It is undeniable that the death of the newspaper vendor in Half-Way Tree was tragic, to say the least.
The family's response to the driver's fears of coming forward shows exactly how strong some people are, even in times of sadness.
In an article in the Wednesday Star, it was reported that the sister of the dead vendor wanted to assure the driver of the ill-fated vehicle that there was no need for him to take his own life and put his family through the grief they were going through.
The deceased's daughter even went as far as to say she was willing to seek leniency in the courtroom for the driver. This behaviour is quite commendable, and quite different from the rage often expressed by our citizens.
Stop and think
Oftentimes, persons have been the victims of vigilante justice and are not given the chance to be tried and face their punishment under the law, or even to correct some the wrong they have caused.
This is proof that Jamaicans need to stop and think about their actions before they react. Sure, the man was driving a truck, which killed two women. However, if the family of one of the deceased can empathise with him, then other citizens, although hurting, need to respect that and allow the man to come forward.
If someone is accused of taking a life, we are no better than they when we take their lives as 'payment'. Instead of filling the hole, we only create another hole in another family, creating even more grief and pain.
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