Politics is a rough sport. Inevitably, those who choose politics as an avenue of service must possess sufficient quotients of ego, as well as the absolute egotistical desire to succeed. Jamaican politics requires strong physical and emotional constitution — yes, a formidable structure that can absorb hard blows. Still, politics can be fun and satisfying.

There are varying motivational factors that drive people to politics, but let’s resist the allure of zooming in prematurely on the negative assumptions for now. In our current political climate, there are troubling trends emerging — these are trends we must eviscerate before they take root. Hence, the time is now for us to put a stop to the spread of the politics of “nah surrender”. The time is now to discontinue the political absurdity about badmindism.

The time is now for us to suffocate the dangerous Machiavellian undertone inherent in the “Choose Jamaica” slogan, and to do so before it destroys the very foundation on which we will pitch our collective efforts to achieve greater levels of national unity and societal cohesion. The time is also now to end the unproductive and equally hateful bigotry that comes with the kind of race-baiting and dog whistle politics that raised its ugly head at a recent Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) political rally in St Catherine South Central.

We need to trim our lamps. For, although “Mother Miriam never send me to warn,” I feel an obligation to encourage that we stand together in full condemnation of any actions or political motivation that could rend us asunder based on race, class, or creed. Any quick reading of Jamaica’s history will confirm there were black slave owners and that inter-racial relationships, forced or consensual, produced black children who were descendants of slave owners. Let us not go there, because we do not choose our parents.

Before anyone dismisses my concerns as either misplaced or steep in unnecessary hyperbole, let me confess: My concerns that societal unrest could emanate from irresponsible political theatrics rest on my love for and reliance on Venn diagrams to formulate my perspectives and analysis. Most times, I use and rely on the visual logics to investigate associations between various sets of information, data, concepts, rhetoric, and ideas. I also engage Venn diagrams to garner better understanding of how different elements of an idea, action, or pieces of evidence overlap or connect, and then use my observations to assess why they reveal similarities and differences.

In this instance, I anchored my thoughts on the overwhelmingly strong correlative relationships between (a) the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Deputy Leader Desmond McKenzie’s “nah surrender Jamaica to the People’s National Party (PNP)…” bombast; (b) Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s polemic warning that “…we don’t need an Opposition to critique our Government…”; (c) Daryl Vaz’s banal ramblings about how “PNP bad mind…”; (d) Everald Warmington’s classless verbal invective about “Mark fi go back ah England if ‘im want tu’n PM…”; (e) most recently, the JLP’s “Choose Jamaica, choose Labour” campaign slogan.

Placed on Venn diagrams, the intersections reveal a common unhealthy theme. Alas, it is a theme that seeks to discredit, condemn, disqualify, discriminate, “de-Jamaicanise”, “otherise”, and denigrate anyone, or group who dares not to identify with, give blind support to, or challenge the current clique of governors.

Exogenesis aside, but put simply, whether collectively or on a disaggregated basis, none of the periphrastic proclamations coming out of the political stables of the JLP are helpful, uplifting, appropriate, or edifying. Yet all of them have the same destructive elements and potential to set us back centuries and deep in the backwaters of life. Resist we must, after all, we are Jamaicans. We are a special amalgamation of various races, creeds, and classes, and as our motto summarises, we’re indeed “one people”.

For those so cloaked in the shawls of tribal partisan politics, so encumbered by the guilt of political one-upmanship, and so devoted to the cause of divisiveness to such an extent that they have become, and are already behaving like a giggling mischief of mice, this writer urges immediate recalibration and restraint. Yes, restraint, lest we suddenly realise that “Wah sweet nanny goat ah go run him belly.” Put another way, things that seem pleasurable or enjoyable in the political moment can also lead to perpetual negative consequences to our democratic way of life and national development.

Jamaica has come too far to return to a past and a path that divided and pitted us against each other in the name of political power. Therefore, we cannot accept, nor should we downplay as pure pun, or excuse Desmond McKenzie’s vile threat as mere awkward verbal innocuousness. His remarks were not purely inartful outbursts, they were deliberate thoughts expressed with polarising passion and perilous sincerity.

