One of Jamaica's most backward political habits, is this colour-terrorism, to the point where people avoid wearing the beautiful colours of orange and green, for fear of being labelled, and even being injured, as a follower of one political party or another. That is why I have time for Aloun Assamba, who showed up at an event when she was a PNP MP wearing green and replied to a puzzled query, "I am wearing green …because I like green!"
Because we Jamaicans tend to label folks based on appearance, the late Ralf Bender, a resident German-Jamaican had a collection of T-Shirts which he wore whenever he visited our resort areas which read "Mi no tourist – Mi live ya!" Perhaps our T-shirt manufacturers could turn this orange-green debacle on its head by printing orange and green t-shirts with messages like, "Mi no PNP, mi jus' love orange", or for fun, "Mi wear green and mi love PNP".
Can you imagine, Auntie Mary sends you a barrel with the most beautiful green dress, and you have to park it because you live in a certain area? I believe our MPs should take a leaf from High Commissioner Assamba's book, and plan to wear non-traditional party colours, until we all get over this puerile behaviour. Although they call states in the US "red" and "blue", denoting Republican and Democratic leanings, what colour did Michelle Obama wear that night in Chicago when her husband was declared winner of the Presidential elections? Indeed, she wore red. I believe Prime Minister Simpson Miller would look smashing in green and Babsy Grange, awesome in orange. If these ladies lead the way, we could get rid of this colour-foolishness and free up people's wardrobes.
With Jamaica gearing up for elections, let our political leaders set the tone for more grown-up politics – let them wear the other party's colours to a sitting of the House, and declare that no Jamaican should have any fear of wearing any colour whatsoever.
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