Is there an echo in here?

Fri Mar 20, 2015

Editor: Berlin, 1933: Armed police march into a school arresting a teacher in front of her students for allegedly, in the presence of a small group of friends, using unacceptable language in the course of satirically criticizing the Government and its Fuhrer. A chill descends on open political discourse, the implication being that any criticism of the Government and/or its leadership will not be tolerated. Submission and obedience are the order of the day.{{more}} Political opposition is silenced.

Kingstown, 2015: Armed police march into a school arresting a teacher in front of her students for allegedly, online, using unacceptable language in the course of satirically criticizing the Government and its leader. A chill descends on open political discourse… Is there an echo in here?

Unique and indigenous Aryan civilization and culture must be protected and encouraged, allowing it to become the defining principle of our region, despite ongoing pressure to devalue or dismiss it.

Unique and indigenous Caribbean civilization and culture must be protected and encouraged, becoming the defining principle of our region, despite ongoing pressure to devalue or dismiss it.

Didn’t I just hear someone say…”It’s not the same thing!”? Well no, of course it’s not. The new “Caribbean Culture and civilization” owes no allegiance to the democratic, constitutional principles of the “old, dead European white men.” There is a history, from Haiti to Grenada, of manipulation and/or disregard, if not outright scorn, for the electoral process. St Kitts-Nevis, Guyana and others thumb their noses at established precepts and traditions of the rule of law as regards elections and redefinition of electoral boundaries. “We’ll have an election when I say we’ll have an election!”

There’s no parallel here at all…other than both examples being articulations of paranoid, delusional constructs which see the enemy as personal, and view their own circumstance as special, chosen, but besieged, and requiring defense by any means necessary. And of course, parenthetically, one must advance the prospects of one’s sons, to promote and appoint as necessary, to ensure the unbroken line of succession. “Only one leader can get you through these times, because the alternative is unimaginable, unspeakable chaos and ruination;” this seems to be the message. His supporters are filled with a crushing certainty that blinds them to question or scepticism.

Reasoned debate and discussion of issues and proposed policies take the hindmost. The disobedient will feel his wrath as surely as his adherents will share abundantly in his largesse. Glory! Hear him Lord!

HJA