The United States did not become the land of the free easily or overnight. It had to fight a war of Independence in the late 1700s.

It then had to fight a civil war in the 1860s. Even then, laws still existed that didn’t create a free society for all. The country had to go through another struggle for civil rights in the 1960s.

The Cuba you see today didn’t happen overnight either. Irrespective of what you may think of modern-day Cuba, it is significantly better than it was under the Batista regime that ended in 1959.

This required a revolution, a literal war, and significant criticism from many corners of the world.

The Jamaica we have today also didn’t just happen. There were several major slave rebellions that set the stage for emancipation.

There was the Morant Bay Rebellion that made it clear that the descendants of slaves and the former slaves would not accept a position of servitude forever.

There was the civil war of the seventies to end the oligopoly of post-Independence Jamaica.

One thing that is constant in all of the above examples is drama and dramatic action.

Last week in my column I highlighted the need for extreme action to prevent the domination of criminal gangs that exist currently in Haiti.

I broke it down to short- and medium-term measures.

Based on the responses I received, it appears that many of my readers expect to stop the 10,000-strong enemy force of incarcerated and non-incarcerated gang members that are in full throttle in their quest to create a gang-dominated country by normal judicial practices. This is not realistic.

Nothing is going to be achieved without drastic measures, and more than likely extreme combat. This is the nature of struggle and this is the nature of change.

The conflict over Northern Ireland was constant, violent and costly to both England and to the besieged occupied territory. This from the day Michael Collins agreed to partition Ireland.

Fixing the problem required a long period of occupation, revolt and ultimately compromise.

Is it fixed? Yes, to some extent. Is it fair? No, not really because England has retained territory that is not theirs.

Is it the will of the persons living there? Yes, because the majority of the populace of that territory are descendants of the British.

Has the bloodshed stopped? Yes? Well, it’s good enough for me.

Jamaica will need drama and a period of tribulation to win the war it needs to fight. Just like we needed a Michael Manley to end the oligopoly and an Edward Seaga to prevent the communist threat.

We simply can’t stop what is happening or prevent where we are going by using normal judicial practices. It’s not going to happen, nor is it going to be halted by First-World police practices. We are not First World, nor is the threat we face.

Love, like or dislike it, we will have to do things that are in direct contradiction to a functioning society that the police exercises control over.

This will also be in contradiction to standards in England, the United States and Germany.

Our solutions will be more in keeping with countries like El Salvador, Brazil and Trinidad.

Why? Because our threats are similar to other Third-World countries.

Now all along we were content to use this First-World model because the killing was largely a pauper issue. This changed when they attacked our banks, when they attacked our money, when they showed what they can do to the operation of commerce. Life is funny, huh!

Therefore nobody is content anymore. All now see the possibility of being dominated by mayhem. They see the end of our way of life.

What we differ on is the measures to be employed.

My measures involve drama. Not because I like drama, but because it’s the only approach that will work.

Several administrations have passed laws and taken steps to bring about change. They are welcome and useful. But they are for a country that is not in crisis. They are for a country that has time to endure the bloodshed.

In the long run the new Gun Act will have the desired positive effect but you will have to modify the plea bargain legislation.

The economic path that the country is on will one day allow for an environment that doesn’t encourage gang membership.

Many things will occur in a country that has been improving the standards of living of its citizens for over 50 years, but we are in peril now.

We need immediate action now.

For once the stars are all lined up for a solution.

The Haiti example is in our news everyday and the recent attacks against our commerce has created a situation that allows for the Government to introduce measures that the Opposition wouldn’t dare oppose.

This allows us to start the process.

A national state of emergency that gives the State the ability to remand indefinitely. I have said it many times.

A state of emergency that ignores all the other accompanying measures such as closing businesses, traffic nightmare check points and entertainment industry prohibition. It’d be one that simply allows for indefinite remand if the killers give the Government a reason to exercise it against their gang. A big stick over their head.

However, the medium term will require drama. An adjustment to the constitution that allows for the introduction of an Interment Act.

All countries in a crisis use crisis measures.

The aforementioned Northern Ireland crisis used interment. Was it abused? Yes. Will we abuse it? Not if the power rests with the commissioner of police or his deputies.

Is it drastic, is it dramatic, extreme? You’re damn right it is. Is it necessary? Absolutely!

This is what defines a countries leadership, the guts to do what is necessary when it is required.

The slaves didn’t free themselves, Lincoln did.

Batista didn’t give up Cuba, Castro took it.

Who will be the leader who saves us from a state of gang domination?

I honestly think that our current leadership has the stomach for it. I see many persons in Opposition who also will step up. The issue is, do they see what I see? I don’t know if they do.

That is the difference between most people and myself. Most don’t see gang domination in our future.

Well, maybe they see it clearer now after March 19.