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Fighting back
published: Friday | January 12, 2007 <DIV class=KonaBody Ar6jv="true">
Heather Robinson
One of Jamaica's best known poems was written in 1919 by Claude McKay, an ex-policeman, and is titled 'If we must die'. I was taught this poem along with several other students at the Little London Primary School by my late father, R.S. Robinson, sometime between 1963 and 1965. I understood the words then, and I understand them better today. It relates the story of a people who must fight for our very survival, and encourages us never to give up. It concludes with the sentence: 'Like men, we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!'
Our new year has started with a host of murders that has the entire country talking. Those who are talking include those who are against criminal activity, those who do not really care because it does not affect them, and finally, those who are the murderers.
In the first group we have members of the Government and Opposition, the Church, the media, civic and professional groups and the ordinary Jamaican. All of us have been touched in some way by a murder that took place last year, ten years ago, last week or even today. It could have been a family member, colleague, neighbour, friend or total stranger. The reasons for these murders are not always known, and some are listed as being robbery, gang feuds, turf wars, drug-related, domestic, reprisals and other criminal acts.
Women and children are not excluded from the murderer's guns. They kill us with impunity and believe that even the blind can become a potential witness. Some are not satisfied with inflicting a single fatal bullet wound, but believe multiple gunshots and burnt remains prove how bestial one can be; and they get great satisfaction in becoming serial murderers.
These monsters are, for the most part, living freely, as they have not been arrested or charged or received even one bullet in a shooting with the police. They are buttressed and strengthened by the silence of the witnesses, who live in fear wondering if they are going to be the gunman's next victim. But there are some who have refused to be silenced or be murdered.
I commend you
If you are a Jamaican who has successfully fought back, I commend you. If you are a licensed firearm holder who has managed to outsmart, outshoot and out-manoeuvre your attackers, accept my heartfelt appreciation and congratulations. If you are currently the witness in a murder trial who has gone to court or have told the police what you saw and know, Jamaica must thank you. If you are someone who now has the confidence to dial 311, 811 or 119, thanks for beginning the fight-back process.
On this second Friday of the year, let us end the silence. Let us tell the commissioner what we know. Let us resolve to begin the process of fighting back, because in the words of the poet and ex-police officer, Claude McKay: 'If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed in vain'. This is the time to begin fighting back in honour of all those who have been murdered.
Placing the blame for our murders at the feet of the minister of national security, the commissioner or the opposition spokesman on national security is not the way to go. Those who must accept responsibility are those who know and do nothing; those who saw and are now blind; those who heard and are now deaf, and those who felt pain and are now numb and dumb.
"Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!" Let us begin today the process of fighting back NOW. </DIV>
published: Friday | January 12, 2007 <DIV class=KonaBody Ar6jv="true">
Heather Robinson
One of Jamaica's best known poems was written in 1919 by Claude McKay, an ex-policeman, and is titled 'If we must die'. I was taught this poem along with several other students at the Little London Primary School by my late father, R.S. Robinson, sometime between 1963 and 1965. I understood the words then, and I understand them better today. It relates the story of a people who must fight for our very survival, and encourages us never to give up. It concludes with the sentence: 'Like men, we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!'
Our new year has started with a host of murders that has the entire country talking. Those who are talking include those who are against criminal activity, those who do not really care because it does not affect them, and finally, those who are the murderers.
In the first group we have members of the Government and Opposition, the Church, the media, civic and professional groups and the ordinary Jamaican. All of us have been touched in some way by a murder that took place last year, ten years ago, last week or even today. It could have been a family member, colleague, neighbour, friend or total stranger. The reasons for these murders are not always known, and some are listed as being robbery, gang feuds, turf wars, drug-related, domestic, reprisals and other criminal acts.
Women and children are not excluded from the murderer's guns. They kill us with impunity and believe that even the blind can become a potential witness. Some are not satisfied with inflicting a single fatal bullet wound, but believe multiple gunshots and burnt remains prove how bestial one can be; and they get great satisfaction in becoming serial murderers.
These monsters are, for the most part, living freely, as they have not been arrested or charged or received even one bullet in a shooting with the police. They are buttressed and strengthened by the silence of the witnesses, who live in fear wondering if they are going to be the gunman's next victim. But there are some who have refused to be silenced or be murdered.
I commend you
If you are a Jamaican who has successfully fought back, I commend you. If you are a licensed firearm holder who has managed to outsmart, outshoot and out-manoeuvre your attackers, accept my heartfelt appreciation and congratulations. If you are currently the witness in a murder trial who has gone to court or have told the police what you saw and know, Jamaica must thank you. If you are someone who now has the confidence to dial 311, 811 or 119, thanks for beginning the fight-back process.
On this second Friday of the year, let us end the silence. Let us tell the commissioner what we know. Let us resolve to begin the process of fighting back, because in the words of the poet and ex-police officer, Claude McKay: 'If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed in vain'. This is the time to begin fighting back in honour of all those who have been murdered.
Placing the blame for our murders at the feet of the minister of national security, the commissioner or the opposition spokesman on national security is not the way to go. Those who must accept responsibility are those who know and do nothing; those who saw and are now blind; those who heard and are now deaf, and those who felt pain and are now numb and dumb.
"Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!" Let us begin today the process of fighting back NOW. </DIV>