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Dear Editor
I make no apology having a preoccupation with race. Unlike Vishnu Bisram whose preoccupation is driven by promoting a narrative his race is superior; mine is the pursuit for racial justice in the economic, political, and social space for all Guyanese. As a trade unionist who stands up for the rights of the working class across race, sector, creed or region, I would be abrogating the principles of trade unionism were I to stay silent when my race is singled out for sustained attacks, mistreatment.
Response is being made to another of Bisram’s distorted letters: “Lincoln Lewis has a pre-occupation with ‘Race’” (KN 6th Jan 2021). Guyana is birthed out of a racist past, where the dominant race not only exploited the others but sustained the evil system through the divide and conquer rule. Decent Guyanese, who had enough, charted a new course in 1966 to put the racist past behind and build a nation of one people (equality). Vishnu, et al, may not desire this thus they will have to encounter me, and I do not care how angry they are with my presence in the public space.
I reject his new racial mischief to emasculate the role of U.S Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ black Jamaican father, Donald Harris, in influencing who she is today, because according to him that sole credit belongs to her Indian mother, Shyamala Gopaul Harris. He is behaving as though he was not only the lucknee in the Harris’ union but was part of their household.
Bisram needs a reality check on race as a non-white person living in the United States. Thanks to the sweat, blood, tears, pains, injuries, mutilations, beaten bodies and loss of life of my African American brothers and sisters, he enjoys equality in a foreign land. Theirs is a proud story of resistance to injustices and the fight for equality for coloured people. He is reminded of the greats such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and Stacey Abrams, whom he owes a tremendous amount of gratitude.
In the U.S, which continues to confront its racist past and seek to correct same, he is the beneficiary of laws such as Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Fair Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity, and affirmative action. He can sit anywhere on the bus or train in any state, attend any education institution, get any job once qualified. He can vote and have the protection from being discriminated against because of his race, belief or political association. He can live in any neighbourhood once he can afford it, enter any business, and eat at any lunch counter, etc.
These are benefits fought for and achieved by my fellow black brothers and sisters. That he not only takes these for granted but is comfortable promoting the denial of same for others, he will find an opponent in me.
I shall continue to challenge his interest in Indian triumphalism. I am the least bothered that he takes offence when I speak about racial injustices. I shall continue to shine light on the problems he wants us to ignore or is comfortable with because of who are affected by and who are the purveyors of injustices. Whereas he does not see African Guyanese equally deserving of what he enjoys in the U.S. I have news for him. He, nor any who thinks like him, will still my voice or hinder my pursuit for racial respect and justice in this society.
His instant letter is punctuated with his usual bigotry, tripe and fake intellectualism. He is just like Freddie Kissoon in his column of 9th January who still cannot differentiate the dynamics at play in the USA election and Guyana. Consequently, he continues with his false analogies and thinks when he names me, he adds credibility to his piffle. Intelligent minds recognise he brings nothing qualitative to serious discourse other than nonsensical reasoning, magnifying stupidity. Both Bisram and Kissoon continue to blissfully palaver, making statements absence of evidence and context, highlighting the idiocy they bring to discussions of import. They are the epitome of ‘academic’ nincompoopism.
Bisram is once again challenged to provide evidence to his claim that “workers he spoke with say Lewis should take positions like that of his predecessor Joseph Pollydore and be supportive of what is right not what favours his race.” This pseudo academic and pollster, like his buddy columnist, know only one thing- public mischief which they are being allowed to perpetuate with impunity. As his buddy was put on notice so is he. If he comes at me with his continued foolishness I will respond with the proverbial sledgehammer. Enough is enough.
Regards
Lincoln Lewis
