Dear Editor,
I am replying to the letter captioned ‘Caribbean New Yorker did not support Obama during election campaign’ (SN Jun 12) to correct several inaccuracies as they relate to me. At the outset, let me state emphatically I do not know Mr Mohamed Rahaman. He claims he wrote letters in support of Obama; I never read what he wrote.
Mr Rahaman pens: “Mr Bisram would like us all to believe that he has always been a supporter of President Obama. The truth is he only became one after the election was won.” I am an unbiased writer, an objective news reporter, a professional pollster, and a fair social commentator. I do not support anyone or any party blindly. Having said that, it is a well-known fact that I made phone calls on behalf of the Obama campaign to encourage voters in the close swing states to vote Democratic. My labour union will also verify this fact as I have been making phone calls during every election cycle (almost every year) for the last two decades to vote for pro-labour candidates. I campaigned for Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Greg Meeks, Elliott Spitzer, and candidates for every local, state (governor), city (mayor) and national elections. Also, ever since the presidential campaign began more than two years ago, I encouraged people to vote Democratic because I felt we needed a change from the disastrous direction of a failed President Bush. Furthermore, my views on the need for a change from Republican control are reflected in the Guyana dailies as well as in the NY weeklies in the many letters and columns I penned.
The fact that I supported Democrats or Obama in the 2008 election cycle did not mean I should not be fair, balanced and objective in my analysis and reporting in the media. I wrote and still write as I see things and do not make up things or pen fictions or untruths. During the election campaign, I wrote dozens of columns and new reports on polls and issues relating to the election being as fair, balanced and objective as I could – not one-sided because I liked Obama.
Mr Rahaman claimed that “if Mr Bisram had undertaken any polls in the Muslim communities anywhere in Richmond Hill, NY, across the US or in any majority Muslim country, he would have found that Barack H Obama had and still has the overwhelming support of the Muslims.” I did not conduct such polls. Since Mr Rahaman wrote as though he conducted surveys in each Islamic country and in the US, could he please tell us how he did the surveys and the amount of support Obama had last year and now in each country and in Richmond Hill and in other Islamic communities in America? And since he was a declared supporter of Obama, can he assure us whether his surveys were fairly and objectively conducted?
With reference to Mr Rahaman’s question, “Who gave Mr Bisram the right to ask Muslims to embrace President Barack Obama’s message?” Stabroek News penned an excellent editorial titled ‘Obama in Cairo’ on the US President’s address to the Islamic world. Did SN need permission from Rahaman or anyone else to write the editorial? Did President Obama need permission from Mr Rahaman or anyone else to lecture the Islamic world about working with the West to contain extremists or change direction in their views on the West? Were Obama and SN condescending and insulting in their remarks? I do not need permission from anyone to state my views on an issue that is in the public domain. Similarly, SN does not need anyone’s permission to write an editorial about the Islamic world. And Obama was not condescending or insulting in his appeal to Muslims. There is nothing insulting or condescending about my appealing for peace or supporting Obama. Like SN, I merely applauded the President for giving a new direction in US foreign policy towards the Islamic world. Obama has been an exceptional individual ever since he began his quest for the presidency and I praise him whenever I can. And contrary to what Rahaman penned, I praised President Obama numerous times in SN, KN, GC, CNY and other media outlets. Either Mr Rahaman did not read what I penned or did not comprehend what he read or has simply misrepresented my writings. Can Mr Rahaman point to one comment of mine (with citations) that was negative about Obama? He will find none. I admire the man.
I cannot speak for the Caribbean New Yorker and “its support” (whatever that means) as I am not in the paper’s management and do not guide its direction. The paper’s position is (was) not discussed with me. I am of the view that generally speaking the media should not support candidates or parties during elections. The media should be neutral and balanced as I think SN has been since it was launched in 1986.
I should note that Rahaman contradicted himself by saying that CNY did not carry “one positive report” about Obama during the campaign, yet he said the paper carried positive letters from himself and other Muslims praising Obama. That is positive!
Let me reiterate, I do not know Mr Rahaman and do not recollect any writings under that name at any time in the ethnic weeklies in NY or in the Guyana dailies in support of Obama. I checked with the publisher of CNY on the morning of June 12 and he said he does not recollect reading or editing any letter under that name.
It behoves Mr Rahaman not to level false charges or allegations or accusations without evidence. He destroys his own credibility.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
