“Democracy dies in darkness” is the official slogan of the American and internationally reputable newspaper The Washington Post. The slogan is a profound one.

I believe democracy is under severe threat and could slide into a deep recession if ‘post-truthism’ and its cousin manipulative populism; as well as nephews misinformation and disinformation are not consciously rejected globally.

Three of my favourite novelists are Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Charles Dickens, and George Orwell. In Orwell’s seminal work 1984, a character, Winston, is tortured by a representative of Big Brother who wants Winston to believe that 2+2=5. Winston does not believe that 2+2=5. Why? Simply, 2+2 is not 5. Orwell’s novel 1984 was written in 1949. He basically predicted where we are today with respect to current and imminent threats to democracy.

Those who seek political office by weaponising misinformation and disinformation are dangerous. I believe we must resist them with every sinew. If we fail, we will recede into a space where truth is not seen as an objective reality. Then democracy dies.

Stroking divisions

I don’t often have cause to congratulate Mark Golding, leader of the Opposition and president of the People’s National Party (PNP). That is not a default position. It is borne out of the fact that since rising to the helm of PNP, Golding has scarcely done anything which, in my view, warrants plaudits.

Last week Golding did do something which I believe deserves guarded recognition. His reprimand of the Opposition spokesperson on agriculture and Member of Parliament for Clarendon South Western Lothan Cousins might very well be a signal that Golding does have a political spine after all.

Recall that while addressing the PNP’s St Andrew South Eastern constituency conference just over three weeks ago, Cousins had charged that “the only person who is a Labourite, who is a black Labourite, must be a confused PNP”.

He added, “I can’t see how poor black people can support a party like the Jamaica Labour Party. That is not the party for us.”

He further chided private sector leaders who, he claimed, were propping up the Andrew Holness Administration. (Jamaica Observer, August 30, 2022)

One of the rotten seeds of manipulative populism is that it thrives on stroking divisions, both old and new, and more than hints that choice is a bad thing. Manipulative populism is predicated on the ‘we against dem’ scheme.

In the 1970s we were taken to the brink of a political abyss. Political divisions which long existed were amplified. Historical differences of class and colour were placed on steroids. What good did it do for the vast majority of black, downtrodden, and dispossessed Jamaicans? Nil!

Many of those who stroked deadly divisions and set the country afire, destroying hundreds of lives and livelihoods, are now retired in developed countries. Most of these individuals, pseudo-intellectuals, are the chief, if not only beneficiaries of the ransacking of our society. Their collective cruel deeds, not without external interference, of course, resulted in the slaughter of nearly 900 Jamaicans in the run-up to the October 30, 1980 General Election, our bloodiest ever.

We must never slide back into that cauldron of divisiveness. It is antithetical to all forms of sustained growth and development.

Golding did the right thing when he delivered this rebuke of Cousins while addressing party faithfuls, last Saturday: “Our party believes, and asserts, that all Jamaicans are free to support the party of their choice, regardless of skin colour.” (Jamaica Observer, August 30, 2022)

Golding also did the right thing when he scolded Cousins for his intemperate and frightening outbursts against the private sector recently. I understand why some would “kiss dem teeth”, as we say in local parlance, having heard Golding’s reproof. If Golding merely wrapped Cousins on the knuckles for mere political optics it will soon be discovered.

He is probably familiar with the works of Oscar Ameringer, who famously said: “Politics is the art of getting votes from the poor and funds from the rich by promising to protect one from the other.” Some have said this is the real motivations for the reprimands. We will soon see.

Romanticising ‘sufferation’

One of the putrid manifestations of manipulative populism is a romanticising of poverty. Those who practise this foul deed are usually lettered individuals who have benefited from education, often at great public expense.

In the 70s, ‘sufferah’ was made into a brand of admiration, if not aspiration. Many of us grew up hearing many constantly refer to themselves: “We ah sufferah.” This was often said with more than a tinge of identification and sometimes pride. Popular culture was used to deliberately promote the sufferah mantra.

Some years ago I explored this very issue in two articles in this space. Semiotics or cultural messaging is a tremendously powerful tool, particularly in politics. Those whose politics is riveted in empty symbolism and not pragmatic and measurable achievements which improve the economic and social conditions of people know this only too well.

Those who watch the whirling of the political tea leaves notice the rigid opposition by some to the social housing programme of the Andrew Holness-led Administration. Why would any well-thinking Jamaican not want those among us who are living in substandard conditions to get a decent house? Why would any well-thinking Jamaican not want economically less fortunate countrymen and women to get a national staple like chicken meat at a cheaper price?

