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Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 17:23:23
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NADD: THE PARTY of ENLIGHTENMENT
By Foday .Samateh September 1st, 2006
Culled from The Gambia Echo
Hear the arguments. Listen to the speeches. Read the interviews. Follow the news from the campaign trail. Weigh the criticisms. Do it all over, again and again. Each time, each way, each assessment, the same pattern will emerge that: even in its worst, NADD is more right than the rest in their best.
The stark contrast in political thought and philosophy of power between NADD and their APRC&UDP
opponents is a throwback to a momentous period in European history: The Age of Enlightenment. Sadly, this is where most of Africa is presently. (But that is a subject matter for a future discourse.)
Back to The Gambia, NADD is the equivalent of the rationalist thinkers who put the premium on reason and the rights of man over the powers of government. APRC and UDP, on the other hand, share the “Mansa” notion of power, a variation of the long discredited monarchical mindset of the aristocratic era of African fiefdoms.
In the world of APRC and UDP, the political leader is “extraordinary” in the spiritual sense. In that world, Jawara had a miraculous pair of eyeglasses that gave him supernatural control over his rule. In that world, God answered the prayer of Lawyer Darboe’s great grandfather who promised that his descendant would be president. In that world, the leader remains silent fearing that everything he says maybe used against him in the court of politics. In that world, Yayha Jammeh possesses magical powers, which transform him into a white horse in the middle of the night. He has the command of a hive of man-killing bees ready to sting all enemy mortals to their untimely death. In that world, a holy imam of Mecca gave him a sacred string of prayer beads that forever guarantee his stay in power. In that world, Yayha Jammeh, like the legendry William the Conqueror in the ancient past, is an invincible soldier whose bravery entitles him to his heroic trophy: The Gambia. In that world God will punish anyone who opposes him. In that world, he operates his own mysterious “World Bank” and runs his own “Hell.” In the UDP and APRC world, the leader is the cause and the country his prestige. In that world, the truth is what the leader says it is. Conformity is its own religion and independent thought, its apostasy. Consent is absolute and dissent imponderable. Flattery ascends to cronyism, and criticism descends to excommunication.
In their world
The philosopher fears the fate of Socrates
Abandons the cause of wisdom and hides in asylum of caution.
The pretender who never reads the words of Pope
To know that “Little learning is a dangerous thing”
Plays the erudite in affairs of democracy
Unable to read a syllable of the lines
He goes off script of comedy and improvises a show of tragedy
The audience sighs aghast in protest
And from the back stage a voice shouts:
“It is the Will of God. Everything is the Will of God.I speak the truth. It is in the Book of God!”
But the subduing voice forgets to tell the unschooled performer
The first verse of the Revealed Word is: READ.
So the pretender goes away the winner, the people the loser
The problem with this worldview is that it is not only anti-intellectual, but it pushes off human action and responsibility from the plain landscape of reason and scrutiny into the dust-filled deep dark valley of the incomprehensible where superstition struggles with divinity. To think clearly is the constant call of religion. The pair of glasses of Jawara is not the staff of Moses. We are not so interested in Lawyer Darboe becoming President by virtues of the fulfillment of the prayer of his holy great grandfather, DOBO KEMO as much as we are interested in what he will do for The Gambia if the people elect him President. Yahya Jammeh can turn himself into a white-horse all he wants, but we do know that in the religious “Great Chain of Beings,” the human form sits at the apex and the bestial form lies at the base.
The western world developed and made scientific breakthroughs only after it succeeded in telling the
politicians that they are as human as the taxpayers. That they have no special relationship with God, and must never attempt to assume they have. That their only job is to serve the interest of the people in worldly affairs, and the people will serve their own interest in the spiritual affairs. That they are in government not because they possess any more supernatural means than the people, but because only a few of the people can be in charge of the national interest at any given time.
