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What will be our legacy?
Barbara Gloudon
Friday, October 12, 2007
THIS IS National Heritage Week - in case you didn't know. Chances are, you don't. Let's put it down to the torrential rains which have swamped us over recent days. It could also be because we have been affected with a flood of another kind, a definitely evil variety.
Who among us is not sickened by the upsurge of violence of a most heinous strain - slaughtering even the innocents? All of us have been diminished by the taking of the life of a beautiful girl-child, only four months old, still in the arms of her mother, who also became a victim of the murderous rage of young men, rampaging like unreasoning wild beasts.
Everyone of us has been diminished by this incident.
Persons who have been confident that we had entered a new day, that old habits of the past were behind us, that we were entering into a new Jerusalem, have been stunned.
They are not alone. One and all, our image has been brought low again. This is how we're being defined -ourselves and especially our family away from home, whose patience is wearing thin. We're all tired of being shamed. Some are convinced already that we're done for.
This cannot be the heritage which we're supposed to be celebrating this week. Our forebears certainly never fought for this. What will be our legacy? The role of killers was not what our National Heroes wanted for the young men of our tribe. Everybody has a pet theory of how we came here, why we're here and when we will eventually go over the precipice, if we cannot find a way out. Not surprisingly, the past days have been marked by a kind of despondency and despair. Once again, we're searching for the ultimate solution.
THE RESIGNATION of both heads of the security forces the Jamaica Defence Force - and the Jamaica Constabulary - could well be seen as an outcome of the situation. On paper, both gentlemen - Hardley Lewin, chief of staff and Lucius Thomas, commissioner, have been at pains to assure us that they're happy to head off to quieter pastures, away from the heat of battle. Indeed...who wouldn't want some respite from the excessive challenges of the job?
Whatever the gentlemanly statements may say, I believe that before the departure of Lewin and Thomas, big changes were already being planned. I wouldn't imagine, though, that it will include the minister of national security. Persons have been saying that they're not impressed with his handling of the recent events. However, calls for his resignation are a waste of time. The Government could hardly be expected to ditch one of its own so early in the day.
More interesting (for me) is the kite-flying being indulged in by certain interest groups who are proposing the replacement of the Jamaica Constabulary Force with a Jamaica Police Service (another JPS). This police group, it is said, would be better trained, better paid, better equipped.
Talk-show talk? Let's see. What is for sure is that changes are ahead. As to kite-flying, what do you make of the speculation that Director of Elections Danville Walker has been 'approached' for the post of Commish? That would be big news fe true. Persons are also intrigued by the word that advertising for the commissioner's post will be done abroad as well as locally.
NO ONE WOULD DENY that something has to be done and urgently, but what is that something? An indicator of the desperation on the public's part is the attention given to the recommendation made (not for the first time), to conscript young men into military training.
The prevailing theory is that a good dose of discipline would soon straighten the rascals out. Whether it will be as simple as that remains to be seen. One thing for sure, we won't have much of a heritage to celebrate in the future, if we cannot bring sanity to the present.
While we're at it, what about the Cobbla-type of youth camps which, in another age, helped young men to find a footing and prepared them for a useful life? Admittedly that it might be too late for some of our youths already set in their bad ways, but it should not be ruled out as part of a total strategy. Not everyone responds to boot camp.
FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY: It would be sad indeed, though, if we were to be remembered as a people whose only contribution was violence. We're better, much better than that. There's evidence to prove it. How can we convince ourselves of this? How can we live up to the examples of our ancestors? That may yet be the biggest heritage challenge of all.
TALKING HERITAGE -- A reminder of the path we trod has come in the person of the Archbishop of York and Primate of England the Rt Revd JOHN SENTAMU who has been visiting as guest of the Anglican Church. He has come as part of the Church's observance of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - or the trade in enslaved Africans, as some sources prefer to say.
The slavery chapter of our heritage still makes some of our goodly citizens uncomfortable, however. It is not unusual to hear the remark "Why are you still going there? Slavery is long past." The time has, but the dark shadows linger. In some ways we need to be more concerned than ever.
John Sentamu, first black man (born in Uganda), to occupy the historic and prestigious See of York, second only to Canterbury in English Church hierarchy, is not afraid to answer the questions. He is not reticent either about delivering the apology offered by the Church of England to all descendants of the untold millions, stolen from Africa, sold into bondage to die cruel deaths.
He is honest enough to include in the apology the misguided effort of those of his African ancestors who were collaborators in the trade of their own flesh and blood. Not everyone will agree with Sentamu on the matter of reparation. He does not see money as the way of restitution. He admits to having difficulty with how much would be enough to atone for the suffering of untold millions. If we compensate for those who lived, what of the dead? he asks. In his view, the real bill will be settled when we work to see that slavery, the most heinous act of inhumanity in the world's history, never happens again.
We're called too, he says, to reparation by service to the descendants of Africa everywhere - feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, eliminate the diseases, cease the violence, end the wars, stop the exploitation and return the human dignity which the ancestors were denied. (You ready for that?)
I DON'T THINK SO - With all respect, I have some difficulty with this quote from one of my younger colleagues. "Six brave men and one woman fought to make our island what it is today. What better way to celebrate their legacy than to don a swimsuit and start drinking...? These are, after all, the very liberties our forefathers wanted us to have..." Am I missing something here?
gloudonb@yahoo.com
Barbara Gloudon
Friday, October 12, 2007
THIS IS National Heritage Week - in case you didn't know. Chances are, you don't. Let's put it down to the torrential rains which have swamped us over recent days. It could also be because we have been affected with a flood of another kind, a definitely evil variety.
