Ronald Thwaites | Easter thoughts

“Me a look out fi myself,” the white-plate Probox driver said when, having created his own lane at Papine, he positioned his taxi athwart my car at the traffic light. “Unnu politicians nah do nutten fi taxi man, so me a look out fi myself.”

That was his justification for every lawlessness. His well-schooled philosophy of life is that the world he inhabits is set so as to keep him down, and he must do anything necessary to get through.

It seems to be working, too. Further down a congested Hope Rd, I see him break the line, mount the left median and careen down Garden Boulevard. The police see it all, but my taxi guy knows how to deal with them.

STEEPED IN INFERIORITY

Further down on the forever-crowded Tom Redcam Avenue on a Tuesday afternoon, chaos is created as some minister screeches down the right side of the carriageway, escort cars and outrider sirens in tow, noisily portending his or her fake importance.

Of the same mentality is the increasing herd of motorcyclists for whom the road code simply does not apply. The thought process is the same. Use power, skill or advantage to ‘look out fi myself’. After all, everybody is doing it.

You are the fool, or steeped in your inferiority and fear, if you are going to make everyone get ahead of you or push you around. “Slavery done, Ronnie. You think I am going to mek anybody mek me carry any cross?”

Does this conduct on our roadways reflect the ethos of a nation lurching towards its 60th birthday? What principles and beliefs guide our governmental and personal decisions anyway? Is the taxi brother’s ethic not truthfully descriptive of most of us?

The law that locked up the maskless youth who couldn’t pay the big-money fine in St Thomas manifestly does not apply to those folks on the road – nor to the group of un-masked and bashment-prone government ministers who, for the same offence, were sentenced to ‘charitable contributions’ by ‘Mr Justice’ Holness in the ‘Supreme Court’ of Parliament recently.

Philip Curtin’s Two Jamaicas continues to provide depressing re-reading. How does the ‘national interest’, which both Andrew and Mark speak of, prevail when we adopt antagonistic positions; each ‘Jamaica’ entrenched in their ‘truth’, so becoming prisoners of their positions, confusions and dissatisfactions. How does walking together become possible?

Well, it isn’t possible. The malaise and discontent of the society give ample evidence of that. In our system, each government feels that its own preservation of power will eventually solve everything – whatever the experience to the contrary. Our measure of success is framed largely in economic statistics, most often ignoring gaping and cruel inequalities. So what’s missing?

MORAL CAPITAL

Jonathan Haidt in The Righteous Mind writes about moral capital. This is a shared set of habits and values, norms and institutions that make common life possible . “They are the antidote to our innate capacity for selfishness and the struggle for power, which can become barbaric.” He calls for codes of politeness, humility and mutual respect which girdle crass individualism and, instead, steer us towards reconciliation.

I love this quote, “In the realm of common life, gnats can undo the work of giants. The threat to moral entropy is intense.”

How do we avert such a threat; how will we rivet the required principles into public policy and individual behaviour?

For many Jamaicans, this coming week’s remembrance of the gratuitous sacrifice of the One we believe to be the God-Man, provides the way, the truth and the light for personal as well as national direction. And more, His rising promises abundant, inclusive, non-exploitative life. Myth for some. Powerful strength for others. Can you suggest a better way?

“So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; for mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:12)

Easter blessings to all.

Rev Ronald G. Thwaites is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.