So politicians and their supporters must never use religion for political purposes. Religion is too important, too sacred, too spiritual and too divine for the ploy of erring men on secular adventure. The people elect politicians not because they have a special relationship with God. The politicians’ job is to run the economy efficiently, provide social services, guarantee national security, protect the rights of citizens and their freedoms (to be engineers, scientists, doctors, inventors, investors, philosophers, journalists, writers, imams, bishops etc.) without let or hindrance. Beyond that there is no use for government. And for all things sacred, thank you Mr. Politician, but the imam will take over.
That is the way of NADD. That is the way of enlightenment and rational thinker. The contrary is the means of the fraudsters.
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Ebra
Gambia
268 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 17:53:00
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Biraago I think you were drunk when you were posting this silly ass piece. This is the problem with you guys, you will be castigating Darboe and if one talk about Halifa you will start jumping trying to defend him. He will be critize no matter what. He is a fail politician who has a poor vision statement that was the reason his party perform poorly in the past elections. This election will surely teach him a big lesson. Time will tell, Halifa will never be a NAM again because UDP/NRP/GPDP will occupy the Serrekunda seat next election. If NADD gets 10% of the vote I will eat my head.
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taalibeh
Gambia
336 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 18:51:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Ebra
Biraago I think you were drunk when you were posting this silly ass piece. This is the problem with you guys, you will be castigating Darboe and if one talk about Halifa you will start jumping trying to defend him. He will be critize no matter what. He is a fail politician who has a poor vision statement that was the reason his party perform poorly in the past elections. This election will surely teach him a big lesson. Time will tell, Halifa will never be a NAM again because UDP/NRP/GPDP will occupy the Serrekunda seat next election. If NADD gets 10% of the vote I will eat my head.
Ebra, "wanyel sa galarge nu jamla" |
Taalibeh |
Edited by - taalibeh on 01 Sep 2006 18:52:11 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 18:59:57
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quote:
Originally posted by taalibeh
quote:
Originally posted by Ebra
Biraago I think you were drunk when you were posting this silly ass piece. This is the problem with you guys, you will be castigating Darboe and if one talk about Halifa you will start jumping trying to defend him. He will be critize no matter what. He is a fail politician who has a poor vision statement that was the reason his party perform poorly in the past elections. This election will surely teach him a big lesson. Time will tell, Halifa will never be a NAM again because UDP/NRP/GPDP will occupy the Serrekunda seat next election. If NADD gets 10% of the vote I will eat my head.
Ebra, "wanyel sa galarge nu jamla"
Just like my grand ma used to say to us. I really miss her a lot these days.
The wollof saying translates as: reduce your jujus so that we can stabb you. In other words, slow down. In traditional societies, people have jujus that can prevent a khife stabb or a bullet. By reducing the jujus, makes it easier to be attacked. However what it means is to simmer down and take things slow and easy. |
Edited by - kondorong on 01 Sep 2006 19:03:29 |
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taalibeh
Gambia
336 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 20:17:15
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
quote:
Originally posted by taalibeh
quote:
Originally posted by Ebra
Biraago I think you were drunk when you were posting this silly ass piece. This is the problem with you guys, you will be castigating Darboe and if one talk about Halifa you will start jumping trying to defend him. He will be critize no matter what. He is a fail politician who has a poor vision statement that was the reason his party perform poorly in the past elections. This election will surely teach him a big lesson. Time will tell, Halifa will never be a NAM again because UDP/NRP/GPDP will occupy the Serrekunda seat next election. If NADD gets 10% of the vote I will eat my head.
Ebra, "wanyel sa galarge nu jamla"
Just like my grand ma used to say to us. I really miss her a lot these days.
The wollof saying translates as: reduce your jujus so that we can stabb you. In other words, slow down. In traditional societies, people have jujus that can prevent a khife stabb or a bullet. By reducing the jujus, makes it easier to be attacked. However what it means is to simmer down and take things slow and easy.
