Outrage over Eileene L. Parsons' ‘opinion’ on who is a Virgin Islander
During the event entitled, “Virgin Islands Day: A Lasting Legacy Panel Discussion”, Ms Parsons was asked what does it mean to be a Virgin Islander, to which she replied, “These are my very personal opinion and I make absolutely no excuse for what I am going to say.”
Tracing parentage back three generations
“A Virgin Islander has to be able to trace his parentage back three generations of Virgin Islanders on both sides. The virtues or characteristics by which we were once known used to be good manners, friendliness, and kindness to each other and strangers within our gates. Children were mostly well behaved and the villages raised the children,” she added.
Ms Parsons response immediately angered several persons in the community who felt such a response had desecrated for many, their right at being called a Virgin Islander on a day created to celebrate the legacy of Virgin Islanders.
Personal views must remain personal - Kareem Nelson-Hull
Author and co-writer of the Territorial Song, Kareem Nelson-Hull in a social media post lambasted the former legislator for the statements.
“There has to come a point when your very personal views remain personal and private because the insolence of the statement will not rest well with me and people like me, regardless of how much I absolutely love whom you are.
‘Being a Virgin Islander starts with me and ends with me. I don’t need the validation, credentials nor birthright of my parents. Is I who born here and there’s nothing that anyone can do to undo that,” he said.
Nelson-Hull added that the sentiments of Ms Parsons are what cancel culture should cancel,“These sentiments are so outdated. Even Crandall’s change their building colour, it’s time for ayo to change ayo ways,” he added.
More users add to conversation
Another user, Sachkia Barnes in a Facebook past added, “I will be honest and say that I get nervous every time I see Ms Parsons on any platform. I remain grateful, and my life has been enriched by her ardent support of and for Virgin Islands' culture and heritage. But as far back as I know myself in the Virgin Islands, she's been a figure that constantly reminds many of us that we don't belong.”
“While my teenage mind tried to make sense and understand her very divisive words at my high school graduation, after 20-plus years, should I and thousands of others accept the continuation of those ideas? Ideas that have no basis in reality and ideas that threaten the productivity of the Virgin Islands and successive generations,” she said.
Definition of a Virgin Islander has changed - Bria A. Smith
Immediately following Ms Parsons’ response at the H. Lavity Stoutt College, former Miss BVI, Bria A. Smith said that for the majority of persons in her age group, they cannot trace their parentage on both sides, however, she questioned whether that means they are not Virgin Islanders.
“In this time that we are in, and I guess in this generation… we can rarely find persons who can trace themselves back to that group of persons, so to be able to say that [what Ms Parsons said] I can’t say that,” she added.
“The perspective of being a Virgin Islander has changed over the years, and I guess all of us now have to define or redefine what that looks like. Is it really the focus on tradition? Is it really now the focus on our values? Because if we focus too much on too many things, we have lost what it means to be a Virgin Islander,” Smith said.
She said like a soup, the VI must now clearly define what are the key ingredients to being Virgin Islanders, “we really have to understand what those things are and stamp it in, because as time goes on, some of the things are going to change and we are seeing that today,” Smith added.
Many other persons also shared their disagreement with Ms Parsons on social media.
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77 Responses to “Outrage over Eileene L. Parsons' ‘opinion’ on who is a Virgin Islander”
So the media is still having none entities on the news... This is the 22nd century, why?
Eileen please go find your l**s which was missing 3 generations back. Thanks.
Now do you understand how it feels to watch people in your own community point fingers at you and tell you you don't belong?
Tola Radio EVERY DAY telling us we don't count because we dis and we not dat and now look. I don't know if any of ayo Braff show team legal under the Eileen Rule!
Lady, please go take a seat on a hot rock!
Beacuse 'Afrikaans' is actually a language which belongs to a whole different group
Incest in parts of the Caribbean is a cultural habit.
Arrests in the VI and USVI for incest has been overwhelmingly non US and BVIslanders.
A portion of of the tourism industry.
The arrests for incest in the BVI to my recollection has always been a non BVIslander and from up some Island.
The contribution by those Virgin Islanders who migrated to the USVI is tremendous and can be seen to this day , "Tortola Town". Everyone built their own homes and no one looked for any handouts, although times were hard. They did not contribute to the social or economic problems of the USVI, they worked hard to be self sufficient.
Look at the nasty state of our beloved territory. Trash everywhere, noise everywhere, people pissing anywhere, noise pollution.
True Virgin Islanders are hospitable, hard working and respectful and clean. I totally agree with Ms. P, only we should go back more than 3 generations. And I am not apologizing for being able to trace my family as far back as 7, 8 or 9 generations. My ROOTS deep!
But you are not using logic or reason or fact. You are using words to tell us why you and your ancestors are great human beings while others who are not like you are bad human beings.
Other examples of this are: KKK, Nazis, ISIS, Khmer Rouge, Maoists, Stalinists, Belgian, British, French, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Spanish and German white people, etc etc. They all told themselves the same story.
Your fictional excellence is not historical fact. It is the fairy tale that people of most nations tell each other to make themselves feel secure and belonging. Problem is when it goes too far – it makes them into inhuman beasts who place their self esteem above their humanity.
You may not like it, but most people who don't like Ms Parsons words don't like them because they see the road she is calling BVIslanders to walk down. That is not a good road.
prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. What is nationalistic about her bigoted views.
IS REALLY PLENTIFUL HERE 4 TRUE ???? ALL OF WE BLACK PEOPLE ARE JUST FIGHTING EACHOTHER OVER BULLS*** / ALL OF OUR ANCESTORS CAME FROM AFRICA , ON THE SAME SLAVE SHIPS / FAMILIES WERE SEPARATE AND SENT EVERYWHERE ( SO WHY WE CALLING THE WHITE PEOPLE RACIST WHEN WE CRUCIFING EACHOTHER OVER / BARN YA / GO BACK ETC / WE ALL LIVE ONCE AND WE DIE ONCE / BLACK OR WHITE
Alc****c Parsons taking out of she a** again. Where on the international scene is this documented!!! Woman drink a lil jack daniel get drunk and talk she a** off? How did you get at 3 generations… where the research or data to support your made up twisted ideology.
Think the governor need to recall your queen accolade for stirring up divisions on the VI. There is no please for this in 2022.
My peoples is hilarious.
none of the indigenous Vislanders are indigenous. all the originals are a hodge podge of the melting pot of people from different places mixed with some abusive slave masters
if your goal is the screwed up situation of the pitcairn islands go for it
You are native, you are not indigenous. Stop making up words and definitions to suit your agenda.