The Editor, Sir:

Lately, our little country has been under a hateful and violent siege, the source of which is hard to pinpoint. There is the political warfare, the illegal drugs, gang and spiritual warfare; but, it seems to be a combination of these and many other factors that are affecting and infecting the mind, soul and body of the children of this once-beautiful and peaceful nation.

Where does this evil stem from? Is it a result of mental slavery, influenced by our past physical slavery, or are we just plain and simply cursed? There are islands of people all around us who, like us, were once enslaved, but who have not been trodding the path of violence, hate and corruption that we are not just walking on, but seem to be dancing and running on.

It is strange, but we, as a nation, tend to blame everything that goes wrong on those before us. We blame the fathers who abandon our children on the influence of colonial slavery; we blame our rampant killing of each other on colonial slavery; we blame our corrupt political structure on colonial slavery; we blame our homophobia and gay brothers and sisters on colonial slavery; and we blame our hatred for each other and ourselves on colonial slavery.

Abolished 175 years ago

The problem with this finger-pointing is that slavery was abolished 175 years ago, yet we are still blaming slavery for our lack of love. Please, let us get up and start looking at what we are doing wrong in our own lives and in our own households that is allowing the continued downward spiralling of this nation towards a bitter end.

Churches, look at yourselves and see where you are lacking. Stop singling out entities and individuals who come to you for love and acceptance despite their economic, social and political status; despite their past; despite their criminal and substance-abuse record and despite their sexual orientation.

To our leaders, what are your influences in the garrison com-munities which promote war between neighbours, with brethren killing brethren? To the drug dealers, why do you continue to destroy your life, the life of your brothers and sisters and the lives of your very children?

If we look carefully, we find greed at the centre of everything evil. After all, money, not physical slavery, is the root of all evil; and yes, many of us are slaves but not because of colonialism, but because of money. That's why we turn our backs on our neighbours, kill our brethren and sell our children because if we stand up for anything that's good and anything that is true, we lose our ratings and that's our money.

Who in this nation will get up and stand up for justice, for truth and for love?

I am, etc.,

R. BROWN

rcbtro@aim.com

Philadelphia PA,

Via Go-Jamaica