Latest update March 22nd, 2025 3:46 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

The world in 2017: Humans are inhuman

Jan 06, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

There is hardly any logic in the way humans carry on their lives. Here is a hypothetical example of behaviour that is supposed to be logical, but there is no guarantee it will turn out to be so.

A man and his family are stranded on an island for a week and death is coming in a day’s time. Several governments have refused to mount a rescue mission. Jamaica decides it will do it.  The man and his family are saved.

In logical terms, you would expect that family to have an outlook that is very pro-Jamaica. They will forever be grateful to Jamaica and naturally, Jamaican sentiments will run through their blood. It is highly irrational for that family not to see Jamaica in endearing terms. But it can happen and has happened. Humans are capable of unimaginable ingratitude.

2017 produced the most anti-immigration president in the history of the United States – Donald Trump. Here is a graphic example of the inherent flaws of humans. Trump’s mother was an immigrant. Trump’s grandfather was an immigrant. Trump current wife is an immigrant that he met in the US. How is it possible for such a person to have an uncompromising position on immigration?

He has already enacted policies that would minimize the flow of immigrants from around the world, not just Muslim countries and Hispanic nations.

Here is another example of this congenital fault in humans. There is a US Senator named Ted Cruz. He belongs to a political party that has strong anti-immigrant positions – the Republican Party. Would you believe that this man’s father was a refugee from Cuba and he himself was born in a foreign country – Canada?

Since we have mentioned Canada; here is another example of the beast that lies in us, humans. The present Canadian Minister of Immigration, Ahmed Hussein, was a refugee from Somalia, yet this man is no friend of immigrants. He has refused to intervene to authorize refugee status to four persons from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, respectively, who are facing imprisonment in their respective countries for harbouring Edward Snowden when he was held up in Hong Kong.

Of all people who should understand these people’s plight is someone who fled savage violence in one of the world’s most violent countries – Somalia. There is only one word to describe Hussein – monster.

It was indeed a sad year for the world. Those who study philosophy must have been severely depressed at what Aung San Suu Kyi turned out to be. This was one of the great figures of the late 20th century and early 21st century. She single-handedly stood up to the fascist bestialities of the Burmese army. The world stood by her and that is what saved her from being killed. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. My daughter had this woman’s photograph along with Malala Yousafzai plastered on her bedroom door. Look at what this woman became in 2017.

This woman turned out to be a monster after she came to power in Burma (years ago renamed Myanmar). The army began the systematic slaughter (rape and extermination) of members of the ethnic community, the Rohingya people. The world media captured the genocide, and yet to date, Suu Kyi has denied the committal of these atrocities by the army.

Why? Because she is now in power and the constitution of Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya people as citizens of Myanmar. So Suu Kyi fell victim to one of the world’s oldest sicknesses – ethnic solidarity.  The rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi tells the tragic story of the flawed journey of Homo sapiens thousands of years ago. We may be higher animals, but we are incapable of showing the love that inheres in lower animals.

2017 saw a hilarious moment in the US that needs to be commented on. There was widespread discussion in political and media circles about the mental health of Donald Trump. But these thoughts did not capture the mental well-being of several influential US lawmakers in the Senate and the House of Representatives. If Trump is unbalanced, then so have to be these people who are his stanch allies in the US law-making bodies. Some of these people are as racist and extremist as Trump. Why are they not as crazy as Trump?

Finally, the ongoing tragedy of Russia. If anyone studied history during their university sojourn, they would tell you that Russians have had no moment of social peace. Putin is the new tsar of Russia. Russia effectively has a new emperor that in Russian language is the tsar. As 2017 was about to close, Putin’s main challenger in the upcoming presidential elections was banned.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act meeting tomorrow

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Mar 21, 2025

Kaieteur Sports– In a proactive move to foster a safer and more responsible sporting environment, the National Sports Commission (NSC), in collaboration with the Office of the Director of...
Read More
Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd Qualifier

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Mar 21, 2025

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Mar 21, 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil, Guyana finds new lifeline

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Mar 21, 2025

Three more matches billed for this weekend

Three more matches billed for this weekend

Mar 21, 2025

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess Championships

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Mar 21, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]