Some months ago, I wrote an article about the Gaza phenomenon but it was not published, even though it had information about the real Gaza in the Middle East. I wondered why an entertainer in his right mind would want to identify with such a place.

Some weeks ago, an editorial questioned whether Vybz Kartel and Mavado were respectful of their fans. The STAR carried a story on Friday, October 23: "Woman beaten for breaking Gaza law". There was an incident the previous month where two tourists were beaten because they declared that this Gaza-Gully nonsense must stop. Numerous incidents have occurred - some reported, some not - over the past two years about this Gully-Gaza entertainment conflict. But if it was and is nonsense, why has it been allowed to reach this level?

Organiser of Sumfest, Johnny Gourzong, banned children from attending Dancehall Night, claiming that that night was for adult entertainment and he had the responsibility not to expose them to some of the explicit lyrics that performers billed on that show are known for. He made a decision after the event last year that some of the presentations were not suitable for persons under 16, and he was ensuring that children would only be allowed to attend events that were more suited to them. But after that wonderful, sanitised speech, many children were seen at Dancehall Night "because their parents had no one with whom to leave them".

Some years ago, some of those same performers were banned, but instead of encouraging them to clean up their lyrics, they got "the right hand of fellowship" to perfect the slackness because "if yuh cah beat dem, join dem".

Greatest show on earth

Sumfest is advertised as the greatest show on Earth, a once-a-year event that draws tourists from all corners of the Earth, but our children could not attend because of the lewd, crass lyrical content in the name of music, in the name of culture, in the name of entertainment.

Double messages have always been the Jamaican story. This is evident in the media, politics, the police force, music, religion, sports. You name it, we double it. And we talk about leadership?

Can anyone of you in your position of influence point a finger? All of the above has been on downgrade for far too long and we continue to write and talk, talk and more talk.

I am, etc.,

JOY FRASER

Montego Bay