RASTA NUH GANGSTA

They say first impression matters alot, but should that be the sole basis of judgement of one's character? Sadly, here in Kenya.... a dreaded person, especially the youte is seen as a rogue guy and probably a member of a sect known as Mungiki.

Why? Why should this be like so?.

There are a couple of reasons why I think people fear men with locks.

One is that it realy stands out from the crowd.One doesn't seem to 'blend in' with the rest of the masses who keep their hair short.And people have a strange fear of what is not considered 'normal'. Why is he different? Why can't he be dressed like everybody else?

Secondly, kenyans are really not emotionaly healed by what the sect did and somehow seeing a dreaded guy is a reminder of the sect.People should really get over it and shun away from judging someones character on the basis of his dreadlocked hair.

Should the sins of a group who dressed a certain way be linked eternally

to people who dress like so? There are tons of bald headed men who have done heinous acts, do we associate all bald headed men with the same?

What I mean to say is people are more than the outer garment they wear.Before judging someone based on his/her looks get to know them. Get to know their inner being and youll be quite surprised how far off your judgement was with the first impression.

Strangely enough, not all dreaded guys are subjected to this baseless judgement.The group of people that is mostly judged is the youth who are growing up in this sick system.

I say this having gone through this kind of tratment from various members of the society. From the police, to the church going people even with my own family who know me from birth.Even more strange enough is that not all youth are given this treatment...but the youtes in the ghetto.The youth in the streets who have a low level of income.

Never will a 'well-off' man be given such a judgement.Instead he is treated with honour.

This goes to show you how ill the society has become, if judgement of character can be based on the amount of wealth one has.People who have this mentality assume that the low life guy with dreads is probably a thief and a criminal. Which is totally wrong, for we all know many criminals with well cut hair.

I think it's high time we as kenyans did some introspection and move over this type of baseless judgement on looks, especially the older folks.Most of the youths of today put on locks as their way of life.As an expression of themselves and their uniquness. We are not a part of a sect.And if you think dressing one's hair in locks makes him/her a member of a sect then you realy have a lot of inner mental work to do.

Yours Truly,

Nare Truly.