As it is proverbially said this is really "Noboo, Noboo Nanjoe". Not that it really matters but shedding off the sheep's skin and adorning a real wolf's skin is far more respectable. Prince ----- Original Message ----- From: Pamodou Gassama To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2001 19:06 Subject: Kebba Jobe out, Pamodou Gassama in. This is to inform the list that Kebba Jobe is bowing out and Pamodou Gassama is coming in. Hamajatta, the dubious character is being re-packaged. As they say, the same old wine in differrent bottles. As Kebba Jobe has done for me most of what I expected, he is retiring. Yes Mr. Makaveli, Pamodou Gassama is indeed Kebba Jobe. So neither jubilate nor despair. You will still be dealing with the same old S***. Nothing more, nothing less. When I first joined the list I was motivated by the range of topics being discussed and some of the personalities, whose writings I really enjoy reading. Shortly after however, some began to find my writings unagreeable and wanted to know my true identity. I made it plain that I was writing incognito and that I was only interested in the issues to be discussed and not the personalities involved. Some accepted this as fair others with reservations. However not long after, the unwritten rules began to surface. No, you cannot think independently, no you cannot see things this way, no you are looking at things differently because you are using the wrong criteria to look at the issues. It became more like you are either with us or you are against us. There is no middle ground. Here we live digitally. Everything is either good or bad, black or white, right or wrong, ones and zeros. This is madness to me. Therefore as time went by those would not accept my devine right to be different and to think different began to agitate and started calling me all sorts of names. Another example of this digital forum (sorry list managers I am not referring to GL) is the reception given to "Kats" when he joined the list. No dis-respect to you Kats. The reception he got was to say "you guy you better watch out. Here you must think and see everything like us or we would be down on you like a "tonne of bricks". What rubbish is that? No sooner the guy informs the public that he is apolitical and wanted to discuss issues concerning our country, he was given the stack choice of either joining the club or risk being demolished. This was totally unacceptable to me. If I can express my views openly in both the Gambian media and in public, why shouldn't I enjoy the rights in cyber space? Yes guys, I do participate in the phone in programmes of Radio 1 FM and do write to the newspapers about my own opinions and under my own name. Saiks's friend was not kidding when he told him that I do attack the Government sometimes. I have these same arguements that I have on the L with people like Mohamed Sillah of Amnesty international Gambia, brother Emanuel Joof of the Africa centre for human rights, and many other progressive thinking Gambians every time. If anybody wishes you may ask them. For the record, I am not a fanatical supporter of the APRC to the extend that I will be blinded to see some of their shortcomings. I am not even a member of the party nor do I attend any of their meetings. It is not worth my time. I will conclude by saying that no matter what our political differences are, no matter the disparity of our intellect, let us discuss Gambian issues from a Gambian perspective, with decorum and respect. None of us has a monopoly of ideas or solutions to our problems. Only, and only then, will we forge ahead and create a better Gambia. Narrow mindedness, arrogance and lack of tolerance will not do it for us. I wish to end this piece by quoting Stephen Spender. He wrote: "A SUBJECT thought: because he had a verb with several objects that he ruled a sentence. SUBJECT, the dictionary warned, means someone ruled by a person or thing! Was he not having's SLAVE?" (Subject, Object, Sentence). Let us not allow ourselves to be "KNOWING'S SLAVE". Take care and have a good day, Pamodou. PS. I have never denied Kebba Jobe being Pamodou Gassama, I just didn't acknowledge it. Ansumana, I just turned 40 this December so I have every reason to see Gambia attain higher hights in all that will benefit us all. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------