Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter titled ‘Guyanese Muslims for Obama,’ by S. Ally, New York, published in the Caribbean New Yorker of July 18. The Caribbean New Yorker is a widely read Guyanese community weekly published by Malaysian-born Nala Singham in Queens, New York. (CNY also reprints weekly a lot of stuff including published letters and editorial from the Guyana Chronicle).
This letter has launched a scathing attack on all Indo-Caribbean Muslims. I consider this letter libellous and scandalous. It is difficult to comprehend why Mr Ally wrote the letter and why the editor approved it for publication. What have the Muslim brothers done to deserve to be so targeted by a community weekly newspaper?
The opening sentence of the letter reads: “Whether you believe it or not, most Guyanese Muslims are now supporting Barack Hussein Obama [bold, their emphasis] and want him to occupy the White House.” There has never been a poll among any of the congregations, so this may be a total falsehood. The insinuation is that Guyanese Muslims have committed some sort of crime by supporting Obama. We should note that 18 million Americans across this nation in the primary have supported Obama and “want him to occupy the White House.” Why doesn’t the mainstream press in the United States revile those 18 million Americans in the same way the CNY is reviling Guyanese Muslims?
The letter goes on: “Like all Muslims, Guyanese Muslims too believe Obama is a born-Muslim and he deserves our support.” This is a patent falsehood and is intended to tarnish Guyanese Muslims as ignorant and foolish. Everyone knows Obama, though born of a Muslim father and given a Muslim name at birth was raised as a Christian from infancy.
The writer further states: “I hear many masjids in Richmond Hill, Queens are urging their followers to cast their votes for Obama in the November 4th presidential elections.” This too is inaccurate. A political sermon of this order has never been preached in any masjid in Richmond Hill. This is a figment of someone’s imagination.
The letter then goes on to make one of the more devastating allegations: “For any Muslims – be it Guyanese Muslims or Trini Muslims – supporting a fellow Muslim is mandatory no matter who he is, what color of skin he is and what race he is.” This is an incredibly malicious statement, and it too is false. This is not a tenet or principle of Guyanese Muslims’ creed. Guyanese Muslims here in America exercise their franchise without constraint or pressure from anyone. When they lived in Guyana they did not vote religion or for Muslim parties.
The members of the masjids in Richmond Hill are reasonably well educated on the issues of the ongoing presidential campaign, and are quite familiar with the candidates’ positions on the issues. When they go to the polls on November 4, the public can be assured they will cast an intelligent vote; a vote in their best self-interest.
Mr Ally castigates Guyanese Muslims for what he presumes they will do, namely vote for Obama (no one really knows how they will vote – no discussion, no poll) and then ends his letter by boasting of himself voting for McCain. He concludes: “I hope all Guyanese too back McCain for a better future. I thank Caribbean New Yorker for endorsing McCain as our next president!”
In the last two sentences, S. Ally gives away his secret motive. He wants Guyanese Muslims to vote for his man, McCain. But did he have to demonize Guyanese Muslims in the way he did? And, what did he have against Obama? He wrote: “I don’t trust that inexperienced guy.” Two words, “inexperienced guy” were the only explanation for his dislike of Obama.
Perhaps the more important issues that concern this immigrant community are health care and immigration policy. Mr Ally would do well to win votes for his man, if he would only tell the public about McCain’s position on universal health care and whether he would support a bill that provides a path for the undocumented to become citizens. And, if he cares, tell them about McCain’s plans to end the Iraq War and whether he has an energy policy.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Persaud
