Yes, I am still angry, but I am happy more of you are talking about the senseless shootings, suffering and misery being inflicted on our children by our children.
I recall living in theUSAfor a period of time, and my son was in pre-school. He did something for which he deserved to be corrected (not abused), and when, as his parents, we tried to correct him, he said to us, “if you hit me I will call the police”. I looked at my wife in amazement and I asked him, “What number will you call?” He said “911”. At that point my mind was made up. But my wife always said, “when you call the police, tell them to go with you, because when you are out high on drugs, stealing cars, robbing people, stabbing and fighting over turf, tell them DO NOT CALL ME! If correcting you is the police’s business, then I guarantee you that it will be their business when you are out there stealing and killing.” Suffice it to say our son is doing fairly well in Anguilla, and he is free to return and have and raise his own children in theUSA.
Let me get back to this gun and shooting story and ask a number of questions. How come we have so many guns inAnguilla? Why so many of our children and boys have guns at their disposal? Do these guns come in through the post office, the airport, the seaports, or just any beach on our island? Is it that the police are totally oblivious to every incidence of gun smuggling into the country? Is it that parents, neighbours and friends are totally ignorant of the guns in their homes, yards, or the waists of our beloved boys in our communities? Is it that no one ever reports such sightings to the police? If and when such decent citizens make such reports to the police, what happens? Is such information treated respectfully given the gravity of the implications if the source of such information is leaked to the perpetrators? Is it true that some persons who make such reports to the police are shortly thereafter threatened or attacked; or is it just mischievous and malicious gossip against the police who are doing their best under the difficult circumstances? I don’t know anything, so I am just asking questions.
What I do know is that the police cannot solve the problems of crime and violence inAnguillaif they do not have the cooperation of every mother and father in each of our communities. Let me also hasten to add that the police will never solve the problems of crime and violence in Anguilla if there is a belief, among persons in the public, that when I share critical and sensitive information with the police that the police will go and say to Mr. Gunman: “John Doe told me that you have guns buried in your yard;” or they say to Mrs. DrugLord, “Mary Doe told me that you plant and sell weed from your house”. Again, I ask, are people being mischievous and malicious in making such statements about the police? Are they just creating smokescreens in an attempt to avoid doing the right thing?
Every police officer’s life is even more at risk everyday and night so long as one gun remains at large on the streets ofAnguilla. The police need to get the guns off the streets, and they would be very unwise to do anything that would compromise their ability to get the much needed information that would help them to rid our streets of guns and bring the perpetrators of such horrendous acts of violence to justice. So, if it means that the Commissioner has to create a special hot line of his most trusted officers who would be able to receive and filter and safely disseminate critical information to arresting officers – or create a squad of “untouchables” to rid our beloved Anguilla of guns – then Mr. Commissioner for Anguilla’s children’s sake, please do it.
One thing is clear. When boys take up guns, it means they are prepared to shoot anyone who opposes or interferes with their ambitions. It means that every parent who dares to report their children to the police are at risk of being killed by their own children. This is no game. This is no movie. This is no joke. If as citizens we are going to stick our necks out, we need to be sure that the police will be our helmets and protect us by acting discretely and swiftly. We do not have the luxury of a witness protection system inAnguillaas yet. Maybe it is time we do. Until such time, the question is, are we going to wait until things get worse, or are we going to talk to our children and find a way to get them to surrender the guns – amnesty or no amnesty – before the tolling church bell becomes our national sound?
I am talking about our children, my nieces and nephews, my siblings, my neighbours and their children whose lives are at risk. There is one condition under which I would shut up and be silent and it is this: If anybody can demonstrate to me that every man, woman and child who has been shot inAnguilladeserved what they got. Prove that to me and I will shut up. Until then, every opportunity I get I will speak out about the mess our youth inAnguillahave found themselves in.
The truth is, every child who takes up a gun to walk with, says: “I am ready to die.” “Daddy, Mommie, You will bury me soon.” “I have no value on my life, and I have no value on anyone else’s life either.” “If I want what you have, you have the right to give it up or die.”
