Ethnic pride was never and will never be my raison d’être

Jun 21, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to the correspondence by Dr. Baytoram Ramharack (“No collaborative conspiracy,” SN, June 10, 2015) Dr. Ramharack made some inferences about me which I will disprove. These are coupled with some misleading and inaccurate references in other areas in his missive
It is Ramharack’s interpretation that when I wrote about him, Aksharananda, Ryhhan Shah, Leon Suseran, Ralph Seeram, Varshnie Singh, Nadira Jagan, Shaun Samaroo and P. Tiwari from Los Angeles and their advocacy of Indians to vote for the PPP, it was a conspiracy among them. I never used that word. But you can call it an “independent conspiracy of minds” because that is what it was. There was no meeting of the minds. They just conspired in their own way to champion apan jaat voting.
The apan jaat sermon was not even used in subliminal ways by these names listed here. What you had from them was the open serenade of “vote for your race.” The boldest of that message came from Ramharack himself. He was more honest and I mentioned this honesty in his character in one of my replies to Aksharananda.
Ramharack wrote that even though the PPP was not the ideal party to vote for, it was the better option. This simply meant that Ramotar was more deserving of being president than Granger. Here is where ethnic loyalty is such a dangerous instinct. For a country to have chosen Donald Ramotar over David Granger would have been the greatest act of self-destruction by a modern nation. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I believe that Mr. Granger would have been better for Guyana by millions of miles than Mr. Ramotar
Ramharack wrote; “… perhaps Mr. Kissoon lacks an understanding of a rich, cultural tradition or that he may have rejected an important element of himself that defines his cultural background.” It is unfortunate that an academic has to write this way. It shows that Dr. Ramharack hasn’t an adequate background in philosophy. I hope I am wrong
I come from a rich, cultural tradition. My mother had her tiny Hindu temple in her home. My dad beat tassa drum at Hindu weddings. I married an Indian Muslim woman who believes in God. My daughter has a Hindu name, Kavita. But I never put that rich cultural tradition as my raison d’être. I never did. I never will. Because to do so would be flawed philosoph.
I have been exposed to other kinds of rich cultural traditions – those of African Guyanese. I was born on Hardina Street, Wortmanvile, grew up on Durban Street, Wortmanville. In primary school, you could have counted on your fingers the Indians students. On Durban Street, you have counted on your fingers the Indian residents. I grew up loving Black American music and Jamaican reggae. Four of my siblings married African Guyanese
I attended to two universities in Canada and took in another type of rich cultural tradition – the values, mores, aesthetics, philosophy and culture of western civilization. By which cultural standard am I supposed to define myself? My answer is none. I appreciate the need for another human to be proud of his/her culture and religion. But I will not give that human respect if he/she chooses their cultural standards to judge others. This is where bigotry comes in. That is what led some high profile Guyanese Indians into the apan jaat mode in the 2015 election
I find Ramharack’s letter more than disingenuous when he criticized me for use of unbecoming adjectives in condemning Aksharananda’s position. He must have read the harsh words Aksharananda used in his response to Khemraj Ramjattan. Finally, Ramharack wrote, “I rather suspect that Mr. Kissoon has contributed to the creation of an environment with his vitriolic narrative that led to the verbal attacks on Swami Aksharananda.” I know of no verbal attacks on Aksharananda. The man himself, so flowing with his pen remains silent. I will offer sympathy if and when proof is supplied
I reject the use of the word “vitriolic” but I suspect Ramharack’s finds such words useful to strengthen his argument. I felt it was my moral obligation to my country to respond to the apan jaat narrative of Aksharananda in the midst of what was easily termed a tight election race. My personal and physical life was at risk with another PPP Government. Therefore, I felt I had to stop those who I believe were Indian supremacists. I do not apologize for that and I would gladly do it all over again
Frederick Kissoon

Latest News

Ethnic pride was never and will never be my raison d’être

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest Basketball opens with local teams in...

GCA, East Coast surge to huge wins

GFF/Concacaf kick off two-day Match Commissioners...

Chase’s Academic outclass Bartica to move...

Three Miles Secondary make clean sweep of Jagan...

National Chess champions off to Trinidad and...

Features/Columnists

This must not be our hour of humiliation

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Security – Guyana needs it, pays for it

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Ethnic pride was never and will never be my raison d’être

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]