Wotless in white

This week was no different, and for a hot minute, one muddy topic dominated the airwaves, the inter web and you know it serious when it reach news at 7pm. I for one occasionally suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out) so I had to must jump in the melee, not literally though, like that dude did in the “boat ride fight video” that’s been trending. What shocked me the most after watching that video was the fact that we have become a people of spectators and enablers.

Beyond the brutality and effectiveness of the beating put down with a cell phone no less (no the irony does not escape me either) was the ease with which witnesses chose to pull out their own cell phones to record the mayhem rather than to try and separate the people fighting. And what about the man who got involved? Pummelling the alleged aggressor mercilessly? I get that one of the females involved was his friend and he was merely “having her back” but there must be a line drawn in the mud somewhere. Just to confirm I wasn’t the only one disturbed by it all, I took it to the Girlfriends. You know dey like dey bacchanal too, and they surely didn’t disappoint!

Staci: Mob mentality is alive and well here in TT, I just don’t understand how everyone at that event felt more comfortable filming what was taking place on their smartphones rather than trying to put an end to the a&*ness. Imagine big strong men who easily have the strength to separate them, standing around looking on. And then there was the chain uppers and instigators cheering on d ting. Don’t even get me started on the man who was using his phone to take crotch shots of the Blondie, I feel like people have officially lost their gaddam mind.

Kimba: I couldn’t get past the point where the dude was stamping Blondie in her face, it’s one ting for women to scramble but that wasn’t a beating, it was a brawl.

Ronz: Agreed! That scene was awful on so many levels. And is big woman! Grown! Which doesn’t always translate into having any more sense but somehow I feel it should.

Martie: Well firstly, from what I understand, it wasn’t even over a man (not that that makes it any more justifiable). What also got to me was that there were WOMEN saying “leave them”. This “let them fight” mentality which is spewed out by WOMEN is even more deplorable, it says a lot about society. And if I tell y’all these videos went viral... a friend of mine living right here, got it from a friend of hers living in NIGERIA!!

Staci: It has over 100K views on Facebook and it made national news on both TV and radio.

Ronz: Personally, I hate to see women fighting each other. It’s never been my thing, regardless of what’s it about. What gets me about stuff like this is that usually the reason for the fight is often something so petty and minor in the grand scheme of things.

Tats: This whole scene is INSANE to say the least.

Staci: No petty disagreement is worth losing a body part or any other permanent physical damage. Let’s not even begin to talk about your reputation.

Tats: Man she got realllllllll beat up...I found myself shouting out at times...like if I get kick in meh face too.

Staci: It was gruesome and brutal.

Martie: And WHERE WERE HER FRIENDS? Even to try to stop it. Cuz clearly Ms Cell phone beater’s friends weren’t stopping nothing, they were more interested in helping. SMH

Kimba: I cyah fight nah, I would have done the ball up on the ground like an armadillo thing…

Staci: But I still don’t get the big men and women that just stand up like it’s a damn pay per view match they watching. Me so? If fight break out I heading the opposite direction forthwith. I always say I don’t wanna be a witness to nothing. Witnesses does dead in Trinidad, so unless I sticking around to help then it have no other reason for the spectators to behave the way they did. And my white clothes??? Noooo Dan!! Roll up in mud?? How dem car look when dey reach home after? Dem two on sick leave now I assume cause the battle scars they prob have nobody could have gone to work this week! So on top of wounds you losing money cause you can’t work, how that make sense?

Kimba: Where were the damn bouncers or the police?!

Marite: And Blondie is a sales rep, how you selling with that face now?

Kimba: She is prob real damaged at the very least she had to spend some time at the hospital. That was not the usual girl scramble. Back in we days it was drink in face, slap, pull down clothes, pull hair, and any and all man close and far real breaksing to stop fight, Now? It’s a spectator scene, and brutal beyond belief. I mean what are you saying to yourself when you beating on someone so?

Martie: Well in our day it didn’t have cell phone, much less for camera in cell phone…

Chanelle: Throughout all this I thought to myself if I was anyone of dem two girls and I play I going to work the next day, I would have to think again. I would be instantly fired from my company. I woulda reach to work and realise my card not working/letting me into the building.

Kimba: I heard on a radio interview that Ms Cellphone beater thinks she have a case… I think they actually both do.

Martie: Yeah but blondie has more damage.

Kimba: Is that really how it works? Who has more damage or who started it? We doh have a lawyer in here?

Tats: No girl...only investigators!! Lol

Kimba: Thing is you don’t have to be an investigator… The stuff just showing up in your timeline... coming into your what’s app or inbox unsolicited!

Martie: I think if they both file against each other, they both have justifiable cases.

Kimba: Martie - you are correct Blondie even though she was the alleged aggressor can also win against Ms Cellphone beater. Gonna insert some lawyer-fren advice here. His reasoning is that the act of dragging someone out of their car (as was alleged) and the subsequent response being as ruthless as it was does not justify the physical force that followed the initial action. Plain talk, your force ought not exceed the threat - I slap you in the face and then you pull out a shot gun and shoot me, then that is excessive force…if that’s true, then the Blondie is clearly the victim.

Martie: Kimba, all would be culpable criminally once the elements of the offence for which they are charged are present. Self-defense may be raised also. Were she to also bring a civil claim, then causation of injury would be of greater relevance.

Kimba: So errybody can get charged but to varying degrees and costs...

Staci: Whatever the cost, I’m sure it was more than the tickets for the boat ride, so it woulda been cheaper for all parties involved to keep dey tail home.

Ronz: Steups, better than dat ladies!!

The Girlfriends is a group of 15 women between the ages of 26 - 45 who are willing to give an unadulterated look into their own experiences. Some names have been changed for privacy