The crime of noise
published: Friday | January 31, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I read in today's Gleaner yet another letter from a citizen regarding his peace being disturbed and his rights abused because of someone who does not care and gets away with it. More and more, we the hard-working and considerate (few?) people have cause to wonder if we and our children will survive in the short term, much less the long term, with the escalating level of abuse of all kinds, especially the unabated and obscene assault committed on us with the weapon of noise. Car systems. Plaza sound boxes. Sessions. Unrelenting, nerve-shattering, maddening noise.
1. The police are ineffective because of hopelessness and fear, or because of just not bothering. They are bored with people who call them about noise, and they hate their jobs.
2. This behaviour, this assault, continues because it can. People will continue to do anything as long as they are not stopped. They have no reason any longer, such as kindness, respect for others, or pride in themselves. Fear of punishment is the only deterrent for them. They are without conscience. Get out of their way or else.
3. We put up with it because we do not wish to confront them directly ourselves, for fear of our life and limb, or theirs. We put up with it because we have no choice. Calling the police is not an option.
This nation is on a terrible downhill roll. The people have been battered by aggressive and untouchable monsters placed in positions of power, demonstrated by their huge and ridiculous overkill vehicles which they use to bully themselves through the traffic without consideration for others on the road. If you take one of these battered, impoverished, hard-working or unemployed citizens and put him or her in that same position of power, watch out, for revenge is sweet. The law of the jungle applies from the bottom up and is the applicable and active law existing in Jamaica now - Eat or be Eaten, Kill or be Killed.
Those who can leave, should. Now. Take your children anywhere that will accept you...and good luck, you'll need it because of where you're coming from. Jamaica - no problem, mon, unless you live here.
