Konshens: Lack of compassion fuelling violence
DANCEHALL ARTISTE Konshens does not have to think twice to identify the country’s most pressing problem. “Definitely violence,” he told reporters during an interview yesterday. The Bruk Off Yuh Back deejay is convinced that a lack of compassion and common sense, as well as the inability to identify right from wrong, are the main things fuelling crime and violence on the island. “Jamaica is a very religious society, and me think nuff a di yute dem learn religion before dem learn common sense and compassion,” Konshens said. “If a youth live with him granny and everybody a live Christian life, and live according to the Bible ... but then him live a 100 Lane and see man come inna him yard and shoot him Christian granny, and shoot the baby, a yute like that, him probably a go start question religion and question God. And yuh really caah tell a yute like that nutten.” Konshens, 33, said Jamaicans should pay greater attention to the way they raise their children. “While the religious people a teach religion to them kids and a force on religious beliefs, I think we really need to pay more attention to compassion, common sense and doing right from wrong. Nuff a di things weh a gwaan is like the youth dem demonic. Is like the youth dem nuh have nuh respect for life itself, and me think it is the way they are raised,” he said. The deejay, whose given name is Garfield Spence, spent his early years at Up Park Camp because his father was a soldier. He moved to Sherlock Crescent, Duhaney Park, at age 14, and it was there that his life experiences changed. “I think the most unfortunate thing about it and the thing weh me regret most about it is that me lose too much friends, and lose too much people, and see too much things gwaan,” he said about the tough Sherlock Crescent. “But on the other side, it get me ready for the world because really and truly, if me did live inna the sheltered Up Park Camp, some things weh a happen to me would a drive me crazy. Me think Sherlock Crescent and that change deh really get me ready fi di world and let me realise seh a nuh pretty things out a road because you will actually dead fi real,” Konshens said.