Good Manicou Vs. Bad Manicou
Sometimes with news stories like these I am torn between saying the right thing and reverting to my old Trini mentality. I honestly to try to think 1st world, but 3rd world thinking is so familiar and comfortable. Below is proof of the dichotomy.
| Story Fact | Good Manicou | Bad Manicou | |
| A TRINIDADIAN-born United States citizen awoke yesterday to discover his US flag… | Before I go any further. Man, the things that go on in this country. You have to put everything on lock down at night to prevent vandals from getting to it. | But why de jail this man leaving the people and dem flag flying overnight? I wonder if it had a spotlight on it? We have laws here to protect our flag from people doing foolishness like flying it at night. He look for dat. | |
| The flag was maliciously burnt | That is a disgusting act. People should have respect for other people’s flags and their point of views. I do not support flag burning at all. | Oh gaaaaaash, they bun the man flag? *Gib* *Gib*. Well that is real jones. | |
| He said he is a proud American and is elated at his decision to move to the US | You know everyone has the right to chose their country of residence. Things here in Trinidad are so bad I won’t blame anyone for wanting to leave and adopt a new country. | So what de jail you doing back here in this country you were so elated to leave? Proud American my foot. You is still a Trini. No one will ever recognize you as an American. So res’ down de pigskin and shut down the John Deer. Where de jail these people does come out from? Oh you is a proud American. Well good fine, lef we here to wallow in we own faeces. | |
| Harold Jacob said he planted the American flag on Wednesday in celebration of America’s Independence Day. | That’s great! People all over the world chose their on nationalities. If an American moved in next to me and proudly displayed a Trini flag on our Independence Day, I think the act will make me a little misty-eyed. | But where de jail this man think he livin’? This looking like Brooklyn to he? How many Trini flags he fly before leffin’ we? | |
| He returned to Trinidad for medical treatment three months ago and is expected to return to the US shortly. | This man probably worked hard for many years paying taxes that went into roads and hospitals so now he is quite rightly returning for what is his. | Oooooh, and the truth shall set you free. Yuh is proud to be an American just till yuh see the estimate for the surgery. When yuh see the dollars Uncle Sam was callin’ for, yuh say nah boy, I eh taking DAT pressha and yuh fly down here busy busy and park up yuhself in POS General for WE to foot the bill. Nice, ah like dat. Nice to know when yuh needed. | |
| Jacob said he telephoned the Cunupia police to lodge a report but no officer showed up to investigate. | Blasted police again. How it is in this day and age police does get to pick and choose what calls they will respond to. It aggravates me to no end to read stories like this where police never show up or show up late. | But wait nah, not only did yuh flag get bun, the police didn’t show up either? *plays theme song to “Welcome Back Kotter*. Welcome back Palo. While you was drinking Bud Lights with your buddies and musing over your 401k, that is the kinda salt we was sucking all the time. Allyuh so does get chain up when allyuh come back here and think that 999 go sen’ allyuh 2/3 appliance and 3/4 police car. So who cares if people bun yuh flag and the police didn’t send CID to investigate? Wear a cup man, this is Trinidad. If that is all that happen to you by the time you leave consider yourself lucky. | |
| He then telephoned the US Embassy and asked for protection for himself | I have nothing good too say about this… | Oh lasssss, this keep getting better and better. Yuh call Uncle Sam for the flag burners? Breds, dem eh taking you on, boss. You really call and ask for protection jed? What protection you feel them going and sen’ you? Breds wake up from your American Dream. | |
| He asked for protection for himself because he felt the act was carried out by someone who could have links with terrorists. | …or this for that matter. But it’s not for lack of effort. | Breds, the Fox News Channel, it not good. Lef it ‘lone. What terrorism? One jokey flag in a field get singe and you want them to send Ethan Hunt? Whups! Listen to me. Ethan Hunt has bigger fish to fry. | |
| He said that the person who burnt his flag disrespected his country, the US. | I hope the bastards are caught. This is foolishness. | I want to buy them each a drink. | |
18 Responses to “Good Manicou Vs. Bad Manicou”
By brunsli on Jul 10, 2007 | Reply
Too funny!
By Jill on Jul 10, 2007 | Reply
good article, i love how you posted the good and bad mani views. i just cracked up when i read he asked for protection for himself, and your response was none at all.
flag burning is disrespectful i think, and i can see why this guy would want to leave trini.. but it seems he has forgotten he is trini already
By Chennette on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
oh boy - nice schizo-commentary Mani
Always entertaining.
