Good evening, Ojogbon & Mwalimu Cornelius:
I will read your submission tomorrow and then respond. For now, my bed beckons.
Regards,
Sabella
Corrections .
Should read
#Vladimir Putin and his Ukraine incursion…
#There's the slander that when the Prophet of Islam was fifty three years old he got engaged to six-year old Aisha
--On Monday 14 October 2024 at 23:52:30 UTC+2 Cornelius Hamelberg wrote:For the fastidious it is always more satisfying to be served a panoramic view, on a platter.
As Ojogbon Falola has said, "Professor Abide has lumped together many things here, from international politics to domestic affairs. If disentangled, we could take one each."
Some of the fog has to be cleared here . Fortunately , I'm not qualified or tempted to attempt any such disentangling. In fact I have observed that what often happens with those who take a shot at "disentangling" some of these issues, inadvertently, often only succeed in getting enmeshed , embroiled and further entangled in the spider's web themselves, if it is about for example explaining how and why they cannot or should not be legally accused of anti-Semitism, despite self-righteously and subjectively believing in what they take for granted as their own holiness, sincerity, unbiased neutrality, more often than not coming off to their accusers, as "False-hearted judges dying in the webs that they spin".
Of course, there is the not at all specious argument that when the Hebrew Prophets or HASHEM Himself criticises His Chosen People in the Torah and Tanakh, that the Hebrew Prophets - God forbid - cannot be accused of " anti-Semitism", speak less of the Almighty Himself being accused of a transgression such as "anti-Semitism" for in any way criticising His Chosen People, the fact being that unlike us mere mortals, The Almighty is above criticism, and who are you unanointed mere mortals , to criticise the Almighty's Chosen People/ Chosen Nation ?
Some of the mortal critics of the Chosen People / Chosen Nation and what the Iranians & allies are fond of referring to as The Zionist Entity / Little Satan , are also fond of quoting Yeshayahu - Isaiah 1: 1 - 4 :
1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
A Rebellious Nation2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
For the Lord has spoken:
"I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.3 The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner's manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand."4 Woe to the sinful nation,
a people whose guilt is great,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.Some of the Bible believers who fear God don't want to be cursed and are usually stopped in their tracks when they reflect on the implications of Bereshit - Genesis : 12: 2 - 3 ,The Almighty speaking to the Israelites:
"I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
So, for example there's the recent case of the tragic, sorry or sorrowful demise of Jeremy Corbyn . in his case by the time his and his apologists' explainers & defenders' eloquent efforts at disentangling him and themselves was over, it appears that all they had succeeded in doing was further incriminating him and themselves, i.e. in getting themselves entangled and deep-fried as per whatever definitions and distinctions they wanted to make between antisemitism and anti-Zionism , two definitions that are so closely related / allied but which some of those most directly affected and some of the miscreants strongly believe should never be conflated.
BTW, I have mostly read exculpations and lamentations etc about Jeremy Corbyn in Porter's Pensées
Still, briefly, very briefly, I daresay that in this free speech zone in cyberspace, I should feel free enough to comment on some of the issues mentioned, as I deem fit.
Unlike Netanyahu, a mild-tempered orator says, "But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." :
#Apart from the simultaneous mass explosion /mass execution of Hezbollah pagers in Lebanon, "If Iran or Syria" had done to Israel just 1% of the damage / "collateral damage" that Israel has manifestly done to Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad etc , Uncle Sam +NATO+EU ( the resurrected old "Holy" Roman Empire) + the global Crusader Islamophobia , these mouthpieces , particularly Israpundit ( extreme right-wing Zionist hardliners etc ) would have ganged up, led by their commander Chief Netanyahu who more than anyone else would have been foaming at the mouth and holding up the New Middle East Map at the UN Headquarters in New York, and just like Nikita Khrushchev in 1960 , probably taking off his shoe to hammer the point home at the speaker's podium with threats about what he was going to do to those who don't believe that the Almighty's Children ISRAEL don't have the God-given right to defend themselves.
In this earth sphere of human activities with regard to what has happened to unarmed civilians and combatants in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, you could examine the term "double standards" more closely and if you are an international war crimes legalist and want to go beyond " all's fair in love and war", what has to be considered and applied are the rules according to The Geneva Convention
#Vladimir Putin and his Ukraine inclusion "for reasons only he and psychologists would understand" - I daresay that many of those who are not psychologists but competent political analysts and many of those who live in Europe understand the issue of NATO expansion to the doorsteps of Russia and Vladimir Putin's motives for his military operation in Ukraine
# The sense that Sabella Abidde cannot make out of The One China Policy should not surprise his American psychiatrists either !
