On 19 Feb 2001, at 17:04, Lamine Conteh wrote:

> Mr. Camara:
>
> Our communication at the bantaba I come from
> are based on truth.  We in Kombo East
> Constituency and the rest of The Gambia believe
> in saying the truth.
>
> We also believe that when one steals from you,
> he is a thief.  We believe that when one kills,
> he is a murderer or a butcher.  We believe that
> when one uses religion to further his political
> image, he is a moron.  We believe that when one
> denies citizens the right to electoral process,
> he is a dictator.

Lamin, I agree with you on this above statements.
Personally I have no objection in whatever you say as long as they are based on facts.
As an intelligent human being, I am able to judge for myself and I don't have
to be forced to.

> Mr. Camara, you as a list manager of the L
> should have the conviction to set guidelines
> that are vividly clear.  Do not try to tell me
> how I communicate at the bantaba in my native
> village.  My people believe that respect should
> be accorded to the elders, and when one violates
> this golden rule, he should be paid back in the
> same fashion.  The dictator summoned elders at
> the State House and called them all kinds of
> names. Should any serious Gambian respect an
> individual who does not show any respect to
> elders old enough to be his grandparents.

You are quite welcome to write your suggestions for Gambia-l guidelines that
are more clear and we shall look into it.

I don't quite understand your logic of mixing our disagreement on the use of
abusive language and the issue of dictator Yaya Jammeh. Do you admire him so
much that you also have to make yourself so low to use the same way he talks?

When a sane man begins to quarrel with a mad-man, people will not take notice
of the mad-man. People will rather take notice of the sane man and start to
wonder whether he is also getting mad.

I am sorry if you think I am teaching you a moral idea here:-)

My reason for asking you how you communicate in your bantaba is that I was
wondering if you would tell me that it is quite acceptable to constantly keep
on insulting each others parents and threatening each other. You have not said
that and that's fine.

Have a good day,

Momodou Camara
Copenhagen - Denmark

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