O that my tongue

Were in the thunder’s mouth!

Then with a passion

Would I shake the World.

— Shakespeare, King John , 3, 4

PASSION is such a powerful force, and because it is, it comes with powerful consequences and extreme results — so much so that even certain types of crimes are classified under its umbrella, ergo, crimes of passion.

The French actually have that in their legal system, and people who commit such crimes are treated differently than the other common curs who rob, maim and kill for other reasons.

A crime of passion (French “crime passionnel” ) in popular usage refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulses such as anger or jealousy, rather than a premeditated crime.

So, in other words, the French will give you a pass, show some leniency, if your crime was brought on by passion instead of just bad mind, evil, greed, or pure wickedness.

Don’t expect to bruk into people house, or grab their chain and flee, or stab or shoot the man because you didn’t like him, then plead crime of passion. That would not work, as we’ll see right after these passionate responses to what I had to say about ‘Breaking up’.

Hi Tony,

Thank goodness I will never know what it feels like to be dumped and have someone break off the relationship with me as I am guilty of being the one doing the breaking up. I was young and stupid and basically just ‘ghosted’ her — not a gentlemanly thing to do, the way it was done. After being married for over five decades I can say that I am safe from being the victim of a break-up… I hope.

Gerrard

Teerob,

Your footnote about your production of the documentary about Oliver Samuels got my attention. Bravo to you for taking on such an important task, as too many of our icons depart this life without being documented or given their due. I applaud you. As for that media critic who wished to tear down your work, ignore her. I say her because I know exactly who she is; she finds fault with everything that other people set out to do. Bad mind, envy and jealousy make strange bedfellows. Keep up the good work. Oliver and others deserve the recognition.

Theaterman

As defined by the dictionary, passion is a strong and barely controllable emotion. It’s what often propels people to do great things, sometimes positive, other times negative.

“He has such a passion for football that it’s no wonder he excelled at it.”

There is talk swirling around in the sporting world that the reason for our decline in cricket is due to a lack of passion among our youth for the sport. Very few show any interest or passion for the game like that displayed by the youngsters of yesteryear. Some of you may recall as youngsters how we’d play cricket constantly — in the streets, backyards, open fields, at school, sometimes making our own makeshift bats and balls. Plus we would stay up late at night to listen to the matches being played overseas. That’s no more.

In fact, it can be said that young people nowadays have no passion for almost anything, but go through life blithely staring at their devices and being immersed in social media. But then again, that could be their passion. If so, I weep for that generation.

The passion that I’m referring to, though, is that powerful, almost animalistic urge that people feel about anything that they get involved with. That passion drives them to go above and beyond the ordinary, making them achieve heights that mortals can only dream of.

That can apply to almost any endeavour but when it comes to relationships, romance and, of course, sex, it has no equal. People who possess such passion will know exactly what I’m talking about, but those who do not may as well stop reading right now, for they will have no idea what I’m referring to.

It’s like trying to explain the joys of sex to a passionless virgin who has never experienced those pleasures. It’s like talking to a brick wall, as they’re clueless.

“What’s all the fuss about sex about? I don’t need it.”

If you hear that, walk away, walk away.

Passion is a burning, red-hot desire and feeling that a man has for a woman or a woman for a man. They cannot keep their hands off each other, they cannot get enough of each other, they cannot stand to be apart from each other and have an insatiable hunger and thirst for each other.

“Is what wrong with dem? They have this burning passion for each other. They might explode.”

Passion, simply passion.

Whoa now, let’s calm down for a moment as that sort of feeling will drive people to madness and let them do crazy, irrational things that they would not normally do. It’s almost like temporary insanity — in fact it’s akin to absolute madness — and that’s why the French, in their wisdom, recognise this and have a special designation of crimes of passion.

If you have all those powerful, explosive, volcanic, cataclysmic feelings for your woman, only to walk in and witness her and another man wrapped up in the coils of an embrace like two serpents — sweating and heaving like two animals in heat, doing what you thought was your privilege — what would you do?

It’s enough to drive a man crazy, and that’s what often happens. If you flew into a rage and bashed her head in with a sculpture, or stabbed the man or even strangled him with your bare hands if you could, that would be a crime of passion… if you were in France.

My advice would be to just walk away. But remember what I said about passion leading to insanity, and for that single moment, people may just snap. But whether France or Jamaica, passion is passion, and the feelings run deep and follow the same intense path. Here’s what someone told me.

“If I buss in on my wife with another man in my house, is dead him dead.”

That’s another thing that I could never understand: If a man catches his woman with another man in a compromising position, why harm the man? After all, he didn’t force himself on her; she indulged willingly. I could understand if she was being assaulted, but to have her take another man willingly into your house, and then have that man being blamed is misguided. But that’s just my opinion.

Women do it too, fight off the other woman who gets involved with her man. I think that’s misguided and misplaced anger, but passion lets people do crazy things and addles the brain. That’s why it’s called crime of passion.

“I just wasn’t thinking straight, Your hHnour. When I saw them together in our matrimonial bed I just snapped and chopped them both.”

“I understand, crime of passion. One year in prison.”

“Merci beaucoup, Your Honour.”

Sometimes, just based on the sheer brutality of the crime, you can deduce — even with an untrained eye — that it’s a crime of passion.

“The victim was stabbed 145 times.” Clearly a crime of passion.

Do you know what rage, anger and passion it takes to stab someone 145 times? A rage brought on by unbridled passion, a crime of passion.

“The man had his genitals cut off and stuffed in his mouth, what do you deduce, Corporal?”

“Simple answer, Sarge, clearly a crime of passion.”

Crimes of passion seem to be the most gruesome when it comes to domestic crimes, and cause seemingly normal people do the most ghastly, heinous, horrific acts. It’s so ironic that an emotion as powerful, pleasurable and beautiful as passion can lead someone to do such barbaric deeds.

But then again, passion is often akin to insanity, as mentioned before, and that’s why they also have crimes that fall under that designation, “by reason of insanity”.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” — Oprah.

“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.” — Jon Bon Jovi.

I am a passionate man, although I tend to mask it, and I pity the person who has no passion for anything. Passion elevates the senses, lifts your spirits, makes you feel exhilarated, motivates you to achieve, and yes, to experience great pleasures. Without it you are nothing but a shell without feelings.

Passion has no equal, but the crimes that are committed because of it, we can do without.

More time.

seido1yard@gmail.com

Footnote: The debate regarding capital punishment continues to swirl, even as the murderers have a field day. People continue to kill in the most barbaric way yet have the sympathy of human rights lobby groups who don’t seem to have the victims’ interests at heart. Men, women, and even children are being killed, yet murderers can enter into a plea bargain with the courts and get reduced sentences. Imagine: A man kills, confesses, then gets a discounted sentence. What message is that sending? I am all for the death penalty for those guys for a message has to be sent. Some research says that it doesn’t deter murder but I question that. My argument is that the killer, if proven guilty beyond doubt, should be taken out of the equation forever, never to kill again.