Dear Editor,
I write with reference to Fuad Rahaman’s letter published in the SN yesterday (Oct 6th) urging Guyanese-Americans to vote for presidential candidate Donald Trump. I consider this letter a case of politics gone too far – and worse it is based on outrageous lies. Hardly any false arguments or distortions – all plain lies.
A few bullet points: (1) FR writes: “. . . this presidential race is very close with celebrity Harris being favourite”. FR is extremely worried, so he writes, “So I am appealing to Guyanese-American voters . . . in Pennsylvania, Florida and Georgia [to vote Trump]”. (2) FR makes a point about down-ballot vote: He wants folks to vote for Republican candidates for House of Representatives (Congress) and Senate. His argument: “Should Harris win, a Republican House and Senate will curb her extreme political agenda”. Harris does not have an extreme political agenda. All the items FR mentioned are outrageous lies (gas and food prices have come down to historic low levels; Harris has a plan to build millions of houses and a $25,000 credit for first time home buyers). FR should explain what is that extreme agenda. (3) FR writes, “. . . a majority Republican Congress will mitigate the destruction a Harris presidency will likely wreak on the country”. What is this destruction FR is talking about?
Editor, I have lived in the United States for the last 50-years. For all the elections in that time there has always been a smooth transition between elections. Winner in most cases is declared by midnight. Only recently America has experienced political turmoil – and it has been caused by one man, Trump. He organized and executed an insurrection on Jan 6, 2021, claiming falsely that the election was stolen from him. His messaging has empowered all the extremists in this nation – mostly White Supremacists [David Dukes (KKK) and Proud Boys’ paramilitary]. The only person who poses destruction to this nation is Trump. He has refused to say he will accept the results of the 2024 election – if it is certified free and fair.
I am troubled by Fuad Rahaman’s letter. Two reasons: All peoples the world over vote their “interests” or “biases”. So, can Fuad explain the converging of interests/biases of Guyanese-Americans and Trump’s supporters who sacked the Capitol building on Jan 6th? Second, FR wants Guyanese-Americans to remember “it was the Trump Administration that protected democracy in Guyana when it mattered”. Alright, Trump never went on record to state his position on the PNC’s attempt to steal the 2020 elections. But let’s give his Administration credit for saving that election for the PPP. But consider, can Guyanese cast aside all the negatives of Trump – and vote for him because he is due credit for saving Guyana’s 2020 elections?
Editor, permit me to mention the real danger of Trump’s empowering White Supremacists and Proud Boys’ paramilitary group all across the United States. Two events: Two Indian engineers were having a beer at a Kansas bar a few years ago. A WS saw them and shouted: “Yo, yo, what visa do you have to be here?” The Indians ignored him. WS left and returned 15-minutes later and shot those Indians – one died, other badly engineered. Second, a WS in Philadelphia, PA posted on Facebook, “I’m going in, I’m going in”. No one knew what the hell this crazy man was talking about. A few minutes later the WS man went into the synagogue and shot up the place. Several Jews at prayer were killed. What was Charlottesville about: White Supremacists marching and shouting, “Jews shall not replace us”? And Trump said they were “nice people”. These killings are emblematic of Trump’s call to Make America Great Again.
Sincerely,
Mike Persaud.