Who among us is not sickened by the upsurge of violence of a most heinous strain - slaughtering even the innocents? All of us have been diminished by the taking of the life of a beautiful girl-child, only four months old, still in the arms of her mother, who also became a victim of the murderous rage of young men, rampaging like unreasoning wild beasts.
Everyone of us has been diminished by this incident.
Persons who have been confident that we had entered a new day, that old habits of the past were behind us, that we were entering into a new Jerusalem, have been stunned.
They are not alone. One and all, our image has been brought low again. This is how we're being defined -ourselves and especially our family away from home, whose patience is wearing thin. We're all tired of being shamed. Some are convinced already that we're done for.
This cannot be the heritage which we're supposed to be celebrating this week. Our forebears certainly never fought for this. What will be our legacy? The role of killers was not what our National Heroes wanted for the young men of our tribe. Everybody has a pet theory of how we came here, why we're here and when we will eventually go over the precipice, if we cannot find a way out. Not surprisingly, the past days have been marked by a kind of despondency and despair. Once again, we're searching for the ultimate solution.
THE RESIGNATION of both heads of the security forces the Jamaica Defence Force - and the Jamaica Constabulary - could well be seen as an outcome of the situation. On paper, both gentlemen - Hardley Lewin, chief of staff and Lucius Thomas, commissioner, have been at pains to assure us that they're happy to head off to quieter pastures, away from the heat of battle. Indeed...who wouldn't want some respite from the excessive challenges of the job?
Whatever the gentlemanly statements may say, I believe that before the departure of Lewin and Thomas, big changes were already being planned. I wouldn't imagine, though, that it will include the minister of national security. Persons have been saying that they're not impressed with his handling of the recent events. However, calls for his resignation are a waste of time. The Government could hardly be expected to ditch one of its own so early in the day.
More interesting (for me) is the kite-flying being indulged in by certain interest groups who are proposing the replacement of the Jamaica Constabulary Force with a Jamaica Police Service (another JPS). This police group, it is said, would be better trained, better paid, better equipped.
Talk-show talk? Let's see. What is for sure is that changes are ahead. As to kite-flying, what do you make of the speculation that Director of Elections Danville Walker has been 'approached' for the post of Commish? That would be big news fe true. Persons are also intrigued by the word that advertising for the commissioner's post will be done abroad as well as locally.
NO ONE WOULD DENY that something has to be done and urgently, but what is that something? An indicator of the desperation on the public's part is the attention given to the recommendation made (not for the first time), to conscript young men into military training.
The prevailing theory is that a good dose of discipline would soon straighten the rascals out. Whether it will be as simple as that remains to be seen. One thing for sure, we won't have much of a heritage to celebrate in the future, if we cannot bring sanity to the present.
While we're at it, what about the Cobbla-type of youth camps which, in another age, helped young men to find a footing and prepared them for a useful life? Admittedly that it might be too late for some of our youths already set in their bad ways, but it should not be ruled out as part of a total strategy. Not everyone responds to boot camp.
FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY: It would be sad indeed, though, if we were to be remembered as a people whose only contribution was violence. We're better, much better than that. There's evidence to prove it. How can we convince ourselves of this? How can we live up to the examples of our ancestors? That may yet be the biggest heritage challenge of all.
TALKING HERITAGE -- A reminder of the path we trod has come in the person of the Archbishop of York and Primate of England the Rt Revd JOHN SENTAMU who has been visiting as guest of the Anglican Church. He has come as part of the Church's observance of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - or the trade in enslaved Africans, as some sources prefer to say.
The slavery chapter of our heritage still makes some of our goodly citizens uncomfortable, however. It is not unusual to hear the remark "Why are you still going there? Slavery is long past." The time has, but the dark shadows linger. In some ways we need to be more concerned than ever.
John Sentamu, first black man (born in Uganda), to occupy the historic and prestigious See of York, second only to Canterbury in English Church hierarchy, is not afraid to answer the questions. He is not reticent either about delivering the apology offered by the Church of England to all descendants of the untold millions, stolen from Africa, sold into bondage to die cruel deaths.
He is honest enough to include in the apology the misguided effort of those of his African ancestors who were collaborators in the trade of their own flesh and blood. Not everyone will agree with Sentamu on the matter of reparation. He does not see money as the way of restitution. He admits to having difficulty with how much would be enough to atone for the suffering of untold millions. If we compensate for those who lived, what of the dead? he asks. In his view, the real bill will be settled when we work to see that slavery, the most heinous act of inhumanity in the world's history, never happens again.
We're called too, he says, to reparation by service to the descendants of Africa everywhere - feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, eliminate the diseases, cease the violence, end the wars, stop the exploitation and return the human dignity which the ancestors were denied. (You ready for that?)
I DON'T THINK SO - With all respect, I have some difficulty with this quote from one of my younger colleagues. "Six brave men and one woman fought to make our island what it is today. What better way to celebrate their legacy than to don a swimsuit and start drinking...? These are, after all, the very liberties our forefathers wanted us to have..." Am I missing something here?
gloudonb@yahoo.com
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