Marijuana debate goes to another level

Dec 30, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Re: Brother Rooplall: “The foolishness of a fool is his folly”!
Psalms 68: v 4. “Sing unto God, sing praises to his name, extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah and rejoice before him”!  him”!  In publicly advocating in the print media for the repealing of the sentencing (3 years) for marijuana, and the decriminalization, makes me a rastaman.
Well my beloved brethren, in both instances, moreover the latter you are wrong, since I’m not a rasta! Rather, from a personal perspective I am not bounded to any religion, yet still I’m not an atheist! I give credence to the Almighty God; whom I worship in “spirit and truth”; acknowledge Jesus the Christ, as His Only Begotten Son, while beholding his physical manifestation as the embodiment of the heavenly father; by extension, “the greatest man to trod earth”!  Philosophically it’s Garveyism I embrace.
On a daily basis part of my daily devotion, entails a reading from the Holy Scripture; listening to evangelistic pastors and other lay persons, preaching the word of God; in addition, to viewing T.D Jakes and Brother Farakan.  I never refused to accept a biblical tract, or literature, since it’s “knowledge I seek, along with wisdom and understanding”, also on a daily basis, within the Stabroek News I read the quotations from Sai Baba. What does this make me Dudhnath? “Judge not, lest ye be judged”!
Editor, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”! Please my brethren, in humanity, apart from publicly advocating that you re-read my letter four more times, to fully comprehend the content. Also, I would advocate you read K.N: Columnist, Freddie Kissoon’s Column (25.12.15), “A song for the Guyanese people on this day.”
A special dedication to Rooplall; along with George Benson’s “The Greatest Love of All.” In erstwhile, I must commend the brother for the lone bright spot of radiance in his missive captioned “An exchange on Ganja” (K.N – 25.12.15).  “In appreciating my penmanship at authoring a very edifying letter to the Editor”- published in K.N (22.12.15).
Thereafter, instead of dealing with the issues of substance I had previously raised. Brother: Dudhnath shifts gear into the overdrive, accelerating into “pettiness and gutter penmanship”! In remonstration, Rooplall’s previous letter prior to his most recent publication was carried in (SN 12.12.15) “Marijuana should not be legalized”.
As a consequence, if Stabreok News fails to carry my response, which subsequently Kaieteur News published. Am I as a layman, can be faulted for the misspelling of the brother’s surname, which in the opinion of the publishers by my standards may have been wrong? Thus, their perceived correction.
Is it in the realms of “brevity”- meaning, briefness a terminology used by Rooplall in four instances, caused him to misspell four names?  Sealy- “Sealey”, Kaieture- “Kaieteur”, Etophaia- “Ethiopia” and Jaah- “Jah”! That aside, the member of the Bahai Faith, whose in-depth teachings I am au-fait with, accuses of being wrong to advocate he’s a Hindu, based on his name in its entirety. Editor, my question! Are you a Hindu, as your name suggests? Should any Grade 6 student, preparing for English paper 1 and 2, at next year’s examination, fails to detect the absurdity, they ought to be demoted to grade 5.
While “a little bit of learning, at times can be dangerous,’  and in Rooplall’s case overtly so I do hope at no given juncture, he interacts with nation’s youth, relating to tuition, since it definitely will have adverse effects in the molding the young minds.
By the way, how does Dudhnath’s “friend from Ethiopia, who never touched marijuana/weed” enter the discussion? Moreover, when no reference of such was previously alluded to!
Once again, in choosing the lesser of the two evils, would the brother support “repealing transgender laws, or decriminalizing marijuana? From a spiritual/religious perspective, what does the Bahai Faith preach/teach about transgender relationship and same sex marriage?
“His eyes were flaming red, the smoke that proceeded from his nostrils; the cloud was a covering, and the flame, for a light.” However, with the brethren definitely having something against marijuana, which he is free to express. At the same time, if the brother does care about humanity, he should be concerned about our nation’s economic standpoint, via the national treasury. Is it financially prudent to have 500 individuals incarcerated for 3 years and be fed thrice daily? With the nominal cost of $ 2,250 per individual daily, excluding other expenses of which I’ll add $750, totaling $3,000! For a period of 3 years; please do the math.
Brethren, this substantial figure, I’ll leave to the Hon. Minister of Finance and internationally acclaimed economist, Dr. Clive Thomas to ascertain, which part of our economy; be it health-care, public infrastructure or education will better be served, for the nation’s benefit.
While not foregoing, the Hon. Opposition Leader. For the public’s perception, what is the rational in bragging of “Dudhnath”, as being maybe the only surname spelt that way in the entire world”?
My brethren, I’ll place a wager that given the high level of illiteracy, prevailing in Guyana’s rural areas, 7 decades ago, devoid of primary education.
This could have led to late and incorrect date of births and registrations; moreover, due to single parentage in some instances, and the inability to read and write along with home births. I do hope Rooplall Dudhnath, is not a product of this unfortunate circumstance. Should I be victorious, I wouldn’t accept his cash donation, which can be equated to “thirty pieces of silver”.
Once again, I must reiterate after 30 years, way back from 1977, I have ceased smoking marijuana. And I never did it in front of my child (ren). As for the food “better is a dinner of herbs, where in love is, than a fatted ox, with hatred.”
On a specific occasion, I can prepare for you a vegetarian meal, which may not be obtained in “a premier restaurant. “Illuminate, radiate, be not a starless, moonless and dark cloudy night!
Lester Sealey

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