By Stanley Collymore
Twenty one years have passed and justice still hasn’t been
served while those responsible for obstructing it,
unnerved by any criticism levelled at them
much less any guilt generated on their
part since they clearly have none, continue to
hold onto their existing positions of power
and influence, or others akin to them,
and the massive salaries that
automatically go with
all of them.
Meanwhile, the undue stress occasioned by your racist
murder Stephen has destroyed the once stable
marriage of your parents, the significance
of which has either been callously
and dismissively overlooked or else downplayed
as irrelevant by those that are unquestionably
responsible for this awful occurrence but
who, moreover, don’t give a damn
about what they arrogantly
see and institutionally
racially consider as
an insignificant
matter.
And all the while as your Dad hurtingly but none the less
with the consummate dignity that he and your Mum
Doreen ongoingly have quietly but even so
impressively shown all along, those in
charge that could and who should
have legally as well as morally
done everything to right the pernicious wrong
that was done to you but chose not to,
preferring instead when required
to, to offer your parents, face to
face and even publicly,
mealy-mouthed, hypocritical and meaningless
words of support while behind their backs
laughing their heads off at them, as these
institutionalized racists and white
supremacist hypocrites treat
the entire matter of your
catastrophic death
like another of
their Nigger-
baiting
sport!
Since the truth of the matter is that they’ve grown exceedingly
weary with its attendant hubristic fatigue of your racist
murder never having expected, and specifically so
bearing in mind their utterly despicable and
concerted smear campaigns callously
and enthusiastically embarked upon to defame your Dad,
Mum, other relatives and staunch supporters Stephen,
that the fight for justice on your behalf would
be even more energized and unrelentingly
carried on. So they’re stuck between a
rock and a hard place of their own
making; unwilling to give up their
entrenched and institutionalized racist
practices set against the stark and
uncomfortable realization that
the entire world is now on
to their established
criminal activities
and lawless
games.
For the fight for natural justice that has most
perfidiously and systematically been denied you
these past 21 years Stephen will steadfastly go
on, and thanks collectively to the conscionable,
ethical and outspoken media contribution on
the part of the Daily Mail together with
the unshaken resolve of those of us that
from the very outset have irresolutely
and wholeheartedly been committed to this
just path are quite determined mustn’t fail.
So rest assured Stephen: precious son,
devoted brother and iconic martyr,
in the full knowledge from your
Jamaican idyll and the home of
your mortal remains that
in spite of everything
that’s happened you
will never ever
be forgotten!
© Stanley V. Collymore
9 March 2014.
The Author’s Remarks:
On the 22nd April 1993 in an unprovoked racially motivated attack in Eltham, London , England black teenager and student Stephen Lawrence, born on the 13th September 1974, was savagely murdered by a group of white racists. In the aftermath of Stephen’s death and in the 21 years subsequent to it those legally charged with matters pertaining to law and order in England as well as the dispensing of justice to the victims of wrongdoing, and particularly acts of wilful murder, have done everything in their power to thwart the attainment of justice for Stephen Lawrence.
Crassly and dishonestly they’ve erroneously, from the very outset of their reluctantly embarked on and haphazard investigation, endeavoured to portray Stephen Lawrence as a gang member, which he most categorically was not and never had been, who was killed by one of his black gang member associates. However, when that scenario patently failed to carry any traction with the public, and particularly members of the black community, because there was evidently no substance to it and therefore showed it up for the false premise that it was Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police and other senior members of the English constabulary perfidiously embarked on a calculated and reprehensible campaign to smear the Lawrence Family, their friends and supporters that were individually and collectively endeavouring to get justice for Stephen by having his racist killers arrested, tried in court, convicted and jailed; something that the police authorities clearly didn’t want to happen.
Notwithstanding that though, due to the innumerable obstacles wilfully placed in their way by the police and the other forces of law and order in England, including the judiciary, this task to date has only partially been realized with the belated conviction and jailing for the least terms of imprisonment in their cases of two of Stephen’s killers; and 21 years on Neville and Doreen Lawrence, who have shown a remarkable dignity, courage and resolve throughout their 21year old ordeal, are still forced to wait for justice that’s long overdue to their murdered and promising architect son Stephen.
In remembrance of Stephen Lawrence: 13 September 1974 – 22 April 1993.
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