It has been quite a while since I got the opportunity to publish an article, because of the overwhelming workload that I carry at the end and beginning of my Project years. This situation has not changed, but today, I am compelled to write and publish this article because of recent extraordinary events in Jamaica, which if not documented and assessed by independent media, many of the issues will not be articulated for sensible discussion. This article is therefore aimed at giving readers an opportunity to review the facts that others are [not] discussing.

On Monday, April 20, 2009, I was awakened early in the morning by news that a 737 chartered Canjet Airplane was hijacked by 20 years old Jamaican, Stephen Fray of Albion in Montego Bay, St. James. This incident comes in the wake of the fact that crime and violence and gang-related criminal activities are rising in Montego Bay, as well as the UN Conference on Racism (Geneva) which the Jamaican Prime Minister did not make himself available for, while his compatriots from Canada (Stephen Harper who was in Jamaica at the time of the hijacking), United States of America, Australia, and Israel boycotted the Conference. While the Conference was underway, we see PM Bruce Golding rushing to the tarmac in Montego Bay to rescue the 159-174 passengers and 8 crew of the Canadian chartered flight. Although most Jamaicans are descendants of the African people who suffered (and still are) from the negative effects of racism, we didnt even know of the UN Conference, further more to seriously consider its importance to usWe were effectively distracted by the insanity of a youth, who they say was on the rebound from a failed relationship.

The most amazing thing about the hijacking of the 737 in Jamaica is that it gives us an opportunity to examine our personal biases and national prejudices. I must say that there is a tendency in Jamaica to vilify the poor Jamaican youth of African decentHe is seen by the average Jamaican as the person to fear and target for prison. Whenever we are awakened by the news of crime and violence, no matter where it occurs in our country, the first picture that we paint of the perpetrator is that of an African Jamaican youth from the inner-city. This class/ race/color prejudice in relation to the perception of crime exonerates only a small fraction of our country from crimesIt is as if they are not fit for our prisons.

Interestingly, Stephen Fray is an affluent Jamaican of Indian decent, who it would seem had no socioeconomic difficulties that would predispose him to a life of crime. Every Jamaican is thus left in shock, as he does not fit the traditional profile of the Jamaican criminal. As a result, key pieces of information are being denied and the media is trying to convince us that he is mad. This story of insanity is not new to meAs a child living in rural Jamaica (Hanover to be exact) it was not uncommon for mothers to take their accused children, who had cases in court, to the obeah man, psychologist, or doctor to declare insanity so that they could get off without doing time in prison. This might seem like a joke, but it worked. Now, in this situation of the hijacked plane, the first persons who came rushing to the crime scene with the news of Stephen Frays insanity were his parents, who according to Go-Jamaica are medical doctors. He therefore has access to professionals who can simply confirm his so called insanity. In the inner-city most of the children do not have parents who are professionals, furthermore medical doctors. Inner-city youth are not able to mobilize their entire family to stop them while they are carrying out acts of criminality, as was the case of Fray. And, they certainly have a tendency to implodedirectly affecting those within their community, rather than foreigners.

Many Jamaicans may not see the value of a class/race/color analysis of the Stephen Fray hijacking, but the issue is central, because they explain Frays access to: the airport, a legal firearm, an excuse for his crime, strong family support while perpetuating the crime, and medias attempt to excuse his crime. Stephen Fray is a criminal, guilty of terrorism against and  psychological trauma of at least 167 persons. Although no one was physically injured, that does not make his crime less criminal. Like all inner-city youth who have had to face up to their crime by doing time, I believe that Stephen Fray must be given the same judgmentHe can certainly receive a psychiatrist while at Gun Court, Spanish Town or the General Penitentiary. Like Lee Malvo, who was 17 years at the time of his crime spree in the US, Stephen Fray must face the consequences of his actions. If Lee was not allowed to tarnish the Jamaican name and still get our support, why are we succumbing to the Fray of things? We must surrender our preconditioned prejudices for friendship, class, race and color, and let justice be done.

An examination of Stephen Frays Facebook profile provided important information into the mind of the hijacker. His profile updates mentioned the need for money and an AK rifle. He also formed a group, Pill, which he described as f**kas Dead and posted Kill dem all an done in the groups Recent News. Fray received support from 26 friends, the majority of whom belong to the Jamaican network, in this group. He created a number of other groups on Facebook including one that has well over 200 members to whom he promotes Riko (his pseudonym) clothing and another, which promotes his brothers electronics and furniture business in Montego Bay. He recently started a Myspace profile to promote Riko clothing. He has also been actively promoting events to group members, even as recently as April 11, 2009. On his profile he also listed a young woman from Canada (who later deleted her relationship status to him) as his girlfriend and posted several photographs of himself in the company of friends.

If this is the mannerism of a mad man, then I dont want to see a sane one. Would our inner-city and poor youth be described as insane under the same circumstances? Certainly not, from my experience  no one would care to hear the excusesA crime is a crime, we are trained to believe; lock them up and throw away the key. This sentiment was so clearly reiterated in the Parliament proceedings to reinstate hangingI am sure, we didnt think that an affluent Jamaican could be at the front of the line to the hangmans noosewell he certainly wont be there now that PM Golding rushed into the Fray of things to save Stephen.

The UN Conference on Racism would have given Jamaica the opportunity to examine the socioeconomic remnants of slavery, which have contributed to our current state of poverty and underdevelopment, leading to contemporary challenges such as crime and violence. We missed that opportunity, and in its stead we have decided to sit silently and allow the media and other national stakeholders to vilify the average Jamaican youth. This is an opportunity for us to recognize and articulate loudly that criminal behavior is not exclusive to poor African-Jamaican communities, but as seen with Stephen Fray, the Jamaican of high class, color, and race are also capable and culpable. We dont psychoanalyze inner-city youth when they commit crimes, but we come armed with an excuse for the affluent. It is always something or somebody else that made them do it, and they are above the law and our prisons, so they get away with it. The inner-city youth, on the other hand, cannot escape his crimeit follows him even if he hides from it. He maybe shot for being on the street too late, living in the inner-city, and even huckstering (hustling) to make a living. For him there are no negotiators, no family, and certainly no Prime Minister or Cabinet to save his life.