EDITOR, The Tribune.

Tribune front page reads.“Killings product of our failure”.

Guardian reads. “Police probes murder Spree”.

Yesterday Marvin Dames had this to say. “You look at the age of the persons who are carrying out these heinous crimes. It speaks to our failures as parents and adults”.

He is correct, but what he did not speak to is the parent’s age. I know of a 26-year-old grandmother.

Children having children is a matter of grave concern.

So the question remains how do we train children to train children.

Mr Dames went on to say many of the country’s crime problems stem from decades of neglect by Bahamian parents and adults. Again he is right on point but failed to address the underlying concerns that many of us are afraid to face.

Our young men are in the trenches fighting a war that they did not start.

They are murdering each other, not knowing why.

Friends are turning against and killing each other.

Teenagers, some mere children, are standing before the courts charged with criminal violence. They do not even understand the chargers that are read.

As a nation that prides itself on being built on Christian principles we would have learned how God showed us what a family is supposed to be like. And how a mother and father should raise their children. But because of our disobedience, we have created our version of what a family should be like.

This is the reasons our children, especially our young men are suffering.

How long must our children be tormented because of the curses we have spoken out in anger over their lives?

Not realising that when we say to them, “That they are going to be like their no good pa or their bad ma and they will never amount to anything.”

That we are opening the doors for Satan to unleash his demons upon them.

I heard a parent say to their child. “They will be like the chaff the wind blows away.” Another said “I should have killed you in my womb.”

What are we doing? Do we not realise that there is power in the tongue?

Our young men are on a battlefield controlled by wicked spirits in powerful places. They have no control over what they are doing.

This is war.

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in a high place.”

Six young men were killed simultaneously in broad daylight on a busy street, and numerous young men and women are murdered almost every day of the week.

Scores of young vagrants wander the streets aimlessly, not knowing who they are.

Can we genuinely accept any of these as ordinary incidents?

Now is not the time to let our guards down but to fight to save our children.

This is war;

Chronicles 7:14 clearly states, “ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

The majority of criminal activities are perpetrated by young people, whose parents are almost as young as they are.

So we are in an uphill battle that can only be won by the combined effort of all of us, especially our leaders.

Now is not the time for petty politicians who refuse to come down from their high towers or scary clergy members out of their caves to stand up for God’s word.

Now is not the time for parents to lock their children out of the house. Sending them to find shelter wherever they can.

This is war.

In a recent video shared on the internet, a man of God highlighted a satanic attack on his church. He boldly rebuked the evil spirits and sent them back from whence they came.

Men of God stand up and be counted. This is war, and there is no time for cowering in a corner.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8

This is war.

Mr. Dames, I agree with you 100’% that in this battle, we all have a role to play.

Pastors, politicians, and adults everywhere.

But you say crime is down and under control.

Here, sir, I find this debatable because while crime might be down, I fail to see how it is under control. Yes, our police officers are doing their best, but they can’t be everywhere. Because if they could, so many innocent bystanders, especially children, would not be dead. Therefore I must maintain that crime is only being partially controlled.

Nevertheless, it does not take away from the hard work the dedicated officers of the Royal Police force perform to keep us safe every day.

God save our young men.

God bless the Bahamas.

ANTHONY PRATT

Nassau,

July 14, 2021.