The simplistic product labeled The Ryan Report suggests that "class distinction" is a more lethal instrument than the manufactured perception that race relations may be a critical component at the heart of our social disorder, that is to say that neither of the two major factions can lay claim to that distinction. The task delegated to the distinguished panel of academics was simple: create a template of ideas as a resolution in the existing plight of openly affected youth and their accompanying social problems.
They appear to have done two things: identified the problems and offered solutions. However, they did not discuss how the youth got from A to B so that those missteps would not be repeated. For example, corruption in government, civic lawlessness, warehousing of the poor for political considerations, the politisation of crime, and the list goes on.
To deal solely with the end product, as though it does not matter, is to deflect personal social responsibility after 50 years of independence. This selective attitude of the committee has not gone unnoticed. Perhaps they lack a sense of genuine patriotism. Adult influence appears to be blameless.
Errol F Hosein
via e-mail