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My heart is breaking for that young woman. You don’t know how it breaks my heart to know that the Ph.D student whose car was stolen some days ago recovered the vehicle but without her marine samples and research. It truly hurts. Although I don’t have a doctorate—yet!— I can safely say, thanks to my experience earning a master’s degree, that tonnes and tonnes of painstaking work goes into producing a thesis the length of a book.
Losing all of that in one day is nothing short of maddening.
Make no mistake about it, university is hard work, years of hard work, sleepless nights, sacrifices. And then this on top of all that? I am surprised the young lady still has her sanity. That is something that would surely have sent me off.
These damn pests! Yes, these damn pests who stole the girl’s car. When her brother-in-law found the car in Piarco, her samples and research were gone. Is just wicked these blasted people wicked! Did they have to dump her samples and research too? It’s true they are probably too damn illiterate to realise exactly what those documents were but did they have to dump them?
They took the parts of the car they wanted and left the rest. They could have left her academic papers and samples as well in the same way, couldn’t they, because they didn’t need them.
But is just wicked they blasted wicked! And that goes for all the other criminals in the country, the murderers, the rapists, the drug pushers, etc.
I am absolutely tired of these pests. I am tired of them distressing law-abiding citizens like myself. I am tired of it, I am fed up, I am exasperated! So I have to open my mouth and say something—forgive the extra decibels—to those who have given birth to these damn annoyances.
Keep your blasted legs closed!
If you have no money to mind a child, if you are still in school, if you are unmarried, if you have no bloody value system to impart to a child, keep your blasted legs closed!
Keep your blasted legs closed because you are giving birth to unwanted children who become burdens to society. If you don’t want them, you think society will?
I am really pissed after reading about that student, blasted pissed at these damned criminals. PISSED! I know how hard I had to work to get where I am without some bloody misfit whose parents didn’t do what they were supposed to do taking all of that away, setting me back a whole blasted semester. Really?
The Lord admonishes in more than one place in the Bible—Matthew 15:19, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and Galatians 5:19 et passim—against fornication but who’s reading? Who’s listening? Who’s heeding? Trini society jamming still! We are sexually liberated and the end result, apart from rampant STDs, is a generation of unwanted, uncared for children with no training, no manners, no broughtupsy.
I don’t doubt that what I have just written didn’t go down well with some people. I don’t doubt that some supporters who were on board up until that paragraph have now stopped reading. But that’s okay. The only thing I am prepared to change is the decibel level.
You see, I am not writing this to win friends; I am writing this, with apologies to Dale Carnegie, to influence people. I write in the hope that the wise among us will take steps to change our society. I write with a view to helping change the mentality of lousy, doh-care parents.
So rail all you want to rail against me. But ask yourself this: is our society and is this world any better off for disregarding biblical principles? Ask yourself that.
At the secondary school where I work, cell phones are taken from the children when they arrive and given back at the end of school. The other day, a young mother came to the principal’s office. Piercings in the nose and all along the ears, dress not nearly appropriate to come into a school.
“Oh, is my chile belongings,” she redundantly informed the principal. “How allyuh could take way my chile belongings?” And so on and so forth.
The “chile” had been sent to school, by the way, with long, elaborate extensions in the hair because the school does not expressly forbid it.
Realising that the intimidatory tactics were cutting no ice with the principal, the parent calmed down. After a while, despite all the piercings on her body, her own inappropriate dress and behaviour, she turned to the child and began to upbraid her.
My co-workers and I were flabbergasted. Did she really expect to successfully discipline a child dressed the way she was and after her outburst? Who she think she foolin?
But we’re sexually liberated. An 18-year-old can consent to sex, get married, even though (s)he hasn’t finished school, still doesn’t know him/herself and can’t even legally buy him/herself an alcoholic drink yet.
We’re sexually liberated. Feel good, Trinidad and Tobago, feel good!
Of course, there are other factors contributing to crime, such as a corrupt Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, an inefficient judiciary and an incompetent government. But sexual freedom plays a big part.
I have no empirical evidence but my feeling is that a lot of these criminals are the products of young, unwed mothers who don’t have a clue what they are doing. In the words of an old acquaintance, they felt their vaginas “scratching” them so they reacted; they didn’t think about anything else. When the baby came, it was a problem. They did the best they could—not very much sometimes—to clothe and feed them and could not be bothered to impart godly values.
