BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER watching a video footage on the internet which was entitled ‘This is what is going on in St. Kitts’ I was disgusted, saddened and ashamed for the future of our Federation.
The video was posted on the Barbados Youth Action Programme’s (BYAP) Facebook page. It displayed the youths of the Federation in a negative light ... posing with gang signs.
The 10 minute footage also showed pictures of young men who lost their lives as a result of violence and also had photos from funerals exhibiting victims in their coffins.
After watching that a number of questions arose, the biggest of them all was “When will this stop?”
Often times there are shooting incidents and many people turn a blind eye and comment by saying “Oh well ain nobody for me” or “Let them kill one another” but such negative comments display ignorance due to the fact that innocent bystanders are becoming victims of these trigger happy fools.
Parents, Friends, Girlfriends
It is time for parents to take control of their own children and stop blaming the government. It is the little things parents let slide which lead to their children becoming hardened criminals.
How can a mother sit back and watch her child bring certain items into her home knowing he is not working, and not question where or how they ‘came by’ these items?
How can a mother or a girl friend feel comfortable taking money on a daily basis from these young men who have no jobs? Where is the money coming from?
As toddlers growing up they often do some things that we consider being ‘cute’ but then as they grow old those things become major snags we cannot control.
At many funerals of murdered victims, the cemetery is like an after-party and the gang members sit around and take pictures posing with gang signs and rags with the colour that symbolizes what group they claim... which is such utter nonsense.
Why are these funerals not being seen as wake up calls for them? And why on earth are parents allowing these gang members to throw ‘head ties’ on their children’s coffin? Is it just me? Or hasn’t it hit them yet, that it was because of that same gang’s lifestyle that they just lost their son.
Reality
Often times we put the blame on the government, which should take some of the blame indeed, but society also needs to share the blame for the things we see happening but turn our backs on.
One of the pictures that made me shake my head was one which said “Crips don’t die, we only multiply.” It is sad to say, but they are indeed multiplying and the criminals are becoming younger and younger.
There is a saying which states, “Guns don’t kill people, stupid people with guns kill people” but are they really stupid? Or just plain out ignorant and do not care?
I often wondered to myself why is it that we, the family members and loved ones, care so much about them when they do not care for themselves. They do not care about the pain, hurt or financial depth we are left in after their funerals.
Do they actually understand that when a life is lost that means the person will be no more? Judging from their careless and reckless behaviour it is hard to believe that they do. How can such young minds become so corrupt and evil that they do not care about the emotional stress they put others through?
It is said that many of these so called gangsters’ mothers go to ‘obeah people’ to guard their children’s life, but can obeah really save you from all the bad you did? How long will they last before the obeah runs out?
Fighting evil with evil!!!….then we wonder why our children think the way they do.
How does it feel to be a walking time bomb knowing your life would be taken out at anytime because of all the wrongs you did? Most importantly, how does it feel to live in such a small island and have to live your life in a box because you cannot go this place or that place?
Why is it that parents ‘cuss’ hell out of the police when their sons are arrested and shout all God, “Not my child” when sometimes they very well know it was their child.
It is the things we allow and not speak out against that cause these criminals to continue to FEEL like they cannot be stopped. Why is it that WE can only come together for negative things like ‘Chatting People Business’ but not to protest the wrongs of these criminals?
What is a ‘Blood’? What is a Crip? Ask any of the members this question and they would not be able to answer, yet they claim to have WAR.
Solutions
Stop allowing gang members to lime outside your shops and properties…call the police each time they gather until it is no more.
Stop condoning your children’s wrong doings.
Stop allowing gang members to enter funeral church services in their colours.
Stop being there for them every time they get arrested or they will never learn the hard way.
Stop being their financial supporter when they have reached a certain age, and ensure they go out and look a job to support themselves.
Stop allowing your children to waltz into your house whatever time they please. If they are under your roof then they should be under your rules.
Stop ‘cussing’ the police officers when they are doing their jobs – for you will still want to call them when it is convenient to you.
Stop allowing them in your clubs in their gang colours.
Parents – Stop being your children’s friends and be their parents.
It is bad to have to shut them out of society but drastic measures have to be taken in order to let these vagabonds know. This Federation is ours and we should not stand by in fear and watch them tear it apart.
The same way it is unfair for us to shut them out, is the same way it is unfair that innocent people have to live all closed in and afraid to leave their homes.
The death toll of our Federation has already risen to 20, and the year has only just passed its halfway mark. The total murders for 2010 was 20, five in Nevis and 15 on St. Kitts. Who is to be blamed? The trigger happy youths or we who turn a blind eye?
Click the following link to watch the video http://www.facebook.com/pages/BYAP-Barbados-Youth-Action-Programme/148699668516620
