Dear Editor,
Francia Marquez, an Afro-Columbian, stood up for the marginalized and the ‘nobodies’ and won. Today, Ms. Marquez, who once was a housekeeper, has been elected Vice President of Columbia – a South American nation with White and Mestizos (87.58%); Afro-Colombians (includes Mixed) (6.68%) and Amerindians (4.31%). In Guyana, the community of Nooten-Zuil stood up for the marginalized and a community’s need for proper infrastructure and lost (temporarily). They are still awaiting an approving nod and the start of corrective action by elected leaders. Nonetheless, they have informed the world of ‘our’ myriad of community issues commonplace for ‘all’ communities. The community was forced to stand independently in the face of marginalization and victimization to denounce the elected administrators with ulterior motives and desires.
A daily serving in the news of young Guyanese falling into human-made traps is plastered in our psyche daily. At every turn, young Guyanese males are marginalized and victimized by bad leadership and bad policy systems. Our democracy is under threat. Who cares? Who benefits? Who organizes chaos and confusion? The answer lies in the unwavering ability of some political, economic, and social groups to engage in groupthink. It’s the classic us vs. them paradigm. No wonder “One Guyana” only appeals to one segment of the nation, whether they believe in a united Guyana. Groupthink is “the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.” In other words, think about who or what has kept Ms. Francia Marquez a ‘nobody’ in Columbia for the last 100 years. Think about the people groups and designed structures that continue to keep the community of Nooten-Zuil victimized/marginalized as a people and not fix their bad roads? Think about young males struggling for an identity as a Guyanese and finding it nowhere in our current crop of leaders or father figures.
The notion of groupthink has led me to reflect on a third scenario – the corrupt practices of a top leader in our society who is heralded as a ‘god.’ This self-appointed leader forced his personhood and position on the nation, usurped the Constitution, and who reigns supreme in the land without accountability – a disaster of enormous proportions. On top of this, the brainwashed supporters rushed to cover his unpardonable sin and to show the world the brilliance of the leader, which is being positioned as much more intelligent than the ‘nobodies.’ Let me interject a word on those who sit in between corrupt leaders and think they are ‘clean,’ in the name of wealth, fence-sitting benefits and righteousness. These people are in the shadows of history and are just as culpable as the perpetrators in our society.
A word to females who allow males to spiritually ‘abuse’ them or lead them to a life of subservience in the boardroom, the kitchen, and bedroom. It would help if you stopped this groupthink behavioUr immediately. Females and males should work in harmony in every area of life. Males must listen keenly to the discourse of females and not shut them down or work to disempower them via sex.
The culture of doing unto others what they have done to me is ingrained in ordinary citizens turned elected leaders. The attitude is to show oneself ‘big (not service about self) when in office and make citizens look ‘small.’ This equates to a reasoning that whoever is not within our in-group (i.e., ownership of a party card) is pressured, shot out and made to ‘wait’ until they cry out, relent or conform. The Guyanese culture practices these habits in the home, on the street, among friends, and within public and private organizations. Also, it spans time, and it matters not which political party is in office – you will be silenced as an independent thinker and doer. On the flip side, many are not aware that, as in the case of Madame VP Marquez or the community of Nooten-Zuil, they are quietly and consistently being applauded and affirmed – in Guyana and around the world. What should be done by every righteous Guyanese? Understand that, like Columbia, the masses must rise. Poverty is a sin. The marginalized can overcome poverty, impoverishment, and a lack of dignity and respect. Guyana needs a new trajectory where housewives, indigenous people, security guards, farmers, youth, etc., can become President. You can vote out bad leadership now! We can embrace diversity, respect all ethnicities and connect to the larger issue – Constitutional Reform!
Sincerely,
Denise Murray
Editor’s Note: The text of another letter was inadvertently uploaded under the current headline. The mix-up has since been corrected. Stabroek News regrets the error.
