Back in the days of the Great Depression of the 1930s – which began in the US when its economy crashed and millions were thrown on the breadlines, grubbing for survival – future Nobel prize-winning author John Steinbeck wrote his classic, “Of Mice and Men”. As summarized in one blurb, it “is a story about the nature of poverty, the death of the American Dream, and the lack of control that individuals have over their own lives.” Steinbeck chose the title “Of Mice and Men” after reading that Robert Burns’ poem from which we get the famous line, “The best laid plans of mice and men/Gang aft agley”, i.e. often go wrong. The poem resonates with several central themes of the classic work “Of Mice and Men”: the vicissitudes facing life’s most vulnerable.
Now, in case you’re wondering why your usually carefree Eyewitness is getting so “heavy”, let him confess it’s brought on by the drowning of young Adrianna – who didn’t even get to become a teenager – and the series of unfortunate events that followed that defining one!! From what we saw from the videos that swamped cyberspace, Adrianna’s mom is clearly a person who’s determined to make it out of the depressed state in which she found herself as a poor person in rural Guyana.
She holds down a job at that fast food chicken outlet “Popeyes”, which takes her out of the home, but she has accepted the challenge, and comes over as very stable and solid. Like a mouse, she symbolizes the ability to pay attention to small details and navigate challenging situations with skill and agility. Her husband, on the other hand – evidently a bus conductor – seems to be quite mercurial. While his wife went to observe the autopsy of her beloved daughter, he pleaded himself incapable of doing so; even though he then proceeded to participate volubly over various social media platforms. As a bus conductor, he must’ve interacted intensely with those youths now dubbed “Scrapes”, and while he recanted later (upon advice?), he appeared quite sympathetic to their outbursts of violence against the police and other figures of authority.
The question, then, is whether the husband represents – or is in transition to becoming – that new species of men: the Scrapes; who nihilistically erupt into anger and violence at others around them. But unlike the character Lennie in the classic “Of Mice and Men”, who unintentionally became violent because of his low intelligence and brute strength, the Scrapes’ violence is INTENTIONAL. And, in fact, one Opposition leader has encouraged this – while others “understand” it – and has condemned the Government for dealing with the “Scrapes” condignly according to the law of the land!!
This is a dangerous development in our country.
…and bullies
The ICJ is the judicial arm of the United Nations. So, you’d think that Venezuela – a country that leads the sixteen nations in the “Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter” – would adhere to its decisions. But as it’s done with every decision issued by that institution since we lodged the border controversy there, as per the Geneva Agreement, which they signed and insist they’re guided by, Venezuela’s Delcy Rodrigues – on behalf of Mad Maduro – has just rejected the ICJ’s order to quit their outlandish planned election for a Governor of Esequiba on May 25!!
But this isn’t surprising, is it?? Mad Maduro’s demonstrated amazing fidelity to the annexation of our Essequibo; and while we must pursue our present search for justice in multilateral institutions, it ultimately comes down to us being willing to do what it takes to defend our land!!
As such, your Eyewitness is quite chuffed to know that our GDF has just received a shipment of “specialized” weaponry and equipment to buttress its fighting capabilities!! Go GDF!!
…and power
Your Eyewitness is trying to get a handle on how low some power-seekers would sink in their single-minded pursuit of power. That motley Opposition crew of has-been, wannabee, and never-to-be politicians holding a press conference at Adrianna’s death-site has set a new low!!
