We More Dan Mad

It is said that the character of a nation can be judged by how it cares for its less fortunate. Probably the least fortunate institution in Trinidad and Tobago is the St. Ann's Mental Hospital, or affectionately, the mad house. Recently I heard about the confession of a former mad house worker who said that, "The grounds in St. Ann's better than the General Hospital...that's about it." The end, no more no less. The mad house hovers like a spectre in Trinidad society. When there are discussions on health in the nation, it always centers around the needs of the 'normal' citizenry. At few occasions are the needs and the plight of the patients at St. Anns ever voiced or even met for that matter. Clamouring for beds, medication and doctors are only the concerns of us, the 'normal'. And why are we normal? Because of how we are able to fit into the fabric of a society where people park on a highway the night before a holiday to observe their religion? Or perhaps our willingness to continually not wear seatbelts, or taxi-drivers that make their daily living on the emergency shoulders of our roads? Maybe what makes us normal is our satisfaction with our present position of 'choice', most happy with that 'choice' being reduced to a free stained index finger every five or so years. Yes, us the 'normal' ones will work eight hour days and drive four hour traffics. We will pat our sons on their heads and tell them they should be strong men, while they observe us lusting after women other than their mothers. We will be more interested in what tasty bits of commess our leaders offer up, rather than addressing real issues. We are 'normal' because we can continue to vote on race. We are 'normal' because the political parties know they can win elections simply by appealing to race.

I think I will take my chances with the not normal. I think it makes more sense to be in a room with 'crazy people'. Let me shit in my hand and throw it on the ceiling too, because that's where I'm supposed to behave like that. It's not as if we 'normal' people take our waste and just dump it whereever we feel. You will never find our rubbish in the rivers, drains, and once beautiful natural areas of this land. Of course not, cus we 'normal', and the mad house is for mad people.

Artificially Flavoured

A double-standard usually tends to expose itself in very ironic fashion, for instance in issues of race. For thirteen years now, many have debated as to whether or not O.J. Simpson should have been found guilty in the double murder of his estranged wife and her lover. At the time, the competent and almost magical courtroom presence of Johnny Cochrane mesmerized us all. I can remember that rhythmic tag-line of his, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!" And acquit they did. What followed was intensely mixed. People both white and black felt that O.J was guilty. But the issue was not really about guilt, but rather race. The difference was that O.J. was being extended the privileged side of the double standard that often exists when it comes to the races, all be it because of his celebrity. Fast-forward to today and ironically O.J. is now on the other side of the double standard. While his image had been spalshed across the media, and others still have insinuated that this is in some way justice, for his previous acquittal, the double-standard has again reared its head, though not specifically with this case.
On October 3rd 2008, while O.J. was being convicted in California, a white State trooper was being acquitted in South Carloina. Indeed the case of Lance Cpl. Steve Garren is not a new one in terms of U.S. law as it deals with allegations of police brutality, though this time with a twist. Or at the risk of being crass, with a swerve. It is 'alleged' that the officer under question intentionally ran over a suspect with his car in order to stop him from fleeing. The jury in the case was shown a video of the incident which occured in June 2007 which showed the suspect, Marvin Grant, at first running from the patrol car and then suddenly changing direction and running right into the vehicle's path. He was hit at this point. On the video the voice of Officer Garren can be heard saying, "Hey, I nailed the (expletive) out of him." Followed by, "Yeah I hit him. I was trying to hit him."
Police in the U.S., as in the world over have guidelines of force that they must follow. Because an invidiual is suspected or guilty does not give an understanding of permission to use 'excessive force', as it was in this case since the suspect was on foot and unarmed. With this in mind there are two explanations for Marvin Grants' change of direction relative to the cruiser. Either Mr. Grant has a death wish and tried to get runover, or the officer tried to hit him, as he is heard saying on the video.
As previously stated Officer Garren was acquitted and herein lies the double standard. O.J's conviction is seen by some as justice acting in its ultimate manner in ensuring that O.J. does not escape the long-arm of the law. And while we are distracted by mainstream media's almost blanket coverage of this, a white trooper is being acquitted of vehicular homicide against a black man in the southern U.S. Admittedly, connecting the two cases is a bit of a stretch. Yet it seems possible using race, an artificial tie that binds.

Wailin' on Pailn

The unknown is usually a scary thing since it comes shrouded in so much uncertainty. In politics, however, reality is becoming less and less consequential. When John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, Republican poly-tricksters bombarded the air waves with her positive qualities, while Democrats tried to do the same with her negative qualities. It was amusing to watch the dance, to watch the spectacle as they each paraded in full costume, almost like mas bands with varying portrayals and all reality suspended with the audience in full awe of their craftmanship and paying no attention to their substance. That is what politics has become now, an art, not science. It cannot be science when a vice-presidential candidate is shielded from the press right after lighting up the political scene with a magnificent speech at the Republican National Convention. And again, science cannot be the focus when releasing previously protected candidate, only to have her fall flat on her face after which you claim unfair treatment and sexism.
Palin is at best, dotish, as evidenced by her interviews with Katie Couric. She can't provide clear and coherent answers to questions that a conscientious TEENAGER can handle. In her defense she claims that she is not elitist. Since when did elitist expand into being able to explain yourself? This is all art. Palin is a choice meant to simply appease the Republican conservative base. She is a gun-toting, evangelical politician. Complete with American backwoods 'sass', and narrowmindedness that people call small town charm, in her case its more like a sham. Palin has no substance. She can't remember what magazines she reads to be abreast of world issues and cites Alaska's geographical closeness to Russia, or at least she tries to explain it.
All this however makes Joe Biden's job harder in tonight's debate. All Palin has to do, after her last couple weeks of pin the tail on the idiot, is survive. All she has to do is survive! The onus is on Biden, as the elder statesman and experienced politician to take this debate. To graciously smash this woman who couldn't even win a beauty pageant under the stage of American politics. Yes my words sound harsh, but it is this sort of blood that journalists and supporters everywhere are hoping for. Conservative journalists will get the opening to accuse Biden of being sexist, while liberal journalists will get the nail in the Palin coffin that they've been searching for. Meanwhile, the public is at best entertained and at home, comfortable in their skin, thanful for the spectacle provided, God forbid that they would have to actually think for themselves.