Letter of the Day: ‘Low di yout dem'

THE EDITOR, Sir:

It is a welcoming sight to see the increased number of young people in politics. Like in our youthful days, they will err. It is not our duty as elders to shut them up or try to destroy them in the name of tribal politics. First, we must acknowledge that this is not the generation of the 1950s and 1960s. Second, they are more expressive and advanced culturally and/or intellectually. They will make mistakes; why hang them?

There is an interview with Bob Marley that was done on his return from a Caribbean destination in the 1970s. He spoke about adults wrongfully judging young people. He said (and I paraphrase) that all 'dem big people gwaan like sey dem was never young; dem a gwaan like dem did born big'. This line of reasoning helps us to reflect on ourselves as we judge the young. Let us take the case of young Dwayne Vaz and that Kartel song. I will also look at young Dayton Campbell, too, because when he speaks, there is a kind of avalanche of condemnation. It was this blitz of condemnation and hangman's noose shaking at young Dwayne Vaz; and look who is talking! Lef di yute! We were once young and we made errors. There were elders that were in place to help us to grow and to respect reason. What is missing from all of this is reason.

There is the argument that Vaz used lyrics of a "convicted murderer". Is the problem the music or is it Vybz Kartel? I agree with the protest, but make it civil and intelligent. Dwayne Vaz is a young man, and like any one of our sons, treat him like your child. On Tuesday, I saw the slew of orchestrated condemnations of young Vaz. It was like he committed ISIS types of crime. Was there this level of condemnation of the so-called flag killing in Portmore? We have some young people in Jamaica who have a lot of potential and they must not be destroyed, but be assisted as they evolve. Do you really believe that Vaz would do something deliberately on the big stage to call for retribution and violence? Give the youth a break!

I see the same trend of comments and condemnation of young Dayton Campbell. Let him speak. Intelligent people cannot remain silent in the face of ignorance. When and where he commits an error, do not fail him, help him to overcome that problem. Where is that village that is expected to raise the youth? It is a pity that in this season of political campaigns there is this emptiness of knowledge and reason in the poor narratives of 21-century politics in Jamaica. In times like these we really miss the incomparable Michael Manley. The truth buried will rise again.

Louis E.A. Moyston

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