People from all ethnic groups have been complaining that the economy is declining

Oct 06, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
This is in reference to Freddie Kissoon’s column (KN Oct 5) in which he pilloried Indians for uttering comments that the economy has been contracting. Freddie incorrectly describes the outdoor vendors as “alfesco”. The term is “alfresco” – meaning fresh air outdoor vendors.
Freddie does not understand the concept of racism or the definition of a “racist”. A racist is a person who harbours the view that his (or members of his) race is (are) superior to (members of) another race and attempts to deny others basic rights like voting. Acts of racism would be denying Blacks the right to vote in America and Southern Africa or denying Indians and others the ballot in Guyana during the dictatorship. Freddie offers no evidence to support his claim that Indian market vendors or Indian intellectuals are racist. There is nothing inherently racist about saying the economy is in bad shape. If they offer contemptuous views of ethnic groups that can be considered as racist; they have not.
So Freddie is absolutely incorrect when he pens that Indians, who offer evidence of a slowing economy to support their claim, “are racist” for simply uttering the fact that the economy is shrinking. Freddie feels Indians are “racist” just for harbouring the thought even though it is a fact that the economy has been declining. The Indians are offering a view (a conclusion) derived from their experience as a business person or as a shopper. In fact, people (business and consumers) from all ethnic groups have been complaining that the economy has been declining and that they have difficulties “to make ends meet”. But Freddie does not feel Chinese, Amerindians, Whites, Mixed and Africans are “racist” for making the same comment as Indian “that the economy has been shrinking”. Freddie directed his attack, using the above Kissoonian logic, only for Indians. If they were not racist, they won’t be stating a fact.
And Freddie also extends his Kissoonian logic to describe New York based Indo-Guyanese as “racists” just for attending a Bharrat Jagdeo meeting. He pens: “Indians who attended the Bharrat Jagdeo meeting in Richmond Hill are racist”, just for attending the meeting. That meeting attracted non-Indians — Mixed, Africans and Whites – as well but Freddie does not describe them as “racist” for attending the Jagdeo interaction. When a celebration of APNU-AFC victory was held in Brooklyn and attended primarily by Africans Freddie does not feel that was racist. When all the celebrants and speakers were of one ethnic group that was not racist.
Freddie also put down New York-based “Indian lawyers, doctors, journalists, engineers, real estate agents, investors, accountants, etc.” describing them as “ordinary people” not different from “the Indian market vendors” in Georgetown. I salute the vendors of all ethnicities in Guyana; they perform yeoman service to the nation unlike Freddie who has been attacking them. Freddie is wrong to put down Indian market vendors; they have shown greater intelligence than Freddie who does not believe that the economy is shrinking contrary to all economic reports (including from the Finance Minister, the President and the Prime Minister and various local business bodies and international agencies and common sense daily experiences).
Freddie writes “the Indian mind is dangerous”. No, it is Freddie’s mind that is dangerous for his illogical conclusions and unsupported claims.
Vishnu Bisram

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