Justice Writes - Advice from Martin Luther King

"COWARDICE ASKS the question, 'Is it safe' ?

Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic'?

Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular'? But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right'? And there comes the time when one must take the position that is neither safe, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right."

These words by Martin Luther King are extraordinarily relevant to us in Jamaica today. Because of fear many of us may feel afraid to challenge the system. Some feel that they could be exposed to risks, reprisals or danger. But it should be realised that attempting to remain safe now could expose us to greater dangers in the future. Our children's future could be jeopardised if we use safety as an excuse for continued silence and inactivity. The experiences of the decades past have proved that if we, the silent majority, remain silent, conditions will not improve. Instead, we will become more and more insensitive to injustice, to instances of violence and to abuses of human rights.

We must insist on being governed by a set of rules and standards that meet the highest degree of integrity, without which we will slip into chaos and anarchy, signs of which can be seen now. At this very moment we are spending millions of dollars to repair Jamaica's damaged image caused from the violence of recent times. The tourist industry has demanded large sums for a quick fix to court the Foreign Press and large travel agents. Had that money, and more, been spent to educate and train the young men and women of inner city communities and create jobs for their energy and talent we would not have to undertake damage control now. It may be politically expedient to say or do certain things. Some of our citizens are rejoicing that a Commission of Enquiry is being set up to discern the truth of the violence in Western Kingston. It may not be politically expedient to ask what truth has come out of the previous Commissions of Enquiry into the removal of the street people from Montego Bay, and the beatings of some 300 prisoners in the St Catherine District Prison?

Waste

Was it all a waste of time and money? It may be politically expedient to report that, "Calm has returned to Western Kingston" but has there been any meaningful change in the causes and circumstances that created the disturbance? The neglect of decades will require more than a Government press release, a walk through the garrisons communities and other superficialities to heal the nation's wounds. Vanity asks the question, is it popular? We all want to be loved and respected, and often feel reluctant to 'rock the boat'. Indeed, it may not be popular to say some of the things that need to be said or do some of the many things that need to be done.

But ultimately Conscience asks the question "Is it right?" There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor popular nor politically expedient, because Conscience shouts loudly that it is right.

Assassinated

Martin Luther King was assassinated because he said and did the right things that have ultimately provided benefit for so many of his countrymen and women, of all races and classes.

The proven and statistical analysis of the disaffection people has developed for our politicians underscores that fact that our leaders have failed. For the entire country has seen the injustice of so many lives being required to live in hopeless squalor and so much talent going to waste. The folks in the inner city feel they have been abandoned, and they have cause to think so. Remember the bloated bodies being attacked by dogs?

The State has the duty to protect citizens from the all too many hardened and dangerous criminals within our society.

The State also has the duty to properly train and institute good intelligence practices that will isolate and identify the guilty leaving the innocent free from being subjected to inhuman practices from the security forces.

It cannot be right for the State to allow its agents to execute people and violate so many human rights in the name of fighting crime. For indeed, this is the larger crime, especially when no one is held accountable and lawlessness within the security forces appears to be condoned. It will take extraordinary leadership to break Party lines and old ways of thinking to find the courage to listen to the country's demands to care less about safety, popularity and expediency and do what is right -- for indeed, our leaders KNOW what is right.

You may contact Jamaicans for Justice at ja.for.justice@cwjamaica.com or visit their web site at http://www.jamaiacansforjustice.org

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