THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT'S A disgrace that Detective Sergeant Gladys Brown-Campbell was mugged on a busy Jamaican street in the middle of the day. One can be quick to condemn the actions of the knife-wielding criminal who tried to grab her bag but I think the greater condemnation should be reserved for all the onlookers. It begs the question, do we have the kind of Jamaica we deserve?
What kind of society have we become when our women are attacked and we watch in awe? Your story describes how she fought her attacker to the ground while he inflicted knife-wounds on her. Where was everybody? How was he allowed to escape?
In early September, my mobile phone was grabbed by thugs as I was walking in Half-Way Tree. The most disturbing thing about the incident for me was that approximately a dozen men watched as the young criminals walked away. When I had overcome my shock and decided to chase them, the men looked at me as if I were mad. Thankfully, a passing police patrol intervened and held one of the thieves.
As I walked to the police station to give a report, none of whom had made any attempt to help me, were suddenly asking the outcome of the situation. I could not speak because I was too ashamed of the hopelessness I felt because of their earlier lack of action. I couldn't believe they hadn't even said "STOP".
Societies are judged by the way they protect their weakest members. A woman lying on the street of downtown Kingston being stabbed repeatedly certainly qualifies as one such.
Every day we have more demonstrations calling for justice from public officials. At the risk of preaching, I must say that our silence in everyday affairs condemns us. The only just society we are entitled to is the one we create. It seems our tongues have grown too heavy to speak peace and our hands avoid social action.
I am, etc.,
D.A. LLOYD
dayardie101@hotmail.com
University of Westminister
London, England
Via Go-Jamaica
