So, how “Polarised” are we?
-In the departure Lounge: Understanding Death
I hope that as brief as this will be it will be effective enough to motivate you to consider an issue that concerns us all in this under-developed place. Provocative enough to cause you to think about our race relations. And to ponder just how much you could agree – or disagree – with me.
One of the Stabroek News’ regular letter writer-contributors penned this apparently strongly-held view recently:
“The unswerving truth is that Guyana is an ethnically polarized and racially divided nation. Unquestionably, racism and ethnic discrimination and prejudice exist in Guyana. The greatest problem with racism in Guyana is not its political underpinnings or its institutional manifestation but its psychological imprint upon the individual. This psychological imprint and conditioning is the basis for our current dilemma regarding race.
“This is a nation that largely teaches, inculcates, encourages or stands willfully blind to race-based ideologies, perceptions and views along with separation and distinction with impunity. Children are actively taught or passively learn stereotypes, generalizations and other questionable behaviours from elders.”
He later develops his point that children are taught racial stereotypes and generalizations by all types of behaviours and messages, (often through adult family members, I take it.) The writer reminded us of how the plantation owners manipulated race among freed slaves and indentured Indo-immigrants, partly fostering eventual racial animosities between the latter two.
As debates on this sensitive issue go this was a significant contribution, I feel. Another Africanist type supported the findings of the American U.N. Minority expert (?) who visited briefly and found, among other lopsided conclusions that: “Two separate and conflicting narratives and perceptions of reality have emerged among Afro-and Indo-Guyanese”.
I place on record my own disagreement with most of the findings of this well-intentioned but mis-led lady. I have read her report. She spoke to too few (selected) people and organizations. Suddenly there seems to be even a new flexible definition of “minority”. How I wish she had spoken with some pro-PPP but impoverished “Indians” who make up the majority of Guyana’s poor and who have little time for the dynamics of race and politics after “voting day” and when hunger and employment step in. Thoughts of racial differences are certainly there, but it is this poor-ass nation’s leaders who are bent on using and perpetuating “polarisation” for their own ends! Which brings me to how I perceive our realities.
What racial “Realities”?
Within a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society such as ours, with or without our daily challenges and occasional tensions, there is bound to be strong feelings of insecurity, discrimination, partisanship, even hopelessness – based on race or racial factors, real or perceived. And yes, all the legislation and commissions present can’t eradicate a group’s feelings, perceptions and, most of all, its experiences!
My view, frankly speaking, is that we Guyanese of varied groups are not nearly as racially polarized (apart) as some “experts”, sociologists, analysts, columnists, politicians and racists (both outright and closet) would posit that we are. Yes, we bad-talk, over the dinner table after work or in the bars, the other groups’ arrogance, ambitions, opportunities, wealth, needs, cultural and racial behaviours. We do use and mis-use stereotypical descriptions – “coolie/chinee Blackman (?) Buck” – to perpetuate disrespect for others from childhood. But again I repeat my two views and findings after six and a half decades living only here.
One, we have a healthy right to prefer some racial/cultural group of our choice. That’s not racist! Racism is when our minds reject people mainly because of their own racial characteristics – and when our laws, institutions, economics and politics are used to give us consistent advantage, opportunity and survival and dominion, over others, because those conditions are fashioned mainly – or solely – on race.
Two, again, I state that our reality is that, despite our differences we all here work, play, shop, eat and worship together. This Big Beautiful Blighted Land is still no Iraq, India, Ireland, Rwanda, South Africa or Fiji where people are detested, persecuted or eliminated simply because of their ethnicity. They may be extremely polarized – mentally and physically- but I contend that we are not. However proud we are of our “own” and however dismissive we are of the others’ beliefs, behaviours and status. We – the minority – harbour no extreme racism. Oh, so I am naïve, simplistic and missing the fundamental point? Those are still my views. Discuss.
In the departure lounge…
Before he died Hawley Harris, the ace cartoonist who lived his own life with some zest, liked to talk about “the departure lounge”.
He was describing the twilight of a long life, in the departure area of the airport of our existence. Death – that termination or culmination of living – beckons.
Hawley’s acquaintance, the still-alive, 76 year old Dr Ian McDonald, is more than a decade older than I am. However, like him I am already contemplating the vicissitudes of death.
Partly because, I seem to be averaging a funeral farewell a week. I think of life and all my unfulfilled dreams for family, friends and relatives I treasure. I think of premature departure and I cry quietly even at strangers’ funerals. Knowing full well that I have wasted and mis-used too much of my given time.
A pandit, at my last funeral, out-did many pastors, in simplifying one (major) aspect of death for me. “Death”, he decided, “is the separation of body from soul”. Simply but well put.
The flesh and bone are burnt or are rotted away. The Soul/Spirit still soars or plummets. It remains to be judged or assessed. Disease, bullets or nature’s misfortunes kill the body. The soul survives for it is difficult, impossible to harm the spirit. But how did we use that spirit when the body encased it, when both lived and walked?
Those things we must explore – and more – as I stay alive – on these pages.
Until …
Wow! $300M being spent on fighting diabetes here! Good. It’s not all HIV-AIDS.
In bailing out CLICO with our money, will government guarantee regaining most of it?
I too, think the Presidential Benefits are needlessly excessive. I trust a new (party) government will modify it and that their new President won’t grow to “love” it.
’Til next week!
Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com