Subject: Re: Foroyaa Editorial: The Gambian Opposition-The Punching Bag of The Gambian...
[In a message dated 4/22/2010 2:48:29 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Lamin, I am scratching my head and more
surprised that this editorial is from Foroyaa.] Sambo.
I bet the scratching makes a lot of noise doesn't it Joe. I
will share some ideas here with you even as you seem perturbed by Forovda's
editorial.
["What is missing in
the Diaspora, are objective patriots who are willing to direct their energies
and resources to strengthen parties of their choice or help to set up one.
Opposition bashing will not lead us anywhere other than the road to political
apathy. Only those who do not want a better Gambia would engage in such a
trivial affair." Foroyaa.
If I did not know this came from Foroyaa, I would have
jumped on Yaya as the author. Objective patriots, eh! Those who do
not want a better Gambia, eh! Political apathy is alraedy in the Gambia
and you cannot accuse diasporans for that. Remember, we are not on the
ground, you are.] Sambo.
Joe, you remmember you shared with us that you can speak
your mind and other can speak his/her mind right? Well the author of this
editorial was speaking his/her mind. Objective patriots are not necessarily
those who do not want a better Gambia. You will remmember that Yahya shared that
he wanted a better Gambia and that all he is doing is for a better Gambia. What
the author is sharing with readers is that patriots can come in all colours,
shapes, and sizes. They can be objective, subjective, and counterproductive. And
that may not necessarily be wilful on their part. A paucity of understandings
and proficiency of method could be to blame. So this author is not saying you as
a diasporan are not patriotic. You could be patriotic for the wrong
reason....Self-interest.
["We therefore recommend that
those who do not select to support a political party or form one if they are
dissatisfied with all have no right to criticize those who are making effort to
make sure that the Nation is govern according to the will of the people or offer
themselves as alternatives." Foroyaa. Opposite of
Jongyaa.
Do citizens have rights to
participate in the affairs of their country? If that is so, why does the
author believe that folks should only criticize if they are willing to join or
form a party? If the party leaders where minding their business selling
mangoes we would not be talking about them as I write. Thus, you do not
stand to be counted and then when you are taken to task, you resort to telling
folks to form their own. No, you stood up to lead, thus you shall be told
when we have something to say.] Sambo.
Joe, citizens have a right enshrined in the constitution
to participate in the affairs of their country. The editorial does not say that
citizens should only criticise if and when they join or form a party. The
editorial begins by RECOMMENDING that those who have not chosen to support or
form a party of their own, and are dissatisfied with those who have chosen to
support or form a party of their own, HAVE NO RIGHT, you UNDERSTAND, HAVE NO
RIGHT, to gratuitously SLANDER or MALIGN their fellow citizens unless those
fellow citizens have comitted a crime against the nation or their fellow
citizens. I know you're stoopid but I think you can appreciate what the
editorial is saying. Remmember you do not have a RIGHT to offend your fellow
citizen. You DO HAVE a RIGHT, to PARTICIPATE, in the ware of your nation.
Especially in the good governance of your nation if you are a citizen of that
nation. This means that since your fellow citizens in the opposition have
committed no crime against you or the nation, and are not governing your nation
one way or the other, if you cannot assist them or offer helpful ideas to them,
YOU MAY NOT INSULT, SLANDER, or Malign them. Do you get
it?
[Can the author tell us how they are making sure the
Nation is govern according to the will of the people?]
Sambo.
That is the purview of the author just as how you are
making sure your nation is governed according to your will is your purview.
Remmember a RIGHT is not a requirement. Maybe the English here is troublesome
for you. The right to participate in the ware of your nation is a
positive one. So for all we care, you could be taking a dump all day
everyday and not do anything for your nation but YOUR RIGHT TO ASSIST or
participate in the nation's growth and health is sacrosanct....Simply by being a
citizen of that nation. So the author does not owe you or anyone else any
further explanation as to how they are participating in the ware of their
nation.
[The last I checked, Femi Peters is still in jail, just
like countless others, so, where is the ensuring?]
Sambo.
There you go again bandying an aggrieved man's name
around for your own idiocy. Did the author place Femi in Jail??? And unlike you,
they are not celebrating the fact that Femi is in jail. What you call your
frustration at nothing being done is high terpitude and your small mind thinks
it is showing solidarity with Femi.
[The party leaders themselves cannot protect themselves
from Yaya, thus, who are we kidding?] Sambo.
Who do they need to kid Joe. If the party leaders cannot
protect themselves against Yahya's gratuitous crimes, does that give you any
solace Joe???? What a sick freak.
[Since when is suggesting for one to protecting
themselves against tyranny a crime?] Sambo.
That has never been a crime. In fact that could be
regarded as patriotism. You would afterall be SUGGESTING that your fellow
citizen protect him/herself against tyranny. Even if you aid and abet that
tyranny.
