So, I have quietly joined the thirty-something generation. Last week, to be exact, I became an official member of the demographic! No, there was no cake, champagne or partying! I was quite content to stay home and rest in bed!
Before I go further, though, let me add that in reality the title of this piece is not altogether accurate, as I am really thirty-something rather than thirty (30), hence the parentheses.
That said, I thought the title catchy enough to elicit readership, which I have not been as dutiful in maintaining as I have not been updating my entries here as much as I could. Last time, I was bogged down in an international dispute (read the last entry!) and blogging elsewhere. The latter I still do.
Now I am preoccupied with being ‘thirty-something’.
I have been thinking: what does one do in one’s thirties? That question comes into my mind with much more frequency, especially as I battle weight gain and a decrease in my appetite for certain things, among them the “push” to want to do everything and go everywhere, all at once. I am much more interested in pacing myself compared to the ‘roaring twenties’, when fast and furious was the name of the game.
Indeed, there were many times when I would party the weekend away without missing a beat and then show up for work on Monday mornings, bright eyed and bushy tailed, or so I thought. Then, I was twenty-something and going on very fast…and baring all the signs that go with that – strong opinions, exhaustion, etc.
I should, of course, confess two things about myself in relation to the above – I do not drink, nor smoke. So, it actually remains to be seen just how much fun one can have when these two things were not part of the social equatuion.
In fact, some friends of mine are now trying to break me into the habit of social drinking. However, I still feel no such desire, except with the occasional “Stones Ginger Wine” which, because of its sweet taste, I have started adding once or twice to my juices and water. At thirty-odd, I feel less and less desire, even! Is that normal? Where did all the passion go? Yikes! I am getting old...!
…On a more sober note, I should let you know that I also became a Christian, recently. That I thought was perhaps the most dramatic change of all. Never would I have guessed that for all of my very vocal criticisms of the Church, specifically what I claimed was its contributions to a single-mindedness against which I was very opposed that I would now be a practicing Roman Catholic. I even sing in a choir there...go figure!
This, however, has been one of the more rewarding experiences I have had. I have developed, inter alia, a keener sense of concern for the welfare of others and have also become more aware of and patient towards criticisms, specifically of self-declared Christians, many of who I have learned are merely human beings doing the best they can.
That does not change that there are things about the Church as an institution which are to be continuously reviewed and assessed some of which I will address in future entries. I accept that the Church has had many shortcomings in terms of how some of its members have contributed to the formation of social issues over time, which has not diminished its overall personal and spiritual value for some people.
Still, I am convinced of one thing – true compassion does not come with a label. Nor is it, necessarily, part of a culture, religion, gender, sexuality or class. It is not so much about who wears which clothes and says what on whichever days.
Rather, love and tolerance are truly about the feelings you have towards yourself and others. This is what matters the most. How you treat with your fellow man, which also includes you!
Becoming thirty(...something) has perhaps been the best teacher for gearing me up for that sort of consciousness, which has lead to a new pace. Is this the rest of my life?
Well, if it is, then let me say categorically – slower does not mean better nor does it mean less. It’s just different.
Thank God for the thirties!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Blogging for the BBC and the Xtra Stress!
Recently, I was invited by the BBC World Service to be one of two weekend editors for the World Have Your Say 'Blank Page', a blog, where people from all over the world are invited to make entries on various topics of interests. Katharina, my co-editor, from the Netherlands and I ratcheted up a record number of entries for that weekend – a grand total of 173, after an acknowledged shaky start. We were both, unavoidably, absent for the opening segment of the blog – work and family commitments. Katharina had gone to dinner with her family, whereas I was late in getting back from work that Friday.
Secondly, Xtra, the gay and lesbian newspaper in Canada invited me to be a source in one of their stories which looked at the planned boycott of Jamaica’s tourism industry by Canadian gay rights groups. Excited at the prospect of speaking to an international audience about elements of my academic research which, in part addresses this issue, I was sorely let down when the story was printed. Despite my original request and repeated efforts to get them to change this part of the story, I was misrepresented as a Jamaican Government Spokesperson on the subject.
I was attributed the dubious distinction of being “a public relations officer with the Jamaican Government”, which though true, had nothing to do with the contents of the interview. They eventually altered it to say “but stresses that he does not speak on behalf on the Jamaican Government…” Still, dissatisfied I forwarded a letter of complaint to the newspaper voicing my concerns. I recieved a response from one of the editors offering to edit my letter, as it had gone over the three hundred word limit.
I later recieved an email from a colleague and friend in which I was quoted in another story by the newspaper. This time, however, I was cast in the especially unflattering role as flippantly denying the reality of homophobic violence in Jamaica. Portions of an interview completed with an editor from the newspaper here in Kingston were used, despite my wishes to contrary. Indeed, I was also misquoted in the story. Again, I sent another letter of complaint as well as explanation of my thoughts on the matter, elements of which are included in this entry below.
Before leaving this subject, I feel it important to make two related points. Firstly, the title of this piece is intended to draw attention to two of the reasons that I have not been able to update my blog in the last month, as well as to emphasise the growing importance of discussions about sexual rights and freedoms as crucial parts of identity politics, currently. Of course, I can jokingly refer to the Xtra issue as "stress", almost by way of making light of the matter.
However, the gravity of representation in the current dispensation is real. In fact, it is downright political! Hence, I am not very keen on seeing this as a simple matter to be laughed away under the meaninglessness of a minor inconvience. Much to the contrary. My interests in the stories/ issue go well beyond the "stressfulness" of the matter to more directly target questions of trust in the context of media representations, especially where people are keen to (mis) judge you even without knowing who you are.
It may well be argued that there is no need for any more knowledge in a context where most Jamaicans seem to rally round certain expressed signifiers of identity, in this instance, the defence of the national identity as heterosexual, male, working class and black, for the most part. Hence, I am making this entry as a way of addressing some of the key issues which impact this (Jamaican) identity as well as how it is percieved, both locally and abroad.
Sexuality in Jamaica is a, largely, political issue given the complex ways in which race, class and gender intersect in its construction. (Homo)sexuality, as a result, is much more than a mere question of who one sleeps with but also an act of political affiliation. Discussions of same which do not adopt a condemnatory attitude towards male homosexuality, especially, runs the risk of being considered pro-homosexual and, by extension, opens one up to victimization. The rampant homophobia expressed in Dancehall popular/ culture, specifically, ensures the active policing of the boundaries of sexual desires, accordingly.
This does not mean there are no homosexuals here. Rather, that Jamaica is represented in our imaginations as a space in which heterosexuality is homogenised national identity. All Jamaicans are the equivalent of Bible thumping, religious zealots with a penchant for bigotry. Our raison d’etre is the persecution of all that is different which is also considered ‘un-Jamaican’.
The Xtra reports to which I refer, partly elide these concerns and seek to construct Jamaicans and 'Jamaican-ness', by extension, as a homophobic monolith. That the reporter, in the original piece, felt no pains in revealing my professional credentials, notwithstanding the fact that I had asked him not to, clearly highlight the contempt with which we are held. You are, in other words, guilty by national designation/ association. Beyond the clear breach of trust in terms of the revelation of other parts of my identity and the subsequent efforts to construct me as flippantly disregarding such ovewhelming hatred, these two incidents point very clearly to the troubling nature of these issues, currently. Any discussion of which, must necessitate common understandings.
I have long felt that a meaningful discussion of sex and sexuality in Jamaica is urgently overdue. Such a discussion cannot countenance the traditionally one-sided diatribes in which poorly disguised bigots articulate their own aversions to other expressions of sexuality, even while claiming the 'need' for tolerance. There can be no tolerance where there is no understanding, empathy and human compassion. Power struggles are not a sufficient substitute for real dialogue on this very important topic. Freedom has to encompass all members of civil society, a point I was especially careful to make to the Xtra editor who interviewed me in Kingston. By which means, one section of the population cannot be considered free and able to move about while others must operate under the cover of darkness, all the time fearful of infringing on the laws of the land.
