Poster: “Don’t Think People Don’t Care”
A poster saying saying “Noet Barnett, don’t think people don’t care” was visible in the St Monica’s Mission area this past weekend. The poster — adorned with ribbons on both sides — continues on to say “You can’t read, but Bermuda can.” The poster is signed, “From someone who cares, not only your mother”
Mr Barnett, 25, was sentenced to 25 years in prison last week after being found guilty of attempted murder, and must serve half his sentence before being eligible for parole. The prison sentence comes after he was convicted of shooting Jeremiah “Rocks” Dill in October 2010.
During the trial the Court heard that Mr Barnett was affiliated with 42, while the shooting victim was said to be affiliated with Parkside.
Ms Sheelagh Cooper, a well-known social advocate, wrote a letter on Mr Barnett’s behalf which was read out in Court. She had first come into contact with him when he was a very young child and just after his father had been murdered.
Ms Cooper pointed out that Mr Barnett’s life had not been a good one and that it seemed to have begun with an inability to even give him a correct name. She said that, born close to Christmas, his mother wanted to name him Noel. However, a typographical error at the Registry Office resulted in his legal registered name being Noet.
She described how he and his siblings had grown up in crowded living conditions, had been homeless for a while, his mother had been sent to prison for four years, an uncle had been murdered, he had not done well at school and had been expelled from school when he was 14.
Ms Cooper said, in her letter, that attempts to get the Ministry of Education to supply or arrange counseling services or psychological evaluations had not succeeded and that Noet had learning difficulties at Dellwood Middle School.
She also said that in the two years before his arrest for this attempted murder, he had been shot at three times.
We should let people, especially our young men -no matter, race, colour, creed, parish, nationality know from the time they are born and onwards….. No matter who are their parents, etc… let these guys know they are cared for and don’t ever be afraid to let them know “THEY ARE LOVED”. You will be surprised how taking a child, teenager, young adult, grown man aside, have a few encouraging words with them and telling them how much you care means to them…. They may not tell you then and there but when you look into their eyes and you see their heart…. you know you know you know.
To the person who posted the message – well done!
Amen I agree it’s been many of times my mother and father have did just that and for those brief few minutes from either brings forth a day sometimes a few days worth of encouragement Gr8 post.
Well said…
The lessons of violence was not lost on him . Sheelagh Cooper is an Enabler , just like the failed immigration policy that came out of the Fisher case back in the ’70,s . Glebe Road , St.Monica’s Mission used to be a solid community , destroyed by rizla rollers and freebasers and now gunslingers all influenced by the false religion of dreadlocks . Thats the reason why De Kernal imposed visa regulations on them .
“false religion of dreadlocks” please explain!!
Dreadlocked Drug Dealers masquerading as Rastafarians .
ok… because not everyone with dreadlocks is Rasta. and yes there are wolves in sheeps clothing
Probably talking about the church of Bob Marley
its good to see him put behind bars!!trouble thats all he is and stop making excuses he still knows right from wrong YOU DO THE CRIME DO THE TIME noel is bad news and i hope he has to serve all his time that he was sentenced i know him personally all he does is look for a fight all day every day GLAD TO SEE HIM PUT AWAY NOW JUST THROUGH THE KEY AWAY TO and rocks um happy ya still living
zzz…
@ me instead of viewing it PERSONALLY have you ever given a thought as to WHY? Remember CHILDREN have to be TAUGHT right from wrong. If you know him so personally as you say you would know that he has the mindset of a child even though he appears to be a man he is a child living in a man’s body. It’s not a matter of society making an excuse for him either…..
DO YOU WANT PPL TO FEEL SORRY FOR HIM??
Enablers. Mama’s boys who are told they do no wrong.
Wandering… You forgot one important thing. We need to teach them that we cannot solve our problems through violence.
I agree….. but then remember children learn from what they see – violence in the home (first), violence through play (toy guns but then, we played cowboys and indians with toy guns or makeshifit ones but none of my familiy are violent – perhaps it was because of the prayers of our grandparents and parents and aunt’s) Remember, the first examples are US (parents) – don’t blame Mrs. Cooper – she speaks what she was taught – and our children are either acting out what they saw or doing what they saw from tiny and have been allowed to get away with it…. Which means – before anymore of our young people get caught up – take them to Sunday School, a Friday night Youth Night -don’t send – TAKE! Get them involved in positive programs under positive role models. Have them volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the salvation army with their feeding program, there are so many positive things that our children can do and be involved in : Brownies, Girl Guides, Sea Cadets, PathFinders, the hospital, KBB, SPCA and the list goes on…. Encourage them to form a Keep our Street or Community beautiful program…. The Word tell us to Train up a child in the way they should go and when they grow up, they will not forget or stray from it. We have a lot of correction and redirecting to do and it will take all of us. If Father God can turn communities, leaders and mindsets of people in the BIBLE, imagine what He could do with us, through us and for us…. STAND FAMILY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS… STAND AND SAVE OUR CHILDREN!
I want to know who the idiot is that wrote “The DNA can be anyone.” Are they serious?! Lol.
