Alred C. Frett. Photo: VINO/File

NB: Ferguson's population is about 21,000 and although Blacks make up 67% their failure to vote wisely leaves them with only 16 % of Elected Officials, 6% of the Police Force and Judges who have them as 95% of the Inmates kept in City Jail for over two days… The predominant Religion is Christianity with some 19 Churches preaching Obedience, Self-Sacrifice and Life after Death.

As Religion is unmasked Slave mentalities are exposed - White Churches see nothing wrong with the Injustices and Black Churches remain preoccupied with Obedience, white Jesus and promises of Justice that can only be collected after you are dead… No wonder White Religious Rights like New York Republican Giuliani find it easy to praise White Officers for killing Black unarmed Youth.

Meanwhile, at home my intention to stand for Office in upcoming General Elections received the same Slave Mentality response - after generations of our People settling for Rulers instead of Leaders, superficial Persons are still more interested in what Party I’m with and the times I didn’t win elections rather than what was and can be achieved during my past and potential time in Council.

Nonetheless, I welcome this scrutiny because there is nothing to hide - My single motive is to represent our People and in doing so, it is their right to be judgmental and even critical of me… I can only trust they will also be open to real facts that would help them assess whether our Country benefited during my time in office and whether our People won or lost in my presence or absence.

Being a Politician is nothing I covet but our Children and Country are in deep trouble… For me their representation is a duty and privilege that should not start or stop at the Political Ballot Box… We know that this is no easy task but it must be done for even as I continue working from the outside there are necessary and fundamental changes that can only be engineered from within the Body.

This grows progressively difficult when Leaders turn their backs on Fairness and  Justice as Prisons become overcrowded with wasted lives of our Young Black Men and our Homes are left emptied of Hope for the Future… We suffer as Leaders simply watch and nod their agreement as Statutes are adjusted to benefit the Rich and Powerful while ancient Laws continue to hammer the less fortunate.

In fact it hurts us all when Courts are quick to designate these Children as lost to Society because they failed to obey Laws created by the Upper Class to be enforced by the Middle Class for suppressing the Lower Class… Somehow Politicians, Lawyers and Preachers forget they were once Children and that their own Children can fall or fail so they too should care about all Children.

They too should understand that these Children are our Tomorrows and by failing them Today we are also failing ourselves… Maybe rather than blame the Children we should blame ourselves for ignoring our own abilities and putting their means of rescue and salvation in the hands of Political. Legal and Religious Systems that more often than not have been the Problem and not the Solution.

We should realise that the ability to differentiate wrong from right or recognise Systemic Corruption is useless if we do nothing about it and the idea of awaiting Divine Intervention is neither a virtue nor valid excuse for ignoring real and present dangers… In fact your own actions heap live coals on your heads as you join in persecuting me and others for trying to bring positive change and progress.

This cause is bigger than each of us and while we may agree or disagree the focus of our Mission should always lead to the People’s greater benefit… Fifty (50) years Marchers of Bloody Sunday faced that decision in Selma Alabama… Some still debate whether or not they succeeded but I personally believe their efforts resulted in Universal Progress but the Mission is still incomplete.

Our Children are still used as Soldiers demanding Respect for Human and Civil Rights in foreign lands but receiving none back in their own home - Ferguson’s Report exposes State-sponsored Discrimination and Victimization as practiced by Law Enforcement Officers, Prisons and Courts to such a degree that Police are used to arrest Innocent Blacks so that Government could collect Money.

When I spoke of such implied Schemes within our own National Budget I was threatened with Prison because in order for Systemic Wrong to be accepted as Religious Right the Top has programmed the Middle to beat the Bottom into submission… Subsequently, it is no surprise that I am being victimised and terrorised with the expectation that I would eventually back down and give up.

You have seen them trying to achieve this goal by firing me from doing your work, trying to block me from improving the lives of our Children and hinder me from reaching you with the Message… However, these are nothing compared to what those unarmed Marchers suffered when they were attacked and beaten by Law Enforcement Officers on Sunday, March 7, 1965 in Selma, Alabama.

Think about it - If those Freedom Fighters had given up when the Mission seemed so dangerous and impossible our own suffering would be even greater and our Future even bleaker… Oppressors are still redoubling their efforts to turn back our Progress and it should be clear from Bloody Sunday and other Injustices at Home and Abroad, we cannot abandon the Struggle with work still undone.

Racism is still universal and Africans still remain the most targeted victims… Thirty years ago President Reagan’s Veto demonstrated the Republicans’ support of International Racism and even those who choose to forgot are constantly reminded by Domestic Racism in Ferguson, New York, Oakland, Madison and other places – This will never be corrected until we acknowledge its presence.

Fifty (50) years ago, they marched for Voting Rights – Recently the US Supreme Court crippled this achievement – Today the Voting Rights of BV-Islanders are threatened as Rulers seek to impose impediments by maliciously increasing Candidate Nomination Fees in an attempt to affect the ability of the less affluent to select their own leaders thereby denying this Basic Civil Right.

Nomination Fees for the processing of Candidates should be retained as such and any practice of conditionally returning this Money to selected Candidates can only be regarded as an intentional financial deterrent… Furthermore, enactment of this Proposal would intensify External Political Influence and Corruption while encouraging Politicians to sell Themselves and their People.

Many Warriors before have paved the way and I am neither afraid to stand alone or to stand with others but time is running out as our Children and Country are being destroyed… Maybe not all the Apples are bad and good ones within Religion, Politics and Law should stand up for Fairness and Justice; against Bias and Corruption without buckling or selling out our People and Country.

I am certainly not for sale and we have made some Progress but the Oppressed is still assisting Oppressors to oppress their own… I simply aim to provide a choice between real Freedom and another Fifty years of Social Stagnation leading to Regression… If you truly believe our Children and their Children deserve better then the Question is why keep on settling for 21st Century Slavery?

PS:… I will continue addressing some of your Questions & Comments on Live BVP Radio Programmes