Dear Editor,
I find Mr Vishnu Bisram’s tone condescending and insulting in his letter (KN, June 9) under the caption ‘Muslims should embrace Obama’s message.’
Who gave Mr Bisram the right to ask Muslims to embrace President Barack Obama’s message? For the record, Mr Bisram may want to check the archives of The Caribbean New Yorker where he is the “Diplomatic Editor” (whatever that means). The records will show that the Caribbean New Yorker did not carry a single positive article about Barack Obama during the entire election campaign from the Democratic primaries through to the day of the presidential election.
What he will find, however, are several letters from Muslims including yours truly, who not only wrote openly in support for Barack H. Obama, but took the Caribbean New Yorker to task for their anti-black and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Furthermore, if Mr Bisram had undertaken any polls in the Muslim communities anywhere in Richmond Hill, NY, across the US or in any majority Muslim country, he would have found that Barack H. Obama had and still has the overwhelming support of the Muslims.
Mr Bisram would like us all to believe that he has always been a supporter of President Obama. The truth is he only became one after the election was won.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Z Rahaman
Agreed. somewhere in SN’s archives is one of his epistles positing Hilary Clinton as the favorite – his favorite since his poll results are usually an outlet for his thoughts.
I do not agree with everything Mr Bisram says, but he does have the right of freedom of expression and freedom to change his beliefs and opinions. Those are rights that no one has to ‘give’ us; they are inalienable human rights. Similarly, Mr. Rahaman has the right to express what he has expressed in his letter above.
The thinking that everyone has a right to express an opinion in a free society is a fallacy everyone seems remarkably comfortable with. Everyone has a right to an *informed* opinion. *Nobody* has a right to an uninformed opinion. At all.
Anyone who expresses his thinking in public owes it to his listeners/readers and himself to have researched and read around the issue under discussion (and to quote said sources if required). Anything less is misleading the audience and simply blowing hot air. Mr. Bisram has long been exposed as a hack with his own agenda whose writings do not survive serious analysis, and Mr. Rahaman has rightly — and with evidence, unlike Mr. Bisram — called him out on it.
Even an uninformed opinion, as long as it breaks no law or advocate violence, is to be allowed. Then informed persons will refute the uninformed opinion. It is the to-and-fro battle between thesis and anti-thesis that produces a synthesis.
….M’Lord i would have said it ,, perhaps with more words ,, but the effect would have been the same ,, relative to thesis ,, anti-thesis that = synthesis !…..
how do we ,, begin to make sense of that which puts an adverse
strain on the ability of the lesser mind to convey his coherently cohesive ,, thesis ,, that would induce an anti-thesis that would then give us a consensus !…
War, it’s not that I don’t agree with you. I just find it infuriating that when people are defeated by facts and they have no leg to stand on, they find refuge in that old saw of “Well I have a right to my opinion,” as if somehow that makes things right. Ignorance, War, cannot — or should not — be used as a defense when it masquerades as an opinion.
You’re right. It’s infuriating. But legally they can’t be stopped. Only refuted.
M’Lord ,, Pantha is saying pretty much what i’m saying relative to the synthesis !!!!!!!
Bisram seems 2 really have a serious complex…wants 2 fit in 2 d “popular good” at all cost..Even @ d expense of his credibility..
Gheez-yuh all wan to tek away peoples freedom.
Suh yuh messiah Obama won.
I suppose your world will improve. I gat news fuh yuh-you ain’t goanna be one bit bettah.
Sure he has the right to back any candidate, however if you were to follow the tone of the CNY throughout the entire campaign you will understand where I am coming from. When a newpaper carries letters (with fake names) saying things like “we all know what black people going to do when they get in power,” then something else is wrong. Now, Bisram is trying to tell us to accept Obama! Gimme me a break. I am glad that he has seen the light, but don’t try to let on that he was there from the beginning, because he was not!