Sigh! I have no doubt that, as Carnival approaches, many more vaginas will begin to itch. Balls too (hell, they itching all now!) so we can expect many more unwanted children to be born between the end of October and Christmas.
And we can expect Trinidad and Tobago to sink deeper into the muck and the mire. And the crime.
So verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt feel free to rail all thou wanteth against what I have said. But as thou dost so, please take a moment to think about the young doctoral candidate’s massive—and massively unnecessary—loss.
And to ask thyself as well if this country and this world are any better off today for continuing to disregard biblical principles.
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Oh lort….Lasana: I neeeeeed to UNFOLLOW this thread eh. It is beyond ridic.
They. Cannot even boil water no breast milk in the body take it slow baby breast milk is the best for the baby so go easy please
Only girls went to Junior Sec.?
Good article hitting the nail on its head, one of the greatest factors of crime runaway in our country.
I believed another that lead to the factor above was the creation of the Junior Secondary Shift system in which the odd hours of school resulted in children being unsupervised in many homes as parents/ Guardian were at work.
before JS they were unsupervised at home
Children and parents before JS would almost have normal times of work and school, i.e., 8am-4pm and 8am-3pm respectively. Whereas hours of operations of JS were: 7am-12noon and 12:30 pm-5pm. Think of children reaching home 1pm and parents not home till 4:30 pm. Those leaving for evening 11:30am but no one at home between 8am to 12 noon to ensure they did prepare for school even completing homework.
Too much unsupervised time as parents not at home to ensure children come home help with chores and did homework. Imagine this cycle went on from the 1970s to 2004. Over 30 years covering 2 generations almost.
Devinesh Neeranjan the JS were created to add more secondary school places thus before this the children failed Common Entrance went to post primary and were probably out of the school system and home whole day before they reached 14!
Its a simplistic argument to blame the JS system.
Seriously????? Steups! I can name 3 young budding wanna criminals attending prestige schools right now whose parents are married and living together. Mother and father- both failed parents! So miss me with the bullshit that single mothers spawn criminals.
Something gotta give!
So many of these sexually active girls are suffering from rape trauma and sexual molestation..
https://www.facebook.com/mediatakeout/videos/1964108296954441/?hc_ref=ARSMJNoY1bqUGenNByZQmcrV3zHGbdcLovjc0GP4idSixui-rXTFJk66zF5O8AeUc-Q
Stopped reading after ‘I have no empirical evidence’.
yup
Adanna I get your drift but both men and women are victims of a society that teaches them to do wrong in order to exploit them. Our entertainment indoctrinates in materialism and promiscuity from a young age. That maintains the status quo. The white collar criminals enjoy us blaming all but the root cause that allows them to enrich themselves at our expense.
I’m just annoyed at the telling girls to keep your legs closed’. Its obnoxious, insensitive and downright conceited. Many older people have children in two parent homes and those children have turned to crime. Its always about blaming the women concerning children as if women conceive children by themselves. Its also shameful to blame a child for giving birth because of the shitty society we belong to. So now we’re blaming children and people who just left school for crime? Really?
Perfect agreement there.
https://www.facebook.com/mediatakeout/videos/1964108296954441/?hc_ref=ARSMJNoY1bqUGenNByZQmcrV3zHGbdcLovjc0GP4idSixui-rXTFJk66zF5O8AeUc-Q
Adanna Constantine, I understand your point but to then turn around and blame only men, seems to be more of the same
Nigel Noel Who was onlyblaming men?
Adanna Constantine did you not post 7 different times laying the blame at only men? Or did I misread your posts.
Nigel Noel Do you understand what ‘context’ means and did you not read the caption which basically implies that girls should keep their legs closed to stop crime as if its girls to be blamed only? Did you not read my response to Chris Mark? Are you in denial that violent crimes are usually committed by the male gender and its more of a ‘male problem’ than anything else?
Well thats my point, there is culpability on the side of both genders, listing all the indiscretions of men ONLY, is just as bad as saying its as simple as telling girls to close their legs!
How about so called fathers teach their daughters how to vet boyfriends and husbands and not talk crap like ‘she’s grown.. she can do what she wants’.
How about all these so called ‘good men’ that like to tell teen girls what they should do with their legs actually go out there and provide guidance to young boys whose fathers are crap or just no where around – too busy chasing other women to get them pregnant – and help solve the crime problem?
How about ‘barely there’ fathers stop suggesting their 14 and 16 year old sons get a gun because they’re too coward and scared to defend their own child?
