The tendency to impose one’s way of life on others is a violation of fundamental human rights

Jun 08, 2013 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter written by Gordon Forte, titled ‘Appeals to race are now being dishonestly used for purposes of naked greed’ [June 4th, KN]
Gordon Forte explained that he and his mixed-raced siblings have found just plain happiness in life. Finding happiness in life in a big accomplishment so I (as would be most Guyanese, I am sure, who have found plain happiness and know its value) am thrilled for this family. But then, Gordon, like a typical human, went on to spoil his happiness by worrying about the happiness of others, wishing to impose his way of life and his choices on others and, as can be expected, earned the karmic response of depression in the process.
Worrying is a debilitating mental affliction, an attitude that many of us Guyanese have learned to overcome and, as Gordon no doubt knows, it is an environmental influence so it can be unlearned. As the universal saying goes and which many of us are sharing around on facebook as part of our offerings of daily support to ourselves and our friends: ‘If you can do something about it, why worry? If you can’t do something about it, why worry?’
Closer to home, a popular Guyanese invocation is for others to just mind their own business. And I am not being facetious at all here. By minding one’s own business, one can definitely experience and sustain (and this is the part that Gordon needs work on) the greatest levels of happiness, because one can start focusing on one’s own life and leave others to live their lives.
This is the Land of the Free and it is time we in this country start enjoying our lives and leave others to enjoy theirs, to listen to whatever musical preference they have and choose whatever marital partner they desire and certainly eat whatever foods they enjoy and develop interests in whichever ancestral continent, planet or constellation they desire to learn more about.
What is next? Will Gordon tell us which hobbies to have and what to do in our spare time? And how to do it? Why not tell us also which religion to have and which shrine to go to and which God to worship and what to name our children? I guess Gordon knows it all. Maybe the larger message is that we should all just follow Gordon and forget ourselves.
The tendency to impose one’s way of life on others is a violation of fundamental god-given human rights; it supports hate crimes and it is a colonial mindset and a colonial artifact. The only reason that imposing our will on others becomes important is when we want to control and dominate. We must overcome these limiting beliefs so that we may free our minds to focus on the real problems that we face as a nation and move forward.
Mashramani Celebrations, as the defacto celebrations for Republic Day, remain a sore point in this country for this very oppressive Gordon effect and Gordon mindset – trying to impose one’s way of life on others as a means of creating oneness. This is mental poison and Gordon will never find mental balance unless he focuses on his own life and regains his happiness. Oneness is a spiritual attribute and it permeates creation at a certain level of consciousness where all things are one.
Canadian kindergarten school kids are learning about respecting differences and, yet, here we are, in Guyana, still publishing hateful material in our press without blinking an eye. The only reason that Canadian kids can learn about respecting differences, while in our environment adults continue to support bitterness and division, is because a perception of racial problems in this country supports the politicians. How else will politicians survive? They need good, big helpings of racial animosity and identity crises. And the politicians are supported by their instruments, including the media, continually creating and sustaining a myth of racial problems in this country.
There is a new generation of Guyanese present, we don’t know Colonialism directly and we do not tolerate insanity and psychological abuse from political leadership or from society, and neither are we offering it to the future generations. We are living in the Land of the Free and there is a new mantra in the land: Respect Self, Respect Other. For straight thinking people, this does not even need to be said; for Guyanese politicians, it’s a major dilemma to rise to this level of consciousness, because how are the poor souls going to get their votes and finance their interests, their greed and their lust for power, if it really comes to be known that, in actuality, there are no racial problems among the people of this country?
I wish Gordon a speedy recovery in regaining his happiness.
Sandra Khan

 

 

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