Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 04, 2020 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
I do not want to hear about the ‘violent history’ of George Floyd, as expressed by a Minneapolis police union leader, who reminded members of that in a letter. What I know and hear is that he is dead in heinous and clearly unjustified circumstances. That is enough for me, and there can neither be juxtaposition nor attempt at justification by dredging up what should have no relationship with his agony and brutal murder.
In the same vein, I do not want to hear that what is happening through much of the United States has anything anymore to do with his death or with outraged protest. That high ground was surrendered when the burning and looting and random killings took over and which distract from when the latest casualty in the police wars against minorities met his violent end on a sidewalk in Minneapolis. It distracts from the quiet rage and the continuing pain that come from now preparing to bury another fallen son, brother, father, spouse and friend from the criminalities in that same war, long protested against, long swept under the carpet through one police cover up and judicial technicality (wink and nod) after another. No! I have no stomach for any of those stratagems anymore that question the applications and weightings of the scales of justice.
And along the same lines, I have neither patience nor use now or anytime for what is widespread and full scale mob thuggery and banditry masquerading as outpouring of human outrage, as responding to the grief of losing one more into the maw of the wanton and the lethal, of one more human sacrifice at the altars of street justice and police justice. For this is no longer about mourning or outpouring; it is the savagery of the streets watched and condoned, even tacitly encouraged, to roam free in not even concealed criminal opportunism and criminal excess. Straight and simple and just as unvarnished. It is too much, has gone on too long, and been allowed too much space to operate and flourish. If the coast is that clear, if the defenses are that non-existent, and if the leadership is that hesitant and retreating, then I, too, might be tempted to try my hand and see what I could go out and bring home. David Dinkins was made to fall when he was accused of such mayoral and leadership failure decades ago. Somehow, I sense that there will be no fall guys this time. But that is buried and forgotten history.
Now, it is from those chiefs of today, all proud New Yorkers – a president fighting his own demons, a governor too removed from the center, and a mayor over his head – that I would like to hear something from: Timely and constructive leadership; frank and firm generalship; and calming and steadying stewardship. The problem is that, at a moment of dire need, of great danger (I speak not of property) there is this worst possible combination that could be at the helm, that I can recall. I would like to hear also from mature and sober black leaders and elders: The message is not being maximized; the objectives are being obscured and defeated; and what is happening is playing right into the stereotypes that existed before and are now even more fixed. The memories of the many fallen are being desecrated by such depravities.
Two wise and seasoned black men, black leaders of outstanding character dared to go against the grain, to break the mould. One is a hitherto and relatively ‘unknown’ mayor by the name of Ras Baraka, while the other is none other than President Barack Obama. The former is the son of a controversial, but illustrious father, and is the mayor of Newark. That would be the same place that was torched and today still wounded from the urban battles of 1967. There was a huge solidarity march last weekend that was impressive for its discipline, restraint, and general peacefulness. I would like to see more of that kind of determined and powerful leadership from the front in white and black America right now. I would be delighted to behold the same right here in Guyana today.
President Barack Obama, the second black leader, stepped forward since last week to articulate this gem publicly “Let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our justice system, and American society at large, to operate at a higher code, then we have to model that code ourselves” (USA Today, June 1, as excerpted from Medium). Like I told a few Guyanese brethren since: If that is not profound, then nothing is. I applaud him for his depth, his courage. But where are the other voices that should be saying one word: Enough! And then follow up with two more: Go home. It is past the time to go home. Many pieces wait to be picked up, scars to be healed. And none more so than the family that grieves and the communities that already hurt, and which will pay a still harsher price.
My last thought is this: After all the talking and posturing in this country, where are the kind of leaders, the people of reconciling and healing, like Ras Baraka and Barack Obama? We, too, are going to need it.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
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