Stop this race nonsense

April 23, 2008

Dear Sir,

OK, here goes another letter on racism……

I am so tired of all the talk on racism, and nothing changes, because the change has to come from within each individual. There is so much racism in Bermuda coming from both "whites" and "blacks".

Racism: definition: Noun

1. The prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races.

2. Discriminatory or abusive behaviour towards members of another race.

3. Hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

As you can see from the definition above a person of any colour can be a racist. I know that there is institutional racism practised in Bermuda and it should upset everyone, particularly the black race, however, it is not the fault of every white person in Bermuda and the only way we can improve on this is to unite together not fight each other.

I have heard that all "white Bermudians" have had an easy upbringing. I would like to inform anyone who believes this that it is totally untrue. "Whites" have poverty, divorce, drug addiction, immorality, homelessness, single family homes, absent father's/mother's also. Not all "whites" own their own homes or inherited their homes from their families.

This nonsense of race has to stop. It is causing such a horrible atmosphere in Bermuda. There are many people in Bermuda of mixed race and what happens with them? Unfortunately, there will always be racism in this world and it is because of ignorance to the truth. It is not only against blacks, but also against whites, Jews, etc.

Years ago when my mother's family came to Canada from Italy they were persecuted. My mother went to school and she was called a "dirty wop, dago, etc…My mother instilled values and character and taught me to accept a person for their character not because of their colour, race, creed or religion. That is how I was raised. I don't care what color you are, just that your character is good. Yes, I am an expat, married to a Bermudian with bi-racial children and I am sick and tired of the racism in Bermuda from every colour.

Let's follow the great Martin Luther King, Jr., quote from the "I have a Dream" speech delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. Quote: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character".

All that I ask is that "whites" and "blacks" and whatever colour you are will be judged by the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin. Just because I am "white" does not make me a racist". Just because I am "black" does not make me a racist. Take a person for who they are not because of the colour of their skin. This goes for all races.

CONCERNED FOR BERMUDA

City of Hamilton

Be the best gang

April 18, 2008

Dear Sir,

This is an open letter to Bermuda's outlaw gangs:

In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any need for gangs, but that's not the world in which we live – and there is a need for gangs. There have always been gangs, in all cultures, and in every country.

As far as gangs in Bermuda go, there were once the British Navy (who stockpiled weapons and whose rule was enforced by beatings), then pirates, then Confederate Blockade Runners who supported slavery in the Southern United States, then, the Forty Thieves, and today, well, there are different gangs.

There's a historical reason that gangs form, and, historically, publicly-noticed killings and drive-by hits have diminished gangs' ability to operate smoothly, reduced the gangs' power to operate outside of the notice of the police, and harmed the rate of new recruits.

In America, the most visible ethnic organised crime armies (Italian, Latino, Black, Irish, Greek, Jewish, Russian, Southeast Asian, White Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, and White Separatist Gangs) historically formed as the inevitable result of waves of immigrants with common language and culture who formed their own neighbourhood policing forces to protect their members when host governments failed to provide what the gang members perceived as meaningful protection. From that point, these organisations operating outside of law began to take on a life of their own, skimming under-the-table taxes from vice trades (drugs, illegal gambling and prostitution) and from shipments of legitimate goods requiring "protection".

In Philadelphia, where I grew up, the Italian, Irish, Black, Polish and Latino gangs worked out agreements for territory, and even divided up public political appointments by strict rules agreed upon by all parties.

When one gang wanted the rights to deal drugs on a city street corner, they approached the gang whose territory it was and offered them cash for it, sometimes millions of dollars. They did that instead of fighting, because it was less expensive than fighting and losing their other territory, gang members and cash in the struggle. Whether you are around in Chinatown, North Philadelphia's Black and Latino neighbourhoods, South Philly's Italian area, or various areas controlled by Irish and Polish whites, you had little chance of being mugged, street crime in general was very low, and you felt safe.

Professional robbers never robbed tourists – the gangs made sure of it, because they knew how much money would be lost to the drug, gambling and prostitution rackets if tourists stopped visiting. If a gang found out some crack-head was robbing tourists, he'd be sent away quietly to rehab or prison, or else he would suffer an "unfortunate overdose". The neighborhoods generated wealth, visitors spent money there, and organised crime elements had plenty of cash.

Then, over time, the black gangs suffered violent power struggles with first the older Irish gangs, then later the newer Latino gangs. The Irish, Latino and Black neighborhoods weren't as safe anymore, and the gangs used most of their resources in their turf wars instead of making money – fighting is expensive. Then, the Italians started fighting amongst themselves, suffering the effects of methamphetamine, their new product – not only did it ruin them, but it reduced the quality of their neighborhoods, and, worst of all for them, the amount of cash they could make. Infighting over the meth trade ruined the Italian Mafia in Philadelphia; decades of stable rule turned overnight into botched public hits in broad daylight and mass arrests of gang members on petty charges.

Those Philadelphia gangs, when they fought other gangs or amongst their own gang, attracted so much police attention that their funds were restricted, and it ruined most of them, for good.

Please take the hint – be the best gang you can be, for your sake and ours too. Being the best gang means making the most money, doesn't it? Find a way to agree amongst yourselves how to split up the pie, and when something personal happens between gangs (like arguments over girls, dope, money, vehicles, or whatever), get your gangs to agree upon a solution that everyone can live with.

In Bermuda, much of what we have is the best in the world – the best weather, the best buildings, the best views. We know we'll never get rid of gangs, even if many people wish we could. Since we're not going to get rid of your gangs, we simply ask that you be the best gang you can be. Where I grew up, the gangs made sure no child in their neighbourhood went without Christmas toys or medicine. The gangs that really made it big, in the long term, were the ones who figured out how to take their share without violence and without frightening off the people whose money funded their gangs.

