April 4, 2014

Dear Sir,

I am not at all surprised that Rolfe Commissiong would take aim at me in his recent April 3, 2014 letter to the editor. He does not realize the harm he does to himself and the very people he claims to love.

I was taught many years ago to stand on my own two feet, build your own world out of whatever circumstance you find yourself. Don’t curse the dark, light a candle. I was fortunate to be born in a neighbourhood and amongst a family and community that were progressive and when you examine their characters, they were built out of self-reliance. I’m talking about people like Edward Simons; Herbert Simons; L L Newton Butterfield, Reginald Raynor, OC Virgil, F W Yearwood and Walter Symore who is still amongst us. I can name countless others if space permitted.

Each of those men built little empires in a world that was totally hostile to them. Reginal Raynor had to fight government and go to court to open his garage and gas station. Edward Simons my neighbour had the most popular block plant in Bermuda blown up with two mighty blast of dynamite on the second day of the theatre boycott and few remember that incident or recognize the fact that his was at the time in 1959 the most successful block plant in the island and was never rebuilt.

I was inspired by a mighty generation of black men and entrepreneurs, too inspired by them to get intimidated or classified by the black leather jackets, caps and dashikis worn as symbol of blackness in the late sixties. Yes of course they were part of our awakening and studying the history of my origins and subjugation and of the liberation movements were all part of a growing experience. However I can’t forget that there has always existed an element who wore their new found acquaintance with our history and paraphernalia not as edification, but as means to show how much blacker they were. Their need for self-exhalation depended on the denigration of others who were not to be deemed as black. They accomplished very little, but in the process killed by way of ostracization many of our able benefactors simply because they did not become impressed with psuedo black symbolism.

“How long shall they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look” Bob Marley (Redemption Song)

At one time in the sixties if you weren’t communist or leftist you weren’t black. Today is like a return to an old bygone era to hear Rolf trying to portray me as an apologist and attempting to educate me about knowledge that I am saturated with concerning the continent now called Africa, its people and its history. My aim in life is to help rebuild Africa through global activities including the diaspora I am actively involved in that program. I am not a protestor, and will not waste valuable time with intellectual games trying to figure who is more blameworthy over the saga of slavery.

I would rather spend the time solving the tribal issues and the land issues that block the potential of growth. I would rather spend the time finding the economic partnerships that can bring growth to the continent and provide opportunity for others and the diaspora. Google ICON magazine look at what is happening in South Africa on 19th of June that’s what I am involved in and if any like Rolf are that concerned about black people or Africa get involved in building tomorrow today stop cursing yesterday.

KHALID WASI