Feedback to writers
Published:Friday | March 4, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Re Din Duggan, 'Jamaican Revolution', Wednesday, Mar 2
Rant of ridicule
I feel compelled to respond to Din Duggan's commentary. I have come to the conclusion that Mr Duggan feels he is better than the average Jamaican in his response to Marc Ramsay's call for a revolution.
I used to read Mr Duggan's commentaries because I thought he had great wit and touched on subjects in an entertaining way. I was fooled. After Wednesday's rendering, I realise that Mr Duggan is not laughing with us. He is laughing at us. He has debased and ridiculed Mr Ramsay's, and the average sufferer's, views that a revolution is necessary. Din wrote about vendors in the streets selling Rizla and phonecards, sound systems blasting 'rae-rae' and 'whoa' and other demeaning references.
Nobody is calling for a violent revolution. We all agree that it must be peaceful, but forceful.
Mr Duggan appears to be part of the group that is threatened by the people from downtown and out in the bushes breaking down some of the barriers. Shame on you, Din. On with the revolution!
- Leon Fisher, leonfisher1@hotmail.com, Kgn 8
What revolution?
There is no doubt that profound change is needed in every aspect of Jamaican life. Mr Duggan cited some areas where he thinks require a revolution. However, he was not specific as to what kind of revolution was required and seems to imply that revolution should be against policies. What I believe is really needed is a cultural revolution that will change the mindset or psyche of people.
- Mistermel
Re Ian Boyne, 'Driver Buju stopped', Sunday, Feb 27
Buju's road to self-destruction
Your article on Buju Banton is a welcome relief from the emotional and blinkered response of so many talking heads to Buju's conviction. I do agree that regardless of one's popularity, you must face the consequence of your actions. The tragedy is that someone with the talent and opportunity that any inner-city youth would die for (some literally) walked right up to the gallows and put his head through the noose.
Any remorse which Buju expressed during the court proceedings seemed to be more from fear of incarceration than from a realisation of the iniquity of dealing in a drug which destroys so many lives.
- Anthony_bennett, anthony_bennett@zoho.com
Fans blind
Ian Boyne proves in his latest op-ed why he is still one of the voices of reason left in Jamaican print media.
Presenting both sides of the argument, he leaves readers to draw their own conclusion, the only logical conclusion that people in their right mind with morals and critical thinking skills intact will arrive at.
Those who say that Buju should be freed at all cost, and even more so now that he has been convicted, should remember the devastation cocaine and its crack derivative have caused not just in America, but worldwide.
Those who now clamour for the release of the Gargamel should remember that those who deal in illicit drugs do not do so from a sense of community spirit, but tend to act out of sheer greed.
- Sheron Pearson, shpearso@gmail.com
US vendetta
Mr Boyne, as usual, a well-structured compilation of how things should be. Unfortunately, at all levels of society, we chronically fail to live up to ideals which we 'tout'.
What Boyne composed is a wish list. Things just don't work that way. The playing field is tilted and we need to be more aware of its direction while playing 'the game'.
The law should be respected and applied equitably. It should not be used as a tool to settle some type of vendetta.
Why did they have to pursue him so doggedly? After being frustrated, in their efforts to find condemning evidence, the law enforcers then resorted to creating conditions in order to establish it.
From the evidence released to date, Mr Myrie does not appear to be a big fish in that 'cocaine pond'. Certainly, there are larger 'fish' out there! Why pursue him in that manner?
Buju was at fault in allowing this to happen. The point here is, that folks with lofty connections and huge axes to grind did so, then used one to cut down a small tree, in that arena, for their own shallow satisfaction!
Re Marc Ramsay, 'Our revolution is coming', Tuesday, Mar 1
No to protests
So what happens if supporters of a People's National Party revolution are successful? What's next? Will Jamaica Labour Party supporters decide they are not doing a good enough job, and stage a counter-revolution. Where does it end!
Anyone who calls for the seizing of power by force in a violence-prone country like Jamaica should be immediately arrested. I always get a chuckle when I hear persons in Jamaica say, "We are too passive in Jamaica. What we need is a revolution in this country." The only people who share this viewpoint are Jamaicans at home. The world views us as hotheads who are always disgruntled about one thing or another!
- charles5@bell.blackberry.net
Peaceful change
Ramsay is beating the drum for change but he is not putting forth any concrete suggestion or substitute for that which is currently in place.
Change is inevitable in Jamaica; however, we do not need to tear everything and advocate bloodshed to bring about this change. When the supporters of the PNP and JLP were killing each other back in the late '70s to early '80s, Bob Marley was able to unite Edward Seaga and Michael Manley on stage in an effort to calm the storm. The change that must come to Jamaica must be from within the hearts of men, not the party, per se.
Our leaders are from among us and we have helped to create the monsters they have become, simply by allowing them to think that they have power over the people, instead of knowing that they are servants of the people.
We fail to pick our leaders with care and so out of ignorance we suffer. Creating a third or fourth party does not necessarily mean that there will be change.
- Khani James, khani.james@archwayprograms.org
Awakening the sleeping giant
If nothing else, the response to Marc Ramsay's widely circulated call to arms in the figurative or in the literal sense is another indication of the widespread sense of betrayal that many feel towards the current crop of politicians, and further confirmation that Jamaicans are sick and tired of the same old political guard marring political advancement.
Ramsay's call and, more important, the support that his call has attracted over the last few days, are further proof of the sleeping giant that is awakening in Jamaica. Indeed, the giant is threatening to go on the rampage.
Jamaicans must march, lobby, challenge, question, pressure, and hold politicians to account at every opportunity.
Marc Ramsay's call should not fall on deaf ears.
- Richard Sudan, Facilitators For a Better Jamaica (UK), info@ffbj.org