By Oswald Brown

Hate is a mentally debilitating emotion. Some persons are so consumed with it that rational thinking presents them with a serious challenge when they are discussing or writing about an issue that triggered memories of past experiences that were building blocks in the development of the intense hatred indelibly etched in their minds.

When race-based hate of this magnitude is harbored by persons who profess to be Christians, not even the teachings of Jesus Christ can convince them to change their evil ways.

Dr. Keith A. Russell not only professes to be a Christian, but the "doctor" prefix before his name reportedly indicates that he completed the required courses of study to earn a Doctor of Divinity degree.

Indeed, he is also reported to be the pastor of a church in Grand Bahama, which qualifies him to be described as a religious leader, although there are many persons in this country similarly designated who could more accurately be described as charlatans.

Earlier this week, Dr. Russell had a "Letter To The Editor" published in The Freeport News, in which his racist views once again were rawly exposed. The letter was in response to the column I wrote last week on Barack Obama's historic victory in the November 4 presidential election in the United States, in which I noted that the election of the first black president of the United States — a country in which blacks represent only around 13 percent of the population — was an indication of just how far America has "come in terms of race relations since then President Lyndon Johnson gave unstinting support to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places and employment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, another landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that essentially disenfranchised many African-Americans."

I also made the point that the fact that blacks in the United States have been able to "make such tremendous strides in establishing a more racially homogeneous society, as indicated by the election of Obama as President, certainly is an achievement that Bahamians should try to emulate."

Dr. Russell took serious issue with my suggestion that despite the fact that he "is immensely qualified to be Prime Minister of this country, it would be highly unlikely that Free National Movement's Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette would be successful if he seeks to become Prime Minister, and the only reason he will not succeed is because he is white."

Dr. Russell excoriated me for concluding that we "are too small a country to allow the insidious germ of racism to remain so solidly rooted in our minds that we can't establish the kind of racially homogeneous society that results in a black man being elected President in the predominantly white United States of America."

"Unfortunately, it would appear that Brown believes that all one needs by way of qualifications to become Prime Minister of this country is white skin, a little business acumen, and a bag full of money," Dr. Russell wrote.

Obviously, as one who professes to be a "man of God," Dr. Russell needs to take a refresher course in theology and commit to memory a discussion between Christ and Peter documented in Matthew, Chapter 18, beginning at verse 21.

Here is part of what it says: "Then Peter came to him and asked, 'Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?' "

"No," Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!"

Clearly, Dr. Russell should use this lesson to cleanse his mind of the hate that percolates in it at the very thought of a white Bahamian possibly becoming Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Fortunately, he is among that dwindling group of Bahamians in these enlightened times who still fails to appreciate and recognize the tremendous contributions made to this country by Brent's father, the late Sir Roland Symonette, the man who led the first government of The Bahamas as its premier after it was bequeathed some degree of autonomy by Great Britain.

As a result of constitutional talks held in London in 1963, The Bahamas was granted internal self-government, with Great Britain retaining control of the police, defense and foreign affairs. Instead of an Executive Council having control over the various boards that governed the affairs of the country, ministerial government was introduced to The Bahamas in 1964, and Sir Roland became the first premier.

And had Sir Stafford Sands been correct when he predicted on the eve of the January 10, 1967 general election that "as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, the UBP will still be the government of The Bahamas," Sir Roland more likely than not would have been the first Prime Minister of an independent Bahamas.

Indeed, The Bahamas obtaining internal self-government was a result of a plan put in motion by the British years earlier to divest itself of its former colonies, and it was aimed at preparing The Bahamas for full independence. Of course, in this regard, The Bahamas was one of the last British colonies among the islands in the Caribbean and the West Indies to take this giant step towards self-determination. By contrast, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago both became independent in 1962 and Barbados did in 1966.

With the introduction of internal self-government, Sir Roland headed a cabinet that included Sir Stafford as Minister of Finance and Tourism. In the past, Sir Stafford also has incurred the wrath of Dr. Russell, who in a previous letter attacked me for supporting the then Free National Movement government's decision to place his image on the $10 Bahamian banknote.

My argument then and now is that few people would dispute the fact that Sir Stafford was the architect of the economic system that is the foundation for the strength and solvency of the Bahamian dollar today when he changed the Bahamian currency in 1966 from the British-based pound sterling to a currency based on a dollar similar to that of the United States.

Today, the Bahamian dollar is one of the few currencies in the world that trades dollar for dollar with the U.S. dollar. By contrast, the Jamaican dollar, which was stronger than the U.S. dollar when Jamaica obtained its independence in 1962, traded with the U.S. dollar at 75-to-1 yesterday.

What's more, Sir Stafford was also responsible for transforming The Bahamas from being a seasonal tourist destination to one of the most popular year-round tourism Meccas in the world. The model that he put in place for tourism promotion is still very much the same model that is being used today.

Yet Dr. Russell is one of those who insist that Sir Stafford is not deserving of being honored by this country because he was perceived as being a racist. There is evidence to suggest that he indeed was, but this does not negate the fact that he made outstanding contributions to this country and was deserving of being honored.

Unfortunately, when the Progressive Liberal Party was returned as the government in the May 2002 general election, one of the decisions it made during its five year tenure was to discontinue issuance of the $10 note with Sir Stafford's portrait.

This decision no doubt was welcomed by Dr. Russell and people of his ilk who continue to seek to divide blacks and whites in this country by regurgitating the past sins of the UBP. What these people refuse to accept is the fact that race relations in this country have improved tremendously over the years and the entire world is now a global village in which coexistence among races offers a far better way of life than continuing to subscribe to the ideas and behavior on which racism thrives.