Conversely, freedom also means respecting the rights of others, notwithstanding that we may sometimes be in disagreement. The ancient colonial laws in Jamaica which thinly veiled the xenophobia of the white colonial elite who drafted them, centuries ago, must be removed from the books as a matter of urgency. In their place, the strengthening of the institutions of civil society must be such that the notion of human rights are expanded beyond a mere question of "freeing unjust criminals" and granting rights to "batty man", et cetera.
The efforts to recapture Victorian manners and custom, through the bastardised versions of 'Britishness' enshrined in parts of the Jamaican constitution must go. We must approach the twenty-first century with readiness and purpose. Political apathy and cultural disaffection cannot be the course of action. It is not 'business-as-usual'. The effects of the colonial legal system, which it may be argued, were more about reconstructing Britain as an imagined space of desire, rather than a real society in which non-Britons (also) lived constructed ‘the natives’ as insignificant beings unworthy of rights and freedoms. These institutions must be abolished. We must come into the twenty first century and join the global struggle for human dignity in the post-slavery, postmodern era. We need to get with the programme!
Secondly, Xtra, the gay and lesbian newspaper in Canada invited me to be a source in one of their stories which looked at the planned boycott of Jamaica’s tourism industry by Canadian gay rights groups. Excited at the prospect of speaking to an international audience about elements of my academic research which, in part addresses this issue, I was sorely let down when the story was printed. Despite my original request and repeated efforts to get them to change this part of the story, I was misrepresented as a Jamaican Government Spokesperson on the subject.
I was attributed the dubious distinction of being “a public relations officer with the Jamaican Government”, which though true, had nothing to do with the contents of the interview. They eventually altered it to say “but stresses that he does not speak on behalf on the Jamaican Government…” Still, dissatisfied I forwarded a letter of complaint to the newspaper voicing my concerns. I recieved a response from one of the editors offering to edit my letter, as it had gone over the three hundred word limit.
I later recieved an email from a colleague and friend in which I was quoted in another story by the newspaper. This time, however, I was cast in the especially unflattering role as flippantly denying the reality of homophobic violence in Jamaica. Portions of an interview completed with an editor from the newspaper here in Kingston were used, despite my wishes to contrary. Indeed, I was also misquoted in the story. Again, I sent another letter of complaint as well as explanation of my thoughts on the matter, elements of which are included in this entry below.
Before leaving this subject, I feel it important to make two related points. Firstly, the title of this piece is intended to draw attention to two of the reasons that I have not been able to update my blog in the last month, as well as to emphasise the growing importance of discussions about sexual rights and freedoms as crucial parts of identity politics, currently. Of course, I can jokingly refer to the Xtra issue as "stress", almost by way of making light of the matter.
However, the gravity of representation in the current dispensation is real. In fact, it is downright political! Hence, I am not very keen on seeing this as a simple matter to be laughed away under the meaninglessness of a minor inconvience. Much to the contrary. My interests in the stories/ issue go well beyond the "stressfulness" of the matter to more directly target questions of trust in the context of media representations, especially where people are keen to (mis) judge you even without knowing who you are.
It may well be argued that there is no need for any more knowledge in a context where most Jamaicans seem to rally round certain expressed signifiers of identity, in this instance, the defence of the national identity as heterosexual, male, working class and black, for the most part. Hence, I am making this entry as a way of addressing some of the key issues which impact this (Jamaican) identity as well as how it is percieved, both locally and abroad.
Sexuality in Jamaica is a, largely, political issue given the complex ways in which race, class and gender intersect in its construction. (Homo)sexuality, as a result, is much more than a mere question of who one sleeps with but also an act of political affiliation. Discussions of same which do not adopt a condemnatory attitude towards male homosexuality, especially, runs the risk of being considered pro-homosexual and, by extension, opens one up to victimization. The rampant homophobia expressed in Dancehall popular/ culture, specifically, ensures the active policing of the boundaries of sexual desires, accordingly.
This does not mean there are no homosexuals here. Rather, that Jamaica is represented in our imaginations as a space in which heterosexuality is homogenised national identity. All Jamaicans are the equivalent of Bible thumping, religious zealots with a penchant for bigotry. Our raison d’etre is the persecution of all that is different which is also considered ‘un-Jamaican’.
The Xtra reports to which I refer, partly elide these concerns and seek to construct Jamaicans and 'Jamaican-ness', by extension, as a homophobic monolith. That the reporter, in the original piece, felt no pains in revealing my professional credentials, notwithstanding the fact that I had asked him not to, clearly highlight the contempt with which we are held. You are, in other words, guilty by national designation/ association. Beyond the clear breach of trust in terms of the revelation of other parts of my identity and the subsequent efforts to construct me as flippantly disregarding such ovewhelming hatred, these two incidents point very clearly to the troubling nature of these issues, currently. Any discussion of which, must necessitate common understandings.
I have long felt that a meaningful discussion of sex and sexuality in Jamaica is urgently overdue. Such a discussion cannot countenance the traditionally one-sided diatribes in which poorly disguised bigots articulate their own aversions to other expressions of sexuality, even while claiming the 'need' for tolerance. There can be no tolerance where there is no understanding, empathy and human compassion. Power struggles are not a sufficient substitute for real dialogue on this very important topic. Freedom has to encompass all members of civil society, a point I was especially careful to make to the Xtra editor who interviewed me in Kingston. By which means, one section of the population cannot be considered free and able to move about while others must operate under the cover of darkness, all the time fearful of infringing on the laws of the land.
Conversely, freedom also means respecting the rights of others, notwithstanding that we may sometimes be in disagreement. The ancient colonial laws in Jamaica which thinly veiled the xenophobia of the white colonial elite who drafted them, centuries ago, must be removed from the books as a matter of urgency. In their place, the strengthening of the institutions of civil society must be such that the notion of human rights are expanded beyond a mere question of "freeing unjust criminals" and granting rights to "batty man", et cetera.
The efforts to recapture Victorian manners and custom, through the bastardised versions of 'Britishness' enshrined in parts of the Jamaican constitution must go. We must approach the twenty-first century with readiness and purpose. Political apathy and cultural disaffection cannot be the course of action. It is not 'business-as-usual'. The effects of the colonial legal system, which it may be argued, were more about reconstructing Britain as an imagined space of desire, rather than a real society in which non-Britons (also) lived constructed ‘the natives’ as insignificant beings unworthy of rights and freedoms. These institutions must be abolished. We must come into the twenty first century and join the global struggle for human dignity in the post-slavery, postmodern era. We need to get with the programme!
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Kevin Brown; the Amnesty Report: Jamaica’s PR Nightmare!
To say that April Fools’ Day (Tuesday, April 1, 2008) gave us more than we had bargained for as a nation would perhaps qualify as a major understatement – perhaps the one of greatest significance so far this year. First, we heard the story of the Amnesty International Report entitled: “Let Them Kill Each Other: Public Security in Jamaica’s Inner-Cities”, in which the human rights group made the damning charge that the Jamaican government has, effectively, left the inner-city, urban poor to fend for themselves regarding the provision of adequate security by the state. Then, there was the even more distressing report that the thirty-two year old Jamaican-born, United States (US) army veteran Kevin Brown started acting strange during check-in for Air Jamaica Flight 80 at the Orlando International Airport (OIA). According to the Orlando Sentinel:
Brown was watched, questioned and detained Tuesday by Transportation Security Administration and Orlando police officers after he was deemed to be acting strange during check-in for Air Jamaica Flight 80.
A luggage search, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday by Orange County sheriff's Detective Kelly Boaz, turned up:
*Two galvanized pipes.
*End caps with holes drilled in them.
*BBs.
*A model-rocket igniter.
*Batteries.
*Lighter fluid.
*A lighter.
*Two vodka bottles with flammable nitromethane.
*Instructions on making explosives (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/orl-airport0308apr03,0,5200541.story)
To say that this is a cause for concern is, of course, stating the obvious. Among others, these two reports together highlight the tragedies of war; in this instance, the war in Iraq and its lasting impact on world politics, currently, as well the far reaching political implications of crime in countries like Jamaica. On average we murder approximately 1500 hundred of our citizens each year in what might be rightfully entitled our undeclared civil war. Of course, what is more distressing about these alarming facts is that it is generally contended that crime statistics are deliberately under reported as a way of not alarming the citizenry any more than needs be…Psych! Too late! The proverbial puss is out the bag and amongst the pigeons, to boot!
