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So we awoke at the weekend to the news of yet another shooting on our 'isle of paradise' and we can only shake our heads and repeat the words that we've been repeating for about the past two decades - 'Something needs to be done'.

We're sick of it. Most of us are relieved to know that none of our loved ones were caught in the crossfire - and we simply wait for the next shooting which we all know will happen soon.

After all, this one was what, the fifth for the month? We say we've had enough but have we? When WILL enough be enough?

For the past few decades I've watched this island deteriorate on a number of levels.

The basics that were taught in the home during my day in the '60s and '70s - that we never let go of at any cost - appear to have been forgotten.

Everybody now feels they have 'rights' - rights to do whatever they please no matter who else is served an injustice, no matter who else is hurt in the crossfire of inappropriate actions, no matter what.

We blame education, we blame the police, we blame the politicians, we blame other people's children... the list goes on.

Although all of these entities have their rightful place in the blame game, I ask, where are the parents of these miscreants?

We no longer speak out and take action on things that really matter because things that need to be said and things that need to be done will ultimately hurt somebody's feelings and infringe on somebody's 'rights'.

While we all have 'rights', do we really have a right to freedom of speech and action at the expense of the community at large losing quality of life or life itself?

All of the ills on this island are having a detrimental affect on our entire infrastructure of this island. These include:

• Drugs and alcohol - an influx of foreigners who bring with them their culture that does not mesh well with ours;

• Open acceptance of 'musicians' and other 'entertainers' bringing their smut and filth to infiltrate the minds of our youth;

• Greed - a result of the astronomical cost to survive on this island;

• Illiteracy - which ultimately affects the behaviour of our youth and the quality of performance on the work force;

• Incest, sexual misconduct and the list goes on.

Our island is ill, sick, in need of intensive care!

So what do we do? We sit silently - or flap our gums to anybody else who will listen - and wait.

We wait for the next major incident. And then the blame game starts.

Somebody, somewhere on this island knows who is responsible for these crimes and their root causes.

I venture to say that quite a number of people know but nobody is speaking out.

Nobody wants to help put forth a solution but everybody wants one and everybody wants one fast.

Nobody wants to act due to fear. Fear has many in this community held hostage - by others and within themselves.

Many parents are benefitting in some form from the bad dealings of their offspring and refuse to speak up. Other family members and neighbours know but refuse to get involved.

Many parents are no better than their misfit offspring - carrying on in such a manner that they ought to be stripped of the title 'parent'.

We all see them in action all the time. We see them at the football games, in the clubs, in the grocery store, on our respective jobs... but we don't make comment because we'll hurt somebody's little feelings or infringe upon their 'rights'.

We don't want conflict but we want things to change. But if we don't stand for something we'll fall for anything.

When are the full clear pictures of these miscreants parents going to be plastered on the front page of the papers?

Oops - that would hurt somebody's feelings or embarrass somebody, so never mind.

In order for solutions to adequately take effect we must all be willing to give up something to attain something.

Bermudians used to take a bit of pride in the title of being 'pokey' - in 2009 the shift has changed to 'mind your own business' - and this is where we've fallen.

Maybe we all need to patrol the streets ourselves, report to the authorities, carry our mini-camcorders, snitch on what we know is going on, stand firm on those things that are affecting our way of living and be confident enough to say NO.

Our laws would have to be modified and modernised to support our community actions as well.

We have to get back to approaching our youth when we see them treading off the beaten path and take action.

They are children, after all. Why do we act like we're afraid of them?

We also have to be comfortable enough to hold up adults when they're walking on the same path of destruction or immorality - while our youth are watching and emulating them.

While all of us have our part to play, men need to take their rightful place as leaders - in the home and in the community.

Women need to stop pacifying these men who they know are no good - and stop having babies for them and creating more long-term problems.

We must let go of fear and be prepared to take on some backlash in order for a better way of life for us all.

Our island has crumbled. We are not another world.

We are very much part of the big world yet far too small to have problems of this magnitude so out of control.

Let's save our island - let's take it back!

The time to act is now.[[In-content Ad]]

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