Dear Editor,
We wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to your newspaper and its cartoonist Paul Harris for publishing an innocuous satirical piece on January 11, 2015. The image was strikingly relevant in today’s global context and is perhaps an unprecedented attempt by a print-media outlet in Guyana to open discussion on an issue that has been undeservedly allowed to roam freely as a sacred cow, feasting on an open pasture of credulity and lack of critical thinking that manifests in Guyanese society today.
Like most satirical cartoons in the 21st century, this piece entertained yet left a bitter aftertaste. This is what satire does. It uses pointed humour to indicate the folly or undesirable nature of a set of actions by individuals and entities from all walks of life, including the political and religious.
Editor, in the same breath that we commend your newspaper, we must also condemn the subtle threats that were made to your newspaper and its staff by the Indian Arrival Committee. Its letter of January 16, 2015, entitled ‘Sunday Stabroek cartoon should be condemned,’ made an implicit threat: “The IAC, therefore, calls on the Stabroek News, which, inadvertently through its action, possibly has senselessly endangered the lives of its employees.” This should be examined closely by the Guyana Press Association and the wider society.
This letter was an act of cowardice seeking to silence your paper and our fledgling freedom of expression. In fact, this subtle threat bears a marked resemblance to those made by our own Attorney General and begs the question: is it now open season on media outlets who dare challenge the status quo?
We strongly support the rebuttal issued by your newspaper to the contentious letter. In the end, what is even most worrying is that the so-called “condemnation” only succeeded in painting its own caricature of all Muslims as extremists. We believe this to be a dreadful misrepresentation of all Muslims purported by the IAC. Not only was it unnecessary, it was incongruent for an established body like the IAC to issue such an letter at a time when freedom of expression is under threat by Islamic extremists across the world and when undemocratic, anti-free speech proponents in Guyana seek to silence both political and religious sceptics from outspoken criticism. Persons should be free to express their thoughts and opinions, regardless of what those opinions are, without fear of such expression being met with censorship or violence – not even a slap.
We do hope that our support for your newspaper’s right to freedom of expression will be echoed throughout all echelons of society. The Secular Association stands without question in full support of your newspaper and all its hardworking staff.
Yours faithfully,
Ferlin Pedro
Mahendra Doraisami
Lisa Sharma
Sudesh Narine
Rawle Chalmers
Derek Gomes
Alexander Lopes
Members of the Guyana Secular
Association
