For political and aesthetic reasons I have never been a dancehall fan, but am not proud that I don't know enough about it to critique it outside of generalities and subjectivism.

What is obvious to me however, is that the things that dancehall is being accused of by the Broad-casting Commission are driven by ignorance, class prejudice and arrogance, and this is not the way to make public policy.

If I have been able to insulate myself from dancehall all these years so can anyone else and I suspect that the members of the Broadcasting Commission are no less insulated. The truth is that radio stations have been exercising a certain amount of censorship, and sometimes they perhaps could have exercised better judgment.

I'm sure that not everyone is happy with what is played on the air, but it is a far better situation than the heavy-handed approach of the Broadcasting Commission.

Children are sexual beings

This far reaching edict suggests that the commission has an agenda that goes beyond their expressed concerns for public morality and the protection of children. It could never be healthy to preclude children from sexual discourse because children are also sexual beings. Check with any intelligent psychologist.

But beyond that, if the Broadcasting Commission is to prevail on this one I believe that it will take us back to the days when passports were taken away and books were banned and even our national icon Bob Marley had a hard time getting his music played on the air.

The prime minister has so far shown little ability to avoid playing to the gallery. But if, as is reported, he doesn't want to put a chill on creativity, but yet allows himself to be outmanoeuvred by the Broadcasting Commission and other fundamentalists, and lets this edict stand, then history will treat him no more kindly than a Hugh Shearer who has come to symbolize to some, the darker side of censorship and repression in Jamaica.

I'm confident that in due time the people of Jamaica will reverse this madness on the part of the Broadcasting Commission. The question is: at what price?

I am, etc.,

LLOYD D'AGUILAR

lgdaguilar@yahoo.com

Kingston 6