I will respond with the proverbial chord
Dear Editor:
I make no apologies for being interested in race. Unlike Vishnu Bisram whose interest is driven by narrative advancement his race excels; mine is the pursuit of racial justice in the economic, political and social space for all Guyanese.
As a trade unionist who stands up for the rights of the working class across race, sector, creed or region, I would abolish trade unionist principles if I remained silent when my race is cited for continued attacks, abuse .
A response is given to another of Bisram’s distorted letters: “Lincoln Lewis has pre-occupation with ‘Race'” (KN 6th January 2021). Guyana is birthed out of a racist past, where the dominant race not only exploited the others but maintained the evil system through the rule of division and conquest.
Decent Guyanese, who had enough, chartered a new course in 1966 to put an end to the racial past and build a nation of one people (equality). Vishnu, et al, may not want this so they will have to come across me, and I don’t care how angry they are with my presence in the public space.
I reject his new racial evil to emulate the role of Jamaican du father Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States, in influencing who she is today, because according to him the only credit belongs to her Indian mother, Shyamala Gopaul Harris . He acts as if he is not only lucky in the Harris union but part of their family.
Bisram as a non-white person living in the United States needs a race reality check. Thanks to sweat, blood, tears, pains, injuries, disfigurement, beaten bodies and loss of life of my African / American siblings, he enjoys equality in a foreign country.
They are a proud story of opposition to injustices and the fight for equality for people of color. I am reminded of the greats such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Stacey Abrams, whose thanks are much appreciated.
In the United States, which continues to confront its racist past and seek to redress the same, it is the beneficiary of laws like Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Fair Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity, and affirmative action. He can sit anywhere on the bus or train in any state, attend any education institution, get any job after qualifying. They can vote and be protected from discrimination against them because of their race, belief or political affiliation. He can live in any neighborhood once he can afford it, go into any business and eat at any lunch counter, etc.
These are benefits that my fellow black siblings fight for and achieve. Not only does he take these for granted but he comfortably promotes denying the same to others, he will find an adversary in me.
I will continue to challenge his interest in Indian victory. I’m the least bothered that he takes offense when I talk about racial injustices. I will continue to shed light on the problems that he wants us to ignore or be comfortable with because of who is affected by who and who carries injustices. While he doesn’t see Africa / Guyanese as deserving of what he enjoys in the US, I have news for him. Neither he, nor anyone who thinks like him, will hold my voice or stop my persecution for racial respect and justice in this society.
His letter is at once punctuated with his usual bigotry, tripe and false intelligence. It’s just like Freddie Kissoon in his column on 9th January that still can’t distinguish the dynamics at work in the US and Guyana election.
As a result, he continues with his false analogies and thinks when he names me he adds credibility to his piffle. Intelligent minds recognize that it brings nothing qualitative to serious discourse other than nonsensical reasoning, inflating stupidity.
Bisram and Kissoon continue to blur white, making statements lacking in evidence and context, highlighting the idiocy they bring to import negotiations. They are the epitome of ‘academic’ nincompoopism.
Bisram is once again challenged to provide evidence for his assertion that “workers he spoke to said Lewis should take jobs like his predecessor Joseph Pollydore’s job and be supportive of what is right not what who favors his grace. ”
This pseudo-academic and corrupt polluter, like his columnist friend, knows only one thing – public evil that they are allowed to commit without coercion. As has been pointed out to his friend, so has he. If he comes to me with his continuing folly, I will respond with the proverbial chord. Enough is enough.
Lincoln Lewis