Dear Editor,

The controversy now on the airwaves in response to the Jamaica Observer front page story of November 6, 2017, headlined ‘Sleeveless anger!’ reminds me of the local saying, “When ‘Mericka sneeze we catch di cold.”

The dog-whistle words I’ve heard from these liberals are so familiar to the ones in ‘Mericka’ I had to pinch myself. Words such as colonialism, religious freedom, slavery, communism, discrimination are what I have seen. It seems the Left worldwide have waged a war against the Right (conservatism).

Should the enforcers really be blamed?

I saw where some people are attacking the enforcers of these rules. For example, I’m a security officer and we have our post orders that govern how we operate for our clients. So, if I am at the emergency section of a hospital I must enforce the prescribed dress code. The liberals can’t tell me to go against my bosses. Are they telling police officers and public sector workers to disobey their employers? Yes, we do use discretion from time to time, but sometimes that one discretion could cause you to lose your job.

When I attended school, to me many of the rules were stupid; but, guess what, I, being a student, had to obey. I hate wearing a tie, but if I’m going for a job interview I wear it .When I’m going to a public department or office, common sense tells me I must dress as required.

The problem is too many people go into formal settings dressed as if they are going to a street dance. When I’m attending a dance I don’t wear ties and other establishment-type dressing — that would be stupid!

Many rules are made for a purpose, whether it’s principle, public health, etc — why are we elevating rules to the level of slavery?

Based on the liberals’ line of reasoning, if people want to turn up to the hospitals, courts, etc in a B-rider, merino, exposed bellies, tights and all that there would be a breakdown on affairs. There must be regulations.

We are a conservative society, so I’m begging these liberals with their agendas “nuh bring it here”.

Another thing, we should be careful of the messages we are sending to our children. Now is not the time for social experimenting.

These advocates will soon leave dress codes and go back to ending corporal punishment in schools and other rule-setting tools to end ‘enslavement’ in the name of being “progressive” — another dog-whistle word. But let me tell them, not everything progressive is good.

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com