Between Brown’s actions and the recent Amnesty International report which identified the Jamaican government as a fairly callous institution in terms of its abandonment of its citizens to the whiles of dons, community leaders and other thugs for hire, make the point only too well. Jamaica is an unsafe place to be, let alone in which to live. If you are not rich and possess the means by which to remove yourself from the violence, death and despair then you are a moving target, it seems, and even then there is no guarantee.
In an effort at damage control, Prime Minister Golding has pleaded with Amnesty International for clemency insofar as explaining the extent to which the Jamaican state has been rendered incapable of undertaking the types of interventions needed to critically address the crime problem here. According to the PM Jamaica’s debt servicing obligations, especially in light of the recent Estimate of Expenditures which were announced as part of the 2008-2009 Budget presentations is a real problem. In the words of PM Golding:
"I urge you to be sympathetic to the real difficulties faced by a Government that must find $723 million each day to service the national debt. You will, I am sure, appreciate the extent to which this constrains our ability to address the urgent need to provide social services and economic opportunities in these areas," he said in a statement released yesterday." (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080402/lead/lead4.html)
While, certainly a noble gesture in terms of the Government’s admitted recognition of the real needs to be addressed in such a context, the flip side is all the more distressing when considered against the background of world-wide price increases in basic food supplies as well as the rising cost of living, which, ultimately, also impact crime. The state’s recognition of the problem is a good start, however, it remains to be seen whether that by, itself, will prove a sufficient basis on which to request leniency and, therefore, a ‘letting off the hook’ regarding the significance of this report and Jamaica’s growing international reputation as a crime capital.
In public relations it is often stated that you cannot sell a bad product; that integrity and high standards speak for themselves; and that, where there is a scarcity of money to advertise, as is often the case, a good product will sell itself. But, is this really the case? And, how does this apply in the Jamaican context where these two incidents, which are only but the most recent developments in a very long line, likely to negatively impact the country’s public image; that is, as a hot spot for violence? This, notwithstanding that some of the violence does not directly emanate from us, as in the case of Kevin Brown.
Surely, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has its work cut out, as well as the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports. In the case of the latter, there is a generally held view that part of the aggression and energy of crime in Jamaica is also what accounts for our athletic prowess internationally. In effect, the same energy exerted in dodging bullets and outsmarting and outrunning the police is what is also used to break world records and win Olympic and other international sporting medals. Of course, this is only conjecture and reflects badly on our sporting image and our sports people. After all, there are no known studies which have yet made the link between these two things.
What can be said, however, is that if and when the academy finally catches up with public opinion on this issue, it will prove all the more obvious that there is a clear need for more creative solutions to be invested in the issue of governance, specifically as they impact crime fighting. This does not simply mean a removal of M16 weaponry nor penalizing officers for shooting randomly in public. Though the latter is cause for very real concerns, especially as an eleven month old infant was tragically killed in one such incident, recently.
Rather, there is need for more meaningful investigation skills and specialized training; an upgrading of our forensic and scientific crime detection skills; as well as fostering and enhancing public trust and engendering public/ private partnerships, as part of key crime fighting efforts. A master plan in which community policing plays a critical role is also essential. This must address too, the trade in illegal guns; narcotics; and the influence of politics on crime, as a matter of urgency. Indeed, the security budget has to be made into one of the priority areas of governance to the extent that social programmes which seek to alter the tense relations between the police and some inner-city communities are addressed. This might well prove the time for the application of specialized behaviour change and social marketing skills to crime fighting in Jamaica.
After all, the US Army just recently indicated that it has discovered that physical combat alone cannot stem the problems of regime change in places like Iraq. Hence, the Operation Hearts and Minds campaign, that also addresses the other needs of the country thus affected. While, surely we are neither in Iraq nor Afghanistan it does not hurt to learn from this example, especially where it is commonly felt that some members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) play on both teams simultaneously – the good guys and the criminals.
I recall, for example; that in 2004 I was a victim of extortion courtesy of three police officers in Spanish Town, the old capital. Here is the story, for those who may be interested:
I was held up by three police officers while driving along the, then, newly opened Spanish Town leg of Highway 2000. Lost and confused, at the time, as I had never driven on this stretch of road before, my horror was further cemented by the fact that Jamaica had just begun recovering from a double dousing of very heavy rains from Hurricane Emily and Tropical Storm Dennis; and there were no street lights along the highway. In the case of the latter, I was not aware of this before, otherwise I would have stayed put in Kingston.
Afraid that I had gone too far off the beaten path, I became aware that there was a car following behind me. Soon there was the flashing of lights and the screeching noise of a police squad car siren. I was told via bullhorn to stop the car and get out. Frightened, lost and completely stressed out, I complied immediately. However, this was only the beginning of my ordeal which was compounded by the fact that I was driving in the wrong direction and with an expired driver’s licence, to boot! (I foolishly thought, at the time, that you were allowed a one month grace period, as in the case of the Road Licence. But alas! This was not to be!).
I was then accosted by three police officers bearing long weapons which were pointed directly at me. They insisted on knowing why I was driving in the wrong direction. They commented that they had been observing me for sometime and had noticed that I seemed lost and unsure of where I was going. At this, I immediately confessed my dilemma, hopeful, that I would be assisted by the officers of the law. However, this was not to be. I was told to show them my driver’s licence along with the other car documents. In between all this, they glared at me very sternly, oblivious to my plight.
Finally, the one who asked to see my licence indicated that it was expired and that I was to accompany them to jail (This was in the dark night; midnight for all I knew and cared then!). After all, the penalty for this breach is – you guessed it, a night in jail with all kinds of people! You can imagine my distress and consternation! So, it was obvious that they had me where they wanted me. They proposed that as an alternative I was to pay my way out of jail (And, God knows how long I would have been in lock-up, at that rate, right?).
Realising that I was being victimized by the classic “hol’ dung an tek way!”, approach as we say in Jamaica, I pleaded that I did not have any money and that; I was actually on my way to Portmore to see family members and had got lost due to the poor visibility and the state of the Mandela Highway which was badly flooded. Only one lane of traffic was opened, at the time. (Hence, how I came to take a wrong turn on the newly constructed highway).
Long story short, I was given two options – go to jail for driving with an expired licence and in the wrong direction to boot! Or, pay my way out of an otherwise unpleasant experience, the lasting consequences of which I did not wish to imagine. Consequently, I was told that they would accompany me to the ABM machine and that I was to approach the machine, just on the outskirts of Spanish Town (Brunswick Avenue, to be exact!) and not draw attention to myself.
After withdrawing the six thousand dollars (approximately 100 plus US dollars, at the time), which they had demanded I was to drive to a safe location and then pay them. Totally petrified, I complied with the request and then drove, very foolishly in hind sight, to a darker spot in the centre of town, behind the old Registrar General’s building where I handed over the money. When finally released; that is, when they had determined that I had been very compliant and that the money was, in reality, six thousand dollars, (which I could ill afford then as now!), I was told to go.
Needless to say, I sped out of Spanish Town and back to Kingston like bat out of hell. I was so distressed I sat in Café Deli at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, regarded as one of Kingston’s finer hotels, all night relaying my story to anyone who would listen. Before that, I had sat dazed at the bar of Christopher’s Lounge, at the Quad – a very popular night club in New Kingston. I subsequently made a report to the Professional Standards Branch (PSB) of the police force. However, as I did not get the number of the squad car or the badge numbers or names of the officers (like I had time to notice that!), I only received an apology and the matter was forgotten.
Hence, my conviction that police officers here tread a fine line between criminality and upholding the law in many instances.
