Dear Source:
Linda Lohr's Oct. 19 recap of recent events on St. John illustrate the painful time we are going through in the Virgin Islands.
I agree with Ronnie Jones that the sit-ins have gone on too long and are divisive. As far as alternatives to sit-ins, I agree with Pam Gaffin's saying, "You are making a decision by doing nothing."
White People have been complaining for years about the lack of police response to crime on St. John.
Black people are now fighting to get better response to a crime on St. John.
Why is this pitting white against black when both sectors of the community want the same thing?
If the Crucians hadn't come, we wouldn't have the Coral Bay substation opening today.
Why don't we say thanks for the help and how can we help you with your problems?
The sit-ins will peter out on their own as more well intentioned participants realize that they are not achieving there goal. At least the participants were not "doing nothing." They have been out there disrupting their lives as well as restaurateurs, to try and make things change.
The Frett atrocity is a crime that all but the perpetrators and their cronies want a speedy resolution to. If the crime was solved tomorrow and the perpetrators were instantly jailed we would rejoice but the social ills that keep us from seeing that we have common goals would not go away.
If the protests stop and we as individuals do nothing to help change things, we are fools. If we continue thoughtlessly changing this island with only the fastest way to a quick buck as our guide we are fools. If we depend on the government to take steps to protect native or new St. Johnians from the economic stagnation and poor quality of life that entrenched social disharmony will bring we are fools.
We have to call on leaders of the business community, religious leaders and community service organizations, as well as ourselves to institute social and economic change so that we go forward towards a sustainable society and equitable growth that is shared by all sections of the one community that we must become.
Mario Moorehead was right when he said that we cannot leave it to "Our good for nothing Misleaders."
Todd Roskin
St. John
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