The Jamaica Star :: Commentary :: Ragga mi bredda, hear mi out!

You legitimately achieved social mobility and respectability through dint of hard work and intellectual acumen, but that'll never impress some people. Is just so di ting set.

And hear wha; when you come from the ghetto and manage to attain the traditional markers of achievement and success, some people may deliberately try to 'get you out'.

And I mean that in a number of ways. For one people might literally try to get you out - out of a job or out of a relationship, or just physically out of their way - or they may try dig up some imaginary secret transgression and 'out' in some way. Or they may also just try to 'get you out' in the sense that they try to get you on your wrong side, tempt you get down and dirty. Yeah man, some people will do or say things to make you just want to do what my late Auntie Becca called 'tellin dem how dem sins arise and dem sorrows sustain!' But devil tempt man him nuh force man.

Mek ah tell yu a story

Mek ah tell yu a story. I have a beloved bredren from high school days and hear what happen to him one day. Let's call him Al. One big holiday evening, Al was trying to enter an entertainment venue with family and friends. It was a big event and the line at the gate was getting unruly. Just as Al and his entourage reached the front the people from behind surged forward, the line suddenly became a crowd, and Al was thrust against the gateman.

Well guess wha? The gateman ease back, stretch out him hand and shot my friend Al a superlative box 'cross him face; the kind of box that make you eye run water same time.

In front of his friends and family, and the whole community! Oh and did I tell you? Al is tall, well build, have military training and is a licensed firearm holder. And him did have him ting pon him! What would you do if you were Al? Don't tell me. I'll tell you what Al did. Al tek di box! Him look the man straight in his eyes and explain in a calm clear voice that he had no right to hit him.

Rudeness of the act

He pointed out the absurdity and rudeness of the act and the obvious fact that he Al didn't start the pushing. He used reason and restraint. And the gateman apologised.

I would have a hard time taking the box. Is the truth! I told Al that I could imagine myself either giving the gateman a small 'gun butt' inna him head, or having him recite the apology. But Al said 'Blakka, me have to stay strong and act responsibly; cyaan mek people draw mi out'.

Al's story reminds me that you don't always have to show your strength as long as you know your strength. If Al was a different man that holiday evening could have turned out like that ill-fated 'link-up' at Portmore, or worse.

Whether wi firing bullets or words we have to be careful how we 'pop off'. And we who come from ghetto know that some word lick hatta dan any bullet.

Ragga, yu shouldn't mek dem draw you out so. I actually endorse everything Ian Boyne said in last Sunday's Gleaner. But jus gwaan cool my youth. You will rise from this stronger. Maybe rich too, because mi know yu nuh make the millions yet. We both go way back an yu done know, is nothing but love and respect... is all about Proverbs 3 verse 12!

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