Bermuda dreams...

Welcome to paradise. Pink sand beaches and a tropical climate, spectacular sunsets, crystal clear blue waters. life at 20 miles per hour. Dark "n" Stormy anyone? No? How about a Swizzle? The warm summer breezes leading to days languishing in the sun, evenings around the bar-b-que with a case of Heinekens on ice.

A picture postcard. A golfers dream, a fisherman's fantasy. It is all you can ask for. A perfect holiday for a perfect price. Less than 2 hours from most east coast airports. A honeymoon made in heaven. An anniversary to relight any fire. How sweet it is!

So why is this perfect little paradise such a hard sell? Why is our Tourism minister fighting to defend his decision to allow 4 Guantanamo "refugees" into the island as permanent Bermuda citizens? Surely that is the role for which the Tourism minister is getting paid.

Permit me a moment of utter frustration and aggravation. Ir is highly irritating to me to try and defend incompetence, so I won't bother. While I will admit to anyone who cares to ask that Bermuda is indeed another world, it still has a long way to go when it comes to matters of priorities and what's important. Why the hell are we fighting this fight right now? Where did this come from? Why is our leader kissing Chinese backside last year, only to accept fugitives from Chinese justice this year? Don't we have anything better to do? Isn't there some hard working over-paid penny pincher out there that we can't sell a vacation to? I'm sure we have enough swizzle mix.

When our leaders do something irresponsible and stupid, regardless of intent, it leaves us wanting, wondering and worrying. Dr. Brown, if you get a chance, check out the tourism numbers and figure out a way to get the afore-mentioned penny pincher to take a load off and pay us a visit. Do the job you're getting paid to do and leave the international screw-ups for those people who have a little more experience. In your moment of glory you have upset quite a few people, and your "this too shall pass" idea is pretty disheartening. Should we expect more brilliance from you in the future?

Let's hope not.

Viva la Revolution!!!

“To accomplish much you must first lose everything.” - Che Guavara

Where are all of the revolutionaries? Where are the people of passion, spirit, challengers to the throne? Why are we so lacking in those who would lead us, would inspire us to battle, where are the Ghandi's, King's, Guavara's and X's of today's world? Why are we so lacking the will to stand up and be counted?

Certainly there are battles to be fought. Most assuredly there are organizations dedicated to fighting the injustices all around the world, and for the most part these "fighters" are truly committed to their cause. Social activism is there for all who will heed the call, but are we so limited in our view of the world that we are unable to carry that same activism to actually make a difference.

It has become increasingly evident that in the comfort of our own little island the attitude of complacency is quickly changing. As our fearless leader continues to bungle his way along, there is a section of the public who are now willing to stand up and be counted. Unfortunately for them they are seen by those in power as disgruntled and sadly enough.... white. While Dr. Brown may not see this fight as an important one and in many areas of our society it is being ridiculed as racist vitriol, the fact remains, that there are a lot of pissed off people out there. If they happen to be white or black is of little consequence, what is missing is the link that would bring them together, and inspire others to speak out as well. Where is our Che Guavara?

For far too long our island has been divided by black and white. The feelings of the many now outweigh the few and what is left is a serious case of indigestion. Blacks who need to exorcise their ghosts and whites who refuse to accept any responsibility for the past. While this fight seemingly has no end, what is truly needed is the REVOLUTIONARY who will bind enough people together to truly find a happy middle ground. Until then we are subjected to an endless embarrassment of idealistic idiots who can not stop themselves. Our small community is burdened with sins from the past and the present and no one seems to be able to get their head out of their backside long enough to do anything about it.

Where is the reset button? Where is the revolution?

Let it happen now before we end up killing each other....

Thoughts....

Just thinking...

I'm back after yet my second amazing experience in a Tall Ships event here in Bermuda. In 2000 as a Senior Liaison Officer at the Hamilton Office, it truly was a once in a lifetime experience. This year, in the 400th birthday of our country, I was again involved in the Trans-Atlantic Challenge this time with the Tall Ship - Pride of Baltimore II... yet another amazing experience. It is truly an honor to be able to work alongside such a dedicated group of people. I have made some great friendships and hopefully will see them again real soon!

Our headlines are dedicated with our Premier's latest debacle. I wonder if he truly is the person he seems to be? I wonder if he needs to be as important as he thinks he should be? There never seems to be a period of time where he doesn't push the envelope just a little bit further. It's a risky proposition. Sooner or later the challenge will be bigger than just keeping his supporters happy. It truly becomes more and more difficult to understand his mission. His acts are senseless and have no direction. He breaks the law to suit his own agenda and now he endangers his own countrymen should they ever have to go to China. Don't think that Bermudians would "slip through" unnoticed should they land in Hong Kong for a business meeting. By holding Chinese fugitives, without support from Britain, we open up a diplomatic nightmare should one of our locals be spotted on the Chinese mainland. Never say never. If the Chinese government are that upset, our people could be held for an indeterminate amount of time, and I doubt highly HMS would do anything about it. I wonder what he will do next?

