Gangs in Paradise

Jamaica is seen by most western cultures as a tropical paradise. In American commercials the island entrances tourists with exotic beaches, crystal blue waters and lush green mountains. It is seen as a place where couples go to fall in love and families go for a break from the rush of society. However, the real Jamaica has only recently and by very few media outlets been brought to light. It is a society completely broken down with little to no judicial system left, where violence and murder are commonplace and where the government has all but left its citizens to fend for themselves, like something out of an old western movie. Gangs rule the streets creating their own laws, leaving behind a death toll that increases each day of not only civilians, but police and other law enforcement agents who are shot down daily. In 2007, the murder rates in Jamaica were at an all time high with 1,500 homicides that year, 272 of which were police killings. The capital city of Kingston has been all but taken over by gangs, leaving behind a country where violence is part of most civilians’ everyday lives. The almost complete disintegration of the body politic is broadcast on the news in Jamaica daily, with reporters covering what seems to be a continuous stream of police killings, where the governments only response is to merely tell people to stay in their homes and encourage police travel in groups to avoid being targeted by gangs. Interestingly enough, through this apparent disintegration of the government and society in Jamaica, a media phenomenon has begun to occur; propaganda and billboards have begun to be posted all around the city slums, not of movie stars or celebrities, but of policemen who have started to fight back against the gangs without the support of their government. Through the use of the media and desperation of the people these men are seen as heroes, lone rangers, taking justice and revenge from gang violence into their own hands, saving their country, protecting the people and inspiring the trend of citizens picking up arms and fighting back against gangs individually without the help of their government to take back their lives and free them of fear. It seems in this situation the media has begun to help the people; it might lead to revolution or might not help in the long run at all, but the most amazing part to me is that all of this is occurring in a country right below ours, which by most American citizens is still seen through the rose-colored glasses given to us by our media as an untouched tropical paradise.