A CALL TO OUR MEN

Oct 11, 2009 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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In view of the focus being placed on the circumstances of Guyanese men as exemplified by the group ‘Men Empowerment Network’ who organised a workshop for men last Friday in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services & Social Security and UNFPA, we are publishing this piece by Pastor Punalall and his wife Latchmin Punalall, MP, who are both elected members of the National Executive of the Alliance For Change.

PURPOSE
It is vital for the men of our society to know their purpose and faithfully discharge their responsibilities. No man can measure his life beyond the success of his family. If a man wants to administer God’s house, community or a country, he must first know how to manage his own house. The head of a country must know how to manage his own country before he can seek to be a partner in international matters.

FAMILY
The most important responsibility of the male is that of fatherhood and family life. The family is the building block of society. It is people coming together in closeness, work, recreation, worship and so many other things. The family unit is so important that it was established by Almighty God before government, church, military, educational, recreational or many other institutions. Societies advance when families advance. Societies crumble when families crumble. The family unit in Guyana has been under attack from many sides and this has resulted in the moral downslide of our beloved land. This should be a concern to all of us especially the men of our land.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines morality as “a code of conduct that is put forward by society that is accepted as a guide to the behavior by its members”. The first ones to embrace the moral code in our country should be our men, especially if they expect to be commendable role models of younger men.
In 1987 Harvard professors, James Wilson and Richard Herrnstein, concluded in their book “Crime and Human Nature” that “the cause of crime is lack of proper moral training among young people during the morally formative years, particularly ages one to six”.

FOUNDATION
The foundation of a human family is the male. According to CIA World Fact Book there are about 6.6 billion people on earth. With Guyana’s population being what it is, we comprise but a small percentage of the earth’s total population. Yet we are faced daily with a myriad of social and other problems. We have to deal with such evils as murder, robbery, rape, incest, teenage pregnancy, sodomy and other forms of sexual perversions and drugs, just to name a few.
Many of these crimes are committed by men, and sometimes by men who hold high administrative positions in our country. Unfortunately, the victims are often women and children. We need to recognize the crucial fact that when a community loses its value base, there is a rise in suicide, violence, and mental illnesses.
The role of women integrated into society have not changed God’s role for men to be the leader of the family.

According to the Biblical account of creation, the male, Adam, was created first and then the female, Eve. The male is therefore God’s chosen foundation for the human family. Almighty God sets the male at the base as foundation and he is supposed to carry the weight of the family and societal responsibilities. We need our men not only to have physical and economic strength but also moral strength. It is only in this way the Guyanese society will leave its moral bankruptcy behind and move on to that which is just and honourable in the sight of Almighty God and men.
One of the goals of the AFC, as set out in its August 2006 manifesto, is “to confront organized crime and redress the breakdown of law and order”. If the disclosures in the US court on the Roger Khan case be true, then it must be that organized crime is being carried out here.
This is a fearful reality that faces us and it is a monster that must be eradicated very quickly. Then there is our shambled justice system which is so often circumvented by those who wield financial and political might. The AFC recognizes that every citizen is entitled to justice and a peaceful life and therefore “will create a special office within the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the use of Special Prosecutors to prosecute persons accused of certain categories of offences”. This means that high folks who solicit sex from little school boys will face the consequences of their immoral actions very swiftly.

All God fearing men need to speak out against the rise of immorality, corruption and wickedness. President George Washington once said “Religion and morality are essential pillars of civil society”. This is a profound truth simply stated. The righteous must declare that of all the various dimensions of moral life it is love that is central to morality. We must admit that love is on the decrease and hatred on the increase here.
Five decades ago, Omar Bradley said “The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, and power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants”.
The time has come in Guyana when we must combine our brilliance with wisdom, morality, decency and integrity. Genuine men need to stay morally strong and stand on a godly foundation so that they can fulfil the purpose for which they were created. Godly men and women need to unite for the moral uplifting of our society so that we can once again be respected as a nation of integrity.

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