Dear Editor,
Election time the world over is a time for debate, criticism, counter-criticism, and even mudslinging. It is not unusual to hear political parties and their prime ministerial or presidential candidates hurl accusations and apportion blame to one another. They all try to reveal some hidden misdemeanour concerning one another and to generate doubt and no-confidence in a particular party or candidate. Their objective is to discredit their rivals and to persuade the electorate to vote in a particular direction.
While the practice of candidate bashing is acceptable and even healthy for a democracy, the way it has been unfolding in Guyana during the past few weeks is alarming and shameful. What should have been election campaign speeches with words to titillate the mind and demonstrate the wit, level of intellect, political dexterity, and personal alacrity of candidates, have become nothing more than the lowest level of diatribe. Instead of attacking opponents’ policies and messages, the attacks are on the messengers. Candidates are called “dog” (daag), “cock-eyed” and much more that I am reluctant to repeat. The words are spewed with so much venom and passion that one gets the feeling of personal vendettas being carried out.
In the last US presidential election campaign we saw many examples of electioneering mudslinging. John McCain stoutly criticized Barack Obama on his record, character, judgment, and experience. He accused Mr Obama of taking money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Sarah Palin also sought Obama’s jugular when she said that in the 1960s Obama was associated with the radical William Ayers and later with convicted felon Antoni Rezko. The criticisms, though, centred on serious matters, and were done astutely.
As the November 28 elections draws closer in Guyana, I call on candidates to go no lower in crassness. It has a debilitating effect on all of us, especially the young. As I read the newspaper coverage of one candidate’s speech, I wondered what example was being set for the many fatherless youths that are looking to leaders for example.
I wondered what the teacher will tell the pupil who reports that his classmate called him a ‘daag.’ Candidates must remember that what is sown as wind today comes back as whirlwind tomorrow.
Yours faithfully,
Lennox Cornette
