Dear Editor,
The recent fatal shootings of two African-Americans in Louisiana and Minnesota by white Police officers generated widespread concerns among Guyanese.
Like America, Guyana faces similar social problems. Both countries experience crime and poor race relations. America has excellent control over its problems but Guyana unfortunately remains impotent. Guyana is in a very sad state.
In Guyana, criminals create havoc and rip lives apart. Just within this year, a string of Guyanese including Omadat Persaud, Basheer Herinauth, Mahendra Persaud, Gowchand Budhu to name a few, were heartbreakingly killed by bandits. Countless others robbed and brutalised. How heart-breaking!
This is exactly why American police kill criminals. Needless to say how shocked I was to witness my fellow Guyanese railed against the recent killings of the two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota while they remain silent on the daily slaughtering of voiceless citizens by criminals here in Guyana. Aren’t criminals wrong to take innocent lives? Absolutely! Aren’t criminals racially targeting victims? Absolutely!
However, Guyana is broadly divided on racial grounds and so there is no solidarity on the heart-wrenching crime situation. Such actions further undermine race relations, embolden criminals and drive up the crime rate. All this ultimately anchor us deeper into poverty. Obviously, our narrow-mindedness obscures our vision to capture this picture.
The Guardian newspaper which tracks killings by American law enforcement officers reports that in 2015 — 1140 people were killed. Most of them whites. However, when this number was analysed as a ratio to the population, African-Americans were disproportionately killed. Why is this?
Surely, multiple factors may be responsible: racial stereotypes, racial prejudice, lack of respect, criminal background, circumstance, personality, mental health issues, dysfunction, threats with lethal force, possession of guns, drugs, etc.
It is hard to single-out any one factor as responsible, yet racial prejudice is singled out. This is wrong. The Black Lives Matter movement was born out of this myth. The reality is that even though racism could be playing a role; we must understand that blacks disproportionately commit more crimes than any other ethnicity in America.
For example, the FBI reports that in 2013, blacks committed 54% of all murders in America in spite that blacks make up only 13% of the population.
Clearly this number is out of proportion and may account for the disproportionate number of blacks killed by the police. This also feeds into negative stereotypes about blacks.
Moreover, let us not forget such crime statistics drive fear into the police, causing them to pull the trigger on blacks. This picture jibes with our experience about criminals here in Guyana, and cannot be ignored, particularly since it costs lives and tarnishes the image of blacks.
There is much work needed to be done in the black community – to bring down the number of blacks killed by police, as well as – to bring down the number of victims killed by black criminals.
The Black Lives Matter movement in no way holds black interests. Trust me! It is racist, illogical and sows discord.
Editor, would we ever entertain a movement such as: White Lives Matter? Surely, society would instantly smack it down because it would be racist. If lack lives matter, then the Black Lives Matter movement would have addressed the so-called black-on-black killings and black crimes in order to improve black lives.
Editor, chew on this: eighty blacks were shot by fellow blacks over the Memorial Day weekend this year in Chicago and culminated in 14 murders.
The Black Lives Matter movement was completely silent on this human tragedy. Do we still believe that the Black Lives Matter movement cares for blacks? No way! Yet it attracts supporters. Why? The only explanation is that its supporters are sucked in through conformity. There is no logic and benefit being a part of such a divisive movement.
In spite of all this, I know there are excellent black people. The Barbadians are testaments to this. They are wonderful. Tourism flourishes there because Barbadians embrace the philosophy – all lives matter. Tourists aren’t scared to go there. The same can’t be said for Guyana.
It is morally wrong for the APNU (PNC) + AFC Government to stick with its failed crime fighting policy.
Education, together with frank discussions, and a functional Ministry of Human Services and Social Protection are needed to address the root causes to crime.
The comrades within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) need to straighten up and our lax justice system needs a complete overhaul. Also, government needs an effective crime fighting strategy if it is serious about bringing down the crime rate. This is doable.
Last but not least, all Guyanese need to be righteous enough to stand with a united front against crime for the sake of our country.
Faithfully,
Winston Conrad
