…violence
One of the positives of the “cell phone” age is the capturing and posting on the Internet of random events that might’ve otherwise passed under our radars. Saw that one with the teacher and parents kick-boxing? Haven’t the videos of the knifing of one schoolgirl by another, using a “Rambo” knife, shaken you to your core?? If it didn’t, you need to check your psychopathic score!! Empathy sure ain’t your strong point!!
Another set of videos – seemingly unrelated to the above – were the ones on citizens chasing PPP campaigners out of their streets. What struck your Eyewitness were two features: the intensity of the anger displayed by the generally lumpen-looking elements and the number of children running along gleefully hurling epithets and generally imitating their seniors. And that’s the point, ain’t it?
In the past, we might’ve read in books about children inculcating their behaviour from the adults around them. But today, it’s there in living colour on our cell phones!! In every case of the now daily reports of men hacking their wives/girlfriends to death and then committing suicide, there are kids who would’ve witnessed the violence preceding – and including – the final blow. And we teach our kids that violence is the way to “solve” their problems.
In the political realm, didn’t the bandits holed up in Buxton, Agricola and elsewhere use kids as their lookouts? Did anybody ever wonder why those villages have now become synonymous with violence and crime?? Does anyone remember that Jan Carew (who?) came from Agricola or that Buxton produced more scholars than you could throw a stick at? Who cares?!
Point is, we need to start somewhere to address the challenge of our most violent society: if we’re not killing and hacking away at each other, we’re killing ourselves with abandon. Topping the world and all that!! Your Eyewitness believes that we can do no better than insisting that our political leaders – who set behavioural patterns in so many ways – declare in this election period that they’re committed to using the strategy of non-violence to settle whatever political differences they may have. During or after the campaign.
And look at the fortuitous heritage of non-violence they’re presented with!! The technique was pioneered in the political realm by Gandhi in India and by Martin Luther King in the USA. Both these men loom large in the collective psyches of the two major groups in Guyana – Indian and African Guyanese.
Your Eyewitness suggests that rather than blowing more hot air about “power sharing”, why don’t some of our big ones draft a “non-violence accord” and have everyone sign onto it??
After all, isn’t power sharing just a way station to peace?
…Pompeo and the US
We just learnt that PM Holness of Jamaica said that all any Caricom leader had to do to attend the conclave with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was to “signal” they wanted in!! Imagine that!!So what’s all this sturm and drang by Mottley and Rowley about the US “dividing” Caricom?? But your Eyewitness is more concerned why Granger didn’t so “signal” the US??
We know he was in Cuba cosying up with Raul Castro – but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he was a captive audience, because of his medical check-up there. But he could’ve sent Carl Greenidge, couldn’t he?? So, what’s his point? He’s against the US lobbying their choice for OAS Gen Secretary?? So why not tell Pompeo to his face?
Wasn’t he implicitly doing this in any case when he committed to spending US$1 million to have Guyana chair “G77 and China”, whose pastime is cussing out Uncle Sam?? After Jamaica passed!!
Like his hero Burnham, will next host the Non-Aligned Movement?
…he means business
Hope the GAWU bosses are looking as to how Lincoln Lewis is dealing with his membership’s tussle with RUSAL. They’ve blocked the Berbice River, preventing any bauxite from being shipped out.
He didn’t just write letters to the press!!
