Letter to the Editor

The Editor
The Daily Observer
Cooliage
St. John's
Antigua

Wireless Road

Clare Hall

St. John's

Antigua

3rd November, 2010 

Dear Editor,
                  I am writing this letter to express my uttermost disgust in regards to the beating  of a rastafarian male in Orange Lane.
                 The situation that led to this man's beating by the people of Orange Lane was because of a raping incident and a murder. Reports were that a young man and woman were both attacked and rubbed and as a result the young man was killed and the young woman was raped and left for dead.
                   After reports were made, the attacker was described as being an unkempt rastafarian male. Citizens of Orange Lane were full of fury and started to ridicule all rasta men because of this matter. Ridicule was not enough for the villagers.
                  One afternoon the same rasta man was walking in the village, minding his own business, when a number of angry villagers attacked him. He was beaten with sticks, stones and punches, along with being cursed, all because he refused to shave his beard and cut his locks.
                  Now my question is, do you think that this man deserved such a beating? Did they know if he committed the crime they accused him of? Was it right for them to take matters into their own hands? What does the authority plan to do about this matter? This is injustice!
                Just imagine being beaten almost unconscious with sticks and stones, for a crime you were not convicted of. He was beaten so badly that blood rushed from his wounds. Beaten so terribly that his friends had to come and rescue him, pulling him home in a cart. What if they did not show up? Would they have left him to die? I cannot understand the cruelty that reign in the hearts of the people of today. The whole situation was very upsetting to see and something should be done about this.
                  I strongly disagree with the views of rastafarianism as a religion. Being raised in a Christian society, it was taught that Jesus was the mediator between God and man whereas Rastafarians believed that Haile Silasie was their god and he was the ruler of black people. They also believed in black supremacy and having revenge on the whites for the way they treated the blacks during slavery.
                   My point is, even though it may be a Christian society, people should be free to embrace their culture or religion without being penalized and the people of Orange Lane went overboard with their actions. How could people be so cruel?
                    Furthermore, even if it is a 'God-fearing' society, it is totally inhumane for people to be treated as how the rasta man was treated. Personally, I believe the people of Orange Lane should take into consideration and take full responsibility for their actions. Justice should be served!
                     In closing, I am of the view that no human being should be treated in such a manner and that something should be done about this horrid situation.

Outraged citizen.