How about immature, cowardly and selfish fathers stop pretending that their sons wont listen to them and admit they’re ‘re just shitty parents that just don’t care?
How about grown men stop indoctrinating school boys to join gangs with threats of violence if they don’t?
How about men stop sexually abusing girls which is primarily the root behind a lot of the sexual acting out of young girls due to sexual trauma?
How about men keep their sperm in their nuts?
Another poorly educated soon to be PhD, we seem to be full of them that loved to be called “Doctour”. The preachers and “Doctours” will never resolve the challenges within our society.
Never once I associated vagina itch with sex…interesting perspective I think I have a headache now , oui. Thanks Lasana …
The column needed a dose of Candida.
Too much! ???
Rhoda Bharath: for her candid-ness…
Aint nothing about that itch sounds sensual at all. If I was a young man reading this, I’d do like Manning suggested and put on the tv! ?
So Lasana Liburd if I had an itch is a tv you would recommend for me?
Rhoda or a trip to Dr Gopeesingh! ???
More probing…
is how I never know you dislike me so much…
???
Allyuh still reading Akilah and getting allyuhself rile up? Allyuh ain’t realize that she on dotish from the days she used to write for the Express? She is entitled to an opinion, though not to be respected because of that opinion.
That said, this is equivalent to a letter to the editor; ill informed, parochial and self-righteous. Does not cut the mustard as an opinion column, never mind factual analysis.
I more vex with Lasana Liburd….
Rhoda Bharath yeah. Minimum standards of discourse and all that…
It have other more satisfying ways for him to rile me up when the day come…#IJS
Rich Ian this is the same person who wrote a piece about a familial situation with a child born out of wedlock?
Aneka Nicole might be’
It is dangerous to hear only agreeable ideas though. I wouldn’t want us to be in that comfort zone either.
Personally I don’t think Akilah sets out to provoke either. (She has done several columns before). So we can look at her sentiments and see what we agree with or disagree with and we can learn even in that.
I’d say the discourse is very mature and people generally gave well thought of responses one way or the other.
I’m very proud of our commenters. This is the kind of think tank that I’m happy to be a part of.
There is a difference between agreeable and coherent.
What was coherent about this column?
Rhoda I felt people got the point she was trying to make. Some agreed. Most disagreed. But, best of all, people were able to say exactly why they agreed or disagreed.
Best of all, I get to see you worked up. ??
Hahahahahaa.
Nothing starts without passion. It is good to talk about social issues and crime, even if we aren’t looking at it in way author intended.
“I have no empirical evidence”….Okay moving on…
The author is proud of her academicness, probably justifiably. She then goes on to post a series of conclusions about the roots of criminals and criminality not supported by any factual or statistical citations. She’s apparently not acquainted with white collar crime, or even violent crime committed (or sponsored) by the well-to-do. Even so, keeping legs closed to prevent a potential future problem is not a solution to anything. It would, if the women followed her advice, be a masterful exercise in time travel. I don’t think that she thought this through too well. I won’t any licks to Wired for sharing this. It certainly is thought-provoking.
Gordon, not familiar with white collar crime? Steups! Won’t even hurt my head over that. However, I will respond to your foolish statement that “keeping legs closed to prevent a future problem is not a solution to future problems.” So is not a solution to the high HIV rate in the country? Is not a solution to the rampant spread of other STD’s in the country? Is not a solution to unwanted pregnancies? You’re in journalism? Yuh sure? Because you should know this. And then my belief that sex is for marriage is archaic? You know, is only a certain type of person would respond with those statements and take issue with what I have said. People believe whatever makes them sleep at night. And the truth discomforts most these days.
Her thesis in this article is clouded and driven by emotion so it is hard to take it seriously because it is judgemental, misplaces (as usual) sexual responsibility soley on women.
Also disturbing the anachronistic thoughts equating education with deceny and good values.
I take it the author is christian? Perhaps she should dig beneath the surface of quoted passages and realise that the driving force of Jesus’s ministry was love and compassion.
Jesus Was an Empath. Empaths serve the world despite class, race, politics, religion. I could not believe what I was reading earlier in that article. Steupssss. Rhoda Bharath: no schooled feminists needed to tear that shyte up!
Lasana Liburd was sent into this world to raise my blood pressure oui….just not how I would prefer my pulse to race.