It is useful hear news reports that more officers are being charged as a result of the actions of the PSB, though the matter is also very distressing at the same time. At last count, there were approximately twenty-four who are facing possible sanctions. Indeed, to address the problem of crime and Jamaica’s growing reputation as ‘Murderville’ there is an urgent need for more than just words – all of which are useful in drawing attention to the issue, but which are woefully insufficient in terms of allaying public as well as international fears on this subject. This reality is, of course, further compounded in the case of Kevin Brown by the fact that the allegedly unstable Iraqi war veteran was about to board a plane to Jamaica with bomb making equipment in tow. According to him he was going to assemble and show his friends in Jamaica how to make explosives like those he saw in Iraq. Do we really need to point out how serious all of this is? Of course, the answer is no!
Much more needs to be done to address this very worrying problem. Pronto!
Brown was watched, questioned and detained Tuesday by Transportation Security Administration and Orlando police officers after he was deemed to be acting strange during check-in for Air Jamaica Flight 80.
A luggage search, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday by Orange County sheriff's Detective Kelly Boaz, turned up:
*Two galvanized pipes.
*End caps with holes drilled in them.
*BBs.
*A model-rocket igniter.
*Batteries.
*Lighter fluid.
*A lighter.
*Two vodka bottles with flammable nitromethane.
*Instructions on making explosives (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/orl-airport0308apr03,0,5200541.story)
To say that this is a cause for concern is, of course, stating the obvious. Among others, these two reports together highlight the tragedies of war; in this instance, the war in Iraq and its lasting impact on world politics, currently, as well the far reaching political implications of crime in countries like Jamaica. On average we murder approximately 1500 hundred of our citizens each year in what might be rightfully entitled our undeclared civil war. Of course, what is more distressing about these alarming facts is that it is generally contended that crime statistics are deliberately under reported as a way of not alarming the citizenry any more than needs be…Psych! Too late! The proverbial puss is out the bag and amongst the pigeons, to boot!
Between Brown’s actions and the recent Amnesty International report which identified the Jamaican government as a fairly callous institution in terms of its abandonment of its citizens to the whiles of dons, community leaders and other thugs for hire, make the point only too well. Jamaica is an unsafe place to be, let alone in which to live. If you are not rich and possess the means by which to remove yourself from the violence, death and despair then you are a moving target, it seems, and even then there is no guarantee.
In an effort at damage control, Prime Minister Golding has pleaded with Amnesty International for clemency insofar as explaining the extent to which the Jamaican state has been rendered incapable of undertaking the types of interventions needed to critically address the crime problem here. According to the PM Jamaica’s debt servicing obligations, especially in light of the recent Estimate of Expenditures which were announced as part of the 2008-2009 Budget presentations is a real problem. In the words of PM Golding:
"I urge you to be sympathetic to the real difficulties faced by a Government that must find $723 million each day to service the national debt. You will, I am sure, appreciate the extent to which this constrains our ability to address the urgent need to provide social services and economic opportunities in these areas," he said in a statement released yesterday." (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080402/lead/lead4.html)
While, certainly a noble gesture in terms of the Government’s admitted recognition of the real needs to be addressed in such a context, the flip side is all the more distressing when considered against the background of world-wide price increases in basic food supplies as well as the rising cost of living, which, ultimately, also impact crime. The state’s recognition of the problem is a good start, however, it remains to be seen whether that by, itself, will prove a sufficient basis on which to request leniency and, therefore, a ‘letting off the hook’ regarding the significance of this report and Jamaica’s growing international reputation as a crime capital.
In public relations it is often stated that you cannot sell a bad product; that integrity and high standards speak for themselves; and that, where there is a scarcity of money to advertise, as is often the case, a good product will sell itself. But, is this really the case? And, how does this apply in the Jamaican context where these two incidents, which are only but the most recent developments in a very long line, likely to negatively impact the country’s public image; that is, as a hot spot for violence? This, notwithstanding that some of the violence does not directly emanate from us, as in the case of Kevin Brown.
Surely, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has its work cut out, as well as the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports. In the case of the latter, there is a generally held view that part of the aggression and energy of crime in Jamaica is also what accounts for our athletic prowess internationally. In effect, the same energy exerted in dodging bullets and outsmarting and outrunning the police is what is also used to break world records and win Olympic and other international sporting medals. Of course, this is only conjecture and reflects badly on our sporting image and our sports people. After all, there are no known studies which have yet made the link between these two things.
What can be said, however, is that if and when the academy finally catches up with public opinion on this issue, it will prove all the more obvious that there is a clear need for more creative solutions to be invested in the issue of governance, specifically as they impact crime fighting. This does not simply mean a removal of M16 weaponry nor penalizing officers for shooting randomly in public. Though the latter is cause for very real concerns, especially as an eleven month old infant was tragically killed in one such incident, recently.
Rather, there is need for more meaningful investigation skills and specialized training; an upgrading of our forensic and scientific crime detection skills; as well as fostering and enhancing public trust and engendering public/ private partnerships, as part of key crime fighting efforts. A master plan in which community policing plays a critical role is also essential. This must address too, the trade in illegal guns; narcotics; and the influence of politics on crime, as a matter of urgency. Indeed, the security budget has to be made into one of the priority areas of governance to the extent that social programmes which seek to alter the tense relations between the police and some inner-city communities are addressed. This might well prove the time for the application of specialized behaviour change and social marketing skills to crime fighting in Jamaica.
After all, the US Army just recently indicated that it has discovered that physical combat alone cannot stem the problems of regime change in places like Iraq. Hence, the Operation Hearts and Minds campaign, that also addresses the other needs of the country thus affected. While, surely we are neither in Iraq nor Afghanistan it does not hurt to learn from this example, especially where it is commonly felt that some members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) play on both teams simultaneously – the good guys and the criminals.
I recall, for example; that in 2004 I was a victim of extortion courtesy of three police officers in Spanish Town, the old capital. Here is the story, for those who may be interested:
I was held up by three police officers while driving along the, then, newly opened Spanish Town leg of Highway 2000. Lost and confused, at the time, as I had never driven on this stretch of road before, my horror was further cemented by the fact that Jamaica had just begun recovering from a double dousing of very heavy rains from Hurricane Emily and Tropical Storm Dennis; and there were no street lights along the highway. In the case of the latter, I was not aware of this before, otherwise I would have stayed put in Kingston.
Afraid that I had gone too far off the beaten path, I became aware that there was a car following behind me. Soon there was the flashing of lights and the screeching noise of a police squad car siren. I was told via bullhorn to stop the car and get out. Frightened, lost and completely stressed out, I complied immediately. However, this was only the beginning of my ordeal which was compounded by the fact that I was driving in the wrong direction and with an expired driver’s licence, to boot! (I foolishly thought, at the time, that you were allowed a one month grace period, as in the case of the Road Licence. But alas! This was not to be!).
I was then accosted by three police officers bearing long weapons which were pointed directly at me. They insisted on knowing why I was driving in the wrong direction. They commented that they had been observing me for sometime and had noticed that I seemed lost and unsure of where I was going. At this, I immediately confessed my dilemma, hopeful, that I would be assisted by the officers of the law. However, this was not to be. I was told to show them my driver’s licence along with the other car documents. In between all this, they glared at me very sternly, oblivious to my plight.
Finally, the one who asked to see my licence indicated that it was expired and that I was to accompany them to jail (This was in the dark night; midnight for all I knew and cared then!). After all, the penalty for this breach is – you guessed it, a night in jail with all kinds of people! You can imagine my distress and consternation! So, it was obvious that they had me where they wanted me. They proposed that as an alternative I was to pay my way out of jail (And, God knows how long I would have been in lock-up, at that rate, right?).
Realising that I was being victimized by the classic “hol’ dung an tek way!”, approach as we say in Jamaica, I pleaded that I did not have any money and that; I was actually on my way to Portmore to see family members and had got lost due to the poor visibility and the state of the Mandela Highway which was badly flooded. Only one lane of traffic was opened, at the time. (Hence, how I came to take a wrong turn on the newly constructed highway).
Long story short, I was given two options – go to jail for driving with an expired licence and in the wrong direction to boot! Or, pay my way out of an otherwise unpleasant experience, the lasting consequences of which I did not wish to imagine. Consequently, I was told that they would accompany me to the ABM machine and that I was to approach the machine, just on the outskirts of Spanish Town (Brunswick Avenue, to be exact!) and not draw attention to myself.
