Dithering uncertainty

Certainly the organizers would have been pleasantly surprised and the spread through other countries would have been a happy lagniappe for them all. It all was organized and planned, even if hurriedly so.

But whoever came up with the idea certainly suddenly and effectively garnered tremendous support.

That indeed was obvious. Of course we should not be interested in the silly debate now sweeping the United States, emanating from Trump’s White House that the event was meaningless. Clearly, millions of people who were suddenly self-compelled to go out in harshly cold weather and demonstrate their concerns generally and specifically against a President who is bringing shame to much of America, had significant impact. To be fair, he is also bringing cheer and pride to the long-dormant “Archie Bunker” element of American society.

But I digress. This is less about America than it is about us, our people, our abdication of responsibility and civic duty and civic protest in our own land. Although one Facebook commentator on a thread I was following condemned our copycat penchant for anything American, or done by Americans, the simple truth is that we (the women and concerned citizens of Trinidad and Tobago) did nothing to organize or participate in any way in what became a huge demonstration of concern almost worldwide. So that FB contributor’s concern was clearly misplaced on this occasion.

While I would not have been joining any demonstration or protests against Donald Trump, I did note that people posted that they wanted to join, but they did not see where anyone else had organized anything or had called for a demonstration or a gathering in support of the concerned women of the United States.

Some—and these are well known, strong, concerned and outspoken women we all know—were sharing posts before and during the marches in other lands. “Where to go, to gather?” “Is anything organized?” “If there was something, I would join.” Everyone made their inquiries in their Bibles of Action—Facebook, and everyone stayed at home, watching on television while the rest of the world actually went out in bitter winter cold to demonstrate and show their concerns.

“AH! If only someone, anyone, had organized something, anything, then I would have gone yes!” How convenient really. All those who said they wanted to demonstrate their concerns against Trump and the coming wave of removals of women’s rights would have come out if only someone had directed them where to go, how to dress, and what to do? Forgive my scepticism though. I return again to my call when attorney Dana Seetahal was assassinated in her car in Woodbrook. I put out a call on FB for all who were expressing such grief and anger to gather at the site of her murder. No one came but me and my family and one other! Many sent their Facebook excuses “What a good idea, but sorry...... not me, not now”.

However, that protest was “organized” in terms of time and place, and no one came. Yes, the notice was short, but we so admire the spontaneity in France, in Belgium and other places when people feel concerned enough to bestir themselves immediately.

But not here. Not ever. Well sometimes yes, like when a “known gang leader” is gunned down, whether by police or rival gangs, protest is spontaneous, immediate and strong. Is it that only the supporters of the underworld who can bring off a protest against what they perceive as injustice? But that those who are respected, or hold or have held office in this land have relegated themselves to the status of sheep? And must search Facebook to see if there is anything they can “join”? Of the handful or more who were sharing opinion that they were searching FB for something they could join, none could say “Let us meet outside the United States Embassy, right now!”? Make their placards and get there? And they, we, could have shown support for other women’s issues right here—like the Underage Marriage Bill, abuse of our women, and the like. Those who were vexed with Ambassador Estrada for venting his frustration at our support for violent and white collar crime could have been there. Yes, you might have been a bit embarrassed if no one else came to support you. I understand—been there, felt that already.

But the truth is, as a Jamaican work colleague once told me; “Trinidadians are not serious”. We mock serious protesters like Ishmael Samad and Wendell Eversley, who stand alone for issues we all say we believe in, while we are embarrassed to stand with them for our beliefs, our future or our country.

We salve our consciences in Facebook dithering instead.