Good Idea, Wrong Judgement
Dr. Saine's line of dissent, disconnected from the initially gratifying
compliments of others, on the INDEPENDENT'S editorial on the Gambia-L, is
admirable. Objective critics think and behave rightly so.
While I reason that the INDEPENDENT usually and comparatively writes better
editorials than others in The Gambia, and the intent of its criticism of the
Gambia-L was legitimate, it's however, safe to say that the editorial,"Cease
fire, Gambia-L," was too alarmist, moralistic and misleading for public
consumption. The editorial wasn't impressively analytical; but rather,
exaggerated on facts and snobbish of the positive. For example:
"Gambia-L," opines the editorial, "has degenerated to a forum for abuse,
targeting personalities instead of ideas." Wrong. Yes, this forum has
occasionally seen invectives, sometimes personal, but the reality is that
only a few, negligible few, do engage in such pettiness, while the majority
exercises decorum. And think about the good that comes out of the public
condemnation of such indignities on this forum.
Better still, think about the positives emanating from the
cross-fertilisation of ideas, ranging from the "twin-proposals" of Drs.
Saine and Touray, for sensible governance in The Gambia, to the variety of
commentaries, and information supplied by Madiba Saidy and Amadu Kabir Njie.
The bad, only the bad, not even a modicum of the good, of the Gambia-L
flashes in the INDEPENDENT'S leader.
The editorial further states:"Words like 'knave', 'brat' and 'imbecile' have
unashamedly woven their way into the writing of many Gambia-L users." Wrong
again. "Many Gambia-L users?" That's preposterous. The editorialist simply
planted these words, succeeding in firing up the emotional impulses of his
readers, but without being
rational about the context in which such words have been used. True, people
like me have been heavily critical on this forum, but the criticisms,
however hard-hitting, have been largely surgical, impinging only on the
issues and ideas, not the personalities conveying them.
The INDEPENDENT had two good opportunities to do an editorial on the
Gambia-L, when it published the open letters of both Dr. Saine and Dr.
Touray(Dr. Saine, your proposals for a truth and reconciliation commission,
among others, was published in the 14-16 January edition of the INDEPENDENT;
I have a copy). Then its readership would have had a background information
on the Gambia-L, before reaching the editorialist's opinions.
Alas, the INDEPENDENT'S editorial went to press, without an accompanying
story on the Gambia-L, which may compel its readership, unfamiliar with this
forum, to reach dispiritedly baseless conclusions about the Gambia-L. Which
is why Dr. Saine's rejoinder to the INDEPENDENT'S editorial needs immediate
publicity for a balanced coverage and perspective on the issue under
scrutiny.
Holding the Gambia-L accountable for the bad actions of a few, is democratic
and reasonable. However, to conclude that the Gambi-L has now become a forum
for "abuse ...personal feuds ...obvious hostility, hatred," and therefore
should call a "cease fire" not only makes many of us, striving for
intellectual decorum and fortitude on this forum, equally culpable, but also
undeservedly spoiled. The paper's editorial is replete with sweeping
generalisations. And that can be dangerous.
Cherno Baba Jallow
Detroit, MI
>From: Abdoulaye Saine <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Independent View
>Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 16:43:19 -0500
>
>To The Editor, The Independent:
>
>Well Said! The criticisms leveled against Gambia-L by The Independent
>are appropriate and well taken. It is always good to have both
>internal/external criticism. It should also be said, however, that many
>members of Gambia-L have raised the same issue over and over again. And
>that, it is a very small minority on Gambia-L that engage in such abuse.
>For The Independent or the author to give the impression that Gambia-L
>is a forum for emotional outbursts and insults, without looking at the
>healthy debates and in particular,the GAMBIA-L POSITION PAPER to
>President Jammeh and others, is to blow the "insults" out of proportion.
>
>While The Independent can make room for an article on "insults" in
>GAMBIA-L, it has not to my knowledge, made room to cover the Gambia-L
>Position Paper or to interview President Jammeh and other political
>leaders on their reactions to the recommendations. I believe Gambians
>would be better served by a serious discussion of national issues( which
>I am sure you do) on The Independent, than the "insults" a minority of
>us are engaged in. Gambia-L, in spite of the "insults," remains a forum
>of free speech and an exercise in democracy. More important, it is a
>microcosm of The Gambia in both its positive and contradictory
>attributes. Surely, the maturity of a minority who engage in "insults"
>is disturbing to all those who know better. Yet, to focus on the
>"insults" as if this was the dominant feature on GAMBIA-L, is to
>misrepresent what the L is all about.
>
>In conclusion, GAMBIA-L, in my humble opinion, is an effective and
>valuable forum whose members include intelligent, thoughtful and mature
>individuals, not the loud and foul-mouthed individuals your article
>purports. Thank You.
>
> (I hope you publish this as a follow-up to your article).
>
>Abdoulaye Saine
>Oxford, Ohio, USA.
>
>"M.B Krubally" wrote:
> >
> > Ous I agree with you, but MAN! the personal attacks and fighting need
> > to go. This site have turned out to be a place where one cannot even
> > bring up a debate topic without being personally attacked. I hope this
> > article will help direct us to a much healthier style of debating,
> > like the ones we used to have at Armitage High School.
> >
> > M.B.Krubally
> >
> >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________
> >
> > GROWING OLD IS MANDATORY; BECOMING WISE IS OPTIONAL.
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
>
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