How can we effectively and aggressively combat the issue of Racism?

Nov 07, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

Yesterday around 5 p.m. I received a message in my inbox. It was very disturbing and unsettling to see and hear how the Africans are depicted by an Indian student on an Instagram post. I became angry instantly, even worked up. Is this what someone of another ethnicity thinks of mine? I know him, he has never come across as racist to me, is this what he thinks of me? Most of the administrators of the University of Guyana are of African descent, is this how he views them? Why? His apology saved him not, if anything, it made matters worse!
I refused to comment on the issue at the time, based on the fact that my emotions were worked up and I wanted not to make a statement out of anger. Was he wrong for what he said? Yes, absolutely, and at all cost actions like this should be condemned.
However, there is a bigger picture here. Is it okay to say things, which might offend an entire people, publicly or privately? Racism in Guyana is not a secret topic and many of us are guilty of making derogatory remarks to another race, directly, indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally. Our very institutional socialization which includes our education, religion, family and political parties have been using this very topic to divide us for a number of years. Oh, how I wish our activism would halt such a practice!
As we continue to force this young man into isolation and ridicule him, making threats to his family, have we thought about using the opportunity to spread unity through these same social institution mentioned above? We all have erred in the past, can we not forgive him for his actions, using this as a platform to edify the fellow Guyanese, hence eradicating any such thoughts that may remain?
We may never get the chance to eradicate racism, but at all opportunities, we must be willing and able to educate our populace, which will then enable us to “judge not a man by his color but by the contents of his character”
Jafar Gibbons
President
UGSS 2019 – 2020

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