Some weeks ago a well-known radio talk show host said over the airwaves that he wanted to forgive a man - a UNC journalist - who had hurt him and, it would appear, other African people too.

This popular gentleman, ostensibly Christian, alluded to the fact that Jesus was a kind and forgiving man and he would like to be the same towards his UNC critic. He then proceeded to play a song for his adversary and all the other members of the UNC Party.

He had a particularly demeaning translation for ‘UNC' and the name of the song played was “Yuh Nasty”. The irony of this is that Indian radio stations are equally adept at such venomous criticism.

Where will all this get us as a nation? And all this was happening the week before Emancipation Day. After almost 43 years of independence is this the best we can offer?

We see the same thing in calypso: one calypso tent which becomes the voice of a particular political party, thereby losing its objectivity and prophetic character, is only to be rivalled by an Indian calypso tent spewing equally debasing lyrics.

We need to reflect deeply on where we are going or else Indian Arrival Day and Emancipation Day will just be empty ethnic romanticism, a temporary respite from the deeper issues which assail like racism and plain bad manners.

Parading through the streets with replicas of the Fatel Razack and constructing Emancipation villages will mean nothing unless there is a concomitant resolve to address race issues with level-headedness and intellectual integrity.

The radio talk shows are potentially good places to achieve this but at present too many of them are doing more harm than good.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Radio talk shows in principle serve a good purpose. Firstly, they testify to one of the basic principles of democracy – free speech. Historically, we have had a strong tradition of free speech in our country - more so than other West Indian islands - and secured particularly through calypso and the media. We should feel proud about this.

Secondly, radio talk shows give the man or woman in the street a voice. People are generally afraid to criticize the police to their face for brutality or corruption, businessmen for unjust wages or clerics for dishonourable conduct, but they do so via a radio talk show.

This medium is important for empowerment of the poor. However, rights are intrinsically tied to responsibilities: the right to say something must also be governed by the manner in which it is said. This is necessary for healthy civic life.

It is here that radio talk shows fail miserably. Too many of them are becoming effective means for the collapse of civility.

The owners of these radio stations cannot wash their hands from guilt like Pilate. They are obviously aware that many of these talk shows have crossed the boundaries of picong and righteous anger. Hate and hostility are what obtain now.

The situation cannot reverse itself; we have to do it with equanimity and a concern for the common good. Radio talk shows have a responsibility to show our young people that there are alternatives to a cheap appeal to racism and bad manners.

If we do not address these deeper problems now then all our Arrival Day and Emancipation Day celebrations are, as V S Naipaul would agree, more farce than festival.