Lest the essence of our outrage against the List Management – as personified by the egregious and outlandish Jaiteh – is lost in the rhetorical fog of non sequitur issues like the need to uphold civil exchanges on this forum, it is vital we re-state what gave birth to the current expression of outrage and grievances by many subscribers.

First, it is not true that those inveighing against the Management are opposed to general rules per se. Second, we are not opposed to ways and means, which can generate a more healthy exchange between subscribers on the List. Thirdly, and most fundamentally, we are not calling for a situation of anarchy wherein vulgar rhetoric would be the norm vis-à-vis exchanges between subscribers, especially those of political different persuasion. The argument and current outrage against the Management was always this: fair play and even-handedness – both in perception and in reality. The argument for or against general rules is, therefore, a non sequitur; and, more importantly, a red herring.

What caused the current furore is the unilateral decision by an inept oddball bore – in the form of Jaiteh – to delist Mboge for allegedly using the word "dickhead". As it happened, it turned out that Mboge didn’t use the word; but merely seconded its usage by Mr. Dave Manneh to describe Yaya and his cohorts. Here, one can see where moral fanaticism can lead to: by zealously trying to impose these rules on personal conduct, especially if you are prejudiced against certain subscribers, you are predisposed to acting on impulse and prejudice. This is why Jaiteh – is his absurd control freakery – delisted the wrong person; assuming, of course, you agree with him that usage of the word "dickhead" warrants delisting the alleged offenders.

But Jaiteh’s gaffe is not the core issue here. The issue is that of fair play and the need to apply evenhandedly whatever rules there is to subscriber conduct on the List. Manifestly, it is precisely in this Jaiteh erred time and again by flouting their own sodding rules, and opening him and the Management to charges of hypocrisy. Consider: sometime ago Pa Modou Gassama called another subscriber – Ams Jallow of MRDGNY – an "arsehole". Yet, for all the talk of morality and decorum, and the rest of the current nonsense about rules, Pa Modou Gassama was not penalised for what was and is clearly a breach of their so-called codes of conduct. We had a similar situation with Ebou Jallow: when he went on the rampage on Yusupha Jow’s parents, especially the memory of his dear father, Jallow would have definitely got away with it had it not been the outrage expressed by decent subscribers. In short, none of the current self-righteous moralizers were nowhere to be found. Or, the List Management for that matter. Whichever way you look at it, there is a sense in which, if you the chafe the surface of all Management decisions to date, the Management is prejudiced against a particular form of opinion – opposition opinion on this List, as it happened.

The manner in which Jaiteh delisted Mboge goes to show that for all the hypocritical parroting of rules, List Managers like Jaiteh don’t give a tosh about their own rules. According to Jaiteh, he delisted Mboge first before informing his colleagues about said actions. As he put it to Karamba:

<< I have explained my action (removing Modou Olly-Mboge) to the management team and when I hear from them I will let the entire list know why I did what I did.>>

As I understand it, or, according to their own very testimonies when we had a similar situation in the past, decisions to delist subscribers are not taken unilaterally; but taken with the consent of the Management as a whole. Yet, in complete disregard of their sodding rules, Jaiteh delisted Mboge unilaterally before seizing the opportunity to inform his colleagues on his actions and the rationale behind it. If the List Managers think their sodding rules are irrelevant, who are we (the subscribers) to think otherwise? To be taken seriously, one must practice what one preaches.

Be that as it may, none of my colleagues are in principle opposed to codes of conduct. But the problem is the execution/implementation of codes of conduct. Or, more fundamentally, what they mean in practice for everyone. Here, two fundamental moral truths need to be pointed out: one, acceptability or appropriateness of language may eventually boil down to what the eye of the beholder perceives; second, the line between policing codes of conduct and censorship is perilously indistinguishable. The core of our contention, thus, remains can the current List Management walk the delicate line that separate censorship and policing of codes of conduct, especially as it relates to language? The evidence tells us that the current Management has forfeited any right to expect us to believe that they can deliver on this most vital issue.

If Jaiteh has any reputation worth defending, he would reconsider his currently untenable position as a List Manager, and resign forthwith. And all those subscribers delisted because of the problems he has helped create should be re-subscribed forthwith. Anything short of this is unacceptable.