LOLLL
That poster doesn’t make sense.
Ok…Yes I agree with all the comment however I beleive there are points to be taking for you your post. Whilst there are some people that are enbaled and used the system as an excuse to do wrong, however there are some men and women that have not or will not know love. The first time many of them feel loved is through a ace boy or ace girl or boyfriend or girlfriend. I do beleive that once you feel and know the true meaning of love you will not inflict harm on another. This is agape love! Gods love!! The only thing that can save us now!!
We have more churches per square mile than anywhere in the world. Judgement starts at the house and if all the “believers” can’t even show true love amongst their own brethren do you really believe they are going to demonstrate true love to the outside. All it becomes is tribalism in a building. I.m catholic, Im Jehovahs Witness, Im AME, Im Moslem, yet all claim to believe in God and no godly unity
Some guys seem to be just “trouble” or born bad but I see where Mrs. Cooper is coming from. Some of these children just don’t stand a chance by virtue of the environment they have the misfortune of being born into. When I was in New York a few months ago, there was a young woman screaming at this little boy…he couldn’t have been more than four years old….at the top of her lungs “No I can’t get it for you…your daddy doesn’t give me no f-ing money to take care of ya a$$…go ahead and cry…etc etc.” I literally couldn’t believe my ears and my heart was just breaking as this woman walked away with this child. If we were in Bermuda I would have said something but I was deep in Harlem and felt helpless to dare intervene. Fast forward ten or twenty years and I can just imagine the anger this young boy will unleash on those around him. Don’t criticize Mrs. Cooper because she still sees that little boy that she was couldn’t help….
Ms. Cooper supported this Government thinking that they would actually do something for the Bermudian underclass. Boy, have they shown her that they don’t give a flying f#*k! All our Govt is interested in is retaining power for themselves. Very sad indeed. Never thought I would say this, but more good was done for people like this young man under the UBP!! Wake up people your Govt. DOES NOT CARE…
It never ceases to amaze me how many in our black communities will encourage a man in folly and then when he reaps what he has sown, we then call on God to “Bless him”. We utter meaningless nonsense like “keep ya head up” and “stay strong”. Foolishness.
If we want to express true care and concern, the time to do it is before they end up in Prison and the way to do it is to actively discourage this kind of behaviour. Long after this poster (and Noet) is gone and forgotten, he’ll still be in prison.
Exhibit real courage and make are real difference.
Unless we have some serious changes there will be a lot more Mr Barnetts. It is sad. We have a group of young men being lost in a system that has gaping holes. We have no “technical schools” as apparently everyone should be academic….those who get lost in class usually act out in the schoolyard.
Young men are falling through these holes daily yet we waste money on everything under the sun other than solutions that will create tangible results. So sad to sit and watch. I have one of those sons but thankfully I am in a position where I am able to afford a solution that works well for my son’s learning style and needs….but sadly there are many out there whose parents can’t afford it and some who don’t even have parents that care enought to want to fight for them. Not condoning the actions but can understand that young men like Mr Barnett do not become lost overnight!
Beautifully written!
are you kidding me! are you absolutely F%&!?NG KIDDING ME!!! SORRY! SORRY! is that what this has boiled down to? sympathy for this guy.. dear god, bermuda we are doomed!
hahahah i cant believe people support him and..best line on that poster however has to be The DNA could be anyones…um actually if the dna is his, well its CLEARLY HIS!!!!
lol tis a shame its been edited..Bernews enough censoring, freedom of speech especially when it concerns less than civilised human beings should be allowed
Well said, there are thousands of kids with tough starts who don’t end up killing people.
I say Noel needs to do things for himself. Im not putting blame on anyone. But he has the time to change himself and want better for himself. He has the ppl to help him get where he may want to be. He just has to speak up and ask his case worker to help him get in school or something to move forward. Their are plenty Noel’s in prison. I know I was locked up for a couple of months and to see women that cant read or write help them fill out applications and all sorts was soemthing new for me cause these are girls tht you see everyday and get locked up for bills, child support and dont know the basics of life. Its an eye opener for real, but its up to tht person to want for self.
@ Will. I do not support this guy or anyone out there that is making trouble or causing misery to others. I think what people are saying is that it starts when these guys are very young, vulnerable and impressionable. Unless something drastic happens, there will be a lot more Noet Barnetts out there. I don’t have any psychology degrees or anything like that, but common sense dictates that if these boys have a rough, unstructured upbringing then it should be no big surprise when they turn out as they do…..
you have a valid point but what of those like Booker T washington or Frederick Douglass who grew up in a worst way than these individuals. they made something of themselves in a world that tried very very hard to prevent them from anything. Heck even some of our politicians come from hard backgrounds but have made something of themselves. Background and childhood cant be blamed fro everything.
It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you point a firearm at someone, squeeze trigger several times you will injure someone terribly. These guys know and understand the consequences, the only inherent problem in this system is that the rewards outweigh the consequences.
Many criminals suffer from what is called the R complex. American physician and neuroscientist Paul D. MacLean contended that the reptilian complex was responsible for species typical instinctual behaviors involved in aggression, dominance, territoriality, and ritual displays. Look it up..
