--- Gibby Cham <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> My Ceesay, I'm not going to sit here and make what is
> illegal to be legal,

Thank you for your rationality.  There are some who would still
argue that the ends justifies the means: even "accidentally" or
intentionally overstaying when they know what the rules are.
That is the worst kind of sin because they know the truth but try
to twist and rationalize the situation.  They say, "oh, when you
look at it like this it is not really against the letter of the
law I suppose" -- even though they know full well the spirit of the
law.  Then hundreds and thousands of others get punished because
Gambians earn the label of liars.  This is a terrible thing
because their pride and self-centerdness gets in the way of them
confessing that they were wrong.  I'm glad to see you are more
smart than that.

> but we have all at once did
> something illegal in our life and never got caught.

And sometimes we hide the fact.  That is the act of a boy.  A man
admits it, turns himself in, makes re-payment on his honor.  Doesn't
your beloved atlanta have a story about the first USA president as
a boy saying "I cannot tell I lie" and admiting on his own free will
that he cut down a neighbor's tree?  Isn't that a parable?  That is
the act of a man.  People who don't develop that honor are still
children, despite their age.

> Mr Ceesay, today if you pick an apple for example that
> is not yours but you were not given permission to take
> it. May be it belong to a friend or roommate. What
> would you call that? stealing I should believe

Yes.  As a man I will not do it.  This is the most basic of
laws.  If I find out later that I have possibly made an error I will
immediately go and pay well for that Mango etc.  People who cannot
believe that are beyond hope.  Their bad nature does not let them belive
that there are good people.  They assume that "everybody" takes bribes.
That "everybody" has a price.  Then society pays for the sins of those
few.  What is horrible becomes normal.

> If you were in the situation that these people are in,
> we would feel saddened by it.

If I had done wrong I would say I had got what I deserved.  The
wicked man will try to fight and argue and justify it, however.

> So people,
> let's ignore this negativeness ...

When people call the commandments of the Koran or Bible negativeness
then we are in trouble.  "Do not lie."  That is a simple absolute thing,
and it doesn't matter the situation or what others have done to you.
It brings an interesting question = are many people willing to lie
and steal because their country/family is poor.  OR => are their
countries and families poor BECAUSE they are wicked?
The lucky and educatedt escape and never go back even if they have
to lie and cheat to get away.  They then act concerned by sending a
bit of their money home to mother, or writing on the internet.  ARen't
they grand?  Then they act surprised when they get caught because they
are in a land where "the rule of law" means something.  Then they
turn to heaven and pray for themselves.  Too late now!  Yundum
airport is in your future!

This is all I will say.  I will reply no more.  I will read no more
comments or respones on this subject.  It is an absolute matter.
Read your Koran or Bible.  You overstayers just be sure to have your
white-out ready when you get to the parts you don't like.

MC

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