Re-read your Maslow

November 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

When I read the Throne Speech, I couldn't help but note the irony of the Government's reference to Abraham Maslow's "Self-Actualisation" pyramid in presenting its social and economic development plan for Bermuda. Another great psychologist, Carl Jung, said that the fate of humankind hangs by a single thread, the psyche of man.

What a wonderful world it would be if our leaders had all reached the pinnacle of Maslow's pyramid and were living our highest human values as self-actualised, integrated, and compassionate individuals. But, of course, this is not the case as we are all at varying stages of emotional and psychological development. However, there does seem to be a more urgent need for persons who choose to take on political leadership roles to show through their actions and words that they have achieved a level of consciousness about their own personal, unresolved issues and are at least working toward a healthy integration, lest these issues become projected onto those they seek to lead. We have seen far too much of this type of projection throughout history and its consequences.

The PLP banquet speech given by Dr. Brown last week is a classic example of one who does not appear to have even begun to do such work. What we were subjected to hearing (and reading) was an unrelenting barrage of hateful, spiteful, malicious remarks about the "other" guy.

Did he not recognise that although the words coming out of his mouth may have sounded completely rational to him and those who cheered him along, the reflection upon himself was far more damaging and horrifying than anything he could say about those he sought to verbally destroy?

Many of us who will be voting next month have had the privilege of either experiencing first hand or reading about truly great leaders. Every once in a while, humanity witnesses with awe and wonder an individual who surpasses all of us in terms of their ability to balance personal ego development and a commitment to unselfishly work for the good of all. Their mere presence inspires us up the Maslow pyramid as they exhibit the qualities of a true leader: heart-mind connection, wisdom, fairness and love for our shared essence. Two such people who were exemplary models of this were Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Their messages were never divisive, were never filled with hateful words, and always transcended the petty and the mundane. They were, for all intents and purposes, self-actualised.

Bermuda is in desperate need of a new ethic. We can no longer allow ourselves to be seduced into a debate that sees the world only through a 'black and white' lens (literally and metaphorically) — although it may help some to feel emboldened and self-righteous, its roots are firmly planted in a field of fear. We need to not allow ourselves to be seduced by the music festivals, the golf tournaments and the other "circus" events that are so socially patronising, and call for there to be real dialogue and action about real issues.

We cannot be asked to engage in Dr. Brown's dance with his unresolved gripes, grudges, and issues (his shadow), as he works it out on the public stage, at the public's expense, at such a critical time in our country's history. The best political, social and psychological work that Dr. Brown can do is to withdraw his projections onto others and begin to turn the mirror on himself. We need an authentic understanding of community in Bermuda, one that heals and unites, not re-wounds and alienates.

I end with a quote written in 1946 by Eric Neumann: "From the point of view of a new ethic, the moral inadequacy of a politician does not reside in the fact on the conscious level that he is not a morally acceptable personality, though there's no guarantees that he will be that either. It is in his total unconsciousness of the shadow and the illusionary orientation of consciousness that accompanies this kind of unawareness which is the decisive factor. The only person who is morally acceptable in the eyes of the new ethic is the person who has accepted his shadow problem; the person, that is to say, who has become conscious of his own negative side".

ISIS

Paget

Help our needy families

November 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

Please allow me space in your newspaper to respond to Shirley Richardson's letter to the editor on November 9. Ms Richardson must be in her own dream land. While it is true that most Bermudians take pride in being self sufficient, I'm not sure if she fully comprehends the tremendous burden that our economy places most Bermudian families.

I would happily welcome any form of break when it comes to either providing additional day care services, or by way of the Government subsiding day care and reducing the overall cost to the parents, which quickly becomes as much as a second rent for most of us who struggle to provide for our children. Under the last nine years the cost of living has been going up by leaps and bounds, the family unit typically require both parents (if applicable) to work a minimum of eight hours which usually require day care services in return.