Oh please!
EXACTLY…. is this guy R Commission as Hell BOy!
@ The HEll!!
…recent studies do not support the R Complex of Paul MacLean. I dare think that reptilian brain dominates my thoughts.
However, I can see where you are coming from. As stated above, these young men are hurting and have been neglected. They need love and unconditional acceptance.
It seems that some have been having children when they are unsure of what to do to raise a child; mere feeding and clothing will not do. Some cannot even house them. We have to encourage our youth to make better choices too.
Surely they understand that there are consequences for their actions…
That’s why I said “unless something drastic happens” many of these young boys will be lost. Obviously, not everybody that has a bad childhood becomes bad, just as some people have a wonderful childhood and still end up screwed up. I just find it so sad the horrible lives some children have to endure, but I guess that’s going off the topic….(Sad face)
I’d like to simply state that its not about the government, stop pointing fingers at the government…despite who’s in power they will always fall short. Instead we should be thinking about what we can be doing individually. I’m sure most of us know a troubled little girl or boy, the community now needs to activate.
Summer Lover… show me the studies. I suppose no one believes in the sub conscious either. We certainly believe in a lot of other things where there is no physical proof. ‘AMEN’ knows what I’m talking about.
lol
Sheelagh Cooper is a Rainbow of Resources and Mr. Barnett is fortunate to have an advocate such as her on his side. Just ask all those lucky Philipino folks she brought to Bermuda all those years ago. Indeed if there is one type I dislike, it’s a hypocrite – which Ms. Cooper most assuredly is not as Mr. Julian Hall so ably proved to a jury so many years ago (it was her executive assistant who done it and went to jail too). Sort of a lucky break for Mr. Barnett though he would have been better served by the likes of Julian (RIP).
and I say again
Kill the liberals.
He tried ti kill someone for f&@$ sake.
Whoever wrote this is probably just as slow as him! lofl
This poster looks as if a child wrote it. I certainly hope so because I would hate to think an adult actually writes and more importantly THINKS this way. If so, we are soooooo doomed!
Education is a necessity people, we ALL need to just go get it!!
Food for thought:
We cannot treat what we do not understand. Make informed comments.
Facilitating A Corrective Learning Experience.
Which one will YOU actively participate in as a Bermudian being the change they would like to see in Bermuda ?
https://www.itsallaboutabandonment.com/CLE.html
We ALL need to understand the effects of unresolved abandonment issues. We can ALL be a part of the solution.
https://www.itsallaboutabandonment.com/ItsAllAboutAbandonment.html
Childhood issues manifest into adulthood! A child does NOT have the tools in their toolkit to recoup from multiple/layered issue after issue. It can manifest into mental health issues if chronic.
Why Some Black Males Are Abandoning Society for Prison
By: J. Ray Rice, M.S.W., A.C.S.W.
https://www.itsallaboutabandonment.com/Abandoning_Society.html
Judge not
http://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-judge.html
Read more of the site (the case studies) to understand how children can grow up to abandon society.
Interesting read.
This is a complex, layered issue.
Ok who do we slap first ms cooper or the people that are agreeing with her? Its clear that he can not read but so what….he is obviously not as dumb as she thinks cause he knew what he was doing…. If she has been there as long as she says and knew what his life was like why didn’t she get him a damn tutor? His hard life is no excuse for the violence. There are plenty of people that can not read nor write and are living life like normal people. Another clear thing is that the person that posted that poster needs ms cooper to write a letter excusing them to cause they must be dumb like him writing like that. LMAO this island is going to hell.
I think that we are overlooking certain facts. it matters not about what you feel about Sheelagh Cooper. What truly matters is that she became aware of his situation many years ago. What truly matters is that Mr. barnett cannot read. And it appears that whoever wrote the poster is not doing much better either. He was expelled at 14. I am not making excuses for him but it appears to me that the basic necessities of life were certainly not handed to him. Love, shelter, food and a nourishing environment. These individuals are more susceptible to gang life. Whats even scarier is that I fear this sort of lifestyle is becoming the norm. lack of love, shelter, food and spirtual and mental nourishment.
Actually, this story is ALL about Sheelagh – it always is ALL about her. A bright lady like you should have figured that one out…
Are you kidding me?! You don’t need to know how to read to use a gun to shoot, stab or rob someone. So what he was expelled at 14, every human being on this earth knows that trying to kill someone is not the right thing to do. I knew that from childhood. If fighting was bad, then why couldn’t this idiot realize that KILLING is worse.
So tired of idiots in this community making excuses for these degenerates
Free Noel now!
Fine, but let’s leave the other guy in Westgate shall we.
“fornication in the bushes”
The values a family develops are traditionally the foundation for how children learn, grow and function in the world.
When the thief on the cross asked for forgiveness. Jesus granted his request. However,Jesus did not free him from physical death. Right or wrong, that man had to pay for crimes committed against society. So bet it with all the Noet Barnetts
I love Mrs. Cooper dearly but for every action there is a reaction.