Dear Editor,
January 15 was the 94th birth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. That day is a national holiday in the United States in honour of the role he played in the civil rights movement in the United States of America. In fact, he was assassinated in 1968 but he lived to see the passage of two important pieces of legislation, namely the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Prior to 1965, the franchise was limited and Blacks, especially women, were denied the right to vote and were subjected to all manner of discrimination and indignity.
However, it was his speech at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC that endeared him in the hearts of millions of people across the world. His speech in 1963, ‘I have a Dream’ turned out to be a rallying cry in the civil rights movement and one of the most iconic speech in American history. His call for civil disobedience and nonviolent forms of struggle to end segregation and for racial equality resonated with people not only in the United States but throughout the world. Thanks to his struggle, race relations in the United States have improved significantly.
Like the United States, Guyana has made much progress in terms of race relations, especially when compared to the turbulent 1960’s. Unfortunately, there are still persons who continue to beat the race drum in an attempt to score cheap political points. The Racial Hostility Act makes it a criminal offence in Guyana for persons who incite racial hostility but there are still a few in our midst who continue to spew the ‘poison’ of race in apparent violation of the law.
Such attempts are dysfunctional to a peaceful and harmonious society. The good thing is that Guyanese today are much more politically matured to fall prey to politics of race. As pointed out by the late Dr. King, people ought not to be judged by the colour of their skin but by the strength of their character. There are some who are quick to attribute the factor of ‘race’ despite how well-meaning and good an activity may be from a developmental perspective.
As we reflect on the life and work of Dr. King, we need to join hands and hearts to create a society in which there is social cohesion and ethnic harmony.
Sincerely,
Hydar Ally