Fellow Gambians, the article below is an ffdig editorial. I think this is
the spirit we all should cultivate. Judge for yourselves.
Pa Modou

Fair, and Unfair Comment

FFDIG.ORG is one week old. The public response to the advent of the site has
been overwhelming. There has been a generous outpouring of support from
Gambians around the world, including back home. There have also been,
naturally, a few critical voices, which we welcome so very much and thank
for their valuable suggestions. We thank all who took their precious time to
browse the website and offer their comments, whether fair or unfair,
critical or uncritical. To all who wrote, we say thank you so very much. Of
all the comments that came in, one stands prominently out, on account of the
naked hatred, venom, and irrationality of the writer. The comment read:

“May you rot in hell. You are dangerous people but the more you spread
malice about the Gambia, the more Gambia prospers under President Jammeh.
Your slanted website stinks and it is a shame for you to call yourself
neutral with no political leanings. It is even such a bigger shame for a
whole editor of an independent newspaper to be associated with this trash.
Come on guys. This whole website stinks of partisanship. You are a disgrace.
What would you prefer for the Farafenni attackers to have succeeded to
plunge The Gambia into another Liberia or Sierra Leone or Guinea Bissau?
What do you think the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia will prefer? A
Foday Sankoh and Charles Taylor six feet deep or a Foday Sankoh and Charles
Taylor that are alive to cause instability and disrupt the peace in Sierra
Leone and Liberia? Why not see the true reason behind Jammeh's words warning
those who want to cause instability that they will go down six feet deep?
You prefer to glorify the Farafenni Invaders and the Kartong Attackers on
your website whilst you demonize Jammeh and avoid to mention any of the good
things he has done and is continuing to do for the Gambia? Come on guys,
WHERE IS YOUR CONSCIENCE?”

First of all, we want to say to this writer who prays that we rot in hell:
May you swim in the eternal bliss of heaven. May your soul be blessed. May
peace and glory be thy lot both in this world and the hereafter.

We certainly are at a loss as to why this person is making such blanket
accusations. Is it a crime to start a venture like this? Is it a crime to
have political leanings? Is partisanship a crime? Where did we mention that
we preferred Charles Taylor and Foday Sankoh to the people of Liberia and
Sierra Leone? Where did we glorify the Farafenni and Kartong attackers and
where did we demonize Jammeh? Can this person point out the various
instances mentioned above? How is it shameful that an editor, whose services
were requested, should volunteer his free time to what he perceives as a
worthy cause? We certainly do not think that this person had enough time to
browse through the whole website before making such sweeping and unfounded
accusations. And in any case, is this not only the first issue of the
website?

In any case, we take this person’s insults in good faith. For the hatred
shown us, we return love. For the damnation, we return blessings. For the
hell wished us, we return heaven. But if this person thinks that he or she
came anywhere near making us feel guilty or angry, then he or she is gravely
mistaken. We shall not be deterred from executing our responsibilities to
the fullest extent. We shall give praise where praise is due, and damn the
damnable.

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