I know that gangs are going to take ten percent off the top of everything I buy – I can't change that, and I can live with it. What you as gangsters need to learn if you're going to make it big is that your country has to be rich if you want to be rich. Taking ten percent of many wealthy people's money is better than taking ten percent of the money from a few poor people. To really make it big, gangs here are going to have to:

1) Exert their control to stop violent street crime, to keep profits high.

2) Have a plan for deciding arguments non-violently between different gangs and amongst a single gang.

3) Make the tourists happy and keep 'em coming back – it's money in your pocket, too.

4) Remember to be the Best Gang in the World. We civilians deserve it, and you gangsters do, too – see?

ALAN L. GORDON

St. David's

Safe is better than sorry

April 24, 2008

Dear Sir,

Before I was able to have a 50cc licence I would be up early mornings, looking out my window over Hermitage Road and watch the swarm of bikes rumble through the stretch of road. While fire balls of carbon bounced around on the ground and in the trees. It looked like night fun from a distance. What happens in the dark (night) comes out in the light at some point or the other. It's only by the grace of God I'm here to talk about it.

My advice to the speed head growing up that's riding with their wrist and driving with their ankle instead of your head. You'll end up in the next obituary! Please everyone slow down so that you'll first be able to see someone else's mistake and be able to avoid it. If you can't see over the car you're driving behind, back off you're too close. If you're riding behind someone and you can taste exhaust, you're too close. This txt bsinss ( lol) … This text messaging while operating any means of transportation is worse than a woman applying eye liner while driving. Please can we use our heads?

DESAI MARDEL JONES

Sandys

Road deaths

April 16, 2008

Dear Sir,

Something has got to be done about the recent spate of deaths on our roads. Three deaths in the space of five days is totally unacceptable!

It seems that nothing anyone says including the Police, the Road Safety Council or the Government, is getting through to people and my worry is that if this continues, we will see another record number of death and carnage on our roads!

Don't people, young and old and in between, get it?

I have a few suggestions:

1) All we have to do is slow down! Don't be in such a rush to go nowhere! Leave home five minutes early if you have to be somewhere at a certain time. It seems that our once laid back, take-it-easy lifestyle of yesteryear has become the 'I-am-late-and-had-to-be-there-five-minutes-ago' way of life of today.

2) Do not drink and drive! It has been said over and over again in various forms but people do not listen! It seems that the majority of our road deaths are alcohol related. Do people just not get it? If you know you are going out on the town and decide to tie one on, leave your vehicle at home! Get a ride with a friend or catch a taxi. CADA puts on a free service of mini buses and taxis on Friday nights to get those who have over-indulged, home safely. I think that CADA should consider starting this service to an earlier time, say 1 a.m., when some bars close.

3) Do not show off for the pretty girl walking down the street or for your ace boy sitting on the wall! I have seen so many absolutely ignorant things people do on bikes in my 25+ years of being on the roads from popping wheelies on a main road to what seems like acrobatics with the rider standing up on the bike on one foot while holding the throttle with one hand and going full tilt!

4) Do not use your cell phone while riding or driving! You cannot concentrate on operating your vehicle when you are carrying on a conversation with someone who you just saw ten minutes ago. If you absolutely have to make a call, pull off the road! If you need to send a text message, do not attempt to do it while driving/riding. Pull over!

It is just that simple!

5) Do not use your iPod while riding! You cannot hear anything around you but the pounding music in your ears. You definitely cannot hear the sirens of approaching emergency vehicles or hear someone sounding their horn in warning you that they are pulling out of a blind driveway. It may seem cool to you, but you are putting yourself and others on the road in danger.

I have personally lost several friends and acquaintances over the years in vehicular accidents ranging in age from their late teens to mid-40s. I have a close friend who used to pack race in his teens until he came off his bike late one night, many years ago, and struck his head on the sidewalk. His so-called friends left him there! He was in a coma for a couple weeks and thankfully he pulled through with no lasting side effects. For a while, he couldn't stand the sound of a bike engine and I don't think he ever got back on a bike.

I have another friend who was a pillion passenger on his friend's bike. They were in an accident and my friend was thrown off the bike and suffered severe head trauma. He also was in a coma and had significant memory loss. Thankfully he survived but to this day, he is partially paralysed and has to walk with a cane. He is in his late 30s now.

I have yet another friend who was riding his bike and was struck and killed by a drunk driver. This was almost 24 years ago. He was not the only one who died that night! The female passenger in the car that struck my friend was also killed. Such a waste of two beautiful lives!

We the people of Bermuda have to do something about the carnage! Our parents, families and friends are sick and tired of burying our loved ones! We are sick and tired of grieving for our lost loved ones because they chose to drive while drunk, sped like a maniac, chatted on their cell phone while riding or driving, listened to their iPod while riding or showed off on their bike and caused a fatal accident or worse yet, was the victim of some idiot who chose to do one or more of the above!

It should not have to get to the point to where the gory details and pictures of fatal accidents are released to the public so that people will finally pay attention! But something needs to be done so that people will pay attention. I don't have the answers right now on how to get people to listen, but I am sure that someone out there does. Cada did try a couple of years ago with the staged accidents around various parts of the island but the message did not get through.

It is about time that we, as a community, combat this scourge in our lives! I encourage people to write in to share their stories of losing a loved one or if you were hurt by someone who chose to drink and drive on our roads. With any luck someone who reads how families are affected might just decide to obey the law and not do any one the things listed above and it might just save a life.

Slow down Bermuda! The life you save might just be your own, mine or my child's!

VIRGINIA STEPHENS

City of Hamilton