May 20, 2012Dear Sir,Please spare some more ink to address my PLP family.There are those who perhaps expected me to respond with negativity to the furore of the OBA Writers Bloc. But love conquers all.I do have something good to say about the persons who have taken the time to write these eloquent letters.I thank you first and foremost for signing your names. Bermuda is small and I hope one day to bump into you and shake your hands and to converse face to face. Then we can honestly and openly discuss the mutual matters of concerns as Bermudians. As a matter of fact I look forward to more exchanges of ideals and principles. There are fewer than five degrees of separation between us all.I must say this — it would be of more benefit to your party and to the Country on the whole if you spent less time regurgitating the same vile name calling of the PLP Family. You do realise you are speaking about your fellow Bermudians don’t you? How do you think my aunts feel when they read how you all describe anyone like them who have supported the PLP all their adult life? Do you not realise without the PLP many of the positives all Bermudians now enjoy would not exist?It would be better for your party if you could or would actually attempt to articulate these things. How does the OBA: Really differ from the UBP? Plan on growing the economy? Plan on addressing racial and social divides? Plan on educating their candidates on present and past issues?Initially, I addressed a few of the faults the PLP as a family has. Like any other family we need to be honest with ourselves and each other. Even after the election is said and done we must evolve in a “Spirt of Inclusion” as Kalid Wasi pointed out.We must view all Bermudians as our family regardless of pigmentation or political affiliation. PLP support is not only among black Bermudians. More importantly there lie many Bermudians who wish to put behind us the regurgitation of race issues.How we address these is yet to be decided. However let me publicly state I have met and befriended many persons over the last few months who normally we would not have been in each others social or political circles. Do we have differences of opinions? Yes. Do we speak to each other disrespectfully? No.Whichever party we support, we must hold our MPs more accountable. They must be accountable to the constituencies that will vote them in and accountable to the Country at large.We all work hard for the money that any MP or Minister gets paid. We must remind them in our own unique Bermudian way that we the family “aink giving them no free passes jus cause ya family”They should have clinics or get-togethers. They must show their face on our doorsteps when we have an issue. This is after all what they signed up for is it not?But we must also recognise and appreciate that being an MP is a 24/7 job and deserves respect from the public as well. There are many of us that condemn and criticise from the sidelines, but are unwilling to become involved ourselves.Family, we must show our young ones the rich and diverse history of our Country. Oral history resonates far wider than hoping the teachers at school have pointed out what book to read. True education starts in the home.I can go on and on but I will close here …Initially I wondered why so many OBA folks got all riled up at a “Dear PLP” letter. Someone then pointed out that there were two distinct possibilities.Firstly, they, the now, OBA supporters (former UBP supporters), have always relied heavily on the disunity of the PLP family, as in they would like to see us become divided so they can conquer us politically once again. Hence any calls for unity and togetherness among us will be met with open disappointment from the OBA. Family, please make sure you are properly registered to vote. And do not let rain nor sleet nor snow keep you from the polls.“They don’t want to see us unite:All they want us to do is keep on fussing and fighting.They don’t want to see us live together:The brotherly love (brotherly love), the sisterly love (sisterly love)I feel this morning; I feel this morning:”Bob Marley Top RankinThe second reason given for their emotional reaction is this … They might claim UBP/OBA as their political views, but deep down every Bermudian regardless of colour is a gombey. Every Bermudian regardless of disagreements loves our Country. Deep down they want to be with us. So let us open our arms and welcome them home. They apparently feel left out.“There’s no place like home”.PLP and now OBA Family, until next time.CHRISTOPHER FAMOUSDevonshire