Don’t lose identity in sickening haste towards full corruption

EDITOR: We live in a time which calls on us to show our love and care. In this era, like never before, human compassion and good judgement are absent. Unfortunately, there are evils and crime broadcast on the news and jealousy and envy seem to be taking over our world. The bible does in fact tell us that in the last days the hearts of men will wax cold. In times past, our people proved themselves, in a contrary sense, to be loving and hospitable. We learnt not to ignore our fellow men’s needs in the outpouring of our bowels of mercies to them. Also, we learnt from our forebears to have a sense of national pride and self worth. It is this sense of who we are as a people and the value of our make-up that guided our decisions.

We are a people who had an appreciation for craft and calypso, season and respect in words and elegance and taste in actions. We enjoyed each other’s company for centuries in folk songs and outdoor games. Our children, under a noble influence, grew up to love themselves and find a place in our society. This richness, which so accurately had characterized our citizens, unfortunately, is being eroded in our younger generation. They are being negatively influenced by the media and lash out at one another for petty issues. They have lost pride in who we are as a compassionate and tolerant group. They are taking the lives of others and themselves under the weight of an increasingly selfish and careless world.

Let those who tread on this negative and cold course recognize that it should be eschewed. Let them look to the standard that was set for us to upkeep. Let them be reminded through calypsos and example that though we may be relatively weak economically, we ought to be always rich in heart. Yes, the older folks have a part to play in the maintenance of our richness. They too have failed beyond simplicity to keep that blessed flame burning in our hearts. There needs to be more devotions, charity funds and donations. We need to have more education of the arts to tighten up on idleness.

In harmony, I agree with an article I saw in the Vincentian which was dated the fifteenth, that expressed concerns about the calypso art form being corrupted by superficiality. This should not be the case. We must ensure that every tool is sufficiently utilized to inject warmth and consciousness in the minds of our people. This is not a time to lose our identity in the sickening haste towards full corruption. Let us stem the tides of evil. The resolve should be ours that we would remain a people wealthy at heart.

Mbeki Swift
mbekiswift@hotmail.com