Last year, I felt compelled to, in a literary way, lend my voice to a very necessary anti violence effort. I did so by writing the editor of the Freeport News weekly, often time demonstrating through our political differences, that people can opt to disagree, peacefully. My commitment to an anti-violence campaign was unflinching however, lyc – etv, Love Your Country, End The Violence, was something I had hoped would have resonated with at least a hand full of persons, thereby ensuring that my efforts were not in vain. A few Grand Bahamians assured me that they had heeded the call, and some of them in their own quiet way committed themselves to their own anti violence initiatives. I say this to reiterate that I do not condone violence!
Grace however, is an essential component of anti-violence. Grace is perhaps the foundation of anti-violence – it says – “I will not rightfully or unrightfully retaliate, even in the face of a wrong perpetrated against me.” I go further to include early in this letter, my support for Law and Order. Rules and the enforcement of rules secure the stability of societies – this is not a function of some higher wisdom, it is common sense!
The 2007 Bimini riots should not have happened but they did. At the heart of the matter, we must never forget is that a life was lost. So as not to pre-judge what is still under investigation, I note that a life was taken by a police officer under a heavy cloud of suspicion. That officer has been suspended from active duty but while being investigated is not behind any bars while authorities await the process of justice which will determine his fate. But his is a fate tied to the loss of life – life which cannot be replaced, which no amount of money can restore, rebuild, or return to the family and community of those who suffered the loss.
Temporary insanity or rage associated with provocation or perceived injustice is something very real. This heightened emotional response may not be a very successful defense before our courts but in this instant, at a time when our social fabric is being threatened by crime and violence, perhaps as a people we should come to lend our minds to the idea behind why people sometimes riot. An ordinarily peaceful people do not just wake up one day and decide to wreak havoc on their own community. Their temporary insanity, their temporary loss of control is often time fueled by a sense of injustice. And so South Central Los Angeles burned, shops were looted, and order was lost in response to the unfair beating of Rodney King, at the hands of corrupt police officers. And so too did Bimini. And although they try to cover it up, the Government building on another Island purportedly also went up in flames in response to abuse of power by those hired to protect us, just a few weeks ago.
Three men have been arraigned for their alleged role in the riots of Bimini – the supporting evidence must heavily be grounded in hearsay. Yes buildings were destroyed and the chaos instigated was simply unacceptable. But these three men are not responsible for loss of life. Government property can be restored, rebuilt or replaced. Yet these men have been denied bail. Forget the idea of grace or even some far fetched notion of temporary loss of sanity or good judgment, as a defense. Where is the fair-play in all of this? How can a police officer connected with the loss of life which triggered the rioitous response, await his fate free, and under the tenet of “innocent until proven guilty” while three men who have no cause to ever be that senseless or violent again, find themselves already punished under the harsh conditions of Her Majesty’s prison, having been denied bail?
Come on Bahamas! In order and decency and in the absence of violence, I challenge some of our leaders to question this resulting perceived injustice. Persons must be held accountable and should even be made examples of for their roles in violent acts against society - absolutely. But the system must be seen to be fair or at least trick us into believing it to be so. As for the matter at hand, we run the risk of being more suspicious of authority where there is no equal treatment of civilians. I mean no disrespect to the Magistrate who ruled, clearly the ruling has been influenced by the politics of the day but these men should not have been denied bail, and as a people, we should not allow this travesty without some peaceful opposition.
Grace however, is an essential component of anti-violence. Grace is perhaps the foundation of anti-violence – it says – “I will not rightfully or unrightfully retaliate, even in the face of a wrong perpetrated against me.” I go further to include early in this letter, my support for Law and Order. Rules and the enforcement of rules secure the stability of societies – this is not a function of some higher wisdom, it is common sense!
The 2007 Bimini riots should not have happened but they did. At the heart of the matter, we must never forget is that a life was lost. So as not to pre-judge what is still under investigation, I note that a life was taken by a police officer under a heavy cloud of suspicion. That officer has been suspended from active duty but while being investigated is not behind any bars while authorities await the process of justice which will determine his fate. But his is a fate tied to the loss of life – life which cannot be replaced, which no amount of money can restore, rebuild, or return to the family and community of those who suffered the loss.
Temporary insanity or rage associated with provocation or perceived injustice is something very real. This heightened emotional response may not be a very successful defense before our courts but in this instant, at a time when our social fabric is being threatened by crime and violence, perhaps as a people we should come to lend our minds to the idea behind why people sometimes riot. An ordinarily peaceful people do not just wake up one day and decide to wreak havoc on their own community. Their temporary insanity, their temporary loss of control is often time fueled by a sense of injustice. And so South Central Los Angeles burned, shops were looted, and order was lost in response to the unfair beating of Rodney King, at the hands of corrupt police officers. And so too did Bimini. And although they try to cover it up, the Government building on another Island purportedly also went up in flames in response to abuse of power by those hired to protect us, just a few weeks ago.
Three men have been arraigned for their alleged role in the riots of Bimini – the supporting evidence must heavily be grounded in hearsay. Yes buildings were destroyed and the chaos instigated was simply unacceptable. But these three men are not responsible for loss of life. Government property can be restored, rebuilt or replaced. Yet these men have been denied bail. Forget the idea of grace or even some far fetched notion of temporary loss of sanity or good judgment, as a defense. Where is the fair-play in all of this? How can a police officer connected with the loss of life which triggered the rioitous response, await his fate free, and under the tenet of “innocent until proven guilty” while three men who have no cause to ever be that senseless or violent again, find themselves already punished under the harsh conditions of Her Majesty’s prison, having been denied bail?
Come on Bahamas! In order and decency and in the absence of violence, I challenge some of our leaders to question this resulting perceived injustice. Persons must be held accountable and should even be made examples of for their roles in violent acts against society - absolutely. But the system must be seen to be fair or at least trick us into believing it to be so. As for the matter at hand, we run the risk of being more suspicious of authority where there is no equal treatment of civilians. I mean no disrespect to the Magistrate who ruled, clearly the ruling has been influenced by the politics of the day but these men should not have been denied bail, and as a people, we should not allow this travesty without some peaceful opposition.
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