Laughter that doeth good

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE NAME ‘Las May’ has grown synonymous with satire and embodies laughter, that therapy we Jamaicans prescribe so as to, in the parlance of Miss Lou, “tek kin teet and kibba heart bun”.

As one who appreciates the visual, I scamper, like a child, to see what caricature, burlesque or just what facet of society he has captured for the day in his repertoire.

His images are always spot on, the laconic words on point, and, to my mind, ever in good taste.

The fact is, you paint a side of the picture that I, at times, overlook, or give a slant or exaggeration hardly envisioned. Even more, though, is that each image, set on a particular issue or intersecting issues, is left to the interpretation of the reader and may, arguably like a written piece, solicit a host of responses.

The Latin motto has held true for centuries that castigatridendo mores, one corrects customs by laughing at them. This is because underneath this laughter lie grave social concerns, morals and embers to fuel the flame of discontent capable of igniting change. Your work has, indeed, lived up to the tradition of cartoons and stories – both revolutionary pieces delivered entertainingly.

I use this opportunity to ‘big up’ Las May. May your work of art continue to provoke even as it inspires, contributing to nation building in your own unique, subtle, but potent, way.

WARRICK LATTIBEAUDIERE wglatts@yahoo.com