Return-path: <[log in to unmask]> From: [log in to unmask] Full-name: KTouray Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 18:00:34 EDT Subject: Fwd: Pa Dacosta on the radio To: [log in to unmask] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="part2_61.376ff05.264c8782_boundary" X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 100 --part2_61.376ff05.264c8782_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I tried to send it on the list but i couldn't ....Can you see if you can. Thanks jabou --part2_61.376ff05.264c8782_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-path: <[log in to unmask]> From: [log in to unmask] Full-name: KTouray Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 17:55:25 EDT Subject: Pa Dacosta on the radio To: [log in to unmask] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 100 When The Point newspaper ran a story characterizing Pa Dacosta's remarks on George Christensen's radio station, most list members wrote to express solidarity because he very firmly and clearly represented our collective sentiments. Having listened to the audio version, my faith in the strength of the human character has been markedly reinforced. Underneath the evil represented by Yahya Jammeh and his lackeys lies a core value system that defines us a people and no one exemplified that better than this budding 70 year old on that fateful day on the radio. What he said was as substantial as the careful and measured tone in which he delivered it. It was part sermon, part lecture but most of all it was a sincere and honorable essay that is anchored in our notion of elders and their responsibility in society. As if speaking from a prepared text, the Pa offered condolences and prayers for the victims and quickly settled into a withering denunciation of the murders. Like members of this list he expressed strong contempt for the outrageous lies the Vice President and others were attempting to float regarding the circumstances of the killings. Culpability he said lies squarely in the hands those who authorized the shooting and they must be held responsible. The Pa had no tolerance for the socalled elders who were attempting to turn the entire tragedy into a seminar on discipline in a cynical ploy to somehow blame the students for compelling the authorities to murder them. He called them cruel and greedy people who would do anything to perpetuate themselves. No one exemplifies that more than the likes of Banding Drammeh , Imam Fatty and the group that passes itself as the socalled religious leaders. They resemble no religious leader you and I know. My Imam and neighborhood Oustass always always gave counsel and sermons that were strictly grounded in the prescriptions of God living no room for selective interpretations of what The Almighty requires of us all. What these phonies are doing is to wave their religious credentials on one hand while actively auctioning off their souls to a brutal tyrant in return for money , airplane rides to Saudi and access to the media. They know about the murders, torture, theft and all the evil their benefactor represents and yet persist in providing the shameful rationalizations for each of his deeds. There you see them"jagarr jagarring" into the homes of people attempting to be Apostles of reconciliation and chacterising cold blooded murder as "kata". They are just indolent and venal people cloaking themselves in a religious veil. Pa Dacosta is a good man to whom we will forever be grateful. He did two simple but profound things. He told the truth and he spoke from the heart. It sure makes our fight to wrestle our country from these criminals much more worthwhile knowing that there are Pa Dacosta's spread all through our nation. Karamba --part2_61.376ff05.264c8782_boundary--