Thanks Konds. I honestly think some people are being over emotional. Politics is about exchange views without being angry. Anger will not never bring us wishdom. |
Taalibeh |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 21:08:11
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| where have you seen sringe bi. I see election is smelling andf you are active again |
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Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 21:08:46
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It seems that you are having a heart attack my brother.
Hav'nt you realised that we have been reading your postings on this forum?
It would be a waist of time to initiate a debate with you because you have never been consistent in your support for any group.
Today you are for NADD, tomorrow UDP and the next day only the lord knows.
It would have been intresting if you had said anything with sense regarding samateh's article. Unfortunately, you don't have the analitical capacity to do so. What a pitty.
Others are clapping for you while you show yourself as a person without any form of home training becayse if you had, you would not be insulting yourself in public.
One could give more respect to SS Daffeh and BRONX because they are very consistent even if people don't agree with them.
Hope you try to become a real Talibeh. This means, you have to go back to Daara and tell your sering to teach you good manners.
The Prophet (SAW) was praised by Allah (SWT) for his great manners and all muslims are thereby commanded to follow his example.
I do wish you good manners and better educational capacity.
Salaam |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 21:20:24
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guys simmer down.
I know the cause is a tough one but in a democracy we have to respect the views of others even if we do not agree. Good politicians should be like sponges, able to absorb criticism and listen to dissident voices. Ofcourse a sponge can only take so much and the water will start to drip. But i dont think we have reached that stage yet. |
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Ebra
Gambia
268 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 22:51:18
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| Frankly, I do not belong to any of these parties and I always want to balance the two opposing sides. I can assure you that I am not a UDP supporter. I used to in the early days of its formation but now I don't. However, I try to analyse thinks very closely and try to come up with reason resolutions. Though I must admit that the piece was not yours that was oversighting. I apologize for that. But nonetheless, I will be posting my project very soon which comprises of the political situation in The Gambia and the politicians. You will come to the conclusion that I prefer Yaya to stay than power hungry politicians like Darboe who is a grasshopper (in terms of decision making). |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 22:53:53
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| Ebra is that based on the principle of the devil you know is better than the devil you dont know? Sometimes the devil you dont know may turn out to be better. Take a risk sometimes. |
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Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 23:09:07
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Ebra,
I accept your apology with an open heart.
I reall appreciate this posting of your bacause it clarifies for me a lot.
I never understood where you were talking from. Now I do and can definately excahange views with you. Ihad always avoided responding to your comments because I did'nt know your orientation at all.
I must admit that most of your criticism against NADD the the oyher organisations are very correct and I would tell you that I do agree with in most of your criticism.
With respect and love for the Gambia, you are welcome brother with good faith.
Salaam
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2006 : 23:43:46
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Are you now accepting him since he said he isno longer a UDP suporter. I think it goes to confirm what Bronx et al have been saying. After all you said of the man, you can comfortably say that: " I must admit that most of your criticism against NADD the the oyher organisations are very correct and I would tell you that I do agree with in most of your criticism."
So your friendhips is only extended to those who hate UDP and like Halifa. The man said that he did "... not belong to any of these parties and I always want to balance the two opposing sides.
In balancing the two sides, obviously, he threw some stones at Halifa which made you uncomfortable and went on the rage as seen in your response to him and even using Islamic references.
There is a lot of inconsistencies here. How can you agrre with most of his postings and then attack him like you did and then accept him because he calls Darboe a grasshopper?
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Cornelius
Sweden
1051 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 13:17:42
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Re_The (only) Party of Enlightenment?
I am writing this in a tremendous hurry and consider this a telegram but I’d like to return to do more justice…….
Here are three thought-provoking items from the essay and my immediate reactions to them:
1.”To think clearly is the constant call of religion.
