Thanks Suntou.
When we all come to the realization of Martin Luther King Jr's famous statement that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" then we will know that each of fights for ourselves and the future of our own children when we fight for others.
The Qur'an also asks the question.
"And what is wrong with you that you fight not for those who are oppressed?"
I forget the verse where that quote is but I have come across it.
People standing up together to fight and protect their rights is what has created the political atmosphere in the various countries where most of us and our children find freedom from oppression, peace and solace and economic well being. That in itself should serve as a lesson to both those in the diaspora as well as those at home who prosper from the well being enjoyed in these host countries and it should also have all of asking the question how these folks were able to accomplish what we benefit from. Surely, it is not because they are any smarter or more capable than we are.
Jabou
-----Original Message-----
From: SUNTOU TOURAY <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 2:14 am
Subject: Re: Gambians and their comfort zone mentality
thanks sister jabou.
you have laid bear what every one knows.for us i guess ,we never have heroes
to worship ,so the whole issue of national interest is a bit Alain .
take comfort from the fact that ,the actions,writings and speeches of some
brave brothers and sisters have evidently saved life's in the Gambia from the
paranoid Hitler like president.
assume we have all been quiet about the mistreatment and manhandling of fellow
citizens by yahya and his Hench men ,imagine what the death toll would have
been.
the bravery of some of you have indeed made me proud once again.
you and your like could have concentrated on your work ,family and leisure
.you could have been doing what others are doing and will still continue to do
,that is ,mine their business .
men/women with conscience cannot let that happen no matter what others think
of them.some people have hearts and minds and they use it well.
to borrow a word from Robert Greene's book ''most of us are timid.we want to
avoid tension and conflict and we want to be liked by all.we may contemplate a
bold action but we rarely brings it to life.we are terrified of the
consequences,of what others might think of us,of the hostility we will stir up
if we dare go beyond our usual place.''
that statement makes sense .few are born bold
finally ,a famous sahabe of the noble prophet of Islam (pbuh) hadrat abu darda
said ''you shall enjoin good and prohibit evil,or else God will place over you
such a tyrant ruler who will not show honour to your elders and show kindness
to your juniors.the religious men among you will pray against them but God will
not accept their prayers.'' sadaka abu darda (abu darda said the truth )
now we have so-call holy men telling people all sorts ,kill a ram on Saturday
,give out one thousand bags of cola nuts ,go here and there .this are all
fables.we are the problem ,we refuse to take a stand for the weak and the
oppressed .we feel secure in our shell. as Abdul malik an imam in Brooklyn new
york famously states on the subject of American treatment of Muslims ,''we all
have fears ,no one wants to die but we got to come out defend our rights ,we are
not who they claim we are ,we love America and her people ,but we are Muslims
also''.
writing and speaking out can save others. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT ,YAHYA HAVE
SPEND MILLIONS OF DALASIS ON HIS IMAGE ,ANY ATTACK ON THAT PUTS HIM ON THE
DEFENCIVE AND HE WILL BACK TRACT ON MOST PLAN CRIMES.
that is the spirit .
God bless all those brave Gambians who didn't abandon our mother land .from
simple journalist ,to individual activist .we remember you .
[log in to unmask] wrote:
Suntou,
And people fail to realize that "comfort zone" position they think they have
will eventually lead to the entire society crumbling because they fail to speak
up and stand up against the dictatorship, barbarism, lawlessness and injustice
that prevails in todays Gambia.
It is also an unwise stance because these things if unchallenged,will eventually
find their way to the doorstep of every single Gambian who thought all they
needed to do was mind their own business and protect their own individual
interest.
Many Gambians and indeed Africans in general fail to comprehend that unless all
of us stand together to defend the rights of the entire society as a whole
instead of just taking care of our own individual interest, and to ensure that
the resolve to fight for as well as to actively put into practice that justice
and honesty prevails in every aspect of our lives we will continue to have
dictators and untold problems and remain the pity of the entire world.
Some of us have not been able to go home for 10 good years this year simply
because we stood up and spoke out against injustice and will continue to do so
until justice prevails. It is worth the sacrifice.
Jabou Joh
-----Original Message-----
From: SUNTOU TOURAY
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, 22 Sep 2007 1:40 am
Subject: Gambians and their comfort zone mentality
why do we like been comfortable all the time ? issues that can arouse potential
discomfort are hardly touched by many .i wonder why .
or i thought may be ,it may be some the following reasons .i have a wive and
two children and i live in u.s/Europe and if i keep interfering in national
debates ''the all-seen,all hearing one eye'' will descend on me as soon the 747
touch down at Yumdun airport and why should i put my self in that position ?
or may be ,i just don't know what the fuss is all about .today it is yahya
,tomorrow some else ,God will decide ,it is not my problem .
or may be ,i am just minding my business ,who knows i may get a call from
yahya one day .
Well ,it is all a big waste of precious time to write about irrelevant issues
relating to the Gambia ,what can i change by writing some thing any way ?
oh no ,just look at what happen to Baba galleh in his diary of discomfort
,again Ebrima manneh ,the late Deyda RIP , loooook at that nonsense ,why
should i put myself in that precarious position .
financially ,i want to travel freely to and from Banjul with a big smile and
nice dresses ,go clubbing ,oh attending shows by Alie Mbyendery ,Pap so and so
,the mega star in himself Yousou Suma Jiken ,woow .
Why should i throw all that away just for some thing i gain no direct benefit
from ? i am not silly .
hmmm ,am i really right by avoiding controversial issues concerning the
country i love so much ? what is the price of my silence to others ?
GAMBIANS AND THEIR COMFORT ZONE .
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