by Ros. M. Dopwell
Something very inspirational happened on the First day of 2008! It bodes well for Grenadians if we were all to emulate Nadia Bishop Maurice Bishop's daughter, who was 14 when he was executed by firing squad on October 19th 1983!
Nadia spoke to the Nation on TV at a Press Conference, about having come to that point in her life, where she had "Unconditionally Forgiven", Bernard Coard and all the others, who it was felt were responsible for the execution of her father and all the others.
She said that she was 14 years old, when her father was killed, (24 years ago). For 22 years of those years - she wanted "Vengeance and Justice"!
However - For the later two years, she had struggled with the thought that THIS attitude was NOT right.
She said that she had heard a sermon in Church Š a Lady was driving without her seat belt and was pulled over by the police. She knew that she was wrong That if "Justice" were to be done she should have been fined. The realisation was brought home to her Š that she did NOT want "Justice" Š BUT "Mercy"!!!
She, Nadia, no longer wants Justice Š Nadia wants to (i) Forgive - unconditionally (ii) to see Mercy shown AND (iii) Realise it is The Grace of God that has got her to this place, where she no longer wants hate to reign in her life.
She came to Grenada and arranged to meet and speak with Bernard Coard and ALL of the others convicted in the 1983 incident. She had 3 hours of conversation with them.
She also asked (feels the need to ask), in her turn (on behalf of her father), for the forgiveness of any and all Grenadians whom her father - and the Revolution had been unfair to, (had wronged).
This included those jailed without charge or trial, by The PRG AND the two people related to Mr. Brizan - who was killed on 13th March 1979.
She explained that she speaks for her family especially her 93 year old Grandmother, who needs to be freed from holding onto hard feelings held in place by "unforgiveness".
She had had to explain the above point of view, to the families of others (who were killed alongside her father, who are still clinging to desires for "Vengeance", in the name of "Justice").
She explained that she was not condemning them, if they still held onto these views. {After all she had held these views up to 2 years ago!} She understood their anguish.
She was not speaking on their behalf, when she said she needed to forgive (and quoted the "Lord's Prayer/Our Father" Š "Forgive us or debts/ trespasses, as we forgive our debtors/ those who have trespassed against us!!!").
HOWEVER, she wanted them to understand where she was coming, from prior to
- her sharing this with the Nation.
She underscored that the forgiveness was unconditional. There was NO stimulation (like many Grenadian have), that THEY must confess their "Guilt". She said that they had shown great remorse, and apologised to her (which she had NOT sought), and that she admired what they had become during their long incarceration.
In response to a question from the Media Š she said she is now a Lawyer (like her father - who remained her hero), but had no desire to enter politics in Grenada or anywhere else!
She said her father's consuming love for Grenadians had deprived his family of "family-time together". He would always postpone family times, if someone came and said, "Brother Bish" Š look at such and such an injustice, which had occurred. He would go off and attend to "whatever".
She felt "absolutely, convinced and convicted that what she was doing in offering unconditional forgiveness was what her father wanted her to do!
She brought a whole lot of tears to my eyes Š and left me with much to ponder!
