Critiques should be beyond Friendship

May 29, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Critiques of arguments or one’s position should not be conditioned by friendship. When I disagree with views of friends or relatives, I critique their positions. However, such critiques or responses to published articles must be civil and not personality driven.
On this score, I am most disappointed with Mr. Lincoln Lewis’s reproach of Mr. Freddie Kissoon (KN May 26). The tone of Lewis’s riposte undermines the morality of the great labour work done by Lincoln over the years. He should have refrained from personally going after Freddie who is not averse to controversies. Personality-driven attacks take away from legitimate arguments.
I, like so many others, have had run-ins with Freddie. But I do not recall any reproaches brought out in the public domain about the kind act (s) performed for (to) him or on his behalf and then criticizing him; ditto other recipients of our generosity and kindness.
No one is beyond critique in Freddie’s world, even if you performed acts of kindness to him. He separates friendship and/or acts of kindness from critiques of a person. Lincoln called Freddie an ingrate. Lincoln’s commentary suggests that because he saved Freddie’s job at UG, Freddie should not critique him. When a kind deed is performed, one must not look for rewards or publicize it to the world. I helped so many people who turned out to be ingrates. But not once have I exposed them publicly.
Freddie too, in his daily columns, claimed he performed countless good deeds without looking for rewards. One has to applaud Freddie for his claimed acts of kindness and writings. He has exhibited courage where few others tread. I do not subscribe to many of his views, but I support his freedom to critique.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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