Our leaders must be statesmen and not sly mongoose

Jan 25, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – I read the article on Tuesday 23rd January, Kaieteur News, Peeping Tom, titled “American Democracy is on the decline.” I comment because they say that if America sneezes, the world catches a bad cold.. It dealt with the situation unfolding for the main event in the United States this year, their National Elections to choose its President and Commander in Chief.

In essence, we recall the situation in the early part of the twentieth century, that is whether the White House incumbent will create the imagery of an ugly American, a strong American or a caring American.

Since the US is the most powerful and still influential nation on earth the articulation in this item should be of concern to all of us. The article advertised America being the bastion of a modern democracy and that the Trump-Biden contest looming may very well challenge this title.

But Dear Editor and citizens, having spoken to residents in the US, first and second generation, I could not help but worry that this mighty State still faces its Achilles heels of deep, very deep embedded prejudice about the other people. A phenomenon, a worrisome condition that has infected almost every community in the world. Polarisation and the prejudices can be along religious, racial and tribal lines.

I grew up hearing stories from my mother, uncle and relatives who experienced the lingering consequences of attitudes by folks in the deep-south where even as they preached from the pulpit they found great difficulty accepting that non-whites, and whites were all God’s children and the handiwork of the wise Creator. For the sake of America and the world, I hope and pray that this generation can see an attitudinal metamorphosis so that we can make a reality of the things we shout about such as we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. In Guyana, we talk about One People, One Nation, One Destiny, yet day by day our actions betray these lofty ideals.

The massive task is for all of us in Guyana, in The United States and elsewhere to be true to the hopes and aspirations of our founding fathers that when we go and sit in our Parliament, we must rid ourselves of the belief that we know all things and can do all things that are right and proper but much worse is an attitude that the other people have no useful contribution and as we see today, our ideas, our proposals are cast in stone.

Our leaders must be statesmen and not sly mongoose and learn to listen. Our leaders must know that compromise is not a sign of weakness but rather an indication of strength. Whatever happens in our Parliament this week and whatever unfolds in the great United States of America in the next ten months would demonstrate that our leaders are sensible, decent and humble enough to put principles, not beside but ahead of perceived power. Finally, I hope and pray that our young people can emancipate themselves from the horrors and brutality we see today among so-called civilised nations, where human life is sacrificed at the altar of Power, Pride and Pomposity. Today, for the sake of civilization, let us observe what still exists in America on the race issue. I’ve met many, many white folks, many Indians and Chinese who display no prejudice but see themselves irrespective of their origin as God’s children who can work together, play together, pray together, and love one another for a better world. Let us particularly function in the public arena, difficult as it may be to overcome this high hurdle of prejudice, because what the article referred to above did not deal with is the existing polarisation and prejudices embedded in US and other nation’s history.

Regards
Hamilton Green
Elder

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