Mrdgny,
You say, "I happened to traveled upcountry and happened to stump on one
of these occasion giving me the chance to have dialogue with a couple of
elders supervising the rites of passage"  Ok, so while your sitting
back, (perhaps maybe even having green tea) having a talk with the good
ole'boys, some poor girl is having her clitoris cut/ripped from her
body!  I see, you are really ready to help you fellow sisters.  Ok, you
say "female circumcision", and I say FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION!!!  One
in the same, if it makes you feel better to call it "Female
Circumcision".    While your sisters, as you call them are half
sitting/lying there being held down getting their clitoris cut/ripped
from their bodies.  Hell, you call it whatever you like, I on the other
hand will call it what it is; FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION!!!!!
You say, "the answers given, lead me to believe that, these people need
more empowerment, financial, health, education, etc., instead of
damnation."
Seems to me they have enough "empowerment", seeing as the get away with
the barbaric act that they are enabling others to preform this on the
poor (and I don't mean in the sense that they have no money or little
money), innocent,  defenceless girls!  Then you list "financial" well
sure they need money, we all do but so in a sense you are saying to me,
that if they had money then this would not be going on!  I seriously
doubt it!  I guess I could also take it as, if they were not bored, then
they would not be preforming this senseless, totally unnecessary,
barbaric acts.  I don't quite get your idea of thinking.  Maybe its
mine?  People like you scare the hell out of me!  Yet another "health"
well, guess what "female circumcision" leads to a lot of health
problems, even death.  So I make my point again, Why even preform FGM at
all?  Your last, "education"; Well, look here!  That is exactly what we
are trying to do!  EDUCATE, so that they STOP  this totally UNNECESSARY
ACT!!!
That is all we are trying to do, just simply tell the people that they
don't have to preform FGM at all because it just causes a lot more
unnecessary health problems.  Sorry, I might sound a bit harsh but the
fact is; that too many have already been scarred for life and been lost
because of this practice and it needs to be stopped before we loose and
scar more innocent girls.  That is all I'm trying to do is educate
people on this issue and I don't claim to be any professional or
anything other, than what I am and that is a concerned person!  I don't
stand behind any organization!  I sign my e-mails to the group as
myself! I am concerned for the health and well being of these girls that
go thru this every day and until I can do anything to help stop this
unnecessary practice, I won't stop!  Please be open and sign your name
to your e-mails and not your groups name!   I don't think that is too
much to ask!

Love,
Jennifer Eidson

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------