THE EDITOR, Sir:
PERMIT ME space to send an open letter to Mrs. Una James, mother of the now notorious Lee Malvo:
Mrs. James, you have been on my mind, I have been thinking about you, I have been wondering how are you holding up under these extremely stressful conditions under which you now find yourself. I cannot begin to imagine the pain, emotional and psychological, that you are experiencing at this time, but I know it must be severe, I know this was not the life you envisioned for your son.
I believe, like most Jamaican mothers, you did the best you could to provide a better situation for yourself and your son, but things turned out all wrong, your anger and your lack of tears at this point is well understood. As I read your interview in The Gleaner I shed a tear for you, your anger is your strength at this point, only don't let your anger lead you into sin, stay on your face before Jesus, continue to seek His help and forgiveness and he will fix things for you.
You and your son are victims of a society where men feel it is quite okay to father children and leave them to the mercy of a merciless world, and a political system that introduced the glamour of the gun to young impressionable boys. I look at your son and say "There go I but for the grace of God." I hope some good Samaritan will give you the help you need.
I will remember you in my prayers.
I am, etc.,
CALVERT SMITH
revcal50@hotmail.com
Paterson, New Jersey
Via Go-Jamaica
