Caption: Christmas decorations in San Fernando. Photo: Sarah Chin
AZP News Commentary
By Alicia Chamely
MERRY CHRISTMAS?
Getting into the spirit has been an impossible challenge this year. I’ve tried. I baked a ham, made sorrel, put up my haphazardly decorated tree, strung lights everywhere, blasted parang and alas, not a spark of joy in my vacant heart.
To write these columns, I am unfortunately saddled with the grim task of pouring over the news every day, and as you are all aware it is grim… super-duper grim… like dark and dismal.
Any spark of faith I had in my fellow Trinbagonians was flushed down the drain this week, following the tragic passing of Member of Parliament for D’Abadie/O’Meara, Lisa Morris-Julian and her two children, after being trapped in their burning house.
I understand that many of us are unsatisfied with the government, that when it comes to the neglect of our Fire Services, they bear 100% of the responsibility, but people died. Two children died, a family lost their loved ones and the public commentary around this tragedy has been beyond vile.
From mocking the grief of Morris-Julian’s parliamentary colleagues, declaring her death a form of karma, hitting the laughter response emoji, and perhaps the most horrific comment I came upon that read… “BBQ”.
Folks are we really that dead-hearted? Have we become so poisoned by politics and so disenchanted by the failings of our government that we have lost all empathy and humanity?
There is no denying things are incredibly difficult right now for us in T&T. Our national security forces… of which the T&T Fire Services is a part of… is consistently failing us. The price of food has skyrocketed, I do not think there is anyone here who hasn’t audibly gasped at the prices of things. Murders, kidnappings and robberies flood our newsfeeds. We have no sense of safety.
But we must not allow these hardships to strip us of our human decency.
Tragedy does not always need to be politicised. In situations such as Morris-Julian’s, at least give it a day or two before spewing your rotten opinions.
And sidenote: just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you need to share it. A large indicator of emotional and social intelligence is knowing when and what to say. Using slurs, racial language and cruelty shows a massive deficit in one’s ability to clearly express their opinions and emotions.
If you are angry at the government, be angry. But remember there is a time and place.
In his column this week, that too focused on the response to Morris-Julian’s death, Noble Philip stated, “Even in war, there is a ceasefire for significant events.”
I think the death of a woman and two children, despite her governmental position, is an event that requires a ceasefire. As was the death of the divers, this week’s drowning of a toddler in Sea Lots, the growing number of women murdered in cases of domestic violence, Hannah Matura and many others.
A cease-fire doesn’t mean you cannot call out the government for failing at their jobs. It means holding back, if even for a minute, from the “it’s us versus them” political party diatribe that our leaders rely on to keep us separated.
Folks, it’s been a hard year for all of us, but we must not let ourselves become monsters. We need to work together to improve things, to let our government know we are unsatisfied. Division weakens us and rots us.
Do not let anger and bitterness rob you of your basic humanity. Do not let it strip you of compassion or empathy. Be better than those pulling us apart.
A Ceasefire for Christmas
Caption: Christmas decorations in San Fernando. Photo: Sarah Chin
AZP News Commentary
MERRY CHRISTMAS?
Getting into the spirit has been an impossible challenge this year. I’ve tried. I baked a ham, made sorrel, put up my haphazardly decorated tree, strung lights everywhere, blasted parang and alas, not a spark of joy in my vacant heart.
To write these columns, I am unfortunately saddled with the grim task of pouring over the news every day, and as you are all aware it is grim… super-duper grim… like dark and dismal.
Any spark of faith I had in my fellow Trinbagonians was flushed down the drain this week, following the tragic passing of Member of Parliament for D’Abadie/O’Meara, Lisa Morris-Julian and her two children, after being trapped in their burning house.
I understand that many of us are unsatisfied with the government, that when it comes to the neglect of our Fire Services, they bear 100% of the responsibility, but people died. Two children died, a family lost their loved ones and the public commentary around this tragedy has been beyond vile.
From mocking the grief of Morris-Julian’s parliamentary colleagues, declaring her death a form of karma, hitting the laughter response emoji, and perhaps the most horrific comment I came upon that read… “BBQ”.
Folks are we really that dead-hearted? Have we become so poisoned by politics and so disenchanted by the failings of our government that we have lost all empathy and humanity?
There is no denying things are incredibly difficult right now for us in T&T. Our national security forces… of which the T&T Fire Services is a part of… is consistently failing us. The price of food has skyrocketed, I do not think there is anyone here who hasn’t audibly gasped at the prices of things. Murders, kidnappings and robberies flood our newsfeeds. We have no sense of safety.
But we must not allow these hardships to strip us of our human decency.
Tragedy does not always need to be politicised. In situations such as Morris-Julian’s, at least give it a day or two before spewing your rotten opinions.
And sidenote: just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you need to share it. A large indicator of emotional and social intelligence is knowing when and what to say. Using slurs, racial language and cruelty shows a massive deficit in one’s ability to clearly express their opinions and emotions.
If you are angry at the government, be angry. But remember there is a time and place.
In his column this week, that too focused on the response to Morris-Julian’s death, Noble Philip stated, “Even in war, there is a ceasefire for significant events.”
I think the death of a woman and two children, despite her governmental position, is an event that requires a ceasefire. As was the death of the divers, this week’s drowning of a toddler in Sea Lots, the growing number of women murdered in cases of domestic violence, Hannah Matura and many others.
A cease-fire doesn’t mean you cannot call out the government for failing at their jobs. It means holding back, if even for a minute, from the “it’s us versus them” political party diatribe that our leaders rely on to keep us separated.
Folks, it’s been a hard year for all of us, but we must not let ourselves become monsters. We need to work together to improve things, to let our government know we are unsatisfied. Division weakens us and rots us.
Do not let anger and bitterness rob you of your basic humanity. Do not let it strip you of compassion or empathy. Be better than those pulling us apart.