Another Day In Paradise

I remember when I was growing up, my parents would always tell me that it is mean to make fun of people especially those who are less fortunate than myself…I’m beginning to wonder if my parents were just part of a handful who brought their children up with this in mind because recent antics have left me baffled.

St. Lucians have built many reputations for themselves, some great and some horrible. Today I’m sounding off about one of those disgusting and horrible reputations…poking fun at the less fortunate.

Whilst we’re known for being a jovial and lively bunch that enjoys spreading a few laughs, there comes a time when morality needs to kick in and we spot and stay away from that glaring line instead of dancing right on over it.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve known many vagrants who have been the butt of jokes and ridicule from people who should really know better who subject them to humiliating measures just so that they could catch their jollies and have a laugh.

This culture was there before I was born and continues to this day. However, the birth of the internet, and especially social media, has just upped the humiliation stake to levels that are out of this world.

What’s the point in laughing at someone’s misfortune when you can humiliate them further by recording them or taking photos of them and posting it online for the world to join in and laugh at?

And hey, whilst we’re at it, share and share alike when you see the footage or photos because the more laughs the better.

I’ve noticed a surge of photos of a young man who is the new kid on the block and he seems to be the hottest craze these days as his photos are plastered everywhere.

I bet you don’t think of the fact that this guy has a name, that he has a family and friends who are all concerned about him and are extremely hurt by the way he’s being treated…including myself, his former classmate. I bet you didn’t know that he was once a “normal” and jovial guy who was the life of the party and was well loved by all those who knew him. I bet you don’t realise that he is mentally ill and needs help rather than what he is currently receiving from everyone.

Yes, he dresses like a woman and does unthinkable acts to get some money to survive and also to feed his drug habit but does that give you people the right to kick him whilst he’s down? How low would you like to see him go?

And people are even saying that he should be killed or that they actually want to kill him because he dresses like a woman…where is the value for life? Why are you people so heartless and cruel and also, so quick to resort to violence for no valid reason at all?

Tell me, when you do that, do you feel bigger? Do you become more aroused with every “like” and “share” that you generate? Has your thirst to feel alive and better than people been quenched? Can you breathe now that people know that you exist? Ahhh likes, likes and more likes…Life is Good! Right?

Sad and pathetic methinks!

You people act like you were hatched or dug up somewhere and watered to life because I cannot understand how human beings can be so heartless to their fellow human beings.

Now to those who think I’m only speaking out because this guy was my friend, you couldn’t be more wrong because I feel that way about EVERY SINGLE PERSON living on the streets. I don’t care what they did in the past…in my opinion, they are suffering enough and paying for their sins enough on the mean streets.

Also, I have been assaulted by a vagrant, but do you think that I want him dead? NO, I want him off the streets where he can’t harm anyone else. I want all these people off the streets where they are safe and also, where they are no danger to the rest of the population. They are still people!

Didn’t your parents teach you what mine did? Did you never listen to the great Phil Collins when he belted out “Oh, Think twice. It’s just another day for you and me in paradise”? If you’ve never heard that song before, then I suggest you run over to YouTube and put the song “Another Day In Paradise” on repeat till it sticks in your head and means something to you!

I always wonder if these people care and how they would feel if it was their child, parent, sibling or heck, them in the place of the people they’re humiliating. Would they smile for the camera? Sometimes I wish the events of the film “Freaky Friday” could become a reality for all those people taking part in this foolishness where they would switch places with the vagrants and would not be able to switch back to their lives until a valuable lesson was duly learnt.

At the end of the day, we are all vulnerable to the same fate and we never know when our luck might change and we end up where they are doing whatever we can to survive.

We are just one tragedy, mistake or mental breakdown away from the streets so whilst you are sitting in your palace and looking down at the people who you think are sub-human, just think, you could easily become the new kid on the block so like the song says, “Think Twice”.