I am so angry when as parents and adults we can sit by and let our children hold and carry guns. I am not naive to think that our children that have taken such a path in life are that way because of poor parenting. I know of parents whose knees have calluses from praying for their children; who have spoken to, counselled with, and got help for their children to no avail. I also know of some children who have been neglected, abused and driven into a life of crime and violence because no one cared, no one took time out to listen to them. I know that there is no simple reason as to why our children live a life of crime and violence. I also know that to ignore the realities of our children, and do or say nothing, will only condemn them to a short life on earth or a long one in prison.
So every opportunity I get to speak to parents now I will tell them: “Tell your children you want them to bury you.” “Tell your children that children are expected to bury their grandparents.” “Tell your children that you want to see your grandchildren and your great grand children.”
Revenge and retaliatory attacks can never be entertained or encouraged by our children or their relatives. Ask the Israelis and the Palestinians about retaliation. A policy of retaliation means peace will come when one side is completely wiped out and the other remains standing and strong. Do we want such a blood bath inAnguilla? Am I over reacting and being overly dramatic and sensational? Forgive me if I am, but this point is valid to the debate if our boys are going to horde guns on each side of the battle lines. For me the only solution is to get ALL the guns off the streets as daunting as it seems. Anything short of getting all the guns off the streets is to settle for more senseless and unnecessary bloodshed. Every time someone is shot, rage and bitterness and a thirst for revenge boils up in the hearts of close friends and family against the perceived perpetrators. When and how will the cycle of violence and bloodshed ends, unless somebody steps in and says: ENOUGH! NO MORE SHOOTING!
The attacked, the injured, the maimed and the bereaved MUST find the courage and grace to say NO MORE! I do not want any other mother to suffer what I am suffering. No more parents need to have their souls torn from their breast because a child hits the dust from a gunshot wound. As hard as it may be, the victims and their families need all of our prayers and support to enable them to stand against revenge and more bloodshed. The circle of violence must be broken and the sad and painful truth is that the wounded must lift up the olive branch of forgiveness and peace. I know this is asking a lot of the wounded and bereaved, but there is no other road to peace and recapturing “tranquillity wrapped in blue”. I was touched to hear one such wounded mother say to her injured children, there will be no revenge or retaliatory attacks on those who hurt them. Leave it to God. Leave it alone. I respect that mother, because she is a REAL ANGUILLIAN MOTHER who explained to me: it is her faith in God and the prayers of her church family that enable her to take that stand. The great news is that her children respect her and they listen and heed her plea.
Parents, dare to be not just friends, but parents to your children. Tell them what they need to hear and not just what you think they want to hear. Dare to be right and not popular. Your children will love you and respect you for it, because you will save their lives. They will thank God for you, because you told them the truth. It may hurt now, but it will hurt much more later if your child follows a path of revenge.
Children, young men and young women, I understand you are angry and furious at what might have happened to you or your family or your friends; but think of how much more painful it will be for your family to lose you to the enemy’s bullet or knife. Is it really worth losing your life over? Can you imagine how much pain it would bring to your family to have to lose you in death? If your parent has already lost one child, don’t make her lose a second child. No mother deserves that.
I am therefore beseeching all who read this to refrain from promoting revenge or retaliation. Instead, I want you to speak peace, forgiveness and healing. It is our only hope to stop the cycle of violence. Can I count on you to let your anger be channelled into actions for peace? That’s what I am doing with my anger. I will remain angry, angry, at the ugly scourge of violence in our peacefulAnguilla, until all our guns are turned into ploughshares.
The remaining publications will address another area of crime that is of grave concern, and also make a couple suggestions as to how we can help our young people put down the guns and channel their energies into positive and productive activities that will keep them out of trouble and enable them to become citizens who value life, family and the rule of law.
So again, I ask that you continue talking about this problem of violence in Anguilla with your children, with your neighbour’s children, with your colleagues at work, in your groups and organizations in the community, the church, the school until enough of us realise that, sooner or later, if we do nothing, the next victim (God forbid) could be from my home or yours.
See you next week…
