' said at an early age he taught his American daughters about the presence of systematic racism in America.

"I have taught them that America, historically, has always been a systematically racist society and that they should understand racism and not expect to be honoured by racists," he said on the Sunday, June 14, 2020, edition of 'Real Talk' with Karia J. Christopher.

'Take responsibility for yourself' 

"You have to take responsibility for your self, your protection and for your success, don't expect any advantages, don't expect any helping hands, don't expect anything at all, you take responsibility for your understanding of the society that you are in," he said.

According to Mr Smith, the key is to obey the rules, develop survival skills and not get upset if the police stops you, "there's no need for you to get in a tizzy, you be cool [and] respectful."

He said persons do comply with police requests; however, according to Ms Christoper, the behaviour is almost as if they are training people into submission via the behaviour.

According to Mr Smith, compliance, "is the recognition that you are not yet free and the question becomes in your mind, what freedom actually means."

Self-sustenance is freedom - Mr Smtih

He said freedom comes when you become self-sustainable and you have the power to protect yourself.

"As African people in the world, we can't continue with our current behaviours and expect freedom, we can't continue to support those who are against us... spend our dollars foolishly," he said.

He called for African leaders to be more accountable, for more unity and an understanding of the African identity, not just in the Virgin Islands but around the world.

16 Responses to “'Understand racism & not expect to be honoured by racists'- Cromwell Smith”

  • Oh Boy.. (16/06/2020, 16:09) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
    Cromwell u talking like a man without knowledge of the subject..I lived in America..The things I saw..OMG...No matter how nice and resectful.u try to be to these cops, as a black man, They nag u, harrass you, disrespect you until they get u to react and get something to put u in handcuff. Or shoot you.....
    • smarty pants (17/06/2020, 16:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      He knows that he’s just saying we have no choice but to be compliant because we are not free. It is our best option to try to be compliant even if it is not fair. But that is the burden of the oppressed.
  • Help (16/06/2020, 16:47) Like (9) Dislike (10) Reply
    Talk to the Government yo send some a them island people out please. We too overpopulated with them here
  • E. Leonard (16/06/2020, 17:41) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
    Justice is supposed to be blind but the scales of justice are unbalanced. The levers of justice have always worked against persons of African descent from slavery to Jim Crow through today. In theory the justice system is intended to serve and protect all the people. But system seems designed to control Blacks and property. Blacks makes up about 14% of the US population but makes up approx 37% of the prison population. The scene is set to stereotype and fear Blacks. There is a halo effect in regards to Black criminal behavior; a few Blacks commit crimes and all Blacks it seems are tagged as bad actors. Though this may be the attitude, Blacks must be smart, avoid behaving badly and avoid engaging with law enforcement as much as practical.

