Grand Bahamians from all walks of life united as one on Saturday, when they took to the streets for the island’s first ever ‘Thousand Man March’ aimed at encouraging all men in Freeport to take their roles in society more seriously.
The march left the downtown Winn Dixie Parking lot shortly after 9 a.m. and proceeded to the Ranfurly Circus, then onto the East Sunrise Highway and south on Coral Road, where supporters convened at Independence Park for a good time under the theme “Get Up, Stand Up, Be A Man.” The number of participants were estimated to be around 350, far short of the set goal of 1,000. They heard some of Grand Bahama’s influential male figures ﾗ including Pastor Sobig Kemp, Rev. Frederick McAlpine, Basil Neymour and Joseph Darville ﾗ address topics such the role of the father, education, morals and ethics and skill development.
Posing the question “Will the real man please stand?, Rev. McAlpine said that at a time when integrity, character, principle and reliability seem to have been eroded from the fiber of humanity, while most people prefer to stoop, bow, squat, bend, lay down and stay down, there is a demand for people to stand.
Noting that education is valuable and important for young men, he added, “Too many of our young men have fallen prey to ‘street smarts’ rather than being able to read, add and comprehend.
Far too many of our young women are advancing in every facet of society because our young men believe that education makes them a ‘soft boy’ and hanging out on the blocks is better than hanging out in the classroom.”
“Emphasis must be placed on replacing rapping with reading, rhyming with writing and reggae with responsibility,” Rev. McAlpine explained.
He said too many of our men believe that more women justify manhood and the more he breeds magnifies his masculinity.
“I’ve got news for you men, pimping ain’t easy, being a whore is harder and even a dog could breed,” he said.
By: A. ARMBRISTER, Freeport News Reporter
