Let’s move forward in love and in unity

May 12, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

When our children were young, we would occasionally get complaints from them of their peers calling them “false names.” Our conversation would go something like this:

– Mummy, Jim called me mango head.
– What is your name?
– John!
– So mango head is not YOUR name.
– No mummy.
– So you don’t have to answer if that is not your name…

Today our papers are inundated with episodes of “name calling.” I remember after writing about my positive National Service experiences, one writer described my thoughts as “vile.” There’s no need for me to respond to such abject folly. My life speaks to the contrary. My humble advice to those who are offended by insensitive utterances is to ignore them, as far as possible…and to the offenders, if the statements were not meant to be offensive, but rather spoken without due care and consideration; a simple apology would ease the tension. I appreciate and admire the way in which President Ali, in clarifying his Arrival Day message could say, “To my fellow Guyanese who felt offended by the way in which the language was structured, you have my unreserved regret…” (KN, May 7). Come on, beloved fellow Guyanese, apologise when the occasion demands it. We all make mistakes! Let us endeavour to move forward in love and in unity, conscious of each other’s feelings. There’s too much at stake!

Sincerely,
Claudia Heywood

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