After withdrawing the six thousand dollars (approximately 100 plus US dollars, at the time), which they had demanded I was to drive to a safe location and then pay them. Totally petrified, I complied with the request and then drove, very foolishly in hind sight, to a darker spot in the centre of town, behind the old Registrar General’s building where I handed over the money. When finally released; that is, when they had determined that I had been very compliant and that the money was, in reality, six thousand dollars, (which I could ill afford then as now!), I was told to go.
Needless to say, I sped out of Spanish Town and back to Kingston like bat out of hell. I was so distressed I sat in Café Deli at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, regarded as one of Kingston’s finer hotels, all night relaying my story to anyone who would listen. Before that, I had sat dazed at the bar of Christopher’s Lounge, at the Quad – a very popular night club in New Kingston. I subsequently made a report to the Professional Standards Branch (PSB) of the police force. However, as I did not get the number of the squad car or the badge numbers or names of the officers (like I had time to notice that!), I only received an apology and the matter was forgotten.
Hence, my conviction that police officers here tread a fine line between criminality and upholding the law in many instances.
It is useful hear news reports that more officers are being charged as a result of the actions of the PSB, though the matter is also very distressing at the same time. At last count, there were approximately twenty-four who are facing possible sanctions. Indeed, to address the problem of crime and Jamaica’s growing reputation as ‘Murderville’ there is an urgent need for more than just words – all of which are useful in drawing attention to the issue, but which are woefully insufficient in terms of allaying public as well as international fears on this subject. This reality is, of course, further compounded in the case of Kevin Brown by the fact that the allegedly unstable Iraqi war veteran was about to board a plane to Jamaica with bomb making equipment in tow. According to him he was going to assemble and show his friends in Jamaica how to make explosives like those he saw in Iraq. Do we really need to point out how serious all of this is? Of course, the answer is no!
Much more needs to be done to address this very worrying problem. Pronto!
Monday, 24 March 2008
Pastor Wright and the Obama Campaign: American Media Coverage & Race
So what are Senator Obama’s views on race? And, why has he avoided talking about it till now? Well, the short answer is because it is never a good thing to discuss the subject that nobody else wants to “touch with a long stick”, as we say in Jamaica. Because, even while you give voice to what most people are thinking and trying to be very diplomatic about, yours becomes the lone voice of dissent. The one which “bite and tear out di excitement!”, which is never a good thing, as I said before.
But, alas, the good Senator – and the lone black candidate in ongoing elections in America, at that, has gone and done it! That very thing no one else wanted to discuss – the unpleasantness of race and its significance to and in America, specifically to the elections. How will that play out after the “Race in America” (my unofficial title!) speech on Tuesday, March 18, 2008? Well, CNN says that it has improved Senator Obama’s stocks. According to them, based on a recent CBS/Gallup poll, he has rebounded after falling almost five percentage points to Senator Clinton since the infamous Pastor Wright tapes surfaced. (Makes you wonder about some other tapes we have heard about, right?)
However, if you are like me, after his Tuesday speech you are especially convinced that Obama is more than just another sentimental favourite, or the proverbial 'great black hope', in other words! This is not just because he plans to end the war in Iraq – a dream which most Democrats, we are told, holds dear. But, in reality, Senator Obama represents a meaningful difference and possibly change in the winds, if not the foundations of American politics, especially its foreign policy. This is something to be looked forward to, specifically in terms of Senator Obama’s very crucially posed question of whether the war in Iraq has caused Americans to be any safer than they were before the tragedy of 9-11 stalked its land. (And, I would also add: is the rest of the world any safer, too?)
Recall if you might that the global ‘War on Terror’ has even come to the otherwise ‘peaceful’ (well, you know what I mean!) shores of the Caribbean. Some of our own nationals were said to be linked to plans to blow up planes in at least one American airport in New York City. Before that, there was the concern that countries like Trinidad and to a lesser extent Guyana and others have housed persons linked to military Islam and, quite possibly, Al Qaeda. That is certainly something to think about, specifically in the aftermath of the American media coverage of Senator Obama and his associations with the pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Jeremiah Wright.
I have resisted commenting on this topic, for as much as I could, though the temptation has been great. In the last couple of days the ‘controversy’ about race in America has certainly heated up and looks likely to impact Senator Obama’s chances of earning the Democratic nomination and, ultimately, the job of President. It is like owning Obama’s difference, in terms of his physical blackness (even), somehow qualifies me to be considered a bad person according to the current tone of the discussion. Indeed, acknowledging race in today’s society is, many respects, definitely not politically correct. This is especially the case in the aftermath of criticisms of American super power imperialism, colonialism and slavery. It is almost equivalent to suggesting that the Holocaust never existed or that man did not walk on the moon. Both of which, as you are aware, remain contentious issues for many in terms of their critique of American media and their capacity to define our realities.
More significantly, the question of race in America has once again reared its ugly head and, of all places in an election campaign and courtesy of the only black candidate in the fray, at least through his associations with his minister of religion. In reality though, Senator Clinton also had earlier intimated her own dis-ease about race by appearing to question the legitimacy of the history of black Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Senator Clinton’s suggested that President Lyndon B. Johnson actually provided the grist for the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement and not the prominent African-Americans leaders amongst who King Jr. is to be counted. Naturally, the former First Lady was roundly criticized, both in the media and elsewhere, especially within the black community for such radical comments.
However, what is significant about Senator Clinton’s remarks vis-à-vis those made by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Senator Obama’s spiritual guide, is that they are perhaps not as contentious and as “fiery/ incendiary” as the, mostly white, American media have characterized them. While, there can be no doubt that Pastor Wright’s comments are, indeed, flammable, especially in the context of the racial tensions which swim below the surface of American society, there can be little doubt that part of the response of the media is, itself, implicated in the discussion on race in that society.
American media outrage is to be viewed, I believe, in the wider context of whether there is justification for the fears about race (ism) that would, ultimately, lead an American like Pastor Wright to invoke the unforgivable charge – “God damn America!” Among others, this seems to be the piece which has caused the most consternation and has lead to the near two weeks of media efforts at “digging deeper” and the critical review of Senator Obama’s relationship with Pastor Wright. Which it is felt impacts his own vision of America and the American people and, ultimately, whether he is capable of the job of being Commander-In-Chief. Indeed, Senator Obama’s wife Michelle had also earlier said that now that her husband is running for President she is (finally) proud to be an American. That too drew the ire of Senators Clinton and McCain, at the time, and required immediate damage control in terms of clarification.
Most recently, President Bill Clinton’s remarks to the effect that Senators Clinton and McCain love America, (perhaps unlike other unnamed Senators, whose issues have intruded on the real concerns in the campaign?) have turned up the heat on the discussion. More than a jab as it has been called by some in the media, in terms of President Clinton’s ‘subtle’ rebuke of Senator Obama and his eloquent, presidential-like speech on race in America, this comment opens up a potential can of worms. It is somewhat reminiscent of the invocation of the Patriots Act during the post 9-11 period - the reality being that, ‘true patriots’ do not criticize America, especially during times of terrorism and war. Indeed, the witch hunts of Americans said to be linked to Communism in the 1950’s are somewhat echoed in these comments.
What is notable also is whether the efforts to criticize the unseemly parts of the discussion about race, especially from the campaign platforms, is not itself another of the efforts by the media to gag those who would otherwise have something meaningful to say on the subject? I am almost of the view that the white American media, regarded as a liberal in many respects, reserves the right to be able to set the tone of the discussion on this very emotive and potentially flammable debate. Of course, it does not help matters that most of the presenters are not black and that their positions seem fairly insensitive, if not intolerant, towards minority concerns in this discussion.
In fact, CNN journalist Lou Dobbs has criticized Senator Obama for not having what he regards as, “fully formed views” on a range of subjects, including race and immigration. Indeed, Mr. Dobb’s comments come in the aftermath of Senator Obama’s earlier criticisms of statements made by Dobbs approximately two weeks ago regarding Senator Obama’s vision of immigration. Among others, Senator Obama criticized Mr. Dobbs for “fear mongering” and, in the words of the CNN newsman, “made all kinds of charges”. In a way, this is also reminiscent of Senator Clinton’s campaign’s claim that she would “throw the kitchen sink at Senator Obama” just before the Ohio and Texas Primaries and Caucus. Needless to say Senator Clinton won the Primaries in Ohio and Texas, but lost the Caucus (in Texas) to Senator Obama.