[I hope the expectation from the
author is not for a subservient relationship between the opposition leaders and
diasporans supporting the opposition.] Sambo.
NO. Read the editorial again. It is proposing
value-partnership if the opposition leaders and the diasporans are trained on
similar ambition. No subservience preached or implied here. What a charlatan. A
Texarcana churchman once said "There is no greater potential for destruction
than a group of idle semi-literates.
[We will listen when you speak, but the same is required
of you when we speak.] Sambo.
NO No no. No one is asking you to listen when they speak
Joe. And you cannot require anyone to listen when you speak??? Do you not
understand that basic principle of communion? Do you go to church Joe? Next time
you're there, seek guidance from the priest.
[Anything short of that would be unacceptable.]
Sambo.
And the idiot plies on. Running over everyone in his
sorry path.
Haruna.
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:51:03
+0000
From:
[log in to unmask]Subject: Re:
Foroyaa Editorial: The Gambian Opposition-The Punching Bag of The Gambian
Diaspora
To:
[log in to unmask]
An incredible editorial!
--- On Wed, 21/4/10,
Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From:
Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Foroyaa
Editorial: The Gambian Opposition-The Punching Bag of The Gambian
Diaspora
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wednesday, 21
April, 2010, 11:40
|
The Gambian Opposition-The Punching Bag of The Gambian
Diaspora
The Leaders of the APRC must wear a smile every day as they
read many on line and local papers on the state of the
opposition in the Gambia. Some claim that they are toothless
bulldogs. Others claim that they are preparing for failure in
2011. Some argue that the opposition is not worth following
until they engage the Government.
Foroyaa therefore consider it in the public interest to do
a review of the situation of the opposition in the Gambia.
First and foremost, we have realized that a political party
is as powerful as its number of members and supporters or its
capacity to control state power. Our evaluation of nominations
of Presidential Candidates reveals that none of the political
parties ever had up to 20000 persons endorsing their nomination
papers. This simply means that no political party in the Gambia
has up to 20000 members. In fact, discussion with some informed
executive members of parties confirm that many members of
parties expect something from the leaders instead of paying
membership fees. Hence, many political parties depend on patrons
instead of membership dues to sustain their activities. Many of
those in the Diaspora who make contribution see it as helping
individuals in parties to achieve position of National
leadership instead of fulfilling a National duty. Many
opposition parties are therefore unable to build a base among
the people. Foroyaa would like to come to the defence of such
parties by emphasizing with all the emphasis it can command that
those who criticize such parties but are unwilling to contribute
a dime to their well being are sheer hypocrites. They have
transformed the opposition parties into punching bags as a means
of covering up their own political impotency and apathy. We
therefore recommend that those who do not select to support a
political party or form one if they are dissatisfied with all
have no right to criticize those who are making effort to make
sure that the Nation is govern according to the will of the
people or offer themselves as alternatives. Those who are not
making any effort to be on the ground to defend the interest of
the people but are just criticising citizens who have the same
obligation as they do are responsible for the current
predicament of the Gambia. They are in fact the problem of the
Gambia. They frustrate the little or big efforts others are
making and thus sow the seed of political apathy.
Political parties may have few members but could have many
supporters. In short, more people turn out to vote for a
candidate than the number of the members of his or her party.
Foroyaa does not have to quote the results of elections since
the 2006 Presidential elections to confirm that political apathy
is not only affecting the opposition but also the APRC. Hence,
many people are not coming out to vote for the parties. The
challenge is for existing parties to develop new ways to win the
hearts and minds of the people or new parties which could do so
to emerge. The task of Gambians who are not helping political
parties to find new ways or create parties to replace them is to
appreciate the efforts of those who are at least putting their
energies and monies where their hearts are.
This is no time for opposition bashing. These are times to
find solutions to shortcomings.
Governments are not only engaged by political parties. They
are engaged by the whole citizenry who are all stake holders.
How many Gambians in the Diaspora attend programmes organised by
political parties? Very few. However, they turn up by the
hundreds to attend social programmes. It is best to use such
social programmes to get them to discuss the future of their
country.
There is no doubt that the Government is being engaged at
all corners. Any body who reads Foroyaa daily cannot fail to see
that the Government is being engaged in all areas. Detentions
without trial are being exposed, Seccos (ground nut buying
centres) were monitored during the trade season which yielded
positive results by engaging the marketing agencies, rural
infrastructure and services are being monitored, the economy is
being analysed and all civil, social, economic, political and
cultural factors impeding development are being exposed and
combated. What is missing in the Diaspora, are objective
patriots who are willing to direct their energies and resources
to strengthen parties of their choice or help to set up one.
Opposition bashing will not lead us anywhere other than the road
to political apathy. Only those who do not want a better Gambia
would engage in such a trivial affair.
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