Orville Taylor | Flagging the ex-PMs

He was not even a lustful thought in his father’s mind in the early 1970s; but given his high IQ, it is difficult to believe that junior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for St Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge, could have made such a faux pas. An image on social media effaced the portraits of former prime ministers, Portia Simpson Miller and P.J. Patterson, while he ‘cut 10’ during an interview. Nothing is funny about political tribalism; because too much evil has occurred in the name of politics in our history. Some of us remember it as if it were tomorrow.

Moreover, it is painfully ironic that Patterson, who ushered in a period of political civility, tolerance and decency, should become the object of political derision, as he makes his slow walk to his 90th birthday.

Yes, Terrelonge has expressed regret over the stupid, insensitive, and childish act, and has reportedly dismissed the miscreant, who has now put a skid mark on his pristine reputation. However, a statement of regret, over conduct, “not in keeping with my style”, is not enough. An attorney, he fully understands the concept of vicarious liability. Thus, he is fully culpable, even in the sense that he chose an agent who had little or none. A complete apology is indispensable, then we can move on to the next matters.

I carry no brief for his political opponent, Raymond Pryce, who now has fodder to chew and as a good cricketer from the blue tribe of St George’s, would not drop the catch. Nonetheless, it is difficult to disagree that Terrelonge “… should have had a system in place to ensure only acceptable posts are published”.

Children conceived in the late 1970s, oblivious to what went on in the period between 1974 and 1980. Perhaps, Terrelonge should have a conversation with Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, who had to relocate to another country during our undeclared civil war, or Pearnel Charles Sr, about his experience while being detained. Actually, this is one of the cases where information is well hidden in a book, and hopefully, whoever defaced the images takes the time to read this important piece of literature.

Ask Dorothy Lightbourne, former justice minister, about comments which were made by political opponents, which caused great angst.

ONE SIDE OF THE COIN

And that is only one side of the coin. Ask Philip Paulwell about the absolute terror he experienced going from home to school. Moreover, Simpson Miller herself, with whom Terrelonge took a picture to demonstrate his respect and regret, could tell him that there is nothing amusing about crossing certain lines.

My father, Elder Heyman Taylor of blessed memory, personally knew Norman Washington Manley and Alexander Bustamante, the founding presidents of the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), respectively. Daddy recalled two incidents when members of their respective parties overstepped the lines of decency and were quickly and decisively sanctioned.

The consequences of tribalism are too severe to bear, as we try to maintain this wonderful little democracy that we have.

For the better part of a decade, my journey to school and work every day was a negotiation with two different sets of friends/acquaintances for my life.

It was a dark era in our history. So dark it was, that men with JLP allegiance would mark for death persons wearing orange or red. What was stupidly paradoxical about this was that the colour of the Tivoli Gardens football teams was orange. Another set of idiots, wanted to hurt young dancehall stars Michigan and Smiley, for a song which stated, “social barriers bruck down, one love jam down,” which, interestingly, was the epitome of the PNP’s socialist message. A set of ignoramuses equated ‘social’ barriers with ‘socialist’ barriers. Clearly, a mind is not only a terrible thing to waste, but at a minimum, these sycophants apparently were preserving theirs in molasses.

NO JOKE

It is no joke! Three weeks ago, a group of us, recalling the 1980 election campaigns, could now laugh over an incident where marauders pulled up and asked a bredren his political allegiance, He guessed wrongly and heard more clicks in the car than when a loose-dentured individual is having an argument. One ‘shotta’ in the car said, “low him; da man deh a idiot.”

Jamaica was so divided that one set of my friends refused to work on Labour Day and another would never accept $5 notes with the face of Norman Manley. More than 40 years later, I still recall the flatulence which I mistook for incontinence, after I gave my friend a $1 bill. Twisting his face to the far right, exposing all of his molars, he glared, with his top lip curled into a snarl, “A labour dat enuh!”

Against the background of the majority of Jamaicans not having any strong sentiment towards any of the two political parties, whoever had the bright idea, or has been reserving brain capacity for use later on in life, clearly wants the JLP, or at least Terrelonge, to lose the next general election.

This is not 2016, when the JLP had a slender lead and his opponent Arnaldo Brown, who had the same portfolio, might have dialled the wrong numbers. With the current swing away from the JLP and a public, which is intolerant of impunity, he has a more formidable Pryce. The second time might be the charm for the articulate Catholic-educated Georgian, whose two-time victorious incumbent only defeated him by around 2,000 votes on the last outing.

Terrelonge, himself a Catholic-educated, excellent communicator, has much in common with Pryce and, interestingly, the battle for the seat might be a microcosm of the overall election to come. After all, where the public believe that there is little separating these brilliant two, whose styles exude panache; none of them needs to further alienate the 70 per cent, who found no reason to vote in February, or the 40 per cent who indicated no love for either party.

Our Xaymaca flag must not be misused for foolishness, and loose tongues sink ships.

Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com