Kabir:
Thank you for the great posting on Rawlings. It my view, this
acknowledgment by Rawlings, could very well begin the healing and
reconciliation and possibly justice process(es) in Ghana. That Rawlings
would render an apology defies all logic, given his tough stance as a
former military officer and current president.
To me, this suggests that we must not be constrained by the logic in our
arguments to think the "impossible." And that what is logically
consistent and persuasive on paper, may in fact, not be true in reality
or not constitute the only reality( Kant's multiple realities). Without
necessarily subscribing totally to hegelian dialectics, many a social
transformation begins in the mind(reason). And clearly, in my mind and
in reality, there is a significant difference between "day dreaming,"
futile activities of the mind and a "vision" for social transformation.
The adage that when you "change your mind the world also changes"
indicates how a shift in reason and logic may open up a slew of
possibilities not conceived possible previously. This is what Thomas
Khun dubs a "paradigm shift."
Yet, paradigms useful as they are in asking the right questions and
possibilities, can also be limiting. They tend to blind and limit us
from broaching or even entertaining the realm of the "impossible."
Prayer and faith, a paradigm not recognized by many empiricists/
positivists do open up the "impossible," especially when complemented by
"action." I pray that we never fall prey to the persuasiveness of our
own logic and in so doing, stifle the "imaginative and creative"
possibilities in ourselves.
Early this morning, I heard over the BBC, that the British government
was giving Sierra Leone $400,000 to establish a TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
COMMISSION. This, if utilized well, could be a good step toward healing
and justice in Sierra Leone. Maybe, our friends in London or you Kabir,
will cull and post a newspaper article from the London or other papers
on the issue.
Thanks.
Abdoulaye
No justice, no peace!
saul khan wrote:
>
> Mr. Njie,
>
> Thanks for another great posting. This is Rawlings at his best. If someone
> like him can have the magnanimity to apologize to his people, maybe there's
> some hope for Africa. Thanks again.
>
> Saul.
>
> >From: Amadu Kabir Njie <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Rawlings Apologises To People Offended By His Rule
> >Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 20:55:40 +0100
> >
> >Rawlings Apologises To People Offended By His Rule
> >
> >Rawlings Apologises To People Offended By His Rule
> >January 13, 2000
> >
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email 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
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
