No One Should EVER Judge the Prime Minister For Not Having a Child!
Leaving this right here: As a woman my biggest dream was to have a child.
Sadly due to medical issues, that was not to be and for quite a while the knowledge that I would never have a child of my own brought me days and nights of depression, until my grandmother told me in no uncertain terms, you are already a mother because you are here to mother other people’s children.
In my community I became the mother to so many kids that to see me without a child on my arm was not possible.
A woman not having a child, does not make her less of a woman. As a matter of fact, many of these women who call themselves mothers have yet to even figure out what it means.
For months I have watched the Prime Minister of Jamaica being ridiculed and dragged through the mud because she does not have a child. I have seen some downright nastiness attributed to her for this reason and this reason only.
If we must be critical of her leadership by all means we have the right to do so, but as a woman I find it utterly disgusting to judge her simply because she does not have a child.
No one knows her story but her, and she is under no obligation to share that story whatever it may be.
It is very sad that as a people we now attack on personal issues just to gain political points.
I have seen my name and the names of others who dare to speak out dragged through the mud by people on social media who have no clue who I really I am, merely because my opinions are different.
I have seen people I once considered to be my friends reveal themselves in the most hideous ways, and I am left to wonder if because of politics we have to display so much hate and venom towards each other?
I watch as we celebrate our champions; We drink and laugh together and remember that we are all Jamaicans, but bring in the political alliances and everything changes.
We have gone from a proud nation of people to a nation filled with nastiness, venom, hatred and disdain all because of political affiliations, and my question is when does it stop?
I cannot imagine myself in the shoes of madam Prime Minister being labeled as a john crow, being criticized because she is not a mother, and all the other disgusting depictions of her being posted by women right here on social media platforms.
Do we even understand that as a country the rest of the world is watching? Is this really the kind of nastiness we wish to leave as a legacy for our children?
It is quite disheartening to visit some forums and see how the women there behave just to score a few likes with big boys in men’s bodies who edge them on with those disgusting comments and memes. How do they sleep at night?
Neither the JLP nor the PNP is a perfect party, because as humans we all have the same instincts, the truth comes in how we apply those instincts and what marks are left to be seen.
We have every right to our political alliances, but it does not mean we have to preach words of hatred and division to make a point, for too long we have suffered as a nation and as a people because of this.
We cannot profess to want better for Jamaica when we slander, and malign each other in the name of politics, when in truth and fact many of these politicians are all friends in high places.
We need to do much better, and we need to start to ask ourselves if we are truly proud of the things we type and leave in cyberspace for the world to see.
No woman is less than because she did not bear a child.
By Michelle Bradshaw