>From: Jungle Sunrise <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Choice of the subjectline of goats and politics >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 19:59:16 +0000 > >Due to the confusion on the part of many on the choice of the >subject >heading “of Goats and Politics”, let me pause a little to explain >the reason >behind it. > >Like I said before, from Youssou Ndure’s most recent album, there is >a very >beautiful and inspiring song called baye. In that song Youssou >explains the >wisdom of goats mingling with their goat folks and warns of the >danger of >them mingling with other species of the animal kingdom. In it he >explains >how the offspring of a particular animal befriended a crocodile once >and >never returned to its mother by evening time. He sites the example >of hyenas >mingling only with hyenas, tigers with tigers, lions with lions and >elephants with elephants. Continuous throughout the song he warns >the goats >to be careful of the company they keep. He constantly appealed to >the goats >to realise that if they don’t keep company with their fellow goats, >they >might find themselves accompanying the “Cherreh” or the “Dahinne”. >One of >the vocalists of the group summarises it thus: With goats he can eat >his >“Cherreh”, with goats he can eat his “Dahinne” and finally use the >hide to >make his drum. He therefore declared that he would always vote for >the goat. > >The meaning I deduced from the song reminded me of the joke about >politics >that I was told a couple of years ago. It then dawned on me that I >should >try, in my own little way; to explain why we are in the situation we >are in >today and how dangerously we tend to be mingling with the other >species of >the animal kingdom. Anybody of sound mind and cares about the >country cannot >fail to realise how dangerously high the political climate in The >Gambia is >today. Militant supporters on both sides of the political divide >seem to be >bracing themselves for the ultimate showdown. Speeches from both >sides >indicate a total lack of tolerance, bordering on absolute hatred of >each >other. The media coverage is doing very little to calm things down. >The >efforts of the likes of Ousman Manjang, Mohamed Sillah and Emanuel >Joof to >try to calm things down is a clear manifestation of this impending >danger. I >should know ‘cause I do spend some time with each of them from time >to time >and each time our discussions focus on the good job they are doing >and how >important it is that we avoid any form of conflict in The Gambia. To >me, the >goat is synonymous of The Gambian People while any form of conflict >will >only make us accompany the “Cherreh” or the “Dahinne”. This is >complicated >by the fact that recently Gambians have been exposed violent crimes >unknown >to us until very recently. Hardly a week goes by without you hearing >of some >violently attacked. While I am not xenophobic, I am very wary of >what role >the huge number of refugees we are harbouring, many of whom have >witnessed >some form of violence that most Gambians cannot imagine possible. >This, I >cannot do unless I explain why The Gambian populace is so polarized, >with >some on either side of the political divide, are ready to lay down >their >lives for what they consider a just cause. Call me selfish, call me >indifferent but I, Pamodou Gassama, am not willing to die for any of >their >causes. I very much believe in Elmer G. Letterman’s quote: “A man’s >greatest >strength develops at the point where he overcomes his greatest >weakness”. To >me man’s greatest weaknesses are pride and ego. Add to that narrow >mindedness and intolerance, and you have a primed time bomb. > >Having posted part 2 of “Of Goats and Politics” that concluded the >areas >that I strongly feel that the former regime let us down, The next >part will >deal with how the AFPRC/APRC took advantage of them and built a >solid >support base. > >Have a good day, Gassa. > > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >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. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------