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This is from the frontpage. It applies to all celebs, not just athletes:
Double Standard for Jamaican Male & Female Athletes & Celebs: Sanya Richard-Ross
One of the realities of being Jamaican is that many of us have had to leave our beloved homeland in search of educational opportunities or employment. For some the decision was made by parents and others have made their own decisions. Reality is we all have to do what we can to survive. A soh it goh. I've noticed something really interesting. No one criticizes Donovon Bailey, Ben Johnson, Lynford Christie, and other male athletes for competing under the flags of other countries.
Lascelles Brown, who used to be with the Jamaican Bobsleigh team,<span style="font-size: 14pt"> <span style="font-weight: bold">married his Canadian girlfriend </span></span>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Click to reveal.. <input type="button" class="form-button" value="Show me!" onclick="toggle_spoiler(this, 'Yikes, my eyes!', 'Show me!')" /></div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div style="display: none;">Was she blonde?
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moved to Canada and now competes for Canada as a bobsledder yet no one labels him a traitor or a sell-out. Lennox Lewis was born in England and his mother is Jamaican. He competed for Canada and no one criticized him for doing so. The Jamaican community embraced him and he has now retired to happily to Jamaica. Donovon Bailey is building a home in Jamaica.
No one dissed Jimmy Cliff or even Bob Marley when they living abroad. Shabba Ranks received a heros welcome when he returned to Jamaica after an extended absence.
When it comes to female celebrities and athletes, it's a different matter. Merlene Ottey received a TON of criticism for competing for Slovenia. The latest casualty is Sanya Richard-Ross. I had never heard of Sanya until the day she won the 400 metre at the Olympics. Yes, a lot of people were happy for her. There were also a lot of comments on Twitter, Facebook and even Jamaicans.com discussion board shoutbox calling her a traitor and a sell-out. No one was able or willing to produce proof that Sanya had said she wouldn't run for Jamaica because Jamaica had not done anything for her, yet the name calling continued.
Jamaican-born Debbie Dunn who also competes for the Jamaica in international track and field events spoke of this phenomenon in a recent interview for the Gleaner.
As we say in Jamaica, "Carry go bring come is a very dangerous thing!". It can jeopardize the safety and livelihoods of individuals and destroy years of hard work. If you are going to bash a well known personality, make sure you can back it up with independent, verifiable proof.
Yet the nasty comments continue.<span style="font-weight: bold"> It's interesting that some of the people criticizing her also live in the US or Canada and have dual citizenship. They are earning their living "a foreign yet criticize any female athletes or celebrities that make the same choice. </span>
Let's not fall into the crabs in the barrel syndrome. Surviving as Jamaicans and Black people is hard enough. We should be encouraging and supporting one another instead of pulling one another down. Let's be happy for Sanya Richard-Ross in her time of success. Big up Sanya Richard-Ross and all the other Jamaicans who continue to support Jamaica both at home and abroad. As Jamaicans, we are resilient and we all do what we have to survive. Let’s cut each other some slack.
Lot's more here on Jamaicans.com homepage:
Double Standard for Jamaican Male & Female Athletes & Celebs: Sanya Richard-Ross
One of the realities of being Jamaican is that many of us have had to leave our beloved homeland in search of educational opportunities or employment. For some the decision was made by parents and others have made their own decisions. Reality is we all have to do what we can to survive. A soh it goh. I've noticed something really interesting. No one criticizes Donovon Bailey, Ben Johnson, Lynford Christie, and other male athletes for competing under the flags of other countries.
Lascelles Brown, who used to be with the Jamaican Bobsleigh team,<span style="font-size: 14pt"> <span style="font-weight: bold">married his Canadian girlfriend </span></span>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Click to reveal.. <input type="button" class="form-button" value="Show me!" onclick="toggle_spoiler(this, 'Yikes, my eyes!', 'Show me!')" /></div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div style="display: none;">Was she blonde?
</div></div></div>moved to Canada and now competes for Canada as a bobsledder yet no one labels him a traitor or a sell-out. Lennox Lewis was born in England and his mother is Jamaican. He competed for Canada and no one criticized him for doing so. The Jamaican community embraced him and he has now retired to happily to Jamaica. Donovon Bailey is building a home in Jamaica.
No one dissed Jimmy Cliff or even Bob Marley when they living abroad. Shabba Ranks received a heros welcome when he returned to Jamaica after an extended absence.
When it comes to female celebrities and athletes, it's a different matter. Merlene Ottey received a TON of criticism for competing for Slovenia. The latest casualty is Sanya Richard-Ross. I had never heard of Sanya until the day she won the 400 metre at the Olympics. Yes, a lot of people were happy for her. There were also a lot of comments on Twitter, Facebook and even Jamaicans.com discussion board shoutbox calling her a traitor and a sell-out. No one was able or willing to produce proof that Sanya had said she wouldn't run for Jamaica because Jamaica had not done anything for her, yet the name calling continued.
Jamaican-born Debbie Dunn who also competes for the Jamaica in international track and field events spoke of this phenomenon in a recent interview for the Gleaner.
As we say in Jamaica, "Carry go bring come is a very dangerous thing!". It can jeopardize the safety and livelihoods of individuals and destroy years of hard work. If you are going to bash a well known personality, make sure you can back it up with independent, verifiable proof.
Yet the nasty comments continue.<span style="font-weight: bold"> It's interesting that some of the people criticizing her also live in the US or Canada and have dual citizenship. They are earning their living "a foreign yet criticize any female athletes or celebrities that make the same choice. </span>
Let's not fall into the crabs in the barrel syndrome. Surviving as Jamaicans and Black people is hard enough. We should be encouraging and supporting one another instead of pulling one another down. Let's be happy for Sanya Richard-Ross in her time of success. Big up Sanya Richard-Ross and all the other Jamaicans who continue to support Jamaica both at home and abroad. As Jamaicans, we are resilient and we all do what we have to survive. Let’s cut each other some slack.
Lot's more here on Jamaicans.com homepage:
happy independence day 
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