Jamaica has always enjoyed the peaceful transfer of power. Our reputation for upholding democratic traditions is well documented. We have never overthrown an elected government, neither have we ever assassinated a prime minister, though outside forces acting in concert with domestic mercenaries attempted to achieve that fate during the 1970s. It is on that basis that we should take seriously, and unreservedly abominate McKenzie’s “…nah surrender Jamaica to the PNP…” proclamation. To pretend otherwise could very well and quickly upend our contemporary political reputation.

Desmond McKenzie’s remarks were not a one-off display of intemperance, which can easily morph into becoming a contagious form of political biliousness that we must not let stand his desire to metastasize. It is binding on all of us to “…Reverse the order, reverse the course [my word and emphasis] …” as the Reverend Prophet Mark Stewart is famous for “bawling out” at his crusades.

McKenzie might have also forgotten about how the ugly political rhetorics and strategies of the late-1970s to 1980 brought this country to its knees. Let us not forget the ignoble threats of “Either overthrow or underthrow of the PNP”, comments attributed to a former JLP senator and House Speaker.

Desmond, let us not go back to the threats of “locking down the country tighter than a sardine can, so that not even rain can fall…” We have evolved politically, economically, and socially. Hurrah, the dark ugliness of the 1970s remain unappealing, do not drag us back. We are not going back, we as a nation are moving forward.

The JLP has decided — as is its right to do — to campaign on the “Choose Jamaica” slogan, but in small caps has also added “vote Labour”. In a bold move, the JLP has arrogated unto itself the colours of the Jamaican flag. This is not all new, the JLP’s chosen colour is green. Implicit in its Choose Jamaica campaign slogan is a dangerously divisive subliminal message. The subtlety is not so subtle at all, and therefore it does not require a rocket scientist to figure it out. Earlier in the article, I mentioned my reliance on the use of Venn Diagrams to inform my analyses, there are no differences this time round — so pay close attention to the relationships, overlaps, and obvious connections with the JLP rhetoric and slogan.

There is an intrinsically divisive patriotic undertone in this Choose Jamaica slogan. Conceptually, it is loutish because it telegraphs that any other choice other than that of choosing the JLP is inherently anti-Jamaica. It is equally manipulative and reflects a slick attempt to deny and desecrate the sacrosanctity of Jamaican citizenship, and the inherent power of the people to exercise their right to enfranchisement without duress.

Make no bones about it, a decision to politicise patriotism is hazardous because its success relies on exclusionary tactics. So we must call it out for what it is, period. For one, it provides an outright intentional false choice. “A false choice is also known as a false dilemma, a false dichotomy, and as the either-or fallacy”, which is precisely what the slogan intends to accomplish by playing upon and monkeying around voters’ conscience with a view to force them to think that a vote against the JLP is the same function as in voting against Jamaica, knowing darn well that the proposition is deceptive and false.

Jamaicans have been choosing Jamaica for decades. From a political perspective, Jamaicans have been choosing Jamaica since 1944. When Andrew Holness entered politics, I would assume he made a deliberate decision to choose Jamaica through political service, and I would assume all his predecessors made similar choices. Teachers, doctors, nurses, investors, police officers, firefighters, civil servants, and the like have been choosing Jamaica for decades.

There are expatriates who, once they arrive on our shore, settled, and chose to build their lives and livelihoods here and have contributed enormously. Edward Seaga, Holness’s mentor chose Jamaica.

In a twist of irony, like Dr Nigel Clarke, the recent former minister of finance and the public service, now deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), millions of Jamaicans, for one reason or another, leave Jamaica to pursue dreams and aspirations. Did anyone in the Government try to dissuade Dr Clarke from taking up his post at the IMF? Yet, we celebrate his accomplishment even as he choose to leave, and chose the IMF.

Still, Jamaicans continue to choose Jamaica — our political allegiances notwithstanding. We have been choosing Jamaica through our philanthropic work; remittances to relatives; and contributions to hospitals, communities and almae matres. There are millions of Jamaicans, resident in Jamaica, whose political, economic, and social decisions and activism are proof positive that they choose Jamaica whilst voting for or against the PNP or JLP.

Speaking to a group of mostly black people in Sydney, Nova Scotia, in 1937, Marcus Garvey issued the now famous injunction: “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because, whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind.” More than any other time, we should live Garvey’s command.

Christopher Burns

Christopher Burns is a finance professional. Send feedback to the Jamaica Observer or burnscg@aol.com.