The Observer’s website is the hottest spot these days for readers’ comments on major news stories. In That’s Just My View, the Sunday Observer presents a taste of these online views on one of the biggest stories of last week:

Citizens take fight to gunmen

. Rispek!! Dus out the bwoy dem yes!! I remember when Mandeville was SO safe. Let us claim back our town. DUS dem out mi seh. Mi support unuh full hundred – Duckie

. I’m living in the US and only the citizens of Mandeville are always being proactive in forming civil associations to combat some form of nuisance! I’m loving this move! I am honestly scared to come back to a place that I call home. Foreign a nuh bed a roses! And Jamaica has a lot of resources to market itself, but unwanted elements are undermining its potential to do so. Tired of these brutal slayings! – Stacey

. Congrats go out to M Central Watch. Now IS the time for “good to prevail”. – Doc Hoff

. Setting up such an organisation takes money. Those of us in favour of such an operation should help the business people monetarily to finance such a worthy mission. – Randy

. A step in the right direction! No security system is perfect, but it’s high time law-abiding citizens act decisively! – Kim

. …If the police can’t protect themself, how on earth they going to protect law-abiding citizens? The business people of Manchester are doing the right thing. – notch

. Jamaica has become like the Home Guard thing again. If every two out of five Jamaicans become a Home Guard or whatever you call it, Community Watch Guard, there will be no place for the criminals to hide in Jamaica. So Jamaica will become a peace-loving country again with all the criminal gunmen being weeded out. – Eddie

. Good move, we cannot allow criminals to run this beautiful island of ours. Each parish should have something like this, we cannot rely on the police. They give you numbers like 119, 311 and so on. When u call, u either get no response, a slow one, and if u don’t careful, they tell someone who call. You know, I find like Hawkeye very effective. When they post a sign at your gate and the criminals see that, they don’t take any chance. – Dwen

. Keep the pressure on the POLITICIANS by going in great numbers to the capital. Protest, protest, let them know of your dissatisfaction with how they are handling crime and the people have had it. Keep up the pressure. Let them know you are all serious and will not take it anymore. – cm

. By far the most blogged story since the Observer started this service. Truly an indication that what is required is leadership. Whether ill-advised or not, one group decides to do something and they are getting this level of support in principle, can you imagine if the Government decided to send the right signals? Do they realise the potential political capital they can harness if they do this in Mandeville? Because I know that’s a big part of their motivation for doing things. I think they should take a cue from the guys in Mandeville. – jam 2

. It is a shame that the people have to resort to defensive living, but this is not living, it is mere surviving. You cannot enjoy life under these conditions. No area is safe now! Kingston, Clarendon and Montego Bay, when will you organise your group? Since our paid protection is unable to protect us then the citizens cannot just continue to let crime escalate without doing something. I hope this will embarrass those who are paid from the public purse to keep law and order… The Manchester group is not asking for pay, they only want to keep their beloved Manchester safe. The whole country is bleeding! No delayed gratification, I must rob and plunder, to be as the proverbial ‘Jones’. Congratulations to Manchester. Be encouraged St Ann and come back on stream!!!!! – Toby

. The Bloods and the Crips were formed in the US with this same ideology. Today they are the two most murderous gangs in America…Bad idea!!!! – Bad Idea

. Yet another sign of a failed state. – big mike

. It’s full time for the citizens of our beautiful country to stand up against these criminals, some of whom are backed by politicians and supported by corrupt cops. We need to change our way of thinking. I am begging you M Central not to back down. – Stevin

. Is this the birth of rebels who will soon want to take control of Jamaica? – I feel

. This is what happens when you have a nation where bad man and don get more respect than anything else. It’s crazy. – Worried Jamaican

. If Reneto Adams still held office there would be less of this criminal “chupidness”. – Ritchie

. If the police can’t handle their job, somebody got to do it. I’m all for that… And for those hoodlums in custody for the Lyns murder, if convicted put them before a firing squad. Make example. – Rony

. Hear ye, hear ye, I say bring back the royal Reneto Adams, or Mr Minister, it would be good to rent Guantanamo Bay for these so-called bad gunmen. You have to do something real fast or else! – Mackie

. We need a lot more brave souls like the M Central Watch. My only concern is that their hard work and dedication may not be fruitful as the police may be in bed with these criminals. Jamaicans, protect yourself, your family and your country from these thugs. You all have my blessings. – Toni Brice

. Let’s take back Jamaica from these hooligans. The process can’t start without the citizens for the leaders are too busy fattening themselves, or too chicken to tackle the problem…Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos bataillons! Marchons, marchons, qu’un sang impure abreuve nos sillons! Well, not really… – Marie Antoinette

. Hooray!! It’s about time. – Tony B

. Way to go. Let’s take back Manchester from these hooligans. – Donna

. That’s the most wonderful news I ever read for this long time. I am praying for this group. – Jean

. Enough is enough, we are ready. The LOS PEPES made the Cali Cartel run for cover. I say rise up my people. – mikeexcop

. I am pleased to hear of this team. I am an ex-military officer so feel free to give me a buzz, I will volunteer my time just to come out there and assist with whatever training. Jamaica land we love… soljie from nc

. Militiamen of Mandeville! If you need any more hands just let me know. I have sniper training. The criminal gunmen must now be rethinking the capers and outings they have planned in the area for the next couple of months. They have paralysed the nation over the past decade, but now it’s time for the tables to be turned. – volunteer

. My weapon by choice in this fight is non-violence, but I support the right of an oppressed people to choose the other route. I love Gandhi but I will be Malcolm X in the blink of an eye if you back me in a corner and tell me my life or yours. – Wes MoLan

. Good. The police need all the help they can get to drive these crazy dogs out of town. They should both work at getting this group legal. – Suzette Burton

. At last? Where do I go to sign up! – davsanlas

Compiled by Desmond Allen, executive editor – operations

allend@jamaicaobserver.com