For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”

Proverbs 23:7

In July 2015, award-winning actress America Ferrera penned a thank-you note to Mr Donald Trump:

“Dear Donald,

You’ve said some pretty offensive things about Latino immigrants recently and I think they’re worth addressing. Because, you know, this is the United States of America, where I have a right to speak up, even if I’m not a billionaire. Isn’t that awesome?

“Anyway, I heard what you said about the kind of people you think Latino immigrants are: people with problems who bring drugs, crime and rape to America. While your comments are incredibly ignorant and racist, I don’t want to spend my time chastising you. I’ll leave that to your business partners like Univision and NBC, who have the power to scold you where it hurts. Instead, I’m writing to say thank you!

“You see, what you just did with your straight talk was send more Latino voters to the polls than several registration rallies combined! Thank you for that. Here we are pounding the pavement to get American Latinos to the polls, while your tactic proves most effective. Remarks like yours will serve brilliantly to energise Latino voters and increase turnout on election day against you and any other candidate who runs on a platform of hateful rhetoric.”

Her note has inspired this “thank-you note” to a few people as well.

Attacks on Bermudians

First, thank you Mr Fahy.

The perceptions of your continuous arrogance and contempt towards Bermudians in regards to immigration policies as well as your attacks on workers’ rights have galvanised thousands to stand up in unity for themselves and their fellow Bermudians.

Your recent negative words towards and about Bermudian ombudsman Victoria Pearman have shown professional Bermudian women that, regardless of their work ethics and unblemished professional records, there will be persons such as yourself exhibiting ministerial misogynistic mannerisms.

You alone have become the de facto face and voice of the OBA.

So we thank you.

Second, we would like to thank Senator Georgia Marshall for her constant outbursts against Bermudians.

On October 28, 2014 you attacked Mr Jamahl Simmons, stating that he was not connected to the Somerset community. Funnily enough, you never knew that almost the entire parish of Sandys was educated by his grandfather, Mr Snaith, and that for many years his father, Mr Lionel Simmons, represented the parish as an MP. Yes, the very same parish that MP Jamahl Simmons spent his first 20 years of life.

In an interview on national television on May 27, 2015, you lashed out at veteran Bermudian journalist Gary Moreno and his production team, falsely accusing them of, first, not running a disclaimer on a paid broadcast and, second, being part of a “combined opposition”.

Again, your public outburst exposed that you seemingly had not even watched the programme yourself.

Most recently in Senate chambers, on July 15, 2015, you decided to broaden your verbal attack on every born Bermudian with the following statement:

“My Bermudian status is as a matter of adult choice. Maybe I’m not the same as that member; because that member’s Bermudian status is an accident of birth.”

Your lack of understanding borne by that statement speaks for itself.

Over the past nine months, you have helped to galvanise thousands of Bermudians to stand up in unity for themselves and their fellow Bermudians.

So again we thank you.

Consensual silence?

Last, we would like to thank Premier Michael Dunkley.

Your continued silence on these issues would indicate that these senators have your full support for these ongoing attacks on Bermudians. Your constant photo ops cannot erase the anguish, disrespect and hurt that these two senators, in particular, continue to heap upon thousands of Bermudians.

Thousands of Bermudians and their families who have worked hard for 400 years to build this country.

These senators seemingly speak to and for the mindset of the OBA leadership, as not once have you asked them to apologise.

Thousands are now galvanised in unity. We thank you.