#Sabella Abbide asks, "What is fifty-one billion dollars to a continent like Africa?!"
I ask ," What is $500 Billion worth of oil and gas deposits that the Almighty buried just off the shores of Gaza to the long suffering Palestinians?
#Emmanuel Udogu's submission has implications for race, identity, individual and collective responsibility, and morality. From the perspective of Christian theology , it is supposed that all flesh is heir to being controlled/ imprisoned within the ambit of what's known as Psychological Hedonism .We are to presume that he ( Bro Emmanuel Udogu) is probably coming from Paul's missionary position that " all have sinned and fall short of the glory" and that's why without any remorse he's prepared to insult us all by saying that "at one time or the other almost "everyone of us" have lied, cheated, exaggerated, made an uncomfortable decision, etc because it was in our interest to do so" I say this , conscious of the wisdom implicit in Taqiyya and Rousseau's 14 given conditions when it is permissible to lie .
On the psychological front, I'd like to ask Emmanuel Udogu'- and if Jim Sidanius was alive and with us now , to ask him too to comment / elaborate a little on Emmanuel's paragraph and the idea of "Enlightened self-interest" with regard to the survival machinations in American , Middle Eastern and Nigerian politics..
#Inevitably, some people couldn't resist commenting on the juiciest piece, at the tail end of Professor Abidde's submission, about a 63-year-old friend of hb his in Nigeria getting married to a 23-year-old . Instead of giving the 23 year old the benefit of the doubt - after all , all she could be truly , romantically in love etc, Michael Afolayan wants to give us the impression that she is most probably only a golddigger when in fact there are countless examples of the contrary.
We are not told the religious identity of the 63-year old friend, but for all we know, he could be Muslim, in which case his role model could also be Islam's Prophet - and if so in my opinion this much has to be cleared up :
There's the slander that when the Prophet of Islam was fifty three years old he got engaged to Aisha, his friend Abu Bakr's daughter. This is not true, and it's a very sensitive issue, because the anti-Islam people usually use this calumny - this malicious distortion of history as a weapon with which to clobber Islam with accusations of "pedophilia" when the truth is that the marriage itself and the consummation of the marriage of Lady Aisha was when she was thirty-two years old:
How Old Was A'yshah When She Married The Prophet Muhammad? By Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Husayni al-Qazwini
https://www.al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/38829
On Monday 14 October 2024 at 12:01:02 UTC+2 Oluwatoyin Adepoju wrote:Beautiful piece from Sabella.
On the sex issue, however, various options exist, from medical to natural enhancers to lifestyle management, so one can't really say without examining the people's private lives.
One might also need to be wary of insisting there can be no mental synergy between the couple. They could both bring something enriching to the table.
Thanks
Toyin
On Mon, Oct 14, 2024, 7:50 AM 'Michael Afolayan' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> wrote:--I am happy for the twenty-something year old girl getting married to a near septuagenarian. This is because by the time she finally gets married to her real husband, she would have amassed the wealth syphoned from the old man who was unwittingly drawn to her by virtue of lust and not of love. The old man would be six-feet down under by then, and she will then move on and establish a real home in grand style. It's called Àfọwọ́fà on the part of the man, and Oríire for the young girl. No regrets for her!MOAOn Monday, October 14, 2024 at 06:42:44 AM GMT+1, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:Professor Abide has lumped together many things here, from international politics to domestic affairs. If disentangled, we could take one each. The case of the man I. The 60s marrying someone in the 20s may not have to do with his variables but with social loss. And there are health issues.TFGet Outlook for iOS
From: 'Emmanuel Udogu' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2024 5:33:27 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [External] [SOCIAL NETWORK] USA Africa Dialogue Series - With a keg of palm wine - further observations and the observablesHi Bro SabellaIn truth, I have always explained this phenomenon within my concept of the "law of self-interest" and the "law of group interest." In short, I have argued, and continue to contend, that the "law of self-interest" will always trump our moral values or judgments. This concept suggests that at one time or the other almost "everyone of us" have lied, cheated, exaggerated, made an uncomfortable decision, etc because it was in our interest to do so. For example, when January 6, 2021 happened most of my Republican brothers and sisters condemned it unequivocally. But, tout a coup, these same Republicans are singing a different song today because it is in their interest (i.e. law of self-interest) to do so. This assumption could be applied to some of the valid issues you raised in your submission. I rest my case.
