Governor: Violence Could Curtail Carnival

Multiple Shootings Stop St. Thomas J'ouvert

Time to bring back the stocks. Good locations would be Market Square and Tutu Park Mall for a start. Local food merchants and supermarkets could supply the ammunition of rotting fruits, veggies and eggs while the debris at the end of the day could be composted for the use of local farmers. VI residents could throw for free while the events could also be advertised through the Department of Tourism as a tourist attraction with visitors paying a nominal fee per ammo basket. Total humiliation for the offenders would be an effective deterrent to other potential miscreants, while the operation could provide various employment opportunities. Basket-fillers, stocks construction and maintenance, security, sweepers and composting personnel, local food and drink vendors, photographers, souvenir peddlers and much more - the possibilities are endless. The project could be started on St Thomas and then quickly expand to various locations on St Croix with the amount of stock-time dependent on the nature of the offense. 😀

Don't forget the boy shot at carnival a few days ago
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/police/2013/04/23/minor-injured-gunshot-near-fort-christian

DeJong threatens to close down carival. WHAT! Why not deploy a adiquate police presence in first place? So far 4 vitcims shot while amongst the crowds. and NO arrests. What the heck will it take? Obiviously a kid shot in the leg isn't enough. Nor is daylight
gunfight on a crowed street, wounding three. Maybe DeJohn is wating for another torrist shot, maybe one of the victims dies, a cop shot? What is s an acceptable level of violence here. Call in ALL cops, sober 'em up, and get out on the street.

This isn't a joke and should NOT be brushed off with official threats or off color scarcasm. If today's shooting was a retailation for any of the shooting earlier (in freachtown) this week, then the cops should have been on the look out for known gang members. It reminds me of the daytime gang shooting Kmart and the gang retaliation which left an inocent 14 year girl caught in the crossfire and dead. This is serious business and I hope law enforcement steps up.

Hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when "Kill The Rabbit" was the incendiary carnival song which a bunch of thugs adopted as their call to violence during and after J'Ouvert. Many people avoided Carnival for several years thereafter. Wasn't J'Ouvert shut down early last year because of outbreaks of violence?

Oh, and by the way Miss Blu, if when speaking of "a joke" and "off color sarcasm" you're referring to my suggestion of putting up the old stocks, do lighten up a little and cease with the reprimands. As expected, you came in right on cue. So predictable. 🙁

maybe if it was cancelled there would be enough public outrage that something may be done about these thugs.

maybe if it was cancelled there would be enough public outrage that something may be done about these thugs.

I'd really hate to the event shut down. Unthinkable. So many of the troops work long and hard and put on great show. Carnival is nice source of reveune for the vendors. The whole week really brings us together. In my opinion, cancelling would do more hard than good.

BUT understanding the REALITY of gun violence AND taking PROACTIVE mesusures to protect our VI families and visitors should be a priority. Plans need to beplace well in advance. Making after the fact threats doesn't work, it only POs all the folks who try hard to make the event a success.

Hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when "Kill The Rabbit" was the incendiary carnival song which a bunch of thugs adopted as their call to violence during and after J'Ouvert.

I remember that, and it was "kill the white rabbit".

I think you'll find that the song was actually entitled, "Legal: Kill The Rabbit" and was adapted on the street to "Kill The White Rabbit". It was the 1987 award-winning carnival song by Eddie and The Movements (Jam Band) and in 2012 a play based on it and produced by David Edgecombe was first introduced at UVI.

You are correct OT.

i just heard about that song not too long ago. someone asked me about kill the rabitt and i wondered who was pregnant

Legal:Kill the Rabbit

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=XsxFjgWiLUE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXsxFjgWiLUE

Are you talking about the late Daddeh Friday? Sorry folks. I loved his band (one of the best of all time!) and may have a cassett laying around some where. Just to set the record straight he had a degree form a very humble begining to UVI then went on to law school in the states....not a gang banger. Can't imagine he'd be happy about local boys being shot down at carnival, kinda gaoes against everything he stood for...

Are you talking about the late Daddeh Friday? Sorry folks. I loved his band and may have a cassett laying around some where. Just to set the record straight he had a degree form UVI then went on to law school in the states....not a gang banger. Can't imagine he'd be happy about local boys being shot down at carnival, kinda gaoes against everything he stood for...

