Murder here vs murder there
Dear Editor,
The airwaves throughout Europe and the United States have been filled round-the-clock reporting of the terrorist attack and murder of a handful of civilians in Paris. The president of that country appeared on the nation’s television condemning the dastardly deeds of the terrorists. The political leaders led a unity march with the people of Paris. Our media in Jamaica carried the news and images of the killers.
Late last year a gun-toting terrorist in Ottawa, Canada, shot and killed a military guard and was eventually killed in the Parliament. The Canadian prime minister went on national TV condemning this terrorist action and assured the Canadian public that every action would be taken to prevent such a tragedy from recurring. Our media in Jamaica carried the news and image of the killer.
The lives of French and Canadian citizens are valued by their governments and their people. In contrast, approximately 1,000 Jamaicans were murdered in 2014. Every week the Jamaica Observer and all our other news media give us a running count of the mayhem around us. I cannot recall an islandwide march of 100 people protesting the bloodshed in the country or a march on Gordon House to demand action. And there is no serious action from our government.
Our prime minister quickly dispatched a letter of condolence to the government and people of France, yet I can’t recall her sending a letter of condolence to the families of murder victims here, or marching in a funeral procession with the members of her party. It would appear that French lives, Canadian lives, and US lives have more value than the lives of black Jamaicans and all other Jamaicans. Sixteen per cent decline in murders seems to give some of us comfort.
R Oscar Lofters
Kingston 8
lofters1@aol.com