The Editor, Sir:
"I say hang them, hang them and hang them high!" I am not a supporter of hanging, but the killing of children is extraordinary and that calls for extraordinary circumstances."
The above were the words of former prime minister of Jamaica Edward Seaga, as written in The Gleaner on November 24.
Reading the letter, I sense a level of frustration from the former prime minister. What is sensed more from my reading the article is a level of 'hopelessness' coming from a man who was a member of parliament for a constituency that is known for brutal acts of murder and violence. Is this to say that even he cannot cope with this level of crime? The man that is known to always have a plan seems to be 'plan less' on crime and violence, in particular murder.
Hopeless
My two cents on this is the former prime minister seems to be hopeless; stretch your imagination to the youths in the communities where these brutal acts of violence are frequent. Youths, many of whom dropped out of school at the primary level, youths who are unemployed and unemployable, youths who the only role model they know of is one with a gun ready to kill.
I grew up in a community just like the one mentioned above and many of the youths only know the street that they live on. That's about 400 metres of road; zero exposure to other parts of Jamaica. They cannot leave their communities because of the crime and violence that surrounds it. I had a friend, who was actually shot dead for trying to do the right thing, leaving his community, his safe haven, to go to work.
Political problem
Mr Seaga cannot imagine the hopelessness that these youths are feeling in these communities. I understand that children are being killed and it is wrong; but "hang them, hang them, hang them high!" will never solve the problem unless you are trying to solve a political problem (claiming you are doing something to reduce crime and violence). These youths are hopeless, a hopeless youth is already dead.You cannot kill a man twice, sorry, a boy twice. Given this, the death penalty is a hopeless solution.
I am, etc.,
GARFIELD GAYLE
brooksgayle@juno.com
Queens, New York
