Talk Name is not a simple and ordinary sin

Feb 24, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Less than two weeks ago, I learnt through the Guyana Chronicle’s February 13 publication, that Mr. Winston Brassington had won a defamation case against one of our media houses, and was awarded ten million dollars.
A couple of days ago, the Kaieteur News reported that Mr. Enrico Woolford was suing a media house and its operatives for a whopping one hundred and eighty-five million for libel, a specie of defamation.
Then just two days ago, the Kaieteur News reported that a man shot a friend twice, because the friend was alleged to have ‘talked his name’ with a woman. How pitiful!
Whether you call it Libel, Slander, Smear or Talk-Name, the consequence can be the same. It injures people’s feelings and sullies their character and reputation.
To some people, ‘Talk Name Nah Bore Hole ah Dem Skin.’ They seem to embrace the old adage which says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I am not sure how true that is, but at the other end of the reputation spectrum, is the Shakespearian submission, which says:
“Who steals my purse steals trash….But he that filches from me my
good name, robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me
poor indeed.”
Each person would react differently to “Talk Name” which in many instances contains lies. For example, the Canadian media tycoon, Conrad Black, who eventually became Lord Black who owned in excess of eighty media outfits on different continents, bought yet another media house for the sole reason of terminating the services of an employee whom he accused of ‘talking his name.’
Recently I encountered a certain high priced CEO who terminated the services of a junior employee whom he accused of ‘Talking His Name’ and when called upon to justify his actions, he (CEO), hid like a coward.
Editor, Talk Name is not a simple and ordinary sin which may ‘break bones,’ it is a ‘superlatively’ dangerous mischief which can penetrate the very ‘marrow of the soul’ with fatal consequences.
Some people would sue the alleged Name Talker, some would ‘cuss up and ‘buse out,’ but I never expected to see anyone commit attempt murder because of such an evil. It is most reprehensible deed which is mentioned in the Holy Bible more than one hundred times, but I would want to conclude by referring to the book of Proverbs Chapter 6 verses 16 to 19. They read as follows:
“There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands
that shed innocent blood a heart that
devises wicked schemes, feet that are
quick to rush into evil, a false witness who
pours out lies and a person who stirs up
conflict in the community”.

Yours faithfully,
Francis Carryl

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