Thank God for second chance

30.MAR.07

Editor: I have celebrated my birthday this month with renewed vigor with a different perspective on life. Indeed, not many persons can stare death in the face and live to tell the tale. I was given a new leash on life through my heroics, motivated by mental fortitude. It would be presumptuous of me if I didn’t acknowledge divine intervention amidst such adversity. One can perceive this ‘miraculous snatch from the jaws of death’ was deity controlled for a specific purpose.

The incident has jolted my consciousness to the fragility of humans and the value of friendship. There was a constant trek of visitors from the time of my admission to the Intensive Care Unit to my departure from the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. As a simple human being, I was humbled and overwhelmed by the amount of lives I haved touched. The despondency and hurt mirrored on so many faces and the sentiments echoed nationwide, exposed my naivety to the sanctity and worth of life.{{more}}

As I recuperated on my sick bed, perplexed and bemused by my attacker’s intent, it dawn on me that I have become too dormant.

It is not within my nature to be quiet amidst the myriad of social ills. Mindful of this premis I suggest that the church awake from its social slumber and the lawmakers enact practical and realistic legislation that will protect all citizens. Too many of our archaic laws and their enforcers protect the criminals at the law-abiders’ expense. Evidence of this is seen in numerous rape cases where the perpetrators are shielded while the victim, having been stripped of her dignity is exposed to a barrage of verbal artillery. Yes, the victim suffers this ignominy as the cash driven attorneys, devoid of conscience, have a field day. Is this the way the system was meant to work?

Another injustice in the justice system is in the case of violent crimes such as murder, inflicting grevious bodily harm and aggravated burglary. Who compensate the victim and or his family? Is thought given to the irreparable damage caused to victims and loved ones? Since poverty breeds crime, and large families are a legacy of this phenomenom, then policy-makers need to be proactive instead of distributing handouts. Therefore, a revolutionary method is to rewrite the law books and make tardy parents/families pay. In the case of inflicting grevious bodily harm, shouldn’t the family be made to stand/foot the victim’s medical and other expenses? This is an amicable crime deterrent.

It is quite common to hear adults put down the youths with venomous tirades such as: ” Lard, dem young people nowadays na good fu nutten”, “Dem a the generation a vipers” and ” Wey happen to young people? E gel dem bad like sore-foot and also e bwoy a dem rude”. To this I opiniate as adults we have failed the youths miserably. For instance, wholesome traditional family values once cherished by our fore-parents have since been relegated into obsurity. As for the school, the least said the better, except that most teachers place more emphasis on their monthly renumeration at the expense of ‘moulding the future’.

I conclude by venting my frustration and disgust on the church. Indeed, it has departed from the biblical form of morality, lowering its standard to meet society’s. My recent experience have brought me into contact with the many Christians (church goers) in which I discern that many are not genuine. For this I make no apology since in most cases I was able to see through the façade. To evade a situation and or avoid a person in distress, it is cusomary to hear a Christian expediously advice one to “take it to the Lord in Prayer”. While this appeaars to be sound advice, it is the intent or lack there-of that infuriates me.

Let me enjoy the rest of my special day while extending heartfelt thanks to true friends and caring relatives. God has given me another chance and the purpose has slowly unravelled itself. As a youth sympathiser I intend to help navigate young people through life’s perilous journey. I believe I am up to the task.

Collin CA$H Haywood