In an effort to shorten my musings, I ponder this last point. The latest Tall Ships event again shows the power of people. Bermudians far and wide came together and performed an admirable service when called upon. Our nature is a giving one. We seldom disappoint in times of need. It is truly a credit to all of us that we can cross the barriers that society constantly places in front of us. There is no doubt that we must continue to fight the injustices that plague our society, but there is no doubt that when we put our minds to it we can truly be great!

Role Models

Leaders are a dime a dozen. At some point we have given too much "power" to those who truly aren't worthy of it. One of my major problems in our society today is that we have too many damn leaders. We are a world of leaders and followers. Politicians, preachers, athletes, spokespersons of every sort, giving examples to our kids of how to live our lives. In an ADHD world we can pick choose and refuse the leaders and role models we want in our lives. Turn the channel... there's another one!!!

I will say this. Some potential role models have made it easy for us. Charles Barkley (former NBA suerstar) always said that he didn't want to be a role model for kids. Thanks Charles, you're not. Added to that list is reigning superstar Lebron James. His sulk act on the weekend, upon losing to the Orlando Magic, has ensured that even greatness has its limits. In a reprisal of Isaiah Thomas Pistons ducking out early when the Bulls had dethroned them back in 1990, the man-child Lebron took his toys and went home. No congrats, no good luck, just a sulk. You have made a serious error LBJ. Ask Michael.

So as with most athletes, celebrities and the like, it is best to admire them for their prowess and talent, but leave the hero worship alone. Our kids who idolize these arrogant and highly overpaid "stars" are learning nothing here. Failure to act properly will not grant you favour in the eyes of scrutinizing parents! We seek people with a bit more... substance (and not substance abuse AROD). In times where our kids are more involved and have more distractions, it is almost impossible to find someone who fits the ideal leader, someone we can comfortably call a role model.

Bermuda is awash in violence, gangs seeking vengeance against each other and now people are afraid, scared of what is happening behind our backs. What does our child think? Who do they admire? What should we do? Who is leading my child? We struggle to find answers. Teachers, politicians, church and social leaders are certainly attempting to do their part. With parents working longer hours to make ends meet, and the end of the school year approaching we will have more kids looking for leaders in all the wrong places. 

Let's back track two weeks. Let's look at the "gang-land" murders. The victim slain was 27 years old. This was no child. This was a man of age, who was seemingly involved in a gang. How many people that age are actually involved in gangs? Aren't these "men" supposed to be the ones our adolescent youth look up to? Who are the leaders? Who are the role models. Our society has a serious disconnect. Years of "peter pan" syndrome has run rampant in Bermuda. Boys afraid to grow up. Boys not becoming men. It is a serious disease... and the beat goes on.

For far too long we have sought to make leaders, role models out of people who have not asked for such a burden and as such we should not be giving it to them. Too many young men find themselves  victims of drugs, alcohol, and violence. Too many boys are having children. Unmarried and unemployed, they seek refuge on the streets and when the going gets tough... people die. 

So where are the leaders? Where are the role models? Who should our kids seek when the going gets tough? When do we accept that our system is broken, and God does not save lives at 2:45 on a Friday afternoon. It's time for a gut-check. It's time for a plan. We need to empower our youth to lead productive lives and show them that there are viable alternatives to the ways of the streets. It requires work, cooperation and patience.

Last but not least, this isn't a black problem or a white problem... its a Bermudian problem. 

The state of our education.

The Cambridge International Curriculum.  In a positive move, our Government has decided that this will be the future of our education system. Ten years into their reign the PLP government are finally doing away with the badly broken and archaic system implemented by the UBP some fifteen years or more before they took power. It wasn't going to be easy. Let's be thankful that education is finally on the front burner.

Truth be told, the "middle school" idea for Bermuda was a broken system from day one. Speaking with a "consultant" on board an Air Canada flight from Toronto who was being brought in to help develop the idea, he told me that Canada was moving away from the idea. That was 25 years ago... at least.  While there are still calls for  "Junior High Schools" "Intermediate Schools" or "Middle Schools", and many countries around the world still use these systems, the idea works best in places of higher populations.  It is unrealistic to have an overly complex system in an area where it is not needed. Our legacy of the "Middle School" "Super High School" is a failed one. It has not provided the structure or support needed for our youth and is currently producing people that are not prepared for further education. So many of our kids are fighting to get out of school at 16, simply because they are not getting the education they need. Too many kids are being pushed through the "meat grinder".

As I stated. It's not an easy thing. The struggle to increase graduation rates, attendance rates and reduce issues of illiteracy will be the primary battles to be won. I am heartened by the idea that the Bermuda College is now offering free courses, and the discussions as to their mission (a 2 year school or a 4 year institution) should continue to be explored. I only hope that once all the puzzle pieces come together, Primary, Secondary and College levels of education are productive. 

