THE EDITOR, SIR:I READ with tears in my eyes the letter by Mr. Bert Samuels attorney-at-law. In this letter he speaks of "his friend" who lost her twin girls and eldest daughter and (innocent) unborn child to our "Grim Reapers with the guns". I cry for our four innocent children forever lost, I cry for a country gripped in eternal fear, I cry for our mothers who have to constantly worry when their child is missing from their sight for a mere second, I cry for our children who live in fear of the 'unknown bullet' wondering when it is going to be their turn.
I cry for a country gripped tightly in terror. I cry because now "safety" is a luxury item. I mourn for my nation. We just celebrated Heroes Day. We celebrated these men and woman that gave their lives in the hope that their children and their children's children could live free of fear, of unjust treatment, unjust prosecution. Isn't it funny that what they lived and died for is what we are now doing to ourselves.
Jamaica, this is not a 'ghetto' problem, nor is it a politician problem. This is a Jamaica problem. We need solutions, we need hope, we need most of all UNITY. We do not have the option: let me rephrase that, we should not take the option of running away to a foreign land to try and get away from this. We owe it to our children and our children's children to fight for this blessed land of ours.
That's right Jamaicans, be you black, Indian, Chinese or white, this is our country, no one, but no one should be given a flicker of a chance to take it from us through violence. "Out of Many, One People". It does not matter if I am from Rema or Tivoli and you are from Jacks Hill or Cherry Gardens, we are still one people, one nation.
One of our biggest problems in Jamaica is that there is a different justice for us depending on which class we are from. We act as if we feel a different type of pain when we lose someone depending on our class. Starting today, I challenge you to take one tiny step towards doing, saying or performing one small act that you think would contribute towards the big picture, no matter what it is, it could be from offering support to someone, to turning in your gun.
So I cry with this mother because I too feel her pain, and I do hope Jamaica cries with her also because you too should feel her pain. It could be anyone of us next.
I am, etc.,
N. COUNSELL.
nscounsell@hotmail.com
Montego Bay
Via Go-Jamaica