    Moreover, Blacks have gotten away from Black economics. To attain a multiplier effect in an economy, a dollar should be circulated as many times as possible. A dollar circulates the least in Black communities; it circulates about 1 time and in White, Asian, and Hispanic communities, it circulates many more times. Before Integration, Blacks by necessity had to be relatively self-sufficient, ie, the communities supported pharmacies, barber shops, hair salons, restaurants, laundromats, dry cleaners, retail shops.......etc. After Integration, there was an exodus from many Black communities to White communities. Whites in turn then fled from the urban areas to the suburbs and to the exurbs. Now, in some cities, ie, Atlanta, Philadelphia......etc, regentrification is on the move and Blacks are on the move. Moreover, Blacks must educate themselves in STEM(Science Technology Engineering and Math) and focus on hard skills, ie, engineering, IT, medicine, computer science.....etc; shop with businesses who respect them and support their interest, and become producers, not just consumers.
    • Diaspora (17/06/2020, 07:01) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Thomas Gradgrind in Charles Dickens Hard Times stressed Facts over imagination and function over feelings. Raw facts my brother, real facts. Blacks in the US has an approx spending power of $1.2T but spend it recklessly and elsewhere outside the Black community. Their spending is a bonanza for White and other businesses that micro-target black consumers. Black consumers live for today and hell for tomorrow. Blacks are huge consumers of many brands that are not aligned with their interest but would readily take their money. It is estimated that every $1B that leaves the Black community approx 13,000 jobs goes with it. Unemployment in the Black community can be reduced with focus of $BB in the community. It is about self-help. If we don’t help ourselves, others will not and why should they. This pandemic proves that the UK dies not give a rat’s a...s about VI residents who are primarily Black. The Guv is up in arms, undies tied in knots, about a cartoon but has not lick a finger about the poor suffering residents whose jobs were impacted by Covid-19. But nothing new here.
    • agreed (17/06/2020, 08:01) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Self-sufficiency is the key. We are not educated properly on economics, finance or real estate. We sell out so quickly for a dollar and turn into a group of consumers supporting the businesses and communities of others, while ours lay in decline. And let me tell you, those communities and businesses have no love for us, but they will take our money just the same. Also, we can't escape the fact that STILL when some of our people become somewhat affluent, their first instinct is to join white communities, white business clubs as though that's a testament to their equality. And they are the same Uncle Tom's who are used to keep the rest of us down. Until we figure that we are in a war for our very survival and we need everyone in the fight, we aren't going to get very far after these conversations on racism ends. We have to do our part...Stop the discrimination against our own kind and the tearing apart of each other, stop supporting businesses that clearly don't support us in any way, stop putting cruise ship passengers first (that Beef Island Beach business still has me pissed off). To sum it up, stop with the slave mentality. It's much too late in game to be unaware, or not woke.
      • Diaspora (17/06/2020, 10:27) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
        @agreed, deep, profound, real talk. As Blacks should effectively leverage their votes, so too should they leverage their $1.2T purchasing power. Blacks must invest/reinvest in their communities; others do in their communities, ie, Asians, Latinos.....etc. They need to support businesses that respect them and is tuned with their interest, boycotting businesses that disrespectful and only want to take their money.
        • @Diaspora (18/06/2020, 12:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          It's time we start a group. It's time to unite and have less talk and more action. I am ready to stop posting and get on with the business. Time for talk long gone.
    • class mate (17/06/2020, 10:35) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      Edju Enka and E. Leonard are Major Bay Primary (Williard Wheatley Primary) alumni
  • P (16/06/2020, 19:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    @@ help by now we all know that you are looking attention it's time u stop making those useless comments u want to give your country a bad name stupid bitch
  • Diaspora (16/06/2020, 19:26) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Racism is deeply rooted with slavery and the plantation system. Though slave labour was the engine that drove both the UK and US economies, on the plantation, they were treated as subhuman and inferior to Whites. This outlook spread from the plantation to the wider community, ie, the kitchen table, the bedroom, the school room, boardroom.....etc. It was a we better than them attitude. Slaves abolished, Whites fiercely resisted the notion that they were equal to Blacks. Because of their refusal, the notion of equality is still causing friction between Black and White. It has been almost 500 years. Enough is enough of the nonsense. Hunting season on Black men is over. Time is up.
  • vex (16/06/2020, 22:58) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
    I do not trust the governor
  • T (17/06/2020, 10:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    @@ vex d arms of flesh will fail u there not trust your own
  • Ghost (17/06/2020, 11:04) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    @Diaspora, Agreed & E. Leonard- you all have summed it up completely.. kudos. It annoys me so much to see blacks sporting brand names when they are struggling to pay their bills..a lot of these brands are being catered to us and we are so foolish- we support them .. I saw a documentary on sneakers being made - all are made the same except for a few touches - we are paying for the “name”.. I hate to see some of our young men sporting all these gold chains etc instead of investing their monies into like a home or land etc.. some of us “sporting“ and living in crappy homes and broke, While our white counterparts are wearing t-shirts and flip flops and living in mansions.. I am not saying we can’t At turned splurge and treat ourselves; I’m saying invest your monies better.. at times so of us are just too foolish..
  • out (17/06/2020, 19:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    He has no clue are idea , no no I take it back , he has some idea ,but lock full true knowledge and understanding of what racism really really is ,he's just talking like many others who can.
  • down2earth (19/06/2020, 14:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    @gost. I agree with you. I will go further and say that with the gambling legislation our own leader is setting the stage for the demise of our young people.


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