The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

Perhaps I’m wasting my time writing this letter, as some things are so deeply ingrained in the fabric of Bahamian society, that trying to change them often proves fruitless. Yet, there are things that are so wrong, they can no longer be ignored, and someone has to stand up and say something.

Bahamians cannot raise children. Yes, I’ve said it, and to clarify, I will go even further: black Bahamians, in particular, cannot raise children. Now, before you go off the rails and brand me as a Hitler-saluting, cross burning racist and white supremacist, understand this: I am neither white nor racist nor prejudiced in any way, shape, or form (and I am definitely not suggesting that white people are inherently racist). Don’t get me wrong, there are some exceptional parents in this country, both black and white, but, there are also far too many people in this country whose child rearing abilities leave a lot to be desired.

Corporal punishment, the use of “pain compliance” – spanking and/or beating – is legal in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; it is perfectly okay for a parent, guardian, or school teacher to use this Draconian method of discipline on children. It is so widely accepted that it is even mentioned in songs. We even go as far as encouraging it, so much so that one is often viewed as a bad parent for not spanking or beating his or her child/children whenever he, she, or they, misbehave. Some Bahamians even boast about how they beat their children, bragging to their friends and neighbours how they “cut they hip” and how they will “half kill them with beating” if they step out of line, with said friends and neighbours absolutely agreeing with them. Problem is, some people have actually killed their child/children with beating, striking the poor victim with such ferocity that the child actually expired. And far too often, this happens in the black community.

We, as a society, as a country, are literally justifying child abuse. We claim to be a “Christian nation”, quoting that infamous and controversial verse “allegedly” located in the Bible: “If you spare the rod, you spoil the child.” To us, this is a green light to beat our children, but what exactly does it mean? What precisely is the Bible referring to when it says “the rod”? Would you actually beat a child with a rod? Sadly, this is all too common in this country, as we have all seen people use anything and everything they could get their hands on to beat children: belts, switches (branch sticks), shoes, hangers, even garden hoses. What’s truly sickening is how we so-called “Christians” bear witness to these obvious acts of physical child abuse, yet do absolutely nothing about it. In our minds, it’s the child’s fault: “That’s what you’s get!”

Answer me this, Bahamians: if beating children is such an effective way of raising and disciplining children, why is our crime rate so out of control? Why is our murder rate so out of control? Why are our young (black) men so prone to violence? Why, indeed. As the old saying goes: “Violence breeds violence.” We are teaching our kids violence; I have personally witnessed older children beating their younger siblings. Where do you think they learned that? This time has come for us to ban this antiquated and deeply flawed and ineffective method of discipline, as we are only destroying our “precious darlings”, both psychologically as well as physically, by beating, whipping, and slapping them for even minor infractions.

How ironic that it is considered abuse when a man strikes a woman (which it is, and I do not condone it), yet when we do the same thing to children, it’s perfectly okay.

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Nassau,

November 9, 2015.