I don’t like what happened to his flag, but I don’t think my first reaction would be terrorists. He check the neighbourhood limers or pipers?
By Afrobella on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
I needed a good cackle today. Mani boy, you too kicksy.
By Yan on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
Love it and understand every position that you have taken…
By Crankyputz on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
Oh this is a classic..
I am rolling around in laughter…
Im surprised this hasn’t been on CNN yet…..hehe, can you imagine the interviews???
By D Trini in Me on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
LMAO. I prefer the bad Mani in this story.
LOL!
Mani doh more stories like this. LOL!
By Trini Down Under on Jul 11, 2007 | Reply
Does he fly ah Trini flag on we independence day? Very funny post, great layout.
By ttfootball on Jul 14, 2007 | Reply
LOL LOL LOL
Mani this was a real good one!
I sorry eh but while it shouldnta happen I have to side with the Bad Manicou hehehe
By 'rah on Jul 15, 2007 | Reply
LMAO.
He was probably sporting a blue pants and a red jersey with white stars on it too. The neighbours say, “Look at this clong. We go do fuh he freshwater tail!”
By Hottie Hottie on Jul 16, 2007 | Reply
ROFLMAO! Oh GAD OYE! Well yes Mani. Yes, yes. THAT is a sweet post. Oh Lord. Come down Trinidad for treatment. Everybody else does leave Trini and go US, not he. What kinda left to right Trini he is? Anyway, he proud he’s a US citizen. You know how LONG he mustbe was hiding up dey scrubbing pot in the back a restaurant before he get he papers?!
By Hottie Hottie on Jul 16, 2007 | Reply
But Mani, yuh doh like The Mimic Men? Yuh ever read it? Dat is a BOSS book. I reading it now for the sixth time and it STILL feels like the first time. Hmmm… Mani, how come you doh always feel like.. oh, hadda go. Sorry.
By Karabana on Jul 16, 2007 | Reply
I think you’ve got an excellent new feature segment for your blog, the Manichart.
By Mani on Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
Thanks Brunsli!
Jill, I couldn’t lie at all nie, I had nothing good to say.
Thanks Chennette, yeah I really feel is some pipers or someone fooling around.
Thanks Afrobella!
Cranky gyul, I really don’t want to imagine the interview nah gyul, lol.
D Trini, I will try, lol. One vote for Bad Manicou.
Thanks Trini Down Under!
TTfootball, that is 2 votes for Bad Manicou, lol.
LOL ‘rah. Hmmmm, were exactly were you on Friday the 9th between the hours of 9 pm and 7 am??
LOL Hots, scrubbing pots. I have never read Mimi Men gyul….I should add that to my “summer” reading list. How come I doh always feel like what Hottie?
By Kayode on Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
Mani, why did you equate Trini mentality with negativity?
I always wonder this when I see people refer to negative things as “Trini” and respond to any negative occurrence with “Well is Trinidad!”
Is the “Trini” mentality one homogeneous thing that is exclusively bad?
Is there no prevailing mentality in this society that can be seen as positive?
And is first world thinking exclusively (or even primarily) good?
I ask this because of your condemnation of flag-burning, which, in first-world USA, is held up as a prime example of true Freedom of Speech.
I’m a big fan of your blog, so don’t take this the wrong way. I’d just hate to see you falling into the simplistic “Trinidad is Sh*t…End of Story” mentality that seems to be so popular these days.
By Anonymous on Jul 26, 2007 | Reply
only in trinidad…
By Mani on Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
Hey Kayode, my boy. No I won’t take it the wrong way as I understand fully where you’re coming from.
I really don’t believe that Trini mentality is exclusively bad and that first world thinking is exclusively good. I believe that the vast majority of Trinis are right-thinking people, but I would admit sometimes that I do feel overwhelmed with what is bad about Trinidad. At times it seems like I’m constantly being bombarded with all the negative aspects of Trinidad that seem at times to overtake the good and so sometimes
that may come out in my writing.
However, when I refer to “trini mentality” in this post I equate it with negativity solely for the sake of comedy.
Karabana, lol, I like that…Manichart.
By nandi23 on Aug 5, 2007 | Reply
I love bad Manicou!!!!!