THE EDITOR, Sir:WE KEEP hearing that many of the murders being committed result from domestic disputes. Monday morning's front-page Gleaner report on the killings that took place on Sunday, February 6, seems to bear this out. Of the four deaths recorded, three resulted directly or indirectly from family rage, specifically, conflict over sexual partners.
It is also significant that in that same edition of the Gleaner, the pertinent and timely letter of the day highlights the breakdown in the relationship between mother and father as a key factor in the development of the criminal personality.
It seems to me that as a society we have lost knowledge and understanding in a very crucial area of our lives. Many of us simply haven't a clue as to how to deal with sexual energy. Consider the following:
1) Like any other form of energy, sexual energy must be regulated. Unrestricted energy can be enormously destructive. In well-ordered polygamous societies, for example, there are usually conditions and regulations laid down for taking and maintaining more than one wife.
2) Every form of energy has its own use and purpose. Sexual energy was not designed simply for our pleasure, wonderful as that pleasure may be. It was designed for creating and maintaining a strong, lasting bond between the man and the woman. This bond provides the foundation for the family unit. The health and stability of the whole society depend on the quality of this bond. Children produced and raised in a stable family setting are much more likely to become useful and productive citizens.
I am, etc.,
FAITH LINTON
St. Anns Bay