Bro Ike Udogu
--On Mon, Oct 14, 2024 at 12:58 AM Sabella Abidde <sab...@gmail.com> wrote:
In my formative years, Nigeria had more than fifty critics and public intellectuals who made "life difficult" for successive administrations and sensitized the public to what was happening publicly and in the corridors of power. We do not seem to have them anymore. In the first place, some critics and intellectuals went into exile of their own volition, while many became contractors, consultants, politicians, and political appointees. Why blame anyone? The Blackmaria and Kirikiri have a way of messing with one's sanity; besides, we all have bills to pay and families to feed.
If Iran or Syria had caused thousands of pagers and or other electronic devices to go off and, in the process, injured and or killed an untold number of people anywhere in the world, the US and her NATO allies would have been pounding the tables at the UN calling for heads to roll. Western media would have had "Terror, Terrorism, Terrorists" repeated over a billion times. The US Congress would have held "special hearings." But because Benjamin Netanyahu did it, no one dared to voice their disapproval or condemnation. Does Benjamin Netanyahu have the license to maim and kill at will?
For more than 40 years, the State of Israel – especially under Benjamin Netanyahu – has been assassinating Palestinian, Iranian, Lebanese, and Syrian scientists, military officers, and political leaders. The victims were never accused, tried, convicted, or sentenced by a competent legal body. Strangely, much of the world seems not to care about these free-reign assassinations. I guess it is up to the Israeli government to decide who lives and who dies. By the way, those camps that house thousands of Palestinian women and children, are they holding cells, prisons, or concentration camps?
Vladimir Putin has been Russia's head of state and or head of government since 1999. He inherited a "bad and weak Russia" but improved it within two decades. However, for reasons only he and psychologists would understand, he embarked on adventures that have limited Russia's influence regionally and globally, making him look provincial, inexperienced, and unable to challenge the US or influence global politics. For years, many countries saw Russia as a better alternative to Washington DC and China; sadly, Putin took that choice off the table. He is self-immolating.
Other than "Chinese Nationalism," why is China bent on delegitimizing Taiwan? I believe that an independent Taiwan would be to the advantage of China. And why has China not invaded Taiwan? Simple: For more than six decades, Beijing has known that annexation would be costly and disastrous economically, militarily, and politically. But here you have Xi Jinping and the CCP threatening Taipei. Other than "throwing" billions here and there, in what ways, for instance, has Beijing shaped or swayed Washington's foreign policy?
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged $51 billion in funding to African nations. It was annoying and comical at the same time. What is fifty-one billion dollars to a continent like Africa?! There are three ironies here: First, combined, African leaders steal at least twice that amount yearly and mismanage about the same amount every year. Second, they perpetuate the narrative that Africa is a continent of beggars and people who cannot wipe their running noses even with the lights on. Third, you wonder why most leaders worldwide do not respect African leaders.
A 63-year-old friend of mine in Nigeria is getting married to a 23-year-old. Many of our friends and neighbors would not have frowned on their relationship if she were his mistress, concubine, or a "plaything." But his wife? I am genuinely happy for him, though. That is the kind of person that I am. But as delighted as I am for him, I sometimes imagine the daily conversations. And the differences in their taste in music, movies, fashion, and food? And then the sex. Yes, the sex! And the coming babies?
Sabella Ogbobode Abidde
--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDial...@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialo...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/917b4eac-cf13-44d4-b1fa-38bfc0f02e69n%40googlegroups.com.
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDial...@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialo...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/CAAVj7VpY2U-MbPR9a0wfaVrJ44_0LkPLwOB6tDtkk1kRx1iyjA%40mail.gmail.com.
--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDial...@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialo...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/BYAPR06MB4517B0651831E72417224B53F8442%40BYAPR06MB4517.namprd06.prod.outlook.com.
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDial...@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialo...@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/1785294712.1197802.1728887937601%40mail.yahoo.com.
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/593e7b53-8fe4-4fd1-bed8-4115032467efn%40googlegroups.com.
Professor, Department of History and Political Science
Alabama State University, Montgomery Alabama 36104
Office Phone: 334-604-9309
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/CAPNGb4QHoqeJ7x0XMP9gdUMS7X4YYsNgAibNcXePSQ0Y9NHgwQ%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment