Posting here the whole article from Prof. Carolyn Cooper and the  second part of Mr Palmer’s letter to her, that appeared on the national Jamaican newspaper The Jamaica Gleaner.

It features also a rare poem Vybz Kartel wrote from jail, posted at the bottom.

Mr Palmer,
I just can’t take the chance of greeting you in this letter with the usual salutation, ‘dear’. Crazy readers of our correspondence would immediately conclude that you’re my bosom buddy.

Just take a look at what Bawypy spewed out on The Gleaner’s website last week in response to the publication of your letter to me:

“Ms Cooper you are not Kartel’s mother, you seem more to be his woman, ur obviously in love with him and you were wrong to bring him inna the university to chat crap and now you are trying to fool Jamaican people again, stop it! Neither you or Kartel is an intellect.”

Apparently, Bawypy had to be reined in. There’s a note beneath the post: “Edited by a moderator.” This is the very first comment that comes up when you go to last week’s column. There are at least 97 others. Most of them are probably just as sensational. I don’t need to know for sure.

But even readers who are presumably much more sophisticated than Bawypy could be misled by my use of the conventional greeting, ‘dear’. Take, for instance, Mr Damion Mitchell, news editor of The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre. He really ought to know better. In an article published on Monday, March 5, Mr Mitchell rehashes my column and proceeds to make unfounded assumptions.

This is what the news editor wrote: “In a letter to his friend, university professor Carolyn Cooper, Kartel said … .” Now, Mr Palmer, you and I both know that we are not friends in any normal sense of the word. At best, we are acquaintances. And, even so, not to ‘dat’.

The first time we met was last March when you came to speak at the University of the West Indies, Mona. Since then, I’ve not laid eyes on you.

It is true that we’ve emailed and spoken in the course of my academic work as an analyst of Jamaican popular culture. But these interactions cannot reasonably be regarded as signs of friendship.

In fact, I’m sure you will recall that your very first email to me was rather unfriendly. After your appearance at the university, we did have more pleasant exchanges on two matters.

The first was about the business of publishing your lecture, ‘Pretty Like A Coloring Book: My Life and My Art’. You’ll be pleased to hear that it came out last week in the latest issue of Jamaica Journal.

Vybz Kartel’s picture on the cover of the high-quality, undersubscribed journal is likely to attract many new readers. The Institute of Jamaica must be congratulated for understanding the broad appeal of dancehall culture. If the French newspaper, Le Monde, can capitalize on your notoriety, why not Jamaica Journal?

The second issue we discussed was your endowment of the Adidja Palmer Prize to be awarded each year to the student with the best grade in the Reggae Poetry course I teach at UWI.

You readily agreed to fund the prize. Given your present circumstances, the matter has been suspended. The grave charges that have been leveled against you would taint the prize, and so, must be taken into account.

I do not know if you are innocent or guilty. I trust that you will receive a fair trial and the truth will be revealed. If you are guilty, you must suffer the full consequences of your actions. If you are innocent, you will be vindicated. Justice must prevail.

Yours sincerely,

Carolyn Cooper

(P.S. I know that like ‘dear’, the closing salutation, ‘yours sincerely’, may also be misinterpreted by careless readers like Bawypy and Mr Mitchell, The Gleaner’s news editor).

Vybz Kartel wrote back to Ms Cooper, below his letter:

Conclusion of Adidja Palmer’s letter

“Ms Cooper, please publish this letter so that the Jamaican people can see my point of view on this serious matter as my life depends on the outcome of this case.

“In closing I would like to let the people know that I am an innocent man and I have faith in my lawyers and know that I will be acquitted. Thank you.

Sincerely yours

Adidja Palmer.

P.S. I have enclosed a poem i wrote. feel free to publish it as well. Thanks Ms C.”

(A poem) Guilty before trial?

by A. Palmer

The police have found me guilty and i
haven’t gone to trial yet,
but they spread propoganda on T.V. & nternet
Dem a beat it in the people’s mind
that i’m guilty and deserve death,
but the public knows how the police
operate, so mi nah fret.
So many people in court for allegedly
taking 4, 5, 6 pickney life,
So how they don’t discuss that on
‘CVM at sunrise’?
Allegations of extrajudicial killings
by security forces have already been issue,
but i’ve never seen them on t.v. so
much, talking about that, did you?
Me never kill nobody yet
but they say my music breeds crime,
that’s why they’re on my case they
want me imprisoned long time.
I am an artiste so i know things
will make the news,
but don’t crusade this ungodly way to
distort peoples views.
Mi swear my innocence before all
mankind and God,
why would i risk going to jail Leaving
behind 7 children, after mi nuh mad.
I am not the first man
The romans soldiers have sacrificed,
like me, that man was not guilty
That man was Jesus Christ.

[Miss Gaza wrote Ms Cooper, she promptly wrote back. I want to express her my best regards and respect for her work and articles, beside this Kartel thing. Big Ups Prof.Cooper!]

Watch Vybz Kartel’s Lecture At UWI – 2011