I want to laugh eh Rhoda. But i can’t. The article disturbs me especially because of the potential of the author to influence people with this.
I not laughing either. I look on at this as an example of how we are failing ourselves, oui.
So where d f@ck d fathers is??? Stuepsssss. Is 2 ppl does bull to make children.
..yes, bro but is one does “open legs”. But let us not be so literal. Your point is valid, as is hers – Don’t make children if you are not in a position to raise them properly – materially, emotionally, spiritually prepared. Because all parents have weaknesses and make errors but some people should never have children…
First off, I cannot agree. Teens have sex, they’ve been having for eons. Why aren’t we focussing more on young men and men to be more responsible? Condom use seems to a topic we’re afraid address. Everytime this discussion arises we focus on only one half of the problem, hence the problem is never solved.
And that statement about some ppl should never having children is quite a dangerous one. Do u know the history of modern abortion and family planning? Do you know who Margaret Sanger is? She decided the same thing and worked very hard to ensure ppl of African descent weren’t able to procreate. She was an active member of the KKK. So please be mindful.
Education has always been and will always be the key to solve this issue.
I agree with all the prior criticisms of the article, especially from Ezra Joaquim. Well said sir.
Though I find “is all the sex dem having” to be an overdramatic conclusion on what’s fueling crime, I do believe that sex education in schools would help lessen at least some social strain. However I do expect this solution to possibly clash with your Christian values. It’s just that right now people are sexually liberated with no idea how to go about it. Knowledge and awareness is always beneficial, wouldn’t you agree?
This was a really, really poor excuse for an article. I can’t even call it an opinion. More like a judgemental rant. This coming from someone who shares her ‘views’ on the biblical principles aspect. Standards, Lasana, standards!!
Well I won’t dismiss something because I don’t agree. Maybe it will get us thinking about where criminals DO come from, etc.
But I accept that I don’t have the monopoly on sound ideas anyway. So let us see where the discussion goes and what comes from it.
I hear you, but my brain cringed reading this.I hope she takes two panadol before she starts reading these comments. I’m almost tempted to PM her, but I’ll restrain myself.
Some people set out to denigrate, belittle and insult. I’m convinced that Akilah is NOT such a person. That way I feel we can still learn by examining why we agree or disagree.
I’d say by some comments it sparked a constructive conversation.
I think hers are the views of “holy christians” that end up turning off others from accepting Jesus in their lives
I think it was unfortunate that she brought the religion thing in it. Because dat right dey is a WHOLE new can of worms. Sticking with the main premise that unwanted children breeding more unwanted children makes for more “pests” than we can deal with is more of a hook line for me. I get that this is a rant born out of sheer frustration. But talking about de bible say don’t fornicate is just laughable. IMO
This is a really, really poor excuse for an article. And I share her beliefs. And as someone who has done post-graduate work, if you have no empirical evidence, tone down on your judgements.
*typed, backspaced… Minds whole business because no one is going to listen anyways…*
I listened and keep doing a great job single mama!
Oh I will. And I have one more thing to say: if women need to keep their legs closed then by the same token men need to keep their penises in their pants.
And here I thought only one hand used to clap… :O
Thanks, Elli Mac. (Y)
Wow. You’d swear these young women impregnate themselves. Smh. #fidiocy
Upon reading this article I am even more disappointed. How does this author not see her clearly obvious religious bias and ignorance relating sexual freedom to the increase in criminals. Morals and principles do not have to come from your Bible nor do people in abject poverty have to abstain. Another typical “Christian” who will wear out the pew every Sunday while casting judgement and unfounded conclusions about anyone in society she deems as below her. Shameful that when given the oppurtunity to reach people she takes her stance of blunt advice versus facing systematic issues face on. The Bible has various barbaric passages as well so when quoting it to prove an improvement in society understand you are forcing your opinion and not taking any sort of a fair nor unbaised stance.
As a “religious” person myself, i still don’t get where she’s coming from. Bias or not her entire premise is false.
I understand it Ucill. Her opinions remind me of Eliphar’s et al opinions to job when he was going through his suffeting.
Christians need to stop treating the bible like a story book quoting passages at random to support weak judgemental and flawed opinions.
I say this with all the well meaning as a christian
And that is why Christianity keeps coming under attack…when we profess Christianity and then turn around pen something as senseless as this.
