The blanket coverage, being telecast by US cable networks since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8, creates the impression the monarch is being widely mourned in passionate grief.
But, in discussing the queen’s death with several members of South Florida’s Caribbean American community, it was surprising to discover the reaction was mixed. Some people blamed her for taking only “casual, off-hand interest” in Caribbean affairs, while others expressed genuine sadness of the passing of the British monarch of over 70 years.
In the North Miami household of Antiguan and Barbudan Lynford and Marcia Burnett, there were two passionate opposing views on the Queens passing. Lynford, an ex-soldier trained in England in the 1970s, sees the queen and the royal monarchy as a “very important aspect of world history.” He believes the Queen “represents rare non divisive leadership. She remained neutral to all the various issues involving members of the Commonwealth, including the Caribbean. She reined with class, grace, and charm, and for this I mourn her passing and will surely miss her.”
On the other hand, his wife Marcia, like several other Caribbean Americans, see the queen and British monarchy as irrelevant. “The queen has been irrelevant for years. I cannot recall when she was ever relevant to Caribbean people. Visiting the region occasionally and making pretty speeches didn’t make her relevant. Honestly. I can never understand why she is still the technical head of state of so many Caribbean countries.”
Other Caribbean Americans, like Jamaican Sydney Roberts, president of the local cultural organization Jamaica Awareness has no sympathy to the queen’s passing. Roberts said, “Boss, I have no feeling with the queen’s death. Under no condition or circumstance, from I was a boy, do I respect the queen, what she stands for, and the monarchy. It has been worse as I grew older. I could not understand how this woman sitting in England had such a strong say in my life, and how we live as Jamaicans. I never understood how we as Black people labored and slaved, but the queen and her family took all the riches.”
Others are particularly peeved the queen never apologized to the Caribbean for the period of slavery, and other atrocities occurring in other areas of the British Commonwealth, during her reign.
Ras Bobby of Lauderhill said. “Truth, I sorry the little old lady died. But every time I think of queen and king in England Bob Marley voice sing in mi head, ‘Old prophets came to rob I,’ yeah man.”
Queen Elizabeth, a tradition of British monarchs since the 16th century, was also head of the Church of England, the Anglican church, referred to as the Episcopalian Church in America.
Rector of the Holy Family Episcopal Church, Rev. Horace Ward, said, “I join with others expressing condolences to the British Royal family on the death of their beloved Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen was not only Queen of The United Kingdom and British Commonwealth. She was also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a faithful Christian who from numerous personal accounts, lived out her faith daily throughout her lengthy public service.
She found great joy and fulfilment in the service of her people and her God “whose service is perfect freedom,” according to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
For giving her whole life to us and allowing her life of service to be an instrument of God’s peace among us, we owe Her late Majesty a debt of gratitude.
Please join me in prayers for the Royal Family, and especially for the new monarch, King Charles III, the new Supreme Governor of the Anglican Church.
But Barbadian Jaxon Harrison. 27, a resident of West Kendall, and an Episcopalian, said he was not aware the Queen was the lead of the church. “I always believed the head of the Anglican church was the Archbishop of Canterbury in England.”
Harrison, although he liked the queen for her “charming personality” said, “I can’t understand why the American media is so immersed in the events following the Queen’s death. She wasn’t the Queen of America. America is not a member of the British Commonwealth. I just can’t relate to this, and no, I don’t feel it within me to mourn her death.”
One common thread found is that more Caribbean American seniors are saddened over the queen’s death, while the younger generation are less so inclined.
Christiana McKay, 84, of Miramar said, “The Queen death make me very sad. She has been in my life from I was a girl In Jamaica. She is like a sister. I loved her and I will miss her. I hope she rest in peace.”
