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Racism is alive and well!

Oct 17, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
As I pen this letter, feelings of anger, hurt and dismay course through my numb veins, akin to the modus operandi of our mighty Kaieteur Falls.  Whilst on medical, psychological or even spiritual grounds I may be best served averting such ungainly emotions. I’d like to believe that vindication of such isn’t even remotely far-fetched or inappropriate in this instance.
My current amalgamation of uninspiring emotions stems from my recent enlightenment of the continued existence of a heinous scourge.  This scourge to which I am referring is none other than that of racism; a phenomenon that should have been, but apparently isn’t merely a regrettable tendency of the past.  The circumstances under which my eye-opener ensued are quite shocking and unfolded as follows.
It so happened that a close relative of mine was perusing the Sunday Chronicle (October 14, 2012 Edition), in search of a place for rent, and accordingly rummaged through the classified ads.
Upon encountering an advertisement depicting a house for rent in the Chateau Margot area, this poor, unsuspecting individual made a ‘fatal’ mistake.  The mistake to which I refer, was simply calling the number provided, in a bid to discuss possible rental acquisition of the property.
Astonishingly, the first detail that the call recipient inquired of was my relative’s ethnicity, whether “Negro or Indian”. Oblivious to what was actually unfolding here, the relative duly uttered her ethnicity as being of African ancestry; ‘fatal’ mistake again!  The recipient of the call then proceeded to terminate the call. Absolutely astounding, isn’t it?  Such was my conviction that I couldn’t help but console my much-aggrieved and obviously shaken relative.
Is this the nature of the society in which we live? Do we inhabit a society in which your ethnicity predisposes you to such discriminatory and embarrassing treatment?
It is my humble opinion that the time has come for us all, as ‘decent’ Guyanese citizens, to do some self-introspection. We should ask ourselves if this is the culture we want our children and their children to inherit; that of imbibing the toxic champagne of race-hate.
Special efforts should be lent by our political tycoons, to curb this disgraceful reality that continues to hamstring a national procession towards true racial harmony in our beloved land.  Should these tangible and whole-hearted efforts be delayed any further, whether opportunistically or not, then I fear that all previous efforts by our forefathers to bridge the racial divide in Guyana may be permanently vitiated.
Joel  Joseph

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