I think these criminals in mind are just more susceptible to being caught. Many lawyers and big fish involved in various criminal activities from money laundering, assisinations, the drug trade etc. I do understand the point being made but as a man of numbers the first line is all i needed to consider this a fallacy. Crime is more of a societal problem with regards to oppurtunitues and neglect versus moral up bringing. This does not invalidate the point being made but without stats it is simply an opinion. Many of these corrupt lawyers and the like come from supposed good family homes and we continue to look at the bottom of the rotting fish instead of the head.
…I am hoping that when I reread this article, I find SOME reference to the ABSENT, IRRESPONSIBLE, MAN-BOYS who impregnate the women in order to have the children who eventually become criminals. I am hoping when I reread the article that I find somewhere that many of these women come from abusive homes, with an absent father herself, and that they search to fill the void of “daddy” in the wrong men as they look for that certainty and security of food, clothing and shelter. I am really hoping…
Hard luck dey Danielle Talitha Campbell, some women are their own worst enemy.
Steups
People are gonna get triggered.
I have always been saying this. Children cannot raise children. When immature people have children they cannot give these children values because they themselves don’t have any.
Rolls my eyes! I have so many words, a few of which include- self righteous, myopic, bullshit! Generally she has a point when she says that our societal woes are a result of the break down of family values however she loses me when she says it’s due to single mothers. She says she works in a school so I’m wondering whether she walks around with her eyes closed for the majority of the time and only opens them to see a delinquent child of a single mother? I work in a school as well (I’ve worked in a “not so prestige” and a “prestige” one) and I realized that you can have two parents and still miss the morals and values bus! Yes, as in all things in this life, there are some single mothers whose own mothers should have aborted (several people come to mind), however there are several single mothers nd even fathers who have done an excellent job! I am the product of a single mother, then grandmother, then aunt and a highly dysfunctional scenario however I’m out here, with a reasonably good job, not robbing anyone, have my own home and if you meet my daughter, you’d be astonished at how well mannered, spoken and intelligent she is! My point is despite my tumultuous beginnings, I haven’t turned out like what the author describes. There are many much more deserving examples of successful, happy, kind people who have been brought up well by a single parent! So for the author to attempt to paint them all with her brush of bad parenting is an insult to them. She should have used her time and words more judiciously to indicate that what we need in this country is a return of old time values and suggest ways that we could do so. I suggest that we start in the schools. What I’ve started doing in my class of little privileged children is trying to develop empathy for others. I suggest the author develop some and try to consider how difficult it is for us single parents to navigate this journey.
Generalisations, readers can be expected to know, are by definition limited in their application. Do you imagine Akilah is attempting to suggest that single-motherhood is the sole source of the country’s crime problem? Absurd!
Overstatement is a valid literary device, effectively used, in my opinion, here.
Besides, if you’re married and your husband dies or disappears, aren’t you also automatically a “single-parent”? With all due respect, I don’t think the equivalence between single-parenthood and being unwed is so much in the piece as in your head.
My mom was a single parent. Not by her own choice. I too have had more than nefarious beginnings. I too have one child, and am a single mother. And my child is by far well brought up… I compare her to those who have two parents, and it is those same ones who see fit to bully and treat my daughter like she is worthless, because she isn’t colour redacted, rich and socially loose with her snapchats. Perhaps the author should check herself and have several seats.
I’m a single mom, from a single mom but wasn’t offended by this. We are the exceptions, or maybe the majority.
I am. She didn’t say, some single parents, she said all single mothers as if these mom’s opened their legs to a spirit….
Elli Mac So what you are saying single moms are better than both parents Smh and by the way you all keep living in denial she is spot on
#ketchingfeelings
Can you imagine the hue and cry and outrage if a MALE had written this?
Yeah. I can hear us now: “Why he want de gyurl and dem to keep deh legs close? Eh-eh! He against we or what?” What’s your point, Rae? How is the authorship relevant?
and a surveillance society
Freakonomics stated that the reason for NY’s decline in crime, was due to less unwanted children in the 80s – rise in abortions.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6gOeggViw
That was an oversimplification. They changed laws to alter what offences were listed as crimes. They instituted the unconstitutional searches that targeted blacks. Also criminals like drug dealers who had to pay rent saw declines in sales while rents in New York rose. Many relocated to new locations and the result was increased crime in NJ, Buffalo, etc.. Others became white collar criminals that money laundered and started job rackets, bid rigging etc..
