A CRIPPLING THOUGHT

Sir,
 
The true measure of a man is his ability to take accountability even though it might be detrimental to his reputation. There are unanswered questions that we have refused to speak of till today. After the mayhem that ensued last year, where people actually lost lives, there are people who are still roaming freely without any repercussions. In light of this, I have noticed that, as of late, there seems to be a blurred line between who is worse between a thief and a murderer. I say this because most people would rather a thief was accountable for the crime they commit than a murderer.

During the nationwide mayhem which occurred around the end of June, numerous people lost their lives, and till today not one person has been brought to book for it. Most would like to forget about those fateful nights, however, the families of these individuals have to live without any closure as to who exactly is responsible for their relatives’ deaths. These people had families, friends and aspirations, and all this was taken without any regard. When you highlight this subject, most are quick to dismiss you by bringing up looting and vandalism as if that somehow vindicates the loss of life. As a people, how did we get to a point where we value money and material things more than life?

Values

The values we have upheld for so long in this country suddenly okay death ‘as long as the person deserved it’. This unfortunately is not an isolated view, as I have observed that most privileged people are more concerned about the looting of businesses rather than the loss of life that was seen in June last year. This then makes one wonder, how safe are we in a country where those in power value tangible things that can still be recovered more than life. Steve Biko was right when he said:; “Black man, you are on your own.” However, one thing I know about life is that the wheel always turns, one day it’s me and the next day it’s you.

Some may walk around with their heads held high knowing they might have gotten away with murder, yet never knowing when the day of reckoning will come. This day might not be today, tomorrow or even five years from now, but it always comes. When you look at history, you notice a pattern of how the one crime people rarely get away with is murder, the one implicated may not necessarily be apprehended for the killing but one way or the other they eventually pay. It is unsettling how we have all just swiftly moved on from what can easily be considered a massacre, without any care in the world. To think that with each passing day, we might be living among people who readily pulled the trigger on an unarmed person, or someone who ordered the killing of delinquents or mere civilians without any threat, is a crippling thought.

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