There is a seething, simmering type of anger and rage which is bubbling, sputtering and fermenting beneath our society's thin veneer of friendliness, tolerance and civility. One only has to look at the video making the rounds on You Tube and the internet, of the U Report showing two motorists in an argument which quickly escalates into a vicious chopping where one or both of them could easily have been killed.
This incident we know of and have seen, how many other similar incidents of senseless, intemperate, reckless anger and violence occur on a daily basis throughout the country?
Upsurge in Violence
There is a disturbing upsurge in the violence, anger and rage in our society. Bandits and criminals are not content just to rob you and forcibly take your valuables from you. In some sick, twisted sadistic way, they are not satisfied unless they also inflict some measure of personal violence, pain or torture on you or your family. We are seeing so many instances of persons being robbed of their cars and being either shot or chopped in the process, even where they have put up no struggle and have co-operated with the robbers, someone in the group must feel that he has to "pelt a shot" or "leggo a chop" on you the victim, before he leaves.
We have lost our innocence
Where did we turn this corner and become a nation like this? I have written before and have made it clear that I am firmly of the view that the events of July 1990 were seminal events in our nation's history and clearly mark the defining moment when we lost our innocence. You compare T&T pre-1990 and post-1990 and the differences in attitudes, behaviours and mindsets are clear and stark. It is maybe timely, that we are now engaging in a Commission of Enquiry into these events, but apart from a simple recall of the traumatic events and a search for the causes, we need to examine and analyze the effects also. How has it changed and shaped us as a people, as a nation?
Right to take by Force
One of the clear differences in attitude which could be detected between pre and post-1990 T&T, is the question of the "right" to take by force. The 1990 insurrection was founded upon and fuelled by the principles of a right (whether thought to be Divine or not) to take things by force because the Government of the day, the social hierarchy and the business people and the "parasitic oligarchy" were "not listening" to the "needs" and cries of the people, so it was felt that this little group of insurrectionists and their followers, had a "right," to take control of the country by force.
While at it and in the midst of the melee and shooting, many persons felt they had a "right" to take goods, possessions and items from stores and business places, by force if necessary. Violent seizure of things from others was almost the accepted order of the day and we have merely continued like this, in a downward spiral since then. The Government owes us something, the businessman owes us something, society owes us something and if we don't get it, we will take it by force.
It's a War Zone
The actions of the Muslimeen were "legitimised" in the minds of many members of the public because as far as they were concerned, the Government of the day was "too wicked and bad" and "dem businessmen and dem always making money, so if dey lorse a l'il bit, is no scene." This is the kind of warped logic and reasoning which began to take root in our society as we gradually began to lose our sense of right and wrong and our sense of what is just, fair and proper. The end began to justify the means, hear Damian "Junior Gong" Marley – "When baby want food and can't do without it, big 45 going to scout it."
So the reasoning is that I need food for myself and my family so I will arm myself and go out and take it by force from someone else, and this becomes accepted social behaviour in some segments of the society. Mothers will see their unemployed sons coming back home with thousands of dollars in cash, with gold, with new sneakers and buckets of fried chicken for all, and no questions are asked as everyone quietly shares in the spoils-the spoils of war, because they will tell you, "iz a war zone out dere, is kill or be killed, an' man have to survive."
Making/Taking a Living
So East Port-of-Spain, Chaguanas and other parts of the country become battle zones where bandits attack customers on a daily basis, store owners cower in fear and have to close up shop early or move out their businesses. Passengers in cars have their jewelry snatched off their hands and necks, drivers are robbed by "passengers" and drivers knock down and run over and kill each other in fights to get passengers. Police and residents square off against each other in Picton Road in Laventille and threats and abuses are hurled from both sides. Police killings appear to be on the rise and the Police try to push the communities into retreat and the communities start pushing back.
It's a lose-lose situation, and all this is happening while we have the temporary distraction and illusory fraternisation of Carnival. What will happen when the dust has settled and the feting is over and the glitter, glam and pageantry of the Carnival is no more and people get back down to the serious business of making a living, or taking a living, from someone else by force if necessary? What is going to happen to our crime rate then? We need to take urgent steps because it looks like the crime rate is likely to get worse before it gets better.
There seems to be no likelihood of the famous Martin Joseph's "Increase in the decrease of crime."
We need to find innovative, creative ways to cool this boiling, bubbling seething mass of frustration and desperation, that is set to boil over into the streets of this nation as a cauldron of anger and rage.