While it's true that some families do little for their children, in most cases families struggle to provide for their children, whereas something like breakfast, which you may take for granted, is a real challenge for some people. I challenge Ms Richardson to go to a few Bermudian families with small children and read her letter to the Editor with the same bravado that I'm sure she displayed while typing it up. If the Government wishes to assist with a family's expenses in providing for their children, why would you want to stop them? They will, in fact, be providing that hand up that Ms Richardson spoke up but somehow expertly missed the plot on.

As far as where all that extra money will come from, well I'm sure that with the change in Government all the extra money currently spent on travel and other luxury items that our current Government so shamelessly enjoys at our expense will be more than enough to cover breakfast and day care for those that need it. Anything that helps the families of Bermuda and thereby helps the children, I fully support. I would welcome Ms. Richardson to return from her own dream land and come back to the one that the rest of the parents and I call reality.

SEAN SOARES

Hamilton Parish

Fair and equitable solution

November 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

At last every Bermudian has a chance to own their own home. This policy in the UBP manifesto, first introduced by a Conservative government in the UK, is credited with making affordable housing available to all council house tenants — in our case BHC tenants — and is largely responsible for the prosperity and general rise in the standard of living of so many in the UK.

This is a positive and affordable way to deal with our desperate housing situation. The money raised selling BHC stock can be put back into building and renovating more houses. This creates a domino effect and gives everyone a chance to buy at a rent-controlled figure, eliminating the need to hold down several jobs to meet mortgage payments. It has the added advantage of keeping the cost of Bermudian owned property down. Remove the shortage and prices will stabilise.

A far better way than the cumbersome method Government has introduced to prevent the sale of property to non-Bermudians. There is plenty of Government land available for this project without eating into our open spaces and leaves just a few houses above the ARV available to non-Bermudians. A fair and equitable solution. In short, a win-win situation.

NICOLE ALLASON

Hamilton Parish

For racial solidarity

November 13, 2007

Dear Sir,

The election is on December 18, and once again we are going to see in demonstration that the white community vote in solidarity for the white party, which is the UBP. Now, when the white community vote in solidarity; thus vote by race for the white party, it is acceptable and it does not split the country, and neither does it divide the community along racial lines; but when the black people are called upon to vote in like manner as their white counterparts, they are splitting the country and dividing the country along racial lines. Mr. Editor, what one-sided, lop-sided, cock-eyed and diabolical form of justice still flourish in Bermuda today? How is it that what is good for the UBP's goose is not good for the PLP's gander? Is it that the UBP's goose is white while the PLP's goose is black? Then what does that say?

The UBP is preaching a poisonous doctrine that black people should join and vote for the UBP to make Bermuda one, and to move Bermuda forward. Blacks should join whites (when allowed) but whites will not join blacks. This is a doctrine of humiliation and racial supremacy and blacks should be scared of it as they are scared of the AIDS virus. Should you wonder about the increasing number of blacks in the UBP, let Tom Vesey tell you why; and I quote: "People are being 'used' as Mr. Simmons and Ms Rawlins suggest, but it's a two way street. If UBP supporters are using black MPs to try to keep the PLP in check, black UBP MPs are taking advantage of a ready-made white political organisation to pursue their own objectives." (Bermuda Sun — January 19, 2007, p8.)

My understanding is that the UBP uses blacks to get black votes, and blacks use the UBP for ulterior motives. Your guess is as good as mine.

On another note Mr. Editor, Mr. Dunkley and his team have signed a code for a clean campaign. This clean campaign allows for Mr. Trevor Moniz to say that the Portuguese community should not vote for any PLP candidate. That being the case, I am renewing the call that no black person should vote for Mr. Moniz, and not only so, but across the Island I am calling for blacks to vote in solidarity as our white peers, and send Mr. Moniz, Mr. Dunkley and all the black UBP candidates a strong message by not sending any of them to the House of Assembly.

