Kelly's World | Jamaicans all up inna US business - "Worry dem a worry dem a worry dem a worry dem farin mind" - Junior Reid and Black Uhuru

I know there's a saying that if the US blows its nose or sneeze, Jamaica catches a cold (or something like that).

I watched with some amount of mirth and a whole heap of disbelief as Jamaicans were tuned into the US midterm elections.

When I say tuned in, I mean, they were stuck on the TV like women back in the '90s used to watch the US soap opera Generations.

By the way, who remembers that show? It did nice, enuh!

But anyway, I know a few people whose cable feed broke down on Tuesday night, and they nearly went bat crap crazy because they couldn't watch.

Now, juxtapose that with the fact that a good portion of Jamaicans don't even know the name of their own councillors and MPs.

How dat maths out? I remember a TVJ news item where a woman forgot the name of the prime minister of Jamaica. I suppose she was just angry.

And to be fair, maybe she wasn't watching the US elections, especially if whatever she was protesting about wasn't taken care of.

But I heard locals talking about gubernatorial races inna Uncle Sam yard. A wha dis fada?

 

NOT THAT INTERESTED

 

A mussi because mi nuh inna nuh rush fi go up deh why it nuh bother me so much.

I don't have a US visa and I definitely don't have a green card. Mi barely have passport.

I figure if and when I go for the interview up a Liguanea, things will either work out or they won't. Life.

And while I understand that people have familial and entrepreneurial ties and interests up North, I was still a little befuddled by the interest shown.

Don't get me wrong, I was following the numbers as a journalist. But I wasn't glued to the TV like when the Reggae Girlz qualified for the World Cup.

Let's be clear about something else. I'm not a fan of Donald 'Chump', but at least he's the most transparent politician I've ever seen.

You know exactly where he stands on certain issues even if you don't like it.

And let's be honest about something else. When last US get dem kind a turnout inna midterm elections?

Talk di truth, not even bredda Barack did see dem numbers yah in a non-presidential election year.

Granted, the people who came out just wanted to stick it to Trump and his two-year-old administration, to make sure that he had some opposition in the Congress and Senate.

So him being a severe pain to most members of the human race actually had its benefits. See folks, out of evil can come good.

Seriously though, if Jamaicans showed this level of interest in the politics of our own piece of planet Earth, imagine how better off we would be.

I suppose I should look at the bright side, which is that even the 'ordinary' Jamaican is interested in things outside of the island.

That's good, I suppose. What do you think?

- Link me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com