“AGNES!!!” I heartily greeted my favourite bread vendor.
“Yes Dr. Christian!” She chimed back merrily. Agnes reflexively recited my usual order while efficiently sealing it in that clear plastic bag.
(Remind me to tell you of a powerful poem that can make all the difference in your getting what you want. And check how it relates directly to what happens next…)
After a hard day of healing at the office, this little routine with my paragon of customer service always put me in a jovial mood. Plus Carnival was in the air! There was the constant chatter of which princess or queen they volere for (certainly not Her Dignified Majesty Tasia Floissac), who might get sued for singing truth to power this year – and choices, choices, choices of which event or country camp to attend…
As I exited the cozy shop, I impulsively slapped a stranger on the shoulder and jokingly called him, “Traitor!” Since that illustrious Senjo rally, my experience was that this would start an animated conversation on this topic of the day. But this man exploded!
“Yes! Allu fellahs always talking down the country, Damn traitor! My PM is right! Anywhere and everywhere, we coming to get allu. Even in church or funeral, we’ll deal with allu…!”
Agnes and the other customers in queue listened in shocked silence. He launched into expletives, waving his fists and jabbing the air in my direction. I was caught totally off guard. My chest began to pound as I found myself assuming a defensive posture. I recall telling myself, if this guy makes one mistake, he will find out how a veteran officer of the US Army defends himself. Fortunately a friend put his arm around me and coaxed me away. “You cannot take chances, Doc. These people ignorant.”
Since I had violated the gentleman’s space in the first place, I couldn’t be wrong and strong. I also knew that the thuggish views expressed were not representative of all the good members of his party. This venom had to be spilling over from some previous encounter. So I turned one last time and gave him a conciliatory thumbs-up smile. “Chill, my brother. Doh burs’ a blood vessel!”
This piece of drama set me thinking.
On April 6, 1994 the plane carrying the Hutu President of Rwanda was shot down over the capital, Kigali. Almost overnight, government officials on radio incited followers http://www.history.com/topics/rwandan-genocide to turn against their Tutsi neighbours. For three months, the streets of Rwamda flowed with blood. The Rwanda genocide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3DrvrrSgHI had claimed over 800, 000 lives (over 12 times the population of Dominica!)
The major similarity of Senjo and Rwanda is that that top Government officials were the very ones instigating the verbal assaults. I don’t know what you want for Dominica, but what I want is definitely NOT more animosity. Booplé’s AIR DOMINICA lyrics suggest a shortage of statesmanship and a drought of decorum. People are increasingly behaving badly – and there no adult in the room to inspire harmony and good order.
Like Creole Festival, The Real Mass, is a product. It is not something a visitor can buy off the shelf. Beyond the contestants and calypsos, the floats and free-up, visitors need friendliness, security and a proactive hospitality industry. Employees need to feel they will be promoted based on merit. Oppression is reflected in growing poverty and the widening wealth gap. “DICE AGAIN!” energetically validates that these concerns are no longer limited to just couple investigative radio journalists.
Dice wins with his pulsating MyDominicaTradeHouse.com
The miracle of Rwanda is an amazing reconciliation arising out of that genocidal hell on earth. And as we speak, their economy is booming at a phenomenal rate! So, what if we do something different beforehand? In that way, we can save ourselves from going through such tribulation. Like German Rev. Dr. Dietrich Bonhoffer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C22GREsphLw our men of the cloth must rise above selfish inducements and prophesy boldly on behalf of the victimized and the poor. Unfettered justice and corrective action will allow us to embrace each other again. And Dominican paradise will be regained.
Oh, that poem! My little encounter at the bread shop rather amused me. What boy! See how easily I almost got sucked into that ‘traitor’ comess…SMH. It did propel me to reaffirm my mission and reflect on this work by American Berton Braley. It was made popular by award-winning motivational speaker, Les Brown. I have tweaked it somewhat to speak to our local situation. Persistent effort is always rewarded at some level. To really feel how it can help both our private and public aspirations, you may read below or click here to listen:
If you want a thing bad enough to go out and fight for it,
To pray day and night for it,
To give up your time, your peace and your sleep for it.
If all that you dream and scheme is about it,
And life seems useless and worthless without it.
