Who is being bought and sold?

THE EDITOR: “For every buyer there must be a seller.” The truth of this proposition offends the descendants of slaves who would like to believe that every slave transported from Africa to the West was captured by marauding whites and not sold by his own brothers. Isn’t the present Anti-Terrorism Bill which was recently rushed through the Lower House in Parliament — without public comment — another case of the black seller protecting the interests of the white buyer? At what cost? What is the further cost of protecting our cheap oil and gas for the United States — arbitrary detentions for up to fourteen days; removal of the right to remain silent; jail terms for up to two years for aiding and abetting (could be by lending your cell phone or car or computer to someone you didn’t know was a terrorist or terrorist support); confiscation of property.

What is amazing is that this Bill went through the Lower House without a protest from the Law Association and corporate groups. Presumably the feeling is that it is anti-Muslim legislation and well, the Muslims deserve it. In any event — the Parliamentarians who voted for the Bill, without guilt, have in their history the familiar feeling of being bought and sold by their own kind in the interests of the white massa. Moreover, Mr Manning is of the same evangelical persuasion as Mr Bush. Mr Manning is dependent on the Muslim population for the marginal seats and will have to convince Muslims that his short and long term plans do not include selling Muslims down the river.

Mr Manning is astute, and much more clever than the Opposition is willing to give him credit for. It seems he wants to call an early election, increase the number of constituencies favourable to him before the vote — thus reducing his dependence on the Muslim community. That is the short term. In the long term his proposed union with Grenada may well bear fruit and some constitutional arrangement with Grenada whereby the Christian, Afro-Saxon Grenadian, population will boost the PNM at the polls can be worked out.

What Mr Manning risks and the panicky framers of the Anti-Terrorism Bill cannot foresee is that innocent Muslims caught up in Mr Bush’s (and Mr Manning’s) evangelical crusade, presumably against terrorism, will defend themselves and Islam since this is not a question of choice but of religious obligation (Fard). Let us hope our future is not that of a fractured Lebanon.Whatever the feelings of Mr Manning’s fellow slave herders, he would do well to calm Muslim feelings by either withdrawing the Bill or putting it out for public comment. 

MR ADIL M ZAHER-BAKSH
Cunapo