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World Down Syndrome Day

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

PublisherFROM THE PUBLISHER


I?ve heard that these days inside the ruling PUP, there are some who are saying why can?t Said Musa be like George Price. I guess they mean that Mr. Musa should ignore his critics and opponents and pretend they do not exist, as Mr. Price liked to do. And have somebody ?step on them,? as Mr. Price also liked to do.


You have to remember that when Mr. Price was confronted by street violence in 1966, 1968, 1972 and 1981, he had a monopoly on national communications. There was no television; the telephone system was rudimentary; and Mr. Price had complete control of the most powerful piece of communications artillery in this country ? Radio Belize. Mr. Musa is in a more complex, more tricky situation.


But let us return to the PUP and UBAD in 1972. The problem which led to the street fights between the PUP and Belize City young people between 1970 and 1972 was really the Guatemalan claim to Belize. The most troubling thing about the Guatemalan claim to Belize was that it always divided us Belizeans, instead of uniting us. In any other country in the world, a threat from outside unites the population that is threatened, instead of dividing it. So what is it about Belize and Guatemala why in our largest population center, we Belizeans always feel as if our elected leaders are selling us down the river?


In Brooklyn in the spring/summer of 1968, we young Belizeans in New York, having just seen the Seventeen Proposals confirm what Philip Goldson?s Thirteen Proposals had warned us of in 1966, were never more convinced that Mr. Price?s PUP was ?selling us out? to Guatemala. In a sense, the seeds of UBAD were planted one night in Michael Lindo?s home in Brooklyn. I was to fly home the next day. It was May or June of 1968. We had all been to a party, and we ended up at Mike?s home. About 10 or 11 guys were there, and we basically talked about how much we loved our country. Norman was there, Chibby, Bill, and guys I don?t remember. This is 37 years ago.


In February of 1970 when I was arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy, Norman sent word he would come home for the trial. But later, he said that his mother was really worried, and he wouldn?t make it after all.


As I look back, I remember saying to myself, what about my mother, and all that she is going through? To be fair, however, I realize now that Miss Ethel had sacrificed one of Norman?s older brothers, Dickie, to Britain?s World War II battle against Nazi Germany. She was afraid that she would have to sacrifice another son, Norman, and Norman bowed to his mother?s wishes.


I did not think in 1970 that we were at a point where people might be killed. The seditious conspiracy charge was the first major, public attack the PUP had made on UBAD. But if I had been able to look into the future, I would have understood why Miss Ethel was afraid. She knew that her son was a warrior, and would come to Belize to wage war.


The 1970 seditious arrest and trial began a war between the PUP and UBAD which reached a high point on May 29, 1972. The PUP made it so that there was no way UBAD could get respect except through uprising. In the three general elections before 1972, you have to know, the PUP had won 51 of 54 seats contested for the Belize House of Representatives. They thought that they were gods on earth. Serious.


There was a point in the fight against apartheid in South Africa when Nelson Mandela, a lawyer, made a decision that the fight against apartheid rule had to become violent. It was the apartheid system that made it so that Nelson, as a man, had no choice. He was sentenced to life and served 27 years for treason against apartheid. Treason against apartheid, is freedom fighting, Jack. War against apartheid is heroism, Jim.


So now the PUP have won 47 out of the last 58 seats contested, and there are some of them who are thinking in 2005 as they were thinking in 1972 ? that they are gods upon this planet earth. They want their leader to behave like Mr. Price was doing in 1972.


My message is to those of the PUP who do not own private jets or have access to seats on the private jets. My message is to those of you who wanted to march on Belize City from Ranchito on Thursday, April 21. Simmer down. The owners of the private jets can fly out whenever they choose. The rest of us have to live here.


All power to the people.

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