Why the "Sorry folks" comment and the need to "set the record straight"? Has anyone here cast any aspersions on either Nicholas Friday or Jam Band which require that you defend your enjoyment of the band's music or Mr. Friday's educational accomplishments?

It just seemed to me that y'all were implying that the song was written to incite violence. I remember things differently. Nor do I think that pointing to the past performers as instigators is fair. You have your view point and I have mine. You're correct, I shouldn't have to apologize.

I never thought the intent was to be about killing white people. They had a white rabbit that bounced around during the trap. People took It for what they thought, and from there it escalated, as everything else around here.

PS Blu there is a really nice button on the bottom left that says 'check spelling', comes in handy.

Hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when "Kill The Rabbit" was the incendiary carnival song which a bunch of thugs adopted as their call to violence during and after J'Ouvert.

I remember that, and it was "kill the white rabbit".

*-)smh....The official name of the song is LEGAL. And NOWHERE in the song is the word "white" mentioned. Take a listen to the lyrics of the song and see what it's about versus what was interpreted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsxFjgWiLUE

I don't care what the original intent of the song was, it was used as a verbal vehicle to incite violence against white people.

and just for further clarification.....the "rabbits" that are referenced in the song were their rival bands at the time.....17+, Imagi, and Mandigo.

It just seemed to me that y'all were implying that the song was written to incite violence. I remember things differently. Nor do I think that pointing to the past performers as instigators is fair. You have your view point and I have mine. You're correct, I shouldn't have to apologize.

"We all" implied absolutely no such thing. Maybe you should re-read what was said before jumping to false conclusions and throwing that big fat negative hammer into the works..

Cruz: the question of the song's title and how the "white" was added to it was already addressed.

Ronnie - you're right, of course, that wasn't the intent and it's really too bad that that even has to be brought up. As I said earlier, it was simply an excuse for a bunch of thugs to create mayhem. Jam Band's music always attracted a huge cross section of the community and unfortunately that also included some very bad elements. That's not a reflection on the band and such was never intimated during this discussion.

The melee that broke out that year was totally unexpected and very frightening and it took a few years before many felt comfortable about participating again in Carnival activities. There's always something negative going on at Carnival in some small pocket or another but, thankfully, it's generally contained and so far hasn't resulted in anything other than an early shut-down of J'Ouvert. May everyone continue to enjoy the fun and community spirit of Carnival - and work with the VIPD when possible to stop the rabble-rousers before they even start their nonsense.

Maybe you ought to re-read and apologize for posting....

Hard to believe that it was 26 years ago when "Kill The Rabbit" was the incendiary carnival song which a bunch of thugs adopted as their call to violence during and after J'Ouvert. 🙁

It just seemed to me that y'all were implying that the song was written to incite violence. I remember things differently. Nor do I think that pointing to the past performers as instigators is fair. You have your view point and I have mine. You're correct, I shouldn't have to apologize.

"We all" implied absolutely no such thing. Maybe you should re-read what was said before jumping to false conclusions and throwing that big fat negative hammer into the works...

Nice attempt at back pedaling.

I stand by all my comments on this thread. And if that upsets you, then so be it.
I don't think it's funny to make light of kids being shot a carnival. I don't rembemer Daddy Friday's performance as "incendiary".

That's all Folks!

Maybe you ought to re-read and apologize for posting.... !

I'll pass. Trying to decipher why such umbrage is taken and how so much so simple can be so mis-read is a daunting task best left to other more interested parties. May the pall of gloom and negativity soon be lifted from such weary shoulders. (tu)

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2013/04/26/rain-dont-stop-de-carnival-bullets-put-early-end-jouvert

".....the governor said in the release. "The intelligence gathered in the case suggests that the shooting stemmed from ongoing differences between two neighborhood groups who used the cover of the large crowd at J'ouvert to level their retaliatory acts."

eJongh added the district's police chief and deputy police chief also met Thursday afternoon to put together a strategy for the deployment of more officers at the Carnival Village, the two parades and Friday's Carnival horse races..."

What about asking for help from the Feds, under "peace officer status"?

Or temp orders for the National Guard.

How about actively seeking out the gangs, their members and finding the sources of guns they use.