Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 29, 2008 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon
I once wrote a letter published in this paper and the Stabroek News confessing to something in life that I have hatred for. Hate is not an emotion or mental feeling people should nurture inside of them. But we all have expressed hate at some point in our lives.
When you think of what Hitler and Stalin did to millions of innocent people; the ways in which they killed scores of millions cause you to harbour hatred for such unsound minds.
If there is anything about another human being I hate, it is when a person can viciously attack public figures and do so from behind a mask. Which genius of a philosopher can justify that? Why should we not hate a human being for writing to his/her fellow citizens and denouncing them for being cowards for their silence in the face of dictatorial government but are afraid to be known?
Public figures cannot run for cover; they are publicly known. Yet nasty minds can criticize them using scatological language; never for a moment reflecting on how insulting is their anonymity to the values that hold civilization together.
Many public figures may be people we do not like but these personalities have the courage of their convictions. A name that comes to mind is Rush Limbaugh, an American radio talk-show host.
He says obnoxious things about politicians he does not like. He will vilify any figure he has a negative interpretation of. But Limbaugh does not hide. If you are afraid of him, then you can write a letter to the media using a false name if you like, asking the public to chastise him. But why use a mountain of cuss words against him and hide under a false signature? It means you are a coward.
Take on Limbaugh and speak your mind about him. It is sickening to refer to a leader or a politician as ugly, fat, gay etc and cowardly mask your identity. If you are afraid, do not use such words.
Another name that comes to mind is Rickford Burke. I vehemently reject and will continue to so, his attack on the late David de Caires when an editorial was done in the Stabroek rebuking the PNC for taking to the streets earlier this year.
I disagreed with the direction of that editorial in one of my columns. I think it was extremely unfair on the PNC. But Burke wrote in his own name. He did not hide. Anonymous attackers are a danger to civilized values because the next generation may come to accept such conduct as valid. I do not read unsigned columns except Peeping Tom and this came about as habit.
I do not glance at “The Parrot Speaks” (appalling nonsense written by monumental cowards) and “Blame it on the Government.” Over dinner, I suggested to two of my friends, Colin Smith of the Catholic Standard and William Cox not to read anonymous blogs.
In the US, anonymous bloggers stay away from advocating terrorism because the FBI will trace them even to the computer used and they will spend the rest of their lives in jail. In Guyana, one of those faceless and nameless bloggers is going to make the mistake of writing something about terrorism that will result in the US asking the Guyana courts to extradite them. The FBI will be sent to Guyana to find the web host.
In the US, there is a discussion forum (I think it is named Guyana Information Service, the GIS) run by people connected to a certain serving Guyanese diplomat. Soon the FBI is going to visit that forum.
If you want to understand the anger one should feel at cowardly writings then see the letter section of the Thursday Kaieteur News.
The signature that appeared at the end of the correspondence is R. Cing. I never saw that name before in any newspaper in this country.
I believe it is not the right name of the writer. R. Cing’s long letter wades into the Jagdeo presidency and derogates the people who serve the Government of Guyana, the business community, and others. R. Cing calls them opportunists and cowards for not speaking up and for sucking up to Mr. Jagdeo.
It is a well written missive that correctly zeroes in on all that is wrong about the political culture of the PPP. But isn’t R. Cing just like the people that he/she quarrels with? The opportunists are afraid to tell Mr. Jagdeo he is wrong. R. Cing is no different only that he/she is more indecent. The opportunists at least keep their mouths shut. R. Cing opens his/hers but hides behind a mask.
Jagdeo giving Exxon 102 cent to collect 2 cent.
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