When I defend the need for my children to attend private schools, my greatest argument is that they can be held accountable for the sale of their product. The Government's system offers no such accountability. If my child struggles and fails in a Private School, as a paying customer, it is my right to demand satisfaction. In the current public system, there is no such accountability. Kids can come and go as they please, and teachers aren't given any incentive to produce a quality education. Let's hope with the move to the new system that it not only inspires the government, but the kids as well. 

Education first... our future depends on it.

 

Divine Intervention...

It is interesting that in times of personal challenge we seek guidance and support from the Lord. In the wake of the shootings over the weekend, local churches here in Bermuda held a prayer vigil in order to show support as a community. It's a nice idea, and the idea behind community activism is the correct one, but it will honestly take a lot more than a prayer service a t a few churches to get beyond the violence.

In my own personal spiritual quest, I have found that there are too many roads to the top of the mountain and too many "guarantees" that this road is the right one. Sorry, but if you step outside the box for a second, God isn't doing such a great job... is he? Let's look at facts. What has he accomplished in the last 2010 years? Promises of what is to come? Really? Keep praying. People are still being killed in all corners of our world and in our community.... and that's just the beginning.

Ok... go get your St. James Bible or your NIV, or whatever it is you choose to thump and start looking up the doctrines. Yes, I know... burn in hell, everlasting life, Jesus died for us and all that good stuff. It's no wonder the bible is always on the best-seller list. No, I won't get into the science versus creation debate, I'm getting into the here and now debate. God isn't saving lives, not on our streets, not on many other streets around the world. Has anyone seen the crisis in Eastern Africa recently? The oppresion of the monks in Burma, the slaughter of the Tamils in Sri Lanka? It's a sin what's happening over there, innocents dying, slaughtered.

I regress. This is Bermuda, paradise found... yup, and a few prayer groups will lift the spirits of a nation hungry for resolution, desperate for answers, praying for God to fill the hearts of the wicked and save some souls!!!! YES!!!! Can you feel it??? 

Eh.... I have an itch.

Let's be serious. God is not moving the hearts of those that did this. Let's hope he inspires a few witnesses. Maybe a parent, a church going believer of god will hand over their child if they know that they are involved. Maybe they will be so overcome in inspiration in the love of God that they will want justice to be served. Keep praying my people. God is not parting the clouds and showing the way to salvation. He (or she for the feminists) really hasn't done a lot to bring these sinners to justice. Judgement day awaits... until then they live the life of Reilly.

I'm just not feeling it... are you?

The answers lie in each of us coming together as a community and working together. If that happens in a church, so be it, but let's not think for a second that God will have anything to do with it. 

The war at home...

It's quiet now. As we look forward to the celebration of our country, Bermuda Day, a huge cloud hangs over head. In two days over the weekend 5 people were shot in separate incidents in what has been termed a "feud" between local gangs. One person has died at this point, we have no reports of any other fatalities as of this time. Is it over? Let's hope so.

I waited a couple of days to write this, simply because I needed to get my thoughts in order. Let's run through the emotional checklist. Shocked: No, Worried: Yes, Angry: Yes, Hopeful: Yes. I could go on and on. These acts of violence in our community are seemingly commonplace now, and we should all understand that it just won't go away. We can't pray for guidance and we can't wish it away. It is here and now, and we must deal with it here and now.

It is strange that not so long ago, the local daily newspaper ran a series of articles on Gang Life. We had experts here talking to students, people who had lived the life, and more importantly had lived to tell about it. I'm not sure how many students needed the message. The victim who's life was taken was 27. I'm sure he didn't, and those who shot him didn't get that message. He probably skipped school that day. I apologize, that's a bad joke at a time we need to find answers, find hope and that we should all be terrified that this war isn't over.

Still, we have to believe that at some point in the future, people will recognize that gang-life is a way of life and that we can't just sweep it under a rock. The police for all of their efforts can not predict when these things will happen and we are all handcuffed to a time and place that if we are in the vicinity of a gang member, if we know it or not, we could find ourselves as innocent by-standers, and maybe even victims. It truly is a scary thought. When will we be safe?

What makes Bermuda special is that in fact we are one community. Our size and population, smaller than Camden, New Jersey, demands that we are in deed a community, and that we have every right to treat it as such! Crime is inevitable. The challenges for young males to find their place in life, to accept positive leadership roles is huge, but we must prevail. It is our burden, our responsibility, our challenge. We must restore confidence and fight the status quo. We must work together, east end, west end, Middletown and 42nd Street, it doesn't matter where you are. Ord Road or Fairylands, Jonestown or Wellington. The voices of the many MUST outweigh the stupidity of a few.

Our community is such that we know who is responsible, we know someone who knows someone, who knows why this has happened. We must not leave it to the police to solve the problem. It's our problem and it's time we dealt with it. It will hurt. It won't be easy. Someone's child will be held accountable, gangs must realize that they can not keep our community hostage any longer. We can not allow the gang-life to continue to threaten the fabric of our society. How do we do this? We organize. Parish councils, committees, working together in every corner of society. This isn't about US and THEM, its not about BLACK or WHITE. It's about Bermuda, One community, One heart. 

Happy Bermuda Day everyone. Let's hope for our future.