I WAS just about to write on the Linden fiasco, having witnessed it first-hand on my recent visit home, when I happened to stumble on an unfinished article of mine. The subject of that article is of such great importance that I have decided to settle this issue first before going on a detailed roundup of Linden. A few months ago the opposition cabal led by political activists Freddie Kissoon and Mark Benschop held a protest vigil outside the office of the Guyana Chronicle newspapers showing their outrage at the contents of an editorial which they deemed racist. Part of the protest action included a few bonfires fuelled by some copies of the Chronicle newspaper itself, all actions which awakened jocular interest. I read the article in question and found it to be a well written piece of factual information which highlighted what we all as right-thinking Guyanese know. The editorial just reiterates what all of us are acquainted with. But, for the base mentality of some who are afraid to face up to the reality of its contents, that article was considered offensive. My only concern is, more strength and validity could have been given to that story if the following clause could have been included (but for a few misguided individuals) when making reference to Black Youth because the entire race is callously branded as thugs and criminals when any writer fails to make that distinction.
However, I am heartened by the fact that the vast majority of us are not like the thieves and thugs , but are peace-loving and law-abiding, not forgetting the majority of us that are ambitious, hard-working Black men and women. So I am in no way taken aback by the miniscule few Black misfits.
Those who form the majority grouping are proud that we can make a positive mark in society, which, sadly, some of these low lives fail to emulate. But for the actions of a few gullible souls, this shameful label is attached to the Black race. Truly, I find no fault with the article and quite frankly more of this stuff needs to be published so that sanity, decency and most of all dignity can return to certain sections of the Guyanese community.
Hiding our heads in the sand as the protesting group is suggesting, will not help this pathetic and disgraceful situation either, in fact, this only makes it worse. Making lame excuses for these fools only pamper them into a false sense of security; instead of helping they are hurting the cause of the Black Man. I am on record saying if the Black man cannot sit down and constructively criticise himself then, we are doomed as a people. We are doomed as a race.
All across the world we hear the same sad story of a people who are perpetuating that “thuggish mentality”; something that has caused us to become the banal repulsion of others. In North America, Europe even Africa where most of us reside, the remarks smack of repugnance for the race. Why? Why the contempt? It is not without reason that this seems to be the case because certain elements have given them the ammunition to say such things. The attitude of a few who believe that “everyone owes them something” has earned us the title of a people whose destiny is bound up in failure.
One is again forced to ask the question, why? In Guyana the Chinese and the Brazilians are amongst us, most of them are dirt-poor people; they can make a comfortable living right here but the Black Man cannot? The other races can but Black people cannot?
Lest I forget, they blame it on slavery; the Black man has suffered over 400 years of abuse so let’s blame it on the system? Then as a consequence we should possibly take another 400 years to get our act together? It seems logical to me. Let me educate those who pamper the race with foolish talk with the lyrics of Reggae Legend Bob Marley to “emancipate yourself from mental slavery none but ourselves can free our minds.” Slavery ended more than 174 years ago and it is high time the Black man emancipates his mind from that slave mentality. In fact, the massive strides the freed men made immediately after slavery is a rebuke to present-day Black lawlessness. Etched in our historical records are the “phenomenal acts of ex-slaves; something I am proud of.”
So, a lot of emancipation needs to be done in the Black community and my call is not from the bottom up – that has already been proven by the freedmen and women of yesteryear;the emancipation I am advocating must come from the top down. Those in the educated assembly of Blacks must stop placating the race hence inciting the race into believing that they are being discriminated against, that no one likes them and to lift their minds to the higher level of the emancipated Black of bygone days.
Putting it in simple layman’s language, it is high time to stop this nonsense racial talk and move on with progressive lives. The Guyana picture is one where the rabble rousers are having a field day with the race question. Persons of the likes of Freddie Kissoon can with convenience say that he is not an Indian, then go into the Black community and incite them to do violent acts then sit back in the comfort of his home and watch them being punished by law enforcement. This is what I call enslaving the Blackman all over again. Instead of inciting them to violence, why not teach them how to earn a living? That will indeed help.

The other races have done it. They have lifted themselves from the downward spiral of retrograde actions, whatever those were, dusted themselves off and are heading the right way. So why can’t we? After all the Black image, Blackness or things pertaining to the race is under threat and all important issues that can be tabled geared towards the development of the race must be discussed and meaningful changes implemented. Being Black is sacred to me. Its sacredness tells of my great ancestry bold and assertive; ours is a rich heritage that is incomparable. For that image to be dragged in the mud worries me greatly. Therefore, for that good image to be restored  will require a lot of work for those involved in the restoration of the race. The damage done by that shameless arm of ethnic conglomerate has caused us to be ashamed and no amount of denials can erase it.
So for us to lift ourselves from the “yard fowl mentality” and become the people others once envied we must raise the bar in the way we conduct ourselves.  Things that would elevate, enlighten and bring pride to my race I shall uphold even if it means criticising the race.