That wasnt abortion reducing crime. Freakonomics made an inference by assuming abortion and crime were directly related. They ignored a host of factors.
In short white collar crime went up under Giuliani. One might infer he bought out the small time crooks with bigger government paydays. Freakonomics has its pros but it most definitely had a con in suggesting the direct link. Abortion remains a class and race based eugenics tool and will never be a tool to fight crime. Note however that abortionists themselves are known for rackets such as selling baby parts.
My bad.
The book actually said that crime went down in all the high crime cities, where abortion was legal.
I didn’t write the book, or do the research. I just read it
No matter. A little perspective always helps. Note however that abortion makes empathy among adults difficult. To accept abortion also requires no longer caring about children. Postulating, abortion would make us in principle care less for others. We are less likely to assist those in need, more individualistic, narcissistic and consequently worse humans.
The “system” is designed to keep a segment of the population poor. Those who manage to escape only make it into the middle class buffer for the 1%, therefore you are still being used!
Young girls don’t get pregnant by themselves eh! There is always some big, hard back man suffering through a mid-life crisis, or a “blesser”, or some lil boy who want to play man in the picture as well.
Our school system is designed to maintain the “system”. Students attending “prestige” schools tend to make it into the buffer or are already part of the 1%. Anything less than “prestige” and you’re struggling on the slippery slope between the buffer and abject poverty.
The author is clearly writing from high atop a soapbox in the buffer zone and casting aspersions.
Systemstic poverty is firmly entrenched and to simply blame un-wed mothers, most of whom are victims of abuse in one form or another, is downright ignorant.
Crime will not be solved by hiring more police officers nor improvements in the judicial system. The situation will only improve when people have the knowledge and the courage to make better life choices.
Deterrents to crime is one avenvue but a better holistic approach is to also include positive affirmations for successful living.
“From poverty to the buffer zone; a sailor’s guide for navigating through the BS ” …coming soon!
Not a bad concept. I believe a similar link was made by either Malcolm Gladwell or the authors of Freakonomics, not sure, with the passing of Abortion Act in the USA. The author had claimed that the mothers who took advantage of the Act by terminating their pregnancies, did so because they didn’t want the children. N if those unwanted children had been born those children would have been the ones committing the Crimes. Thus Crime dropped in the USA due to the Abortion Act. It was a controversial concept – n there was some back lash.
yeah I read it also.
Utter rubbish.
i support the headline probably wouldnt support the content
I concur with Ucill’s point. Apparently the only protected values in T&T is the dollar? So as long as you get it you happy?
Akilah is missing the essence as most do. Our criminals all were children who grew up watchin mammy ketch she skin workin underpaid by white collar criminals. They were looked after by a tv set that had violent entertainment and their national heritage promoted tief a wine, storm a fete and drunk and disorderly.
She like too many so easily sweeps rampant corruption under the rug, preferring to blame unwed mothers. Meanwhile the adult men who screw underage girls are still accepting payments for licenses, allowing drugs to be transhipped and receiving contracts to tow away parked cars.
She never mentions the doctors that abort children of young girls from middle and upper class homes. She like other so called progressives see nothing wrong with killing babies so she probably will be ok with forced sterilization of the poor young girls from lower classes.
Maybe I spent too much time in a church to agree with her.
So by virtue of the elevated Akila’s argument we should gather all “these” bitches and spay them?…bluntly speaking.
What a myopic and immature view. So what does she have to say to white collar criminals? Do… be blunt.
Didn’t you know? The only crime in T&T is violent crime! Everything else is “eating ah food”…no white collar crime ’round here….
Well I know Akilah thinks so.
In addition to comments made above these girls never had the support and help of their parents or grandparents guide them post pregnancy. Many girls have children the same age as their mothers, there are also cases where some of these girls mothers have children who are younger than the children of these girls, which is really a recipe for disaster. The family all live under the same roof. There is no longer any help available from the extended family. These girls do not belong to any groups such as girl guides etc, guess they justsuccumb to their raging hormones, no outlets.
So,as a result of the young parent’s actions we have a serious problem that affects us daily.The question is,what are we doing about it?Are there enough social/educational programmes,family planning etc. being offered to our young ones?
I don’t know. To me there’s enough empirical evidence to suggest that the majority of pests come from young mothers who themselves have no real future and no ambition other than as Akila puts it, to open their legs. Yes I know it’s crude and it’s not like she spells out that they are uneducated and poor. But it’s basically children being born to people who have no business being parents. It’s a vicious cycle.