RENDOL JAMES

Sandys

Difficult choice to make

November 8, 2007

Dear Sir,

You recently ran an article entitled "Students urged to vote", which opened: "The Premier yesterday gave his reasons for holding a general election the week before Christmas — to capitalise on the student vote". However, nowhere in this piece did you mention that, at many colleges (including Premier Brown's alma mater, Howard University), the date of December 18 occurs during "exam week"; many students will therefore have the following choice: destroy their academic record, or give up their right to vote. It certainly begs the question of just what was meant by the statement that the date was "chosen with you in mind".

RECENT GRADUATE

Smith's

Be prayerful Bermuda

November 13, 2007

Dear Sir,

Mr. Editor, I received the following e-mail this morning and would appreciate you sharing it with Bermuda. It seems prayer still upsets some people and I pray this will a have the same effect on Bermuda. Please read . . .

When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard; 'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good', but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of speech and expression. We have ridiculed the time honoured values of our Forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!'

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio programme, 'The Rest of the story', and received a larger response to this programme than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our Nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One Nation under God'.

At the end of the e-mail it asks persons to pass this prayer on to their friends and it states 'if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.' More than ever Bermuda, we need to, as a Nation be Careful, be Watchful and most important, BE PRAYERFUL.

PRAYING FOR BERMUDA

St. David's

Rein in the spending

November 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

With the election coming up on the 18th December, how concerned should we be about "The People's Purse"? Having seen a balanced budget when the UBP left power, what could we expect and look forward to in the future if the PLP get in. Having spent, plundered and abused "our" money, like drunken sailors on leave for the last ten years? The answer to the above is — Very very concerned!

DIANA WILLIAMS

Pembroke

Why take the risks

November 12, 2007

Dear Sir,

Doctor Brown has been dangerously quiet on the subject of Independence for the last few weeks, but we all know that Independence is in his mandate; he has never made a secret of this. The truth of the matter is that a vote for the PLP is a vote for independence, and we are told that Dr. Brown plans to convince us that it is the best thing for Bermuda. There has been no suggestion of a referendum, thus ignoring the will of the people.

Imagine sacrificing our invaluable connections with the UK and the whole of Europe and becoming a member of Caricom, where even the wealthiest members earn less than one third of the average Bermudian salary. All Caricom nations are required to obtain a visa whenever they travel, even to the US. We would have to give up our UK passports and all the opportunities we enjoy now of freedom of travel and the chance to work or study in Europe. Dr. Brown says that he will make 'arrangements' with foreign powers so that we can keep our privileges, but the UK government has made it abundantly clear that once we are independent we are on our own. We don't have to look further than Jamaica to see what can happen to small islands floating about in the middle of the Atlantic without a strong guiding hand, and remember what happened to their currency. The Bermuda dollar is valueless outside Bermuda; would it keep its value with independence? it might, but it might not. Why take the risk?

Such a move could send International Business flying to more secure and cheaper locations, we have already been warned about this, but is anybody listening? With no higher court of appeal, there would be no end to the levels to which we could sink. We have already had a taste of financial shenanigans and dictatorial arrogance, and it is time to restore the values of good governance. We all have a chance to change our island home for the better. Think carefully before you cast your vote.

E. RABEN

Paget

Bring back our old ways

November 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

Yesterday as I was walking down Burnaby Hill next to the Bank of Butterfield, two business people (non-Bermudian) almost knocked me off my feet. It was of course unintentional, but I seemed to wonder as they looked far above and beyond me. They did not have to make eye contact but even a dog could sense when someone is in front of them!

Bermuda has saturated our island with our foreign international business workers, because of our current market. Well I say if Bermudians and foreigners are to coexist without prejudice in this tiny island, I only think it is fair that the Old Bermuda common courtesies should rub off on our long term visitors. (Bus courtesy included). Yes, Bermudians can be crude as well but that is not the old time Bermuda of the 50s through to the 90s. I love all races.

MICHELLE CLAMENS

St. George's