Don't court anarchy

I sincerely and deeply empathise with the people of Tredegar Park in St Catherine. Rampaging gun-toting butchers massacred two families (adults and children) before deciding to firebomb a home in the community. A pall of sadness, terror, despair and gloom crept across the island as news of the horror spread. Whereas I can fully understand relatives and friends of the hapless victims yearning to see every perpetrator meet an unpleasant end, persons in the public eye must be mindful of their utterances because, as a society, we cannot allow ourselves to be dragged down to the level of homicidal criminals ... anarchy must not prevail.

Encouraging the security forces and citizens to hunt down alleged criminals for the purpose of summarily executing them could erase the already blurred line between civil society and criminality altogether. It was, therefore, with grave concern that I noted the words of retired Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reneto Adams who, while under the influence of frustration, anger and empathy, stated categorically that the suspects in the brutal multiple homicides should be "found and killed".

Sparking controversy

Unabashed, unafraid, unrestrained and unapologetic, he said, "I heard that two (gunmen) have been killed; they had their day in court." He went on to hope that the others have their day in "court" over the ensuing three days. Although basing his openness on his civilian status, he rose to prominence only because he was a policeman and is addressed as a retired SSP; therefore, his words impact the hearts and minds of all who hear and know of him. Further-more, wisdom dictates that the retired SSP exercise extreme caution in his public utterances, lest they cause many to contemplate his actions in past (questionable) police operations.

If we murder murderers then, although we may win by becoming unlawful and immoral, we would have lost because we would have become unlawful and immoral. Already, the police killing of one suspect sparked controversy. No innocent life is worth satiating our lust for retribution.

I know very well the possible consequences of assuming someone's guilt and acting upon it extrajudicially. About 11 p.m. a little over 30 years ago, a station wagon taxi loaded with passengers intercepted me. An enraged driver armed himself with a machete, alighted from his car and ran towards me shouting, "Yuh lick me kyar!" I drove around him (intending to sort it out at the Half-Way Tree police station); however, when we arrived at a traffic light, he again alighted the from car with the machete and ran towards me.

A mindless mob

Fortunately, a police patrol disarmed him. The driver and every single passenger were absolutely certain that I sped down Old Hope Road (near Jamaica College), swerved and hit them before racing down Munroe Road and making a U-turn to emerge feigning innocence. In fact, I was nowhere near Jamaica College, but their animated protestations drew a mob that threatened violence. Only the duty officer at the Half-Way Tree police station could convince the taxi driver that I was not culpable by demonstrating that my car didn't have a single scratch and, therefore, could not have struck his.

The driver, his passengers and mob wanted to 'hold court' and unleash their brand of justice. I could have easily become a statistic, a victim of a group of angry people transformed into a mindless mob. Civil society has rules, regulations, procedures and laws to minimise or prevent such occurrences. If we erase the line between order and disorder, there will be no distinction between the criminals and us.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Feedback may be sent to garthrattray@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.