To avoid relying on any conventional wisdom like most observers, pundits and I did on the wrong notion that Argentina was going to “humiliate” Saudi Arabia Tuesday-but with the miraculous opposite ultimately happening-I will henceforth remain cautious when judging unfamiliar teams. I don’t know about you readers but I honestly didn’t know anything about the Saudi squad but had merely prejudged their potentiality, skillfulness and resilience based on their previous unimpressive world cup appearances and below average performances. Football analysts on sports TV channels didn’t help either. I never would have guessed a thousand times that Argentina with mighty captain Messi would lose to Saudi Arabia before the Arabs showed up with a such a great performance. Nobody expected or said anything about the possibility of a victory for the Saudis.
Samsudeen Sarr
Fajara
Exploitative vitriol and mischievous sentiments – A general perspective
There seems to be three categories of leaders that use and promote ethnic, tribal or racial slur. From history one can find past and general examples from Germany, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Myanmar and so forth.
Common to all three was to demonize a particular race, tribe or group as a way: –
o to arouse sentiments to support their rise to power
o for self-perpetuation in power
o to draw attention away from the failings of their rule
It remains clear that on such occasions a group(s) has been consistently targeted with vitriolic remarks which are not necessarily factual but only designed to arouse hatred and resentment in order to achieve personal goals.
Too frequent and consistent virulent and scurrilous remarks against a group or race only equate to an instigation of hatred that could lead to violence.
The outcome can be chaotic due to a breakdown of national unity and social cohesion. It can sometimes lead to a bloody ethnic or racial conflict.
However, the world has matured into unifying behind a common classification of the resultant outcome of conflicts from such deliberate and mischievous intentions.
It is called crime against humanity – a crime so heinous that it has deserved recognition for international criminal trials that are beyond the boundaries of any nation.
Individuals, especially leaders, should be mindful of the changing nature of politics and social circumstances. The outcome of change is mostly unpredictable.
Minders, claques and sycophants of such leaders should be aware of the indelible records in the media (national and international) and in the memories of society of activities and behaviors of society and individuals.
Leadership is quite onerous. Instigations of hatred in society through Faustian actions deemed to generate rancor is indeed a dereliction of duty that is punishable as an international crime when the outcome of such actions and behaviors become internecine and bloody.
The state of mindfulness may not be an intrinsic character of every human being. Nonetheless, it is an important human trait for being aware of one’s environment and the possible consequences of actions. It assures a more lucid and rational deliberation on affairs.
Just Thinking Aloud
Lamino Lang Coma
Brikama