I think a large part of the answers are wrapped up in unenlightened politics which is predicated on a cruel mindset of generational dependency. Some among us are attempting to once again replant and fertilise the seeds of ‘We ah sufferah.’ We must democratically stymie their ruinous project.

How? To paraphrase novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and here I am taking great liberties with his work — well thinking Jamaicans must let those who would want to manipulate others know that we know that they are lying, even though they will continue to lie.

Manipulative populism is a predatory ideology. Its prey is ignorance. Well-thinking folks must expose post-truthism for what it is — lies. There are no such things as “alternative facts”, as Kellyanne Conway, former counsellor to president of the United States of America Donald Trump espoused.

On point!

I think Prime Minister Holness did the right thing when he publicly called out those who are busy “dispensing a false narrative which suggest that the actions of the Government to improve the livelihood of poor Jamaicans cause more harm than good”. (Nationwide News Network, August 24, 2022)

Said Holness: “The politics of poverty using this claim that government action is inimical to the poor has been the very thing that has been destructive to the poor. That politics of poverty; using poor people to prevent change. I am saying to the poor people of this community that things cannot stay the same. And it is when they stay that you will remain poor. It is in change that there is the possibility of uplifting yourself out of poverty. So, as poor people, you must always support change.”

Holness was speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrade of Maverley Park in St Andrew recently. You are spot on, Holness. The benefits of green spaces on the quality of life of those who live in urban spaces is well documented.

Blatant lies

“People are dying because of misinformation.” This potent comment, among other things, was made by president of the United States of America Barack Obama in a wide-ranging presentation on the threat of false information online in a recent address at Stanford University.

Obama, in his keynote address, also noted that he did not realise during his presidency “just how susceptible we had become to lies and conspiracy theories, despite having spent years being a target of disinformation myself”.

Susceptibility to lies is not a new phenomenon. The power of lies is as old as time itself. Decades ago Sir Winston Churchill, former prime minister of Britain, famously said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before truth puts on its boots.” Lies have surmounted social, economic, and political boundaries since time immemorial. What is new today is that lies are spread at unprecedented speeds via the Internet-related media. Some today try to deodorise and sanitise lies with terms like misinformation and disinformation. This is wrong, very wrong.

‘Murder most foul’

The person or persons who are responsible for setting a homeless man ablaze last Monday morning near Heroes’ Circle must be made very uncomfortable. The State should spare no resources to capture them and put them before the courts.

I do not believe that the miscreants who committed this foul deed are fully paid up members of the human race. It is often said that we should judge a society based on its treatment of women, children, minorities, and other vulnerable groups. Any objective application of that barometer to our society, I am sure, would not situate us in good light.

Our social descent did not start in 2016, nor did it in 1976. I have written several articles from as back as 2013 detailing the deep fractures in the social fabric of our nation. Its sustained repair requires a national effort. It has not escaped my notice that the civil society groups which are always very vociferous when criminals are killed in confrontations with agents of the State are mum on the horrible death of this homeless man. Their silence speaks loudly.

My late grandfather, whenever he arrived home, would always say: “But for the Grace of God go I.” Translated, this is a recognition that other’s misfortune could be my own, if it weren’t for the blessings of the Divine, or for the fortune or fate. I wonder if we all understand that we are mere mortals.

I agree with the call by the corporate secretary of the Board of Supervision, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Treka Lewis, for Jamaicans to treat indigent and homeless individuals with respect and help to improve the lives of this vulnerable population.

Said Lewis: “It is not all about the food and clothing, and it is not all about the shelter sometimes, surprisingly. It is important to recognise that some of these persons were once productive members of society and have fallen on hard times. Some of us are just one natural disaster away from homelessness.” (The Gleaner, August 30, 2022)

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie has condemned the killing of the homeless man and is offering a $500,000 reward to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible. It should not require a monetary inducement for citizens to respond, but, alas, that is the reality of our times.

Walk good, François

The media fraternity lost one of its truly talented broadcasters last week. François St Juste had great on-air charisma. And, more importantly, when a listener tuned in to any of his programmes one was guaranteed to come away much more informed.

I agree with the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) President George Davis, who said: “François was a giant in Jamaican broadcasting from his early days on FAME FM to his last assignment co-hosting Radio Jamaica’s Sunny Side Up.”(Jamaica Observer, August 29, 2022)

Walk good, François, you played a great innings.

Garfield Higgins is an educator, journalist and a senior advisor to the minister of education & youth. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.