No matter what the nihilists among us might argue, it can't be right, and certainly isn't legal, to enter a crowded theatre and shout "fire".

Quite appropriately, as Adidja Palmer would appreciate, you would be held accountable for the ensuing stampede and the injuries that might flow therefrom.

By the way, Mr Palmer is a deejay/dancehall artiste, who is better known as Vybz Kartel, titular head of the so-called Portmore Empire and Gad to his tribe of 'Gaza', a movement of sorts that is dedicated to the veneration of Mr Palmer and his brand of entertainment.

The Gaza phenomenon might, of itself, have been tolerable if the worship of Palmer and the celebration of his music, much of which glorifies the gun and violence as a tool in the resolution of conflicts, was all. Except that Mr Palmer has a great rival in the musical genre of dancehall. His name is David Brooks, and he performs under the sobriquet Mavado.

The other clan

Like Mr Palmer, Mr Brooks has his own clan, identified by the colloquial name for a section of the community where Mr Brooks used to live: Gully. Mr Brooks, too, hawks lyrics that suggest that the use of the gun and violence are normal and legitimate.

The fans/clan/tribe of either artiste believe that their man is the best, which is not unusual in the world of entertainment and in the context of Jamaica's dancehall culture where 'clashes' between rival toasters/deejays carry a long and colourful history. There is something different, however, about the Gaza/Gully/Kartel/Mavado phenomenon. It has embraced a violent intolerance which the most hardened of their intellectualising apologists will find hard to explain away and, in their backhanded fashion, condone.

Indeed, in Jamaica's inner-city communities and elsewhere, the clashes between the tribes have moved beyond drowning out the one with the other's music, or the extemporaneous verbal pummelling of each other, which Mr Palmer and Mr Brooks sometimes engage in at stage shows. Increasingly, knives, guns and other forms of physical violence are being brought into play. So far, no one has been reported killed in any of these episodes of violence but the possibility is grave.

Merely entertainment

A fortnight ago, Mr Palmer tried to absolve himself of any responsibility for this state of affairs, insisting the Gaza/Gully is merely entertainment that "brings about discussion and debate". Only that it sometimes bleeds and leaves broken bones, for which Mr Palmer argues that he ought not to be held accountable for those fans who take things "too far".

Mr Brooks, not without validity, points, like Mr Palmer, to the political roots of violence in inner-city communities and stress that other institutions, including the Church, help to promote, and sometimes institutionalise, divisions. The point, though, is that this is not about moral equivalency and/or vindication because of the failings of others.

Mr Palmer and Mr Brooks have to be judged for their own actions and held accountable for what they do. Both, because of their talent and decent living, have escaped the privations and the painful violence to which, through their nihilism, they condemn too many of their fans. It is not too late for Kartel and Mavado to pull back and declare, genuinely, for peace and decency.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.