Hi folks,

It was great reading the interview Dr. Peters gave to the Independent newspaper.
His ideas are always refreshing and challenging.  We, as a nation, are blessed
to have him as one of ours.

It's also especially pleasing to read what he has to say about events in The
Gambia, and prospects for the future of our country.  It so happens that I was
the first recipient, in 1977, of the Lenrie Peters Prize for Public Speaking at
Gambia High School.  I really value the prize especially because of the
circumstances in which I won it.  It was one of my first lessons in people
power.  A number of students were upset enough that I was not nominated for an
academic prize that they organized a debate and put me on the panel.  Our side
won, and so I ended up with the Lenrie Peters Prize!  You might say that the
prize gave me the confidence to be the loud-mouth that I am.

It was also interesting to read about Dr. Peters' thoughts about God.  He has a
very interesting case and one that, in my mind, portrays the value of debate and
dialog.  We are human as long as we agree to settle our differences, no matter
how deep, by the exchange of ideas.  As I always say, I am yet to meet donkeys
in an argument.  They settle their differences by kicking and biting!

Dr. Peters' case for the non-existence of God also reminds me of an interview I
did on a call-in talk show program I used to do on our community radio station
here in Madison.  I did a program on the role of women in Islam, and had the
honor of being joined by phone by Dr. Sulayman Nyang of Howard University.  It
was a really interesting program, especially because Annie Laurie Gaylor
(http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/algbio.html), co-founder of the Freedom from
Religion Foundation (here in Madison), and editor of the Freethought Today
newspaper was also a guest on the show.  She is also an ardent Freethinker, and
very articulate.

Finally, I would like to contribute this perspective I heard a while back
stating the case for the existence of God.  I heard it a number of years ago on
radio and it is a very powerful case.  Simply put, the case is this:  if you
came across a mouse trap you would probably conclude that it MUST have been
created by an intelligent being.  For this reason, it is safe to assume that
something as complex as a human being, or life in general MUST also have been
created by an intelligent, and higher being.  Some real food for thought, even
for a free thinker.

Have a great weekend, and best wishes.

Katim

----- Original Message -----
From: Amadou Drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 9:36 AM
Subject: Lenrie Peters speaks


> Culled from the Independent Newspaper
>
> When Yahya Jammeh and co. forcefully took over the reins of power they
> announced a four-year transition period, which was, of course greeted with
> disapproval by a cross section of the Gambian populace. A national
> consultative committee was inaugurated and at the end of its findings,
> presented a two-year time-table to the AFPRC Regime. The rest is history.
>

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