It is perhaps a measure of how polarized the society has become that much of the language which is being bandied about in the political arena and by commentators is so immoderate. Of course the government itself is not a shining example of how to conduct a civil debate, scattering words like “terrorist” about with more liberality than judgement. Intemperate language inevitably means intemperate allegations, and once that habit becomes entrenched, both sides will be deaf to rational argument and the kind of meaningful discussion which might advance understanding and be conducive to compromise. In fact, it is possible that even without any deeds we could simply talk ourselves into dancing in the shadows of the danger zone.
There may be a few on the one side of our political divide who give the impression they think that direct confrontation would be the solution to their problems, and one suspects they may have their counterparts on the other side too, even although such people may not express themselves publicly. Where there is frustration because no obvious avenue for change presents itself, impatience becomes the driving sentiment, and inevitably people look for short cuts. The problem is that history will not be rushed, and violence is rarely a successful short cut. It certainly will not be so in this instance; it will simply produce anarchy, suffering, bloodshed and bitterness – not a resolution. In such circumstances the same tools in the end would have to be employed to restore tranquillity to a ravaged nation as exist at present.
Some of the words currently being exchanged are at best carelessly used and at worst abusive, and lead to all kinds of extravagant assumptions about motive, rather than dealing with an argument per se. As far as the two main political parties are concerned, it has to be said that after forty-two years of independence neither of them really could claim to occupy any moral high ground. The main difference is that most of the larger issues which the PNC has to face up to are in the past, while those of the PPP/C administration are current. The commentators on both sides conveniently forget the totality of our post-independence history, and simply home in on the portion which best accords with their feelings. The lesson is, however, that any government which is associated primarily with one ethnic group will be seen as lacking legitimacy by a significant portion of the opposition.