Let's not jump to conclusions

BY Daniel Thwaites

Last week, JetBlue was flying into New York just when the freak October snowstorm in Northeast USA was also rolling into town. It was an unforgettable experience.

Before Kingston takeoff, I made peace, since all mortals, except the DPP, must in some way account for their actions and tenure. Under the circumstances, I could only do half of Sizzla's recommendation, so without burning anything I did hold a humble thought that Babylon couldn't stop.

Metaphysical satisfaction achieved, I slept soundly until the pilot announced we were half-hour out of JFK and to strap in for a "bumpy ride". That's not what you want to hear, but I didn't jump to any conclusions. Even though the flight was getting rougher, my mind turned to two shockers of last week's news. Danville Walker is on the run, and the Gaza Empire is in ruin.

Good Morning, Mr Walker!

All indications were that Mr Walker is a nationalist and able administrator who lapses into saucy language on occasion. Those are the fundamentals of a good politician, aren't they? His enlistment is a feather in the JLP's cap.

But almost immediately after it leaked that he was to be a candidate, a barrage of attacks followed. One legitimate criticism is that the former director of elections should respect a grace period before becoming a candidate. Just then, the 97 post-ban scrap metal containers collapsed on Walker's emerging campaign, and the contractor general has indicated that he's undertaking an investigation. The ban was paraded as a triumphant Tuftonian decision over Samuderian dithering. Turns out it's not so simple.

I'm hoping Mr Walker's detractors await evidence and a report instead of ripping the man to shreds. I don't see why positive appreciation of him should change because of his candidature. There's no need to jump to a conclusion here, particularly amid the lust for personal destruction in our political culture.

My own expectation is that Mr Walker will emerge from the electoral contest with reputation intact, but beaten. He has been plopped in last minute to compete against a strong incumbent. Why waste potential like that? Well, the leader - Mr Samuda - must know what he is doing.

How the mighty have fallen!

Meanwhile, Gaza is crumbling even though right now Popcaan is ravin'. How the mighty have fallen? After a string of hits, colourful changes, changes of colour, amateur pornography, and products from rum to condoms to a nightclub, Kartel appeared to be Jamaican capitalism's marketing poster boy. He said he was using a "reverse psychology" on Babylon system. I would really like to hear him expand on the thought. Is there a recording studio in the jailhouse?

The charges against him are certainly horrific. Still, I'm surprised that there isn't more of the usual publicly expressed sympathy when just now he bestrode the world like a colossus and fans bounced all night to his tunes and monitored his every move and mood.

A post-visa survivor who pens the lines "Set good like de ice inna freeza ... tell mi seh yuh lucky mek mi get back mi visa" must have redeeming qualities? A knack for quirky metaphor, an arresting turn of phrase, and a memorable sense of humour are nothing to scoff at. But many people seem to have already reached a conclusion without the case being tried.

Experiencing turbulence

Such thoughts vanished as we bouncingly entered thick snow-filled clouds over New York and the pilot announced that the plane had been put on a 12-minute hold. Only one runway was in operation and the traffic was stacked.

By this time the heroic stewardesses were rushing about the cabin delivering paper and plastic bags to passengers busily preparing to bring up their lunches.

After 15 truly turbulent minutes, the pilot came back yet again saying there was another 45-minute delay. Now the plane was a washing machine and just around my aisle, no less than five people were filling up their barf bags.

Surprisingly, we survived the additional delay with the plane banking and bouncing and falling. When we finally hit the tarmac, my perception was that the plane was sliding along a slippery runway and we were in for an equally dramatic finish to the whole episode.

Immediately as we touched the ground, the applause started. Now I understand the sense of relief for being on the ground again, but still I appeal for a change. I think it's advisable to applaud only after we've stopped or at least slowed down. Let's not jump to conclusions.

Daniel Thwaites has a New York law firm and is a student of the Norman Manley Law School. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.