AQL is a word that occurs 77 times in the Qu’ran.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=AQL++in+the+Quran&btnG=Search&meta=
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=AQL++%28Islam&btnG=Search&meta=
2.”We are not so interested in Lawyer Darboe becoming President by virtues of the fulfillment of the prayer of his holy great grandfather, DOBO KEMO as much as we are interested in what he will do for The Gambia if the people elect him President”
Yahya Jammeh is a DOER who has DONE a lot of good things for the Gambia. ( some people say that “money is the source of all evil” and a Gambian friend of mine , Mr. Momodou Sidibe one remarked to me , when that quotation issued from my mouth “ It is the source of a lot of good too!”
APRC Manifesto:
http://www.thepoint.gm/National%20Stories563.htm
3. “The western world developed and made scientific breakthroughs only after it succeeded in telling the politicians that they are as human as the taxpayers. That they have no special relationship with God, and must never attempt to assume they have. That their only job is to serve the interest of the people in worldly affairs, and the people will serve their own interest in the spiritual affairs. That they are in government not because they possess any more supernatural means than the people, but because only a few of the people can be in charge of the national interest at any given time.”
In the Gambian context think of Islamic ethics, theory and practice of Justice , law, considering that to some extent Gambian culture could be said to be Islamized to the extent that when Dave says that anyone who drinks alcohol must be “on the take” my gut reaction is that the Gambia is not 100% Muslim and there are after all a few renegades and a few beer-drinking Christ-ians and of course those who imbibe the sacrament of the holy wine and bread – the wine representing the blood of Christ) although for the Catholics it is mostly bread ( therefore the Krio song “ Fada ee drink all di wine ee gee me di dry braid”) and for the Catholics, the bread represents “the living body” and that of course includes the blood , in circulation, circulating in the living body no ( spiritual ) cannibalism and “you are what you eat” or so the saying goes.
Not that I am advocating a Gambian theocracy but this is part of contemporary modern political discourse and a document that it is incumbent for some of us to have read and understood:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=WILAYAT-I-FAQIH&meta=
My time is up. Don’t think that I am not objective about Alhaji Yahya Jammeh. I am: but my time is up. I’ll comment later, if I get a response to this posting otherwise, I’ll keep my quiet mouth shut.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Jammeh%27s+daughter+refused+US+passport&spell=1
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=US+State+department+on+the+Gambia&btnG=Search&meta=
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609050855.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609080407.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609070267.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609070862.html
http://www.afrol.com/countries/gambia
http://allafrica.com/stories/200609110929.html
If you have gone through these links, you’d probably not come to the same conclusions.
Hope to hear from you soon.
At the bottom of the Bantaba in Space page, is a search engine conveniently placed there and 4U2use at your convenience!
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Edited by - Cornelius on 12 Sep 2006 13:19:56 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2006 : 19:35:28
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My Dear Brother Cornelius, nice to see you back in Bantaba, as an aggressive, articulate good writer with impressive articles and more sense of maturity to debate on issues. Reminding you have some unfinished business with you on some pending topics under World Religions to deal with you later.
Just passing by to update this topic under this link http://allafrica.com/stories/200609120811.html |
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Bronx
USA
159 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2006 : 21:49:10
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Kondorong,
Don't worry much about Biragoo. He has authoritarian tendencies. It is either his way or the high way. He manifested the same attitude on the Gambiapost and someone threatened to exposed his real name. Guess what? He took a fast one out of there. He hasn't been petulant there ever since. |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2006 : 08:41:40
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Biraago has now sorted his head out and from his latest post appears to be more open minded and appreciative of other opponents standpoints. We have our strenghts and weaknesses Bronx. However just forward any constructive comments but don't resent or be spiteful with hatred forever towards anybody, as you need opponents to debate on issues. Lets bury the hatchet and progress with our genuine exchanges of ideas and what we have to say or forward through Bantaba.
PEACE FOR DEAREST MOTHERLAND! |
Edited by - kobo on 14 Sep 2006 08:42:15 |
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