by Anthony L. Hall
On Friday, I wrote a column to put into proper context the extraordinary attack Premier Hon. Dr Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) launched against me in Parliament last week.
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Anthony L. Hall is a descendant
of the Turks & Caicos Islands,
international lawyer and political
consultant - headquartered in
Washington DC - who publishes
his own weblog, The iPINIONS
Journal, at http://ipjn.com
offering commentaries on
current events from a
Caribbean perspective
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One of the more ironic things about his attack was his accusation that I am a crony of the opposition PDM party. Ironic because, not so long ago, when I hailed Dr Misick for his historic achievement on becoming the first Premier of the TCI, many PDM supporters condemned me as a “traitor.”
Well, today I’m writing about another matter that I feel obliged to put into proper context. And it pertains to the salacious and malicious rumours that are stalking the circulation (throughout the entire Caribbean) of a picture of TCI First Lady LisaRaye on the cover of a magazine called Smooth.
Frankly, I am shocked and appalled that so many purportedly intelligent and fair-minded people are not even bothering to wonder when this photo was taken before condemning the First Lady for bringing our country into ill-repute. Not to mention the self-righteous Christians amongst us who have apparently forgotten God’s admonition to “judge not, lest ye be judged.”
Beyond being shocked and appalled, however, I am profoundly dismayed. Because so many influential people (including some from the ruling PNP) seem hell-bent on besmirching the First Lady’s reputation as a craven means of twisting the knife in our terminally wounded Premier. And this is unfair, unseemly, and unbecoming.
Nevertheless, my faith in the innate compassion and good sense of my fellow TCIslanders remains unshaken. Therefore, I hope the facts I’m about to share about this prurient farce will not only set the record straight but also compel all of you to redouble your efforts to accord our First Lady the deference and respect she deserves:
- The picture at issue was taken by a female photographer named Jeanette Rulli in the fall of 2003, which was over two years before LisaRaye even met the Hon. Dr. Michael Misick.
- At the time it was taken, LisaRaye was working as an actress. And as such, she did what every beautiful and respectable actress from Halle Berry to Angelina Jolie did to further their careers; i.e., she modeled.
- Unfortunately, starting out in their careers, none of these women are ever in the position to retain control over the use of the pictures that are taken of them. And that is why, all these years later, magazines like Smooth can publish them to exploit the positions of honor and esteem they attain in society, the arts or politics.
- Whatever one thinks of the revealing nature of this picture, it is modest by comparison to what many other respectable actresses revealed in their modeling days.
- And, even if LisaRaye appeared fully nude, I suspect it would have been in the artistic manner we see nude women on display in some of the most hallowed museums in the world, including at the Vatican in Rome. Of course, if you prefer a more contemporary reference, consider that a fully nude photo of the First Lady of France, Carla Bruni, was sold at auction just weeks ago.
That said, let us now focus our thoughts and attention on the truly scandalous matters we’re having to cope with these days. After all, it is also ironic that this unjust vilification of our First Lady (for taking a relatively innocent picture) has detracted from the just denunciation of our Premier (for squandering our nation’s wealth).
Finally, I suspect that many of you who have taken perverse delight in hurling indignation at the First Lady are the very ones who have already tried and convicted the Premier of rape. Therefore, I urge you to take a moment to reflect on what the following question says about our character and soul as a God-fearing nation:
Why did so many of us think so little about treating so cruelly a woman who must be crestfallen over allegations that her husband betrayed her by raping a woman in their home?
My fellow TCIslanders, each of us now has a duty to show the world that we are better than this...
NOTE: No doubt it will be difficult for some of you to appreciate why I have come to First Lady LisaRaye’s defense – especially given all that I’ve written about her husband. But I defend her for same reason I criticize her husband: the offices they hold reflect who we are as a people. And to the extent those offices are besmirched or corrupted, we too are besmirched or corrupted.
Related Articles:
Premier Misick blames me for bankrupting the TCI?
Premier Misick accused of rape
Commission of inquiry into corruption in TCI looms |
