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letters of october, 2003
green text is text of the letter.
white text is my reply or correspondence
initiated by me.
cyan text is an inserted note.
- letters are separated by grey lines.
29 october
2003
While I admire your great courage in speaking out on Guyanese
issues, I feel that I must ask you not to be so hard on those
of our countrymen who may not appear to measure up to your ideals
of behavior while living in this country.
Guyanese are people just like those originating from any other
country or region of this planet. They are therefore subject to
the same motivation and impulses, cravings and desires, needs
and wants. Much depends on where and how they were raised in Guyana
as well as the kinds of past exposure and experiences they may
have had. People's past experiences often tend to shape or influence
their current atitudes and conduct. Some will preserve and maintain
their tradition and culture with regards to religion, education,
child upbringing, spousal fidelity, work ethics etc. Others will
drop all that good stuff they were raised with into the first
trash can they find when they step off the plane at Kennedy. Still
some others will almost overnight adopt all kinds of airs and
graces, little realising how utterly ridiculous and assinine they
sound and look. Just look around where you live, (New York, I
presume), or on the internet; sometimes I feel like vomiting when
I read some of the undiluted crap some of them write on message
boards and other websites.
Personally, I chose to maintain my Guyanese identity and tradition
and they have served me very well over the years. I have never
felt any need to ape the black American's mannerisms or diction.
True, I had to make certain "accommodations" along the
way; for example, I had to throw away the "tamarind whip"
when disciplining my kids when they were younger. Whip marks on
a kid's skin will usually land the parent in jail on child abuse
charges. Certain things I refused to give up; in my household
I remain the head, contrary to some popular opinion. Even my now
adult children, niece and nephews would not dream of giving me
any "back talk".
Quite obviously, from your writings on your website and elsewhere,
you feel a deep urge to waken and spur the Guyanese conciousness
along certain lines and that's highly commendable. Some day, you'll
probably become a political representative or occupy high office
somewhere in private or public service. It is my sincere hope
that somewhere between college and your ultimate career destination
you learn to temper your youthful exuberance and brashness with
that deeper understanding of human nature and wisdom that can
come with to you only with age and maturity.
I wish you well, my friend.
8 november 2003
a reply to the above
hello,
thanks a lot for taking the time to send in your comments.
believe it or not, whatever you read at guyanatruth has been through
a long taming ritual. in the past i expressed myself without any
reserve whatsoever, and this is reflected in the archives. trust
me, you haven't seen anything intense at guyanatruth lately.
i'll give you an example of the anger i suppress for the sake
of guyanatruth. two days ago, it seemed like some invisible force
was intended on pushing me past my limits. first, i listened to
'dead prez'
during the day, which is enough to move one to action. second,
i saw the new york police department send out their gunmen to
watch a group of coloured people who had peacefully assembled
to pay their respects to jam
master jay, a constructive rapper who was shot a year ago.
i really couldn't believe what i saw; dozens of police in riot
gear surrounded this fairly small group of people holding candles
and flowers. third, i came home and saw on the news the shocking
abuse
of prison inmates at the hands of white new jersey prison
guards (i tried to find the video, but was unsuccessful). the
news people, otherwise known as the propaganda people, showed
video of inmates being brutalised, and at this point, i was ready
to run outside and scream for revolution. scream for freedom.
after seeing this video, i was sure that i would wake up the next
day in a city of slaves rioting against their masters.
but there was no revolution.
there was no rebellion.
there was nothing. there was no anger of oppression. there was
no protest. there was no march. there were only fluoridated, brainwashed
drones pacified with cups of coffee to their mouths and cancer
phones to their skulls.
i do acknowledge that people have their human right to do what
they please, but a lot of people aren't even aware of all the
choices available to them. as long as guyanese know that they
don't have to be mental slaves in america, i'm satisfied. unfortunately
a lot of guyanese are programmed with acquiring "american"
as their primary objective.
in acquiring the american state, most young guyanese take on african
american hip-hop corporate culture, while working adults take
on the habits of white america.
i really believe in truth and honesty, especially with oneself.
i will agree with you that i lack experience and wisdom that comes
only with age. i know though, that right now, right here, i have
the heart of a truth-seeking, conscious, revolutionary.
g.u.m.
guyanatruth.tripod.com
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