I have a Jamaican friend, BW, who has a theory about Jamaica--land that we love, place of our birth. Put simply, he believes that the people in this beautiful country are just lawless. And that lawlessness is a vein of life that means it is really hard to get any kind of lasting progress.I asked him to write an opinion of the latest instance of such lawlessness-- (see Gleaner report). Jamaica's ruling party, the Jamaica Labour Party was holding its annual conference, at the National Stadium. The PM gave his speech. Violence was triggered by an altercation between men. The police tried to intervene, but a gun was drawn. Shots were fired that resulted in a policeman shooting one man dead inside the arena. Two others were rushed to hospital after they were also shot.
A stampede ensued. For the moment, most people have no idea what started the incidents. The picture shows some JLP supporters trying to block a police car, that they believe contained one of the policemen involved in the shooting.
My friend declined to write. His answer was "I can't, I really can't. I am sorry, but I am so ... "disgusted" is not the word but I can't think of it. Dejected, maybe; but that's not it either. I'm not ready to write about it. Sorry again, but thanks for asking." That's all he wrote.
When someone who is usually always ready with words or able to offer an opinion, even just to be contrary, cannot find words to express his feelings, you know you have hit a real bad place.
2 comments:
Bwoy, mi tired a dis nonsense and foolishness, but mi nuh see it a dun any time soon.Trust mi,mi caan empathize wid yuh friend.ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID
Jamaica was not always this violent. Violence is learned. Violence can be un-learned
BUT Jamaicans too like to uphold wrong doers. Every Jamaican is afraid to tell every Jamaican, plain and simple “YOU ARE WRONG”
and too many Jamaicans of all classes and parties use marijuana. Marijuana makes too many people too edgy and too ready to respond to insults real and imagined in the most violent way.
Too many Jamaicans of all classes and parties derive benefits from the marijuana trade.
Jamaica is also too religious. Too many Jamaicans believe Old Testament nonsense about vengence. Jamaicans need to throw away some of their Old Testament based “Christianity”
Jamaicans of all parties, and classes and races and religions need to learn to “TAKE IT LIGHT”
But there is not a hope in hell that a Jamaican will listen to this small islander Bajan.
Their loss.
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