Dear Brother Gog,
I am saddened. I am hurt. I am crying and it gives me grief to say that I have lost a lot of faith in you. You have made me so frustrated. These angry tears reveal how hurt I am that you would do this to my friends and to me; that you would lie.
You told me, all of us, that you are 100% behind democracy which entails the right to speak. Now we don’t even know your political ideology, do you? You celebrate your founder in March under the theme: ‘His Vision our Living Guide’. Would his vision reflect such cruelty to basic human rights?
Big Brother, how can you gag my friends from talking about what they observe? You say it is disrespectful, but Mama says it is Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Speech and that we as Children have the right to speak out about what is bothering us the most. After all, we the Children of Mama Guyana, all of us, are the ones who decided who will govern us, or have you forgotten, big brother? We reserve the right to say: Stop it!
I cry to Mama Guyana. I ask her: Must we put up with this? Your children for centuries have been gagged one way or another. Always when we break our chains another set in a different form enslaves us. Always, sadly, we believe when the new masters claim to be leading us into greener pastures, but instead we fall into the pits.
Brother Cuffy’s mouth pouts in defiance; a sign of resistance, notice that nothing covers his mouth! I ask Mama Guyana, should we not defy our brother too? Some tried before and now are gone. We only ask for betterment but instead we are slapped in the face with a muzzle, like dogs. I pray that my future brothers and sisters enjoy the freedom we are now willing to fight for.
But big brother Gog, what is so wrong with singing? We get that singing lies is immoral but is singing the truth just as wrong?
My friends sing about their realities; our reality in this country. There is no reason for you to shut them up when we have the right to complain. If we are in pain we have the freedom to say so unmindful of the consequences. There should be no consequences for speaking up and speaking out. Honesty should be rewarded with change, positive change that benefits all of us as a people who struggle together.
We have just completed a celebration of unity, one we hope is a reflection of the one people we have become. But is it really? Or is this image distorted? What good are these celebrations if they lack genuineness? If you try to mute our voices, then how can we celebrate?
Brother Gog, I am hurt that you would muzzle my friends. I am hurt that you now stand as a threat to all artists.
Dear Brother Gog, I now grow fearful. Will you try to silence me too? (Jairo Rodrigues)