Which makes me wonder whether this is not another of the Clinton campaign’s strategy to bog Senator Obama down in aside issues which she herself had started much earlier? It also makes me wonder whether the claims of some of the guests who have given their views on Senator Obama’s relationship with Pastor Wright should not be viewed with suspicion by these very media? That they are given a platform such as CNN and others on which to air, in some instances, some questionable views may well prove worrisome for the Obama campaign leading into Pennsylvania, in particular, where he is trying to woo blue-collar, white American voters.
In at least one instance, one of Lou Dobbs’ commentator said that there are (basically) two types of black people – those like Pastor Wright (who express the fire and brimstone approach to race) and those like Senator Obama who are, effectively, ‘bargainers’. In the case of the latter, ‘bargainers’ are those African-Americans who ‘bargain’ with white America as a means of achieving acceptability. In effect, there would be no other basis on which white Americans could accept blacks in the same society than through a process of ‘bargaining’.
The speciousness of this comment, of course, needs not be said as it also implies that it is blacks who need the acceptance of white and not everyone in the interests of living in peace. It further underlines that the sentiments expressed by Pastor Wright are, somehow, typical (that word again!) and that, therefore, all blacks are effectively not to be trusted if even because they hold, or share in such views.
The reverberation, however, is that the comments made in reference to blacks and Pastor Wright also indict whites for believing this to be the norm amongst blacks in America. To which end, I must agree with Lou about the potentially offensive remarks made by Senator Obama about his grandmother being a “typical white” American “of her generation” as regards her fears of young black men and the types of comments she would make about them in private.
By all appearances, neither Obama nor Dobbs seems to have gotten it that both remarks – whether said directly or facilitated in the context of an interview that is not challenged, is just as dangerous. The effect of which is that they serve to reinforce negative attitudes towards and about each other without seriously critiquing such views as a means of finding common ground. Senator Obama, of course, stands to loose much more in the short term in terms of his own political future.
Which begs the question of what is the real state of the union regarding race in America? And, why is it that beyond the ‘incendiary’ remarks made by Pastor Wright can there not be an understanding in and by the American media that part of the difficulty with reporting race in America is precisely that – reporting race in America? By giving this subject as much play as it has received in the almost two weeks of its existence has served to resurrect unpleasant memories, for many, about its turbulent history in that society, and how both sides were implicated in the discussion as well as the reality of racial politics in America.
By not accepting that there are flammable views on either sides, notwithstanding the importance of the elections and the fact that Senator Obama is, himself, a black man who must have been impacted in some ways by these views is to miss the larger opportunity for a meaningful resolution of this subject. Surely, Senator Obama alone cannot make that change. However, a vote for him must, by necessity, be a step in the right direction to help address this scourge in American history.
Hopefully, the American media as well as the American people will not loose sight of this vision and make meaningful decisions in terms of how they report on and, ultimately, choose the next President – be it Senators Obama, Clinton or McCain.
But, alas, the good Senator – and the lone black candidate in ongoing elections in America, at that, has gone and done it! That very thing no one else wanted to discuss – the unpleasantness of race and its significance to and in America, specifically to the elections. How will that play out after the “Race in America” (my unofficial title!) speech on Tuesday, March 18, 2008? Well, CNN says that it has improved Senator Obama’s stocks. According to them, based on a recent CBS/Gallup poll, he has rebounded after falling almost five percentage points to Senator Clinton since the infamous Pastor Wright tapes surfaced. (Makes you wonder about some other tapes we have heard about, right?)
However, if you are like me, after his Tuesday speech you are especially convinced that Obama is more than just another sentimental favourite, or the proverbial 'great black hope', in other words! This is not just because he plans to end the war in Iraq – a dream which most Democrats, we are told, holds dear. But, in reality, Senator Obama represents a meaningful difference and possibly change in the winds, if not the foundations of American politics, especially its foreign policy. This is something to be looked forward to, specifically in terms of Senator Obama’s very crucially posed question of whether the war in Iraq has caused Americans to be any safer than they were before the tragedy of 9-11 stalked its land. (And, I would also add: is the rest of the world any safer, too?)
Recall if you might that the global ‘War on Terror’ has even come to the otherwise ‘peaceful’ (well, you know what I mean!) shores of the Caribbean. Some of our own nationals were said to be linked to plans to blow up planes in at least one American airport in New York City. Before that, there was the concern that countries like Trinidad and to a lesser extent Guyana and others have housed persons linked to military Islam and, quite possibly, Al Qaeda. That is certainly something to think about, specifically in the aftermath of the American media coverage of Senator Obama and his associations with the pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Jeremiah Wright.
I have resisted commenting on this topic, for as much as I could, though the temptation has been great. In the last couple of days the ‘controversy’ about race in America has certainly heated up and looks likely to impact Senator Obama’s chances of earning the Democratic nomination and, ultimately, the job of President. It is like owning Obama’s difference, in terms of his physical blackness (even), somehow qualifies me to be considered a bad person according to the current tone of the discussion. Indeed, acknowledging race in today’s society is, many respects, definitely not politically correct. This is especially the case in the aftermath of criticisms of American super power imperialism, colonialism and slavery. It is almost equivalent to suggesting that the Holocaust never existed or that man did not walk on the moon. Both of which, as you are aware, remain contentious issues for many in terms of their critique of American media and their capacity to define our realities.
More significantly, the question of race in America has once again reared its ugly head and, of all places in an election campaign and courtesy of the only black candidate in the fray, at least through his associations with his minister of religion. In reality though, Senator Clinton also had earlier intimated her own dis-ease about race by appearing to question the legitimacy of the history of black Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Senator Clinton’s suggested that President Lyndon B. Johnson actually provided the grist for the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement and not the prominent African-Americans leaders amongst who King Jr. is to be counted. Naturally, the former First Lady was roundly criticized, both in the media and elsewhere, especially within the black community for such radical comments.
However, what is significant about Senator Clinton’s remarks vis-à-vis those made by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, Senator Obama’s spiritual guide, is that they are perhaps not as contentious and as “fiery/ incendiary” as the, mostly white, American media have characterized them. While, there can be no doubt that Pastor Wright’s comments are, indeed, flammable, especially in the context of the racial tensions which swim below the surface of American society, there can be little doubt that part of the response of the media is, itself, implicated in the discussion on race in that society.
American media outrage is to be viewed, I believe, in the wider context of whether there is justification for the fears about race (ism) that would, ultimately, lead an American like Pastor Wright to invoke the unforgivable charge – “God damn America!” Among others, this seems to be the piece which has caused the most consternation and has lead to the near two weeks of media efforts at “digging deeper” and the critical review of Senator Obama’s relationship with Pastor Wright. Which it is felt impacts his own vision of America and the American people and, ultimately, whether he is capable of the job of being Commander-In-Chief. Indeed, Senator Obama’s wife Michelle had also earlier said that now that her husband is running for President she is (finally) proud to be an American. That too drew the ire of Senators Clinton and McCain, at the time, and required immediate damage control in terms of clarification.
Most recently, President Bill Clinton’s remarks to the effect that Senators Clinton and McCain love America, (perhaps unlike other unnamed Senators, whose issues have intruded on the real concerns in the campaign?) have turned up the heat on the discussion. More than a jab as it has been called by some in the media, in terms of President Clinton’s ‘subtle’ rebuke of Senator Obama and his eloquent, presidential-like speech on race in America, this comment opens up a potential can of worms. It is somewhat reminiscent of the invocation of the Patriots Act during the post 9-11 period - the reality being that, ‘true patriots’ do not criticize America, especially during times of terrorism and war. Indeed, the witch hunts of Americans said to be linked to Communism in the 1950’s are somewhat echoed in these comments.
