Shootings not about political point-scoring

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10: Recently the OBA made a statement indicating the “PLP has led Bermuda into a world of shootings”.

“The Government needs to shift people’s attentions away from the fact it has led Bermuda into a world of unemployment, shootings and debt, with no end in sight,” an OBA spokesperson said. — Royal Gazette, Saturday, September 29, 2012.

Is the OBA seriously trying to say the PLP has led Bermuda into shootings?

I find it reprehensible that in their hunger for power they will be so insensitive to both the victims and the families of the victims. Perhaps it is lost on the OBA because they have a totally different support base of voters. So their views of life will differ from ours.

However, for us these are not numbers. Every victim has been a brother, a cousin, a childhood friend, a nephew or godson. And inevitably in all cases a son.

I can vividly recall the anguish of my cousin when her unborn child’s father was gunned down in her front yard. I can recall my friend making a song dedicated to his brother who had just been killed. I can recall my son’s school teacher having to bury his 18-year-old son.

So for myself and most of the persons I know and or socialize with, far too many of us have been scarred by this blight.

Nowhere in our individual or collective thinking can we envision any political party being responsible for these events.

Neither do we condone the senseless mayhem. We must do our part as parents or relatives to mentor young men. If it means  getting off our butts and foregoing a day of rest to make it a day of interaction, it is a small price to pay.

Go to any soccer game and you will see a ton of soccer moms and a sprinkling of soccer dads. Is anyone there taking political polls? For any political party to attempt to score points over shootings is beyond me. I can recall under the UBP, drugs being sold openly from St George’s to Somerset. I don’t recall the PLP stating the UBP led Bermuda into open drug sales.

In this case I feel the OBA has crossed the line in trying to stir people’s emotions in order to sway the vote towards them. The support base of the OBA flatly rejected even supporting Bermudian athletes during Carifta. The same support base does not take part in 24th of May Parade. Nor do they socialize with us any other time. So what are they doing to show these youths they have self-value?

Social upliftment is about action not about electioneering. Every family has been a victim and  EVERY victim is OUR FAMILY not a statistic. Family stand strong.

• Christopher Famous is a graduate of The Berkeley Institute and Bermuda College. He is a self-described “blue collar worker, keen social observer and proud PLP supporter”. E-mail him: [email protected]