Bisram backed the wrong horse (Clinton) and know he is trying to cover his bet.
Dmack,,, i will admit ,,, that i started off backing my friend HillaryR Clinton ,, for more reasons ,, that u can ever imagine ,, why ? bcos ,, i know of her
ability ,,which is why ,, after ,, an “intelligent” nay rather an “intelligent public servant” for all of her life ,, declared that she was under “sniper fire” i understood the reason behind this “very intelligent” person in the name of SEN HRClinton coming out to tell the world –whose focus was on our elections– knowing full well that her arrival ,, was being caught on camera — ,, that she was under “sniper fire” ! don’t it sound patent to u ???
immediately i crafted a letter to Terry McAuliff ,, DNC chairman ,, recommending ,, when President [elect] Obama make his choice for his cabinet ,, the SENATOR from NY ,, should be Mde Sec of state ,,,, the rest is now history !…. Politics…..
Bisram doesn’t know what he’s talking most of the time. Very confusing person. Many of the New Yorkers were anti-Obama particularly the Richmond Hill and Jamaica Queens clans.
Don’t forget that before he was anti-PPP and now their friends. Wherever the roads of opportunity leads Bisram follows.
Obama was only placed where he is today to fix the American problem.The economy.He made many promisesSo far, he has failed.All promises as usual,he immediately bailed out those who voted against him, the career criminals of this mess, with billions, acting as a compensation Tzar,while ordinary Americans are still losing their homes and jobs today. The stimulus went to the wrong people, he appointed campaign contributors as ambasadors already,unemployment is a record, almost 10%.When everyone involved should be fired and prosecuted,thieves are still running the markets,housing and banking sectors, and questionable characters are still overseeing the SEC.No wonder we are waist deep in crap.Now there are two things that defeats a president at the polls. An unpopular war, and the economy.For Obama,it is the economy. As the economy dives, so will his popularity.He will be a one term show.
No one is saying that Pres. Obama is the saviour of mankind and surely he has and will make more mistakes, but by and large he has been successful so far. For God’s sake the man inherited the worst economic mess since the depression, and he has only been there for less than 6 months, what do you expect – miracles?
And of course, Pres. Obama cannot please everybody all the time. He will have to compromise and as for the ecomomy, don’t look, but it seems that there are signs that it has hit bottom.
Let’s see where we are 4 years from now. I am willing to bet on Obama.
Then they will put another ‘brother’ to run the show (and shoulder the blame).
Don’t know who Bishram is but he may be one of many who is now jumping on the bandwagon. I can’t see why anyone would be dissapointed with Obama’s performance so far. Either they DO NOT KNOW AMERICAN POLITICS or they think the previous American neoconservatives cared for people like us (Blacks, Hispanics, Foreigners, etc). Obama is destined for greatness. This is evident because he is the PRESIDENT OF THE USA AGAINST ALL ODDS. The rest of the world knows this unless they are blinded by racism.
Really Caesar, get a grip! Think for yourself. You are spewing nonsensical right-wing/conservative rhetoric. Doth watch the ‘fox-types’ too much.
bisram has the right to support who he likes. don’t forget that Clinton’s strategists supported Obama after he was declare the democratic choice. Without those pundits and those 19000000 voters Obama would not have won. People change sides and who cares Rahaman? What’s wrong about Bisram changing position/party?
wisely said, ceasar. he is not listening to his critics. Big government, more dole for the millions of lazy Americans and more money for Acorn who he worked with in his earlier years.2014, he will be a GONER.
RICHARDO WONG.
I WOULD NOT PUT A DIME ON YOUR GUESS THINK AGAIN MR. OBAMA IS THERE FOR TWO TEARMS FOR SURE IF YOU DON’T SEE THAR THEN YOU DON’T KNOW AMERICAN POLICITS.
Caesar Agustus you are one of the smartest person reading SN.I am surprise they publish your view.I hope they publish mines some time in my life span.