What is notable also is whether the efforts to criticize the unseemly parts of the discussion about race, especially from the campaign platforms, is not itself another of the efforts by the media to gag those who would otherwise have something meaningful to say on the subject? I am almost of the view that the white American media, regarded as a liberal in many respects, reserves the right to be able to set the tone of the discussion on this very emotive and potentially flammable debate. Of course, it does not help matters that most of the presenters are not black and that their positions seem fairly insensitive, if not intolerant, towards minority concerns in this discussion.
In fact, CNN journalist Lou Dobbs has criticized Senator Obama for not having what he regards as, “fully formed views” on a range of subjects, including race and immigration. Indeed, Mr. Dobb’s comments come in the aftermath of Senator Obama’s earlier criticisms of statements made by Dobbs approximately two weeks ago regarding Senator Obama’s vision of immigration. Among others, Senator Obama criticized Mr. Dobbs for “fear mongering” and, in the words of the CNN newsman, “made all kinds of charges”. In a way, this is also reminiscent of Senator Clinton’s campaign’s claim that she would “throw the kitchen sink at Senator Obama” just before the Ohio and Texas Primaries and Caucus. Needless to say Senator Clinton won the Primaries in Ohio and Texas, but lost the Caucus (in Texas) to Senator Obama.
Which makes me wonder whether this is not another of the Clinton campaign’s strategy to bog Senator Obama down in aside issues which she herself had started much earlier? It also makes me wonder whether the claims of some of the guests who have given their views on Senator Obama’s relationship with Pastor Wright should not be viewed with suspicion by these very media? That they are given a platform such as CNN and others on which to air, in some instances, some questionable views may well prove worrisome for the Obama campaign leading into Pennsylvania, in particular, where he is trying to woo blue-collar, white American voters.
In at least one instance, one of Lou Dobbs’ commentator said that there are (basically) two types of black people – those like Pastor Wright (who express the fire and brimstone approach to race) and those like Senator Obama who are, effectively, ‘bargainers’. In the case of the latter, ‘bargainers’ are those African-Americans who ‘bargain’ with white America as a means of achieving acceptability. In effect, there would be no other basis on which white Americans could accept blacks in the same society than through a process of ‘bargaining’.
The speciousness of this comment, of course, needs not be said as it also implies that it is blacks who need the acceptance of white and not everyone in the interests of living in peace. It further underlines that the sentiments expressed by Pastor Wright are, somehow, typical (that word again!) and that, therefore, all blacks are effectively not to be trusted if even because they hold, or share in such views.
The reverberation, however, is that the comments made in reference to blacks and Pastor Wright also indict whites for believing this to be the norm amongst blacks in America. To which end, I must agree with Lou about the potentially offensive remarks made by Senator Obama about his grandmother being a “typical white” American “of her generation” as regards her fears of young black men and the types of comments she would make about them in private.
By all appearances, neither Obama nor Dobbs seems to have gotten it that both remarks – whether said directly or facilitated in the context of an interview that is not challenged, is just as dangerous. The effect of which is that they serve to reinforce negative attitudes towards and about each other without seriously critiquing such views as a means of finding common ground. Senator Obama, of course, stands to loose much more in the short term in terms of his own political future.
Which begs the question of what is the real state of the union regarding race in America? And, why is it that beyond the ‘incendiary’ remarks made by Pastor Wright can there not be an understanding in and by the American media that part of the difficulty with reporting race in America is precisely that – reporting race in America? By giving this subject as much play as it has received in the almost two weeks of its existence has served to resurrect unpleasant memories, for many, about its turbulent history in that society, and how both sides were implicated in the discussion as well as the reality of racial politics in America.
By not accepting that there are flammable views on either sides, notwithstanding the importance of the elections and the fact that Senator Obama is, himself, a black man who must have been impacted in some ways by these views is to miss the larger opportunity for a meaningful resolution of this subject. Surely, Senator Obama alone cannot make that change. However, a vote for him must, by necessity, be a step in the right direction to help address this scourge in American history.
Hopefully, the American media as well as the American people will not loose sight of this vision and make meaningful decisions in terms of how they report on and, ultimately, choose the next President – be it Senators Obama, Clinton or McCain.
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Dancehall: Jamaica’s Solution to Civil Society?
Perhaps unlike other periods in its brief history, Dancehall today is a space of sharply contending views, notwithstanding its increasing visibility – owing in no small part to its growing international appeal, as well as better efforts to treat it as legitimate academic enterprise. The recent Global Reggae Conference (GRC), at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus in Kingston, Jamaica bears testimony to this fact.
Dancehall is said to promote the vast majority of negatives which, currently, besiege Jamaican society. Among others, the two primary voices argue between themselves, nearly oblivious to alternate positions. In the main, the ‘detractors’ say that, Dancehall is a, largely, violent, homophobic and misogynistic music which promotes uncivil values.
By contrast, ‘Dancehall’s defenders’ claim it as the ultimate space in which society’s downtrodden – the previously invisible and powerless black, ghetto youth are able to eke out an existence, and a good one to boot, as a result of their lyrical ingenuity. This sets them apart from the other, largely, disenfranchised if not dehumanized members of Jamaica’s working classes. By which means, Dancehall is a space in which Jamaican ‘ghetto culture’ is heralded to unparalleled prominence and economic benefit.
In this regard, Dancehall is not to be criticised, in large part, because of the historically imbalanced power relations between the ghetto/ working classes and the Jamaican middle-classes. As we say in Jamaica – “Come off ah di people dem back an gi dem a chance!” (Get off of the peoples' backs/cases and give them a break!).
Censorship?
At best, this position is to be questioned; in large part, because the relationship formed between society, art and culture is often more organic and, thus, much more interlinked than is usually reported. Carefully examining the music in this regard is not the same as censorship.
Nor, does this, necessarily, imply that Dancehall needs to be held to a higher moral standard than other institutions in Jamaica. Rather, it is to make the case that artistic expressions, specifically in societies like ours, occupy a complex socio-political juncture between the worlds of entertainment and, inter alia, other necessary developmental needs, notwithstanding Dancehall’s value as a social document.
Media Realities
There is no denying the links between real violence and the effects of media, for instance, whereby people usually associate ‘reality’ – such as it is, with that which is consumed in the context of the images, sounds and ideas of our current hyper-real, ‘mediatised’ realities. This means that, while one cannot easily trace a causative link between art/ media and their audiences, it is useful to note that media help to create (hyper) realities which are often inhabited by society’s consumers.
Think, for example, of advertising as a technology used to train audiences to desire that which is seen and heard, often to the extent that they will pay vast amounts of their disposable income in an effort to acquire/ embody the values reflected in such media. It would stand to reason, then, that if we desire to live in a better society – whatever that means, then, there is also an urgent need to properly educate those who sing of and report about our society.
Under/privileged
That, Dancehall artistes are, usually, men and sometimes women of under-privileged circumstances also means that education is not always considered a priority in their worldviews. This is especially the case in a society where young men are, by and large, not encouraged to stay in school and to maximize their potentials in that space.
Hyper-Masculinity
Cultural narratives of a type of hyper-masculinity and violent machismo premised on early sexual contact with the opposite sex; the need for material possessions as a sign of status and wealth; and expressions of violence as macho toughness are real issues which prompt young men, especially of working class backgrounds, to drop out of school and, ultimately, the education system.
Education/ Values and Attitudes
Not to be exempted from this discussion is the fact that Jamaica’s education system is in clear need of an overhaul. The recent claims of spending excesses (read, ‘scandal’ in Jamaican politics) in the Education Transformation Programme, under the previous Peoples' National Party (PNP) administration, are cold comfort in this regard. After all, the Transformation Programme was, inter alia, aimed at achieving some of these objectives.
Citizenship
Education about citizenship, values and attitudes and (Jamaican and World) history must figure prominently in the school curriculum from the earliest levels; that is, if we are to pull the society back from the brink of hysteria. In fact, basic crime fighting skills like supporting the need to give crucial information to the police, at community level, and self-defense; tolerance and the regard for law and order must also be given pride of place in the Jamaican education system. These are absolutely necessary if we are to cultivate a society in which all are free and are, therefore, able to maximize their potentials for the benefit of themselves and others, without fear of retribution and or extermination.
The Role of Music
Which raises the crucial question: what is the role of the music in this scenario?
