God is dead, Marx is dead, Gandhi is dead, Mandela is sick

Apr 06, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

…and I’m not feeling too well myself

In France, in the turbulent sixties, the young French generation, cynical about their parents, elders, government and the world took to the streets in their millions. It was known as the era of youthful rebellion.
In the streets they chanted, “God is dead, Marx is dead and I’m not feeling to well myself.” It was a message of cynicism.
However respectful one wants to feel about President Bharrat Jagdeo’s exclamation about God and country, for me the caption of this article best sums up how I feel about what Mr. Jagdeo said. Joining the pastor on stage, Mr. Jagdeo as reported in the press, expressed three valuable principles to the huge audience.
First, he will recommit the nation to God. Secondly, Guyanese will live in a way that is respectful to the “commandments” of God and thirdly, Guyanese must fall in love with their country and rediscover their spirituality.
Mr. Jagdeo cannot live out the rest of his presidency without a radical, revolutionary and profound transformation of his style of government given his pronouncements to that large religious audience last Saturday night.
Before I outline the ways in which Mr. Jagdeo will now have to behave as a President, I need to inform Mr. Jagdeo urgently of something he needs to know about one of the citizens of this country, the land that he urges us to love.
I have always loved Guyana. I have nationality papers for no other country. The same goes for my family. My daughter was born in Guyana and has Guyanese citizenship.
Those who say they love Guyana and allowed their wives to travel to the US so their children can acquire American citizenship will have to repent to God and Mr. Jagdeo and start loving Guyana.
I have no foreign bank accounts. I bank my salary in Guyana. I only worked in the public sector serving UG for twenty-five years. I fought for democracy in my country. I was thrown off a moving bus as UG students got caught up in human rights protests and spent three months in hospital. I was jailed for 29 days at Camp Ayanganna for protesting compulsory national service.
Under the Government of Mr. Jagdeo who I believe is genuine when he said he has now turned to God, I was illegally dismissed from my job at the University. My home in Wortmanville was shot up, a bullet missing my wife’s head by two inches. I was attacked in my garage, beaten with a gun, my car stolen but when it was found, nothing was stolen.
Sinister forces pounced on me one evening last year and threw a miasmic substance in my face. Investigation points to people in very high places. Last December I was jailed for three days and two nights on a mere traffic obstruction charge. These are the things I have endured for my country, Mr. President.
Well you can say I love my county so I bear up with its hardships.
Now Mr. President, given your promises about recommitting yourself and the nation to God, you have to stop cussing down your fellow citizens. You call me a man kisser. That is not true. You called me a sleaze ball. I am not such. You said I am a book thief. Well I stole a couple of books when I was sixteen, and then again at eighteen. I don’t consider that a crime but you have made it out to be such.
You said I am ugly. God wouldn’t like that. Humans don’t tell each other they are ugly. Suppose I call you the same? Two weeks ago you publicly call me a jackass in Berbice.
As you turn to God, Mr. President, remember all those citizens who have been victimized. Mark Benschop was attacked and beaten and had his car badly damaged but he ended up in the Brickdam lock-up not his attackers.
We are the only Caricom nation that has charged citizens for treason and have them in jail. The entire nation knows a most sickening blog that uses the most scatological, uncivilized language is being run and operated from a place that is the source of power. There is a rumour that this blog exists in the presidential complex.
God would certainly want this blog to end.
Finally, Mr. President, what about the cry of discrimination that Guyanese who love their country are shouting about? The nation is watching your next move, Mr. President. But above all, God is watching you!