‘Prepare for pushback’

I wrote last week about CNN anchor Ashleigh Canfield’s comments about Jamaica being ‘extraordinarily violent.’ My friend Emma has now compiled the many varied responses for Global Voices, including my own. Upon further contemplation, I added some thoughts- here they are:

Hi Emma, thanks for including my comment. Upon more consideration, I would add to my comment that I agree with the additional commenters. Jamaica is extraordinarily violent in certain communities, while in other certain communities, weeks pass before any violence occurs. It depend who you are, where you live. And does it really matter what kind of violence it is, who it happens to? The parents burying their children don’t care about the analysis, the nuance. All they, more than 1,500 of them, know, is that their family member was a victim of violence. There is a sense of self-righteousness when it comes to comparing with the United States, but one form of violence is not more sensical than the other. And protecting one’s reputation seems a crass endeavour when people are dying…

As always, the truth is nuanced and differs based on one’s perspective.