It is also a viciously inept article.
It’s simplistic for sure. But I don’t think the author was trying to produce a dissertation on the causes that give rise to the “pests” in our society. It wasn’t about proposing real solutions either. I think she punctuated her piece with enough hints that this was more or less a desperate rant because she real fed up. It’s simplistic because the premise is if only these young girls would just close their dam legs life would be so much better for all of us. I agree that it would. The million dollar question is how to get to the state where teenage pregnancy can be reduced significantly to reduce the number of “pests” being produced. The reason I said it’s a vicious cycle is precisely because the value system being imparted by these young mothers (for the most part) also sees their young daughters following a similar path.
She probably isn’t aware that many of these young girls are sexually abused, raped and groomed by much older men. In a lot of cases, their legs are ‘forced’ open- sorry to be so crude about it.
Being fed up is one thing. We all are. But blaming a teenage girl ‘in heat’ for the crime wave is a leap too far. I hope she reads these comments and tries again- though I don’t know how I’d react if I saw such comments on something I posted.
Rose-Marie Ingrid Lemessy-Forde send her by Akilah, she will sort her right out, lol. And you are kind, calling it an ‘article’ 🙂
I know of many pests who come homes with both mother and father. The family’s are quite dysfunctional. Dysfunctional families are produce pests. Dysfunctional is not only a single parent home. A single parent home can be very well adjusted, sufficient and happy. This is extremely condescending, prejudice and presumptious to say the least. Single mothers are very multifacident and aren’t only wayward young women..this demographic is made up of multiple types of women. Some are professionals, University graduates, doctors, lawyers, I can go on and on. Long story short there are many successful single mothers. This type of view archaic and patriarchal for sure! And continues to stem from boys will be boys to absolve men from any responsibility of bringing human brings into this world.
I’m always nervous when it seems that we are equating financial security or education with good values though. Akilah has a point but it flies close enough to that to get my spidey sense tingling…
They should be tingling…this is a very 19th and 20th century view that has absolutely no place in intelligent discussion about social problems in 2018! Her point is problematic at best and antiquated, patriarchial, classist condescending and not at all helpful at its worst. Do young unwed mothers impregnate themselves? How many productive citizens of our twin island nation are the product of unwed mothers whose vaginas were “scratched” not of their own volition or desire? Or even if they willingly participated and still managed to work hard and raise decent, law-abiding people? Since when does being married and procreating, make you good and decent and capable of parenting and imparting strong values? From a societal perspective, big picture, who targets and economically benefits from arming these low level, dangerous products of young mothers with ammunition and drugs, etc.? Who is bringing the ammunition into the country? For those perpetrating desperate and violent crimes, is it the home alone that contributes to or detracts from a person’s tendency towards violence and depravity? What of the criminals or “pests” as both Akilah and an earlier commenter called them who come from the womb of wed mothers? What of them? We are so steeped in judgment of the socioeconomically disadvantaged in this place that we don’t know our asses from our elbows. Violent crime is a public health issue and the white collar crime that fuels it is a moral one; until we start addressing the core causes–none of which is unwed, young women who like to have their vaginas scratched, btw–and treating them, will we put an end to or mitigate crime and corruption on all levels. So incredibly sad that people here can still sit on their high horses and look down on people with unbridled and unchecked judgment and scorn.
I was gonna ask if these women were all virgins.
Now she is right in that poverty and violent crime are inextricably linked. Not so much poverty an morals. It’s an issue of lack of agency and the fight to attain it. To frame this as a “public health” issue alone is missing the point.
A child who comes from a home without a proper social safety net is astronomically more likely to commit crimes. Where does this occur… single parent homes with poor financial and social support. And worse yet our attitudes as a culture to children bearing children is deplorable… so you demean and kick out the child… then what? You break their education and force them to work… then what? Those elements only lead to frustration and failure to most. Not only that, it ensures that this new parent has little or no ability to impart good judgement to the child on the way.
Mazlow Jonah Morain it (asserting that this is a public health issue) does not miss the point at all in fact it encompasses all of the issues you mentioned, and programmes that have embraced it locally in the recent past (CSP for one) started making gains accordingly in some of our hotspot areas until the govt pulled their funding in anticipation of starting programmes that treat it as a national security issue. For reference: “The focus of public health is on the health, safety and well-being of entire populations. A unique aspect of the field is that it strives to provide the maximum benefit for the largest number of people.
