Commentary with Winston Barnes: P. J. Patterson, Statesman
SOUTH FLORIDA – Probably former Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has taken yet another step away from the status of politician toward that of statesman.
In an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron, Percival (P. J.) Patterson has taken on the British prime minister is a most thoughtful and reasonable manner.
P. J. Patterson is reprimanding Cameron for a statement he made that amounts to a call for people seeking reparation for slavery, among others, to forget about slavery and let’s move along. This notion by itself would possibly pass without some of the objections it has aroused because shortly after that statement, the British leader actually called on all to not forget about the genocide of another group of people, the Jews.
The challenge here is to not see Cameron as an inveterate hypocrite, but instead to respond in a reasoned fashion like P. J. Patterson has done.
I have never been in favour of reparations not because I don’t think it is required and the right and honorable thing to do, but because the world in which we live today, as racist as it has become, as capitalistic as it has become, will hardly want to fork over the billions of dollars under reparation.
Yet, we simply have to take on the mantra of the Jewish people in regard to slavery, never forget and yes, never again. There is no choice on the part of people of African descent.
Voice your opinion on the “Open Line” with Winston Barnes daily on WAVS 1170AM or listen on-line www.wavs1170am.com
Photo Credit: Leroy “Dreamy” Riley
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