Protecting the Weak

Protecting The Weak

In his hit song, In Time to Come, Trinidadian calysonian Crazy invites us to consider what the future will be like regionally and extra-regionally.  I am totally convinced that the future will bring with it changes that will surprise even the most sophisticated prognosticators in our midst.  We are already witnessing accelerations in the rate of change and that speed will only get faster in the future.



Perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of change we are witnessing is the transformation of human beings into something slightly less than human. Daily we are being bombarded by stories about man’s inhumanity to man.  Jesus, the greatest teacher of all times, predicted that an era would come when family members would turn against each other and betray one another.



The bond of family is supposed to be the strongest social connection that exists. Under normal circumstances we would expect family members to stand together against a common threat.  We should therefore be very worried about the number of family on family cases of violence being witnessed in our communities.



In my book Smoke of the Devil I attempted to paint a picture of what social conditions will be like when law and order breaks down globally.  Imagine a time in the future when the Somalian experience comes to a town near you.  Imagine armed bandits sweeping over the landscape taking whatever they want and exterminating resistance with extreme prejudice. 



Some may argue that we are already there.  The incident of robbery and assault, sexual and physical is on the increase.  Daily, people have phones and jewellery snatched from them in broad daylight sometimes with law enforcements agents standing nearby.  Women are sexually assaulted at parties and other social events almost with impunity.



As disorder increases in the region, ordinary citizens will have to do a rethink about how to cope with crime and violence.  It is apparent that very soon law enforcement agents will be hard pressed to deal effectively with the spiralling increases in lawlessness.  Ordinary citizens will have to evolve their own mechanisms of self defence.  I am not advocating vigilantism, but people will have to learn how to defend themselves and their love ones.



Neighbourhood watches may have to evolve into neighbourhood patrols.  Surveillance equipment might become a necessity in most of our homes as we move away from opening our doors to strangers.  Young people and women especially may want to do a rethink on the places they go and what they display or carry on themselves when they go out.



Men traditionally have provided a wall of defence for women and children.  Liberation has brought many positive changes into the lives of women but it has also made women more vulnerable by encouraging them to stand alone.  Both sexes need each other.  Men will have to take back the high ground in the future and reassume the role of protector of women and children.



Fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, uncles, and nephews will be forced into the role of protectors as lawlessness increases.  We would all do well to start preparing to assume this role.  When trouble comes to our doors we have to be ready to handle the trouble as men.  Our women and children are depending on us to act like men and make war in defence of the weak and the powerless when that time arrives.