Public health draws on a science base that is multi-disciplinary. It relies on knowledge from a broad range of disciplines including medicine, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, criminology, education, and economics.1 This broad knowledge base has allowed the field of public health to respond successfully to a range of health conditions across the globe.
The field also emphasizes input from diverse sectors including health, education, social services, justice, policy and the private sector.1 Collective action on the part of these stakeholders can help in addressing problems like violence.
The public health approach is a four-step process that is rooted in the scientific method. It can be applied to violence and other health problems that affect populations.” –CDC
Ok. I’ll take that. I’ve always thought it socio-economic
But I don’t disagree with you on how to approach it. My fear is we have people using ancient and unproductive ideals for popular support. Turning the crime issue into a national security issue without rehabilitation at the forefront was a mistake of Magnanimous proportions
And without the socio-economic side, there is no interception of at risk targets or prevention. It’s just sad
Very, very true!
Financial security and education do have an impact on crime, especially violent crime – a simple Google search will verify this. That is not to say that there isn’t crime from educated people – in the simplest terms, these crimes tend to be more ‘white-collar’ crime than violent ones.
And obviously, education also has a major role to play in birthrates, which is knock-on from a better understanding of birth control, access to health care etc.
Akilah has a what?
I have a Master’s Rhoda Bharath, a Master’s. But unlike many educated people, I do not allow my worldly knowledge to replace God’s truth. Now I was very careful to state that there are other factors contributing to crime, and this is just one of them. But you conveniently ignored that. Interestingly, you were very quick to shut down my argument, which I would not expect from someone of your standing. Educated people ought to understand the importance of keeping an open mind (not to everything), but you have just failed horribly at that. You are offended, that is all. You feel uncomfortable.
And I am a “qualified and lettered” feminist, the best you would find, because a “qualified and lettered” feminist would know, that Betty Freidan, the woman who launched the Second Wave of feminism in the United States, distanced herself from the feminist movement shortly before her death. She did so because it began to turn into something that she had never planned. Her intention, when she wrote The Feminine Mystique, a book that highlighted the misery of stay at home suburban moms (mostly white women at the time) in her time, was to call society’s attention to the misery of the woman because of the strict role in which she was put.
But Friedan cringed when the movement that she intended to improve women’s lives by demanding that men acknowledge them as capable of running their own lives etc, turned into a man hating, lesbian promoting movement.
For this reason, Friedan distanced herself from the movement. Modern feminists like yourself, members of Womantra and the like, have distorted original feminism, and that is unfortunate.
You know, it’s very interesting how “qualified and lettered” feminists according to you, don’t address this particular part of history. I guess those you consider “qualified and lettered” are not so “qualified and “lettered” after all.
I am disappointed Rhoda, really disappointed, expected more from someone like you.
You know, life is funny. You are questioning my qualifications, but given all that I have just laid out above, I should be questioning yours.
God bless!
And a true feminist understands herself worth, and that a man will only go as far as she lets him. I know that some young girls are the victims of rape etc, but this wasn’t addressed to them, but I think you know that. And I was sure to talk about “balls itching too.” So I held men responsible in that sentence, but again, a true feminist knows her worth, and knows a man can only go as far as she will let him.
Anything else you want me to clear up Rhoda?
you know what, lemme hush. A qualified and lettered feminist should debunk the shit in this column. I will observe for the entertainment.
But keep your legs closed as a crime plan has got to be as useful as an illegal SoE.
There are certain topics that people feel very emotional about. Hanging is one. Extra-judicial killing is another.
Judging from the comments, I think it is good that we can forcibly and eloquently disagree and turn the thread into a chance to turn the argument on its head.
One thing though. If the haves really think that crime is an offshoot of poverty… Well, why don’t they share the wealth more then? :-/
You should have gone with your senses on this one ‘Sana.
Ucill I’d have then missed some wonderful comments.
Lasana Liburd…they benefit from the crime…why stop the gravy train…and wanting to police people’s bodies…especially black people’s bodies is what built the new world…so Akilah can take several seats with this pussy mileage policy. steupssssssssssssssssssss.
Rhoda yuh wicked with those comments..WICKED
The only thing Akila eh say is put a tackometer on black bodies.
…bluntly speaking
oh oh, the author was a woman? I swore she had balls.
Plain talk. But unfortunately as always the people who need the advice most won’t get the message.