Dancehall is, arguably, one of Jamaica’s most visible and profitable exports, currently, even if all benefits do not directly accrue to the country. The industry must be strategically revamped along important lines of professionalism and needed talent development. This is not just at the level of lyrical and musical abilities of individual artistes but also in terms of the respect for the rule of law such as, adhering to the financial and taxation systems of the country; becoming informed about a range of (other crucial) concerns rather than just a narrow focus on self; as well as respect for self and others. Government’s role is undeniable in this regard.
It is not enough to just, as we say in Jamaica, “eat ah food” or “earn ah bread” from the music.
The Academy
The academy must also become more meaningfully involved – not just at the level of reporting data on the music – which is obviously needed, but to simultaneously locate these in appropriate context. This is in terms of the key ideas which promote Dancehall’s genesis as a black music and Jamaican popular/ culture.
Academics must also engage in critical analyses which make pertinent projections for Dancehall’s future and, hence, attempt to shape public discourses on the significance of popular culture in articulating Jamaican values and concerns, both locally and abroad.
‘Out of Many, One People’
Until this is done, and there is respect for all, then, the goals of the motto, so curiously positioned in this mix of facts and fictions; feelings and emotions, might not be truly realized. “Out of many, one people” is, in the current context, a paradox as far as Jamaica goes. As it is stands, there are many people with many concerns. They hardly ever meet; it would seem, at a place of common agreement about the type of society in which we want to live.
Jamaican History
Dancehall as the common denominator in this equation affords us the wherewithal to, not only earn revenue from the sale of the music, but also provides us with a unique opportunity to look at ourselves in a critically reflexive way.
Indeed, as a Jamaican cultural art (form), Dancehall is fundamentally linked to the society’s history as well as its future. It would be folly to analyse it in isolation of other key realities that also crucially impact its evolution/ development; that is, in terms of the call for civic and social responsibility in Jamaica.
Words, Sounds and Power
Undoubtedly, words have power, as do the images they conjure up in their repetitive refrain in the context of music. A meaningful use of such powers, at least, may set us on a productive path towards re-constructing Jamaica as a place in which we will all want to live. Hopefully, we will not shy away from this responsibility!
Dancehall is said to promote the vast majority of negatives which, currently, besiege Jamaican society. Among others, the two primary voices argue between themselves, nearly oblivious to alternate positions. In the main, the ‘detractors’ say that, Dancehall is a, largely, violent, homophobic and misogynistic music which promotes uncivil values.
By contrast, ‘Dancehall’s defenders’ claim it as the ultimate space in which society’s downtrodden – the previously invisible and powerless black, ghetto youth are able to eke out an existence, and a good one to boot, as a result of their lyrical ingenuity. This sets them apart from the other, largely, disenfranchised if not dehumanized members of Jamaica’s working classes. By which means, Dancehall is a space in which Jamaican ‘ghetto culture’ is heralded to unparalleled prominence and economic benefit.
In this regard, Dancehall is not to be criticised, in large part, because of the historically imbalanced power relations between the ghetto/ working classes and the Jamaican middle-classes. As we say in Jamaica – “Come off ah di people dem back an gi dem a chance!” (Get off of the peoples' backs/cases and give them a break!).
Censorship?
At best, this position is to be questioned; in large part, because the relationship formed between society, art and culture is often more organic and, thus, much more interlinked than is usually reported. Carefully examining the music in this regard is not the same as censorship.
Nor, does this, necessarily, imply that Dancehall needs to be held to a higher moral standard than other institutions in Jamaica. Rather, it is to make the case that artistic expressions, specifically in societies like ours, occupy a complex socio-political juncture between the worlds of entertainment and, inter alia, other necessary developmental needs, notwithstanding Dancehall’s value as a social document.
Media Realities
There is no denying the links between real violence and the effects of media, for instance, whereby people usually associate ‘reality’ – such as it is, with that which is consumed in the context of the images, sounds and ideas of our current hyper-real, ‘mediatised’ realities. This means that, while one cannot easily trace a causative link between art/ media and their audiences, it is useful to note that media help to create (hyper) realities which are often inhabited by society’s consumers.
Think, for example, of advertising as a technology used to train audiences to desire that which is seen and heard, often to the extent that they will pay vast amounts of their disposable income in an effort to acquire/ embody the values reflected in such media. It would stand to reason, then, that if we desire to live in a better society – whatever that means, then, there is also an urgent need to properly educate those who sing of and report about our society.
Under/privileged
That, Dancehall artistes are, usually, men and sometimes women of under-privileged circumstances also means that education is not always considered a priority in their worldviews. This is especially the case in a society where young men are, by and large, not encouraged to stay in school and to maximize their potentials in that space.
Hyper-Masculinity
Cultural narratives of a type of hyper-masculinity and violent machismo premised on early sexual contact with the opposite sex; the need for material possessions as a sign of status and wealth; and expressions of violence as macho toughness are real issues which prompt young men, especially of working class backgrounds, to drop out of school and, ultimately, the education system.
Education/ Values and Attitudes
Not to be exempted from this discussion is the fact that Jamaica’s education system is in clear need of an overhaul. The recent claims of spending excesses (read, ‘scandal’ in Jamaican politics) in the Education Transformation Programme, under the previous Peoples' National Party (PNP) administration, are cold comfort in this regard. After all, the Transformation Programme was, inter alia, aimed at achieving some of these objectives.
Citizenship
Education about citizenship, values and attitudes and (Jamaican and World) history must figure prominently in the school curriculum from the earliest levels; that is, if we are to pull the society back from the brink of hysteria. In fact, basic crime fighting skills like supporting the need to give crucial information to the police, at community level, and self-defense; tolerance and the regard for law and order must also be given pride of place in the Jamaican education system. These are absolutely necessary if we are to cultivate a society in which all are free and are, therefore, able to maximize their potentials for the benefit of themselves and others, without fear of retribution and or extermination.
The Role of Music
Which raises the crucial question: what is the role of the music in this scenario?
Dancehall is, arguably, one of Jamaica’s most visible and profitable exports, currently, even if all benefits do not directly accrue to the country. The industry must be strategically revamped along important lines of professionalism and needed talent development. This is not just at the level of lyrical and musical abilities of individual artistes but also in terms of the respect for the rule of law such as, adhering to the financial and taxation systems of the country; becoming informed about a range of (other crucial) concerns rather than just a narrow focus on self; as well as respect for self and others. Government’s role is undeniable in this regard.
It is not enough to just, as we say in Jamaica, “eat ah food” or “earn ah bread” from the music.
The Academy
The academy must also become more meaningfully involved – not just at the level of reporting data on the music – which is obviously needed, but to simultaneously locate these in appropriate context. This is in terms of the key ideas which promote Dancehall’s genesis as a black music and Jamaican popular/ culture.
Academics must also engage in critical analyses which make pertinent projections for Dancehall’s future and, hence, attempt to shape public discourses on the significance of popular culture in articulating Jamaican values and concerns, both locally and abroad.
‘Out of Many, One People’
Until this is done, and there is respect for all, then, the goals of the motto, so curiously positioned in this mix of facts and fictions; feelings and emotions, might not be truly realized. “Out of many, one people” is, in the current context, a paradox as far as Jamaica goes. As it is stands, there are many people with many concerns. They hardly ever meet; it would seem, at a place of common agreement about the type of society in which we want to live.
Jamaican History
Dancehall as the common denominator in this equation affords us the wherewithal to, not only earn revenue from the sale of the music, but also provides us with a unique opportunity to look at ourselves in a critically reflexive way.
Indeed, as a Jamaican cultural art (form), Dancehall is fundamentally linked to the society’s history as well as its future. It would be folly to analyse it in isolation of other key realities that also crucially impact its evolution/ development; that is, in terms of the call for civic and social responsibility in Jamaica.
Words, Sounds and Power
Undoubtedly, words have power, as do the images they conjure up in their repetitive refrain in the context of music. A meaningful use of such powers, at least, may set us on a productive path towards re-constructing Jamaica as a place in which we will all want to live. Hopefully, we will not shy away from this responsibility!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
