Dec 5, 2021
Her Body, Her Choice
The “Right to choose” is central to the UIC’s Proposed constitution for Jamaica, This right belongs to you as a Jamaican and guarantees that no person, group or organization may infringe upon that right up to and including the government. This Right is validated at the core of the Uniter belief system. Since the launch of the UIC in 2016 It has received almost no coverage from Jamaica’s media fraternity in the time since it’s creation, I will allow you to draw your own inference from this fact. However in 2021 The United Independents’ Congress received a 100% increase in media coverage, Due to protests launched by the group in multiple parishes in the south of the island. Culminating in a march on Gordon House Where the president of the party was arrested along non-affiliated protesters and observers. This was due to the organizations steadfast belief in the aforementioned “Right to choose” Which was under threat due to statements made by members of Government of Jamaica concerning policy which would make covid-19 Vaccine(s) mandatory along with alleged Human rights abuses.
In the time since those chants of “My Body, My Choice” rang out in downtown Kingston, The question I have seen parroted by would be members of Jamaica’s Intellectual class is “How come the same people shouting My body, My choice are against abortion?” I am baffled by this, While I do accept that there were other groups which had coalesced around the party’s rallying call. Without doubt the UIC has been held responsible for the event and was portrayed as the leaders of the event. At the core of the organizations is the right for every Jamaican to choose what they do with their bodies and contrary to these inflammatory statements This Right does not stop short of abortion rights, While the organization neither endorses or condemns abortions It firmly stands on the principle that women must have autonomy of their bodies along with access to safe medical services such as abortions.
I am left wondering then if it is that these intellectuals who ask the question “What about abortions” are ignorant or willing participants in the the game of defamation and political football which has confused the population for 7 decades. If these people are referring to the UIC they have clearly revealed themselves as intellectual charlatans who ride the waves of headlines and fail to research the opinions and values of the people they criticize and as Benjamin franklin so famously proclaimed “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” so yes whichever of the possible reasons these individuals have for being grossly inaccurate they the members of our supposed intelligentsia have failed us by not committing to an unbiased examination of the options presented to the Jamaican people, This examination would presumably arm the individuals with accurate critiques or support of the ideas and ideals which are proclaimed as heartstring values that the common man has or should have.
In closing it is my sincerest hope that, These individuals who are considered members of our intellectual class would commit themselves to their imagined role as the guide of public sentiment, I therefore Invite all Jamaicans to show their support of our individual inalienable right to choose and exclaim not only “My Body, My Choice” but “Her Body, Her Choice”.