If you’d gladly sweat for it, fret for it and plan for it,
And lose all fear of the haters for it.
If you simply go after the thing that you want
With all your capacity, strength and sagacity,
Faith, hope and confidence and stern pertinacity.
If neither volcano, earthquake nor fierce hurricane,
Sickness nor pain of body and brain
Can keep you from that thing that you want.
If dogged and grim you beseech and beset it,
By the grace of God, you get it!
Happy, healthy and safe Carnival!
Dr. Sam Christian is a syndicated columnist focusing on health and development related matters. He is on call for medical emergencies at 440-9133. For more details, click on the Urgent Care website www.urgentcareda.weebly.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Dr. Sam, everybody getting older but you getting younger! How do you do it?
Yah, something in the water must be agreeing with you since you come home. You look great! But there a little something creepy about that pic. Maybe Tasia was tired from smiling all day or maybe its how you holding her.
At least you showed for the Carnival. Wish the same could be said for the two other political leaders…
doctor C, while I always read your articles and applaud you for thoughts, let me inform you that I too, am not happy about the orations at St. Joe. However I don’t know if you listen to Q95. The venom that spews from that station is unsettling. Both parties have the low-class die-hard supporters like your encounter and I think level headed people like you should remind Q95 that the world hears them too. People in the diaspora who listen to Q thinks that we are at war here, and when they come home they are pleasantly surprised.
It seems to me that you forgot that priests & Nuns were on trial in Rwanda for inciting the massacre of their brothers & sisters. Rwanda which is the most catholic country in africa. so you need to hold the Dominica clergy responsible for the none sense skerrit is spewing
Dr Christian you are too much into politics.
But Doc, why are you pointing at the young lady’s breast with this big grin on your face?
All dictatorially minded rulers do the same thing which is make their name and the State one and the same. So if you say nice things about the ruler you are a good guy but if you oppose him then you oppose the State and must be branded a Traitor. The UWP is mostly regarded as a talkative party with little action but as more aggressive opposition from the people and especially from the Freedom Party comes onboard things will get much worse…much, much worse
Dr. Sam, I am so glad you have come out into the open with a strong message of hope for the future of our country. I hope the men of the cloth, our bishop foremost, come out too in condemnation of greed, selfishness and violence and in support of brotherly and sisterly love to rebuild our country as one, in an atmosphere of harmony, equity and caring with humility, to make it truly what we can be. The best place to live, work and enjoy life with standards to be proud of and emulated.
It seems Doc is really a fan of this German Bonhoffer pastor guy.
I looked at the youtube video link in the article and now I get what Doc is saying. Dominican Christians get saved and simply retreat to their churches. They pray day and night, sing loud worship choruses to break every chain. But when it comes to mobilizing for constructive change in society, they like the Captain on Air Dominica – they never there.
They listen to the same indoctrinating sermons year after year. Once you pay ur tithe you okay. To make it worse, each little church teach they are the only true congregation and if you not with them, to hell with you.
They pray for peace, prosperity, health and fairness, but they let somebody else do the dirty work. Then they praise God
To me that is being a parasite on society. Lazy and coward. Somebody has to seize the bull by the horns and I’m happy to see that it’s you doc.
May the Lord bless you and keep you and really prosper your work. I admire…
So sad to see my doctor has gone back into the world.
Leave dem people in their business doc. You should be getting people saved and out of this world instead of concerning yourself of who inciting who. You in danger of getting hurt or worse, for what?
Doc, it’s time to take a visit to destiny land and ask where do I want to spend eternity? For no amount of meritorious service can atone for ur soul. We seemed to be living casually but really Jesus’ coming is nearer than we believe and we seem oblivious of the event that matters most to us cuz its a life and death issue. It is time to begin working out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Carnival and politics is of the Devil. Samuel, Samuel, God is calling you to His only true church and obey all his commandments.
Dr Christian thanks for the wisdom! Thanks for avoiding the ignorant who are egged on by those who say that they are feeling mad. Imagine that! The leadership we need is for us to be kind, honest, loving and sharing. That requires freedom from oppression and tribal wars called for by the captain who is always absent from his post. Keep educating us Sir. Maybe one day we will awake from our slumber and see a brighter day. Let Rwanda be a warning.