Normally, I would have just dealt with this situation behind the scenes in my own way as I have done on many occasions with issues arising from the list. However, on this particular incident, I feel that it is important and hopefully helpful to share with you what I have had to deal with in the past 48 hours. I hope that you will learn from, as I did, the following facts pertaining to some uncanny, uncalled-for, spiteful and meaninglessly insincere slimy personal attacks I have been subjected to lately on this list. As most of you probably noticed lately, a person calling himself “Ousman Badgy” <[log in to unmask]> decided to start a string of attacks on my style of writing which, as far as I could see, were gradually escalating from simple criticisms to more personalized slimy comments pointed at me in his response to other people’s postings. Thanks to some useful information and upon further research I came to realize that this “Ousman Badgy” was none other than a person I have always treated as a brother and friend. This is a person I had never known, for the life of me, until I met him three years ago, here in Bellevue, Nebraska through some mutual friends. Since then, I have always shown him and treated him with respect for the decent and respectful person I thought he was. This is someone who is in no doubt of the type of person I am and the kind of feelings I have for what is going on in Gambia. For we have had countless debates on issues. A person with whom I have exchanged many good favors, all in good faith – at least on my part. A person whom I have inconvenienced and has inconvenienced me, much to my wife and family’s chagrin, all in the name of brotherhood and solidarity. Someone I would have never thought would hesitate to tell me in my face if I had done something wrong. I would have never thought that this person would resort to such tactics against me on Gambia-L. Folks, this incident goes to strengthen what many of us have said here about what needs to be changed in our society. Spiteful, meaningless and insincere hatred for our fellow brethren has no place in a society that hopes for the best. What is there to be gained in treating others in ways you would not want to be treated? What is there to be gained from smearing the names and images of people you live with and deal with as a community? What is there to gain from such uncalled-for acts against someone whose, successes, as little as they may be, has no bearing, whatsoever to your personal success or achievements? Thank God, I realized this as early on as it is. A lot more damage could have been done to my person, for he is virtually a part of my family. And this, I thought, is what I was missing for living in Nebraska -away from large Gambian Communities! I am much wiser now than I was 48 hours ago and I hope you are too. Abdoulie A. Jallow (BambaLaye) “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -M.L King Jr. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~