“I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”— Margaret Thatcher

I find it amusing and interesting, yet not surprising, at the weekly comments posted online by those who hide their real names in order to write baseless comments.

Over the last week, they have seemingly had a field day, in response to a column of mine, published last week, Friday, January 17, 2020.

In this column, the historic facts were presented, that after 1945, thousands of persons migrated from the United Kingdom to Bermuda.

Leaving a country that was steeped in unemployment and massive labour strikes, they found steady employment in both the civil service and the private sector in our island.

The column then went on to show that these same persons, were given both Bermuda status and voting rights, after only three years of residency.

However, during the same time period, born Bermudians were denied the right to vote, unless they owned property of a certain value.

So, with both being undeniable historic facts, it is interesting, yet not surprising, that the faceless commentators went into overdrive.

Some prime examples, are as follows:

“Maybe next, Famous could write about the West Indians in Bermuda, and how badly they were constantly persecuted and antagonised, by black Bermudians, for decades. These so called ‘Jump-ups’ fought a hard fight for their self-respect and dignity, in order to become productive citizens.” — R Wells

“And here we have it. Learning history from Netflix. It’s a dramatic entertainment. And from this hypothesis is built and opinion is made. Read some history. Educate yourself. Get an education. Trivial opinion from an admittedly trivial mind” — Here we go again

“The latest in, we had a racist immigration policy in the past, so it’s OK if we have a racist immigration policy now.” — Edmund Spencer

“How many generations Bermudian are you?” — Expat Nation

So, despite the usual nonsensical points and insults being cast, not one person, can deny the salient historic facts presented.

On Monday, January 20, it became more interesting, with a letter to the Editor, from former UBP MP Allan D. Marshall.

AM: “In it he tried to connect the dots from the postwar period, that British immigration to Bermuda had all to do with the Bermuda Government — at the time led by the United Bermuda Party — trying to shore up votes. Really?”

AM: “What is most ironic, in the same edition of The Royal Gazette, on the front page, which continued on to Page 2, there is an article, headlined: Time to make strong links with St Kitts & Nevis. It usually takes a politician a long period of time to master the technique of ‘speaking out of both sides of their mouths at the same time’, but Mr Famous has become an expert in only two to three years, and gone public with such in the same edition of The Royal Gazette. Sorry, Mr Famous, you can’t have it both ways.”

AM: “Let’s not demean this legacy with such vitriolic political speech. I’m sure the voters of Devonshire East didn’t elect Mr Famous in 2017 to hear his version of history.”

The article in question was not written by me, it was written by Royal Gazette journalist Jonathan Bell.

It is not my version of history; it is simply historic facts that cannot be denied.

Here is an excerpt from the official Hansard of the UK Parliament in June 1967:

“ ... It seems to me that Bermuda status is reserved for white people. Since the establishment of this qualification 700 white people have been granted it and six coloured people.

“Two of the coloured people are Dr King and Mr Richards who are well-known supporters of the UBP. If Bermuda status is to be one of the qualifications for standing for Parliament, we need an explanation why 700 white people have achieved itas opposed to only six coloured persons”

It is interesting, that in all these replies, not one person, including, former MP Marshall, has been able to deny the historic facts, that have created economic and racial divides in this country. Instead, they, whether using real or false names, revert to personal or political innuendo.

So, the real issues that they wish to discuss, is not if our country’s history is steeped in bias, economic and immigration issues.

No, the false narrative that they wish to put forward is that anyone who speaks on these historic issues, is not fit for public office.

That, my fellow citizens, is the state of our country.

• Christopher Famous is the government MP for Devonshire East (Constituency 11). You can reach him at WhatsApp on 599-0901 or e-mail at cfamous@plp.bm