Reply to an email - Nigeria's new status
Much as I feel the anger toward the hapless Mr Abdulmutallab - after all, I'm Nigerian and a traveller too - I am wondering why we are all so surprised at America's reaction. They are well known for 'fire-brigade' approaches to terrorist incidents and for blanket punishment for any crime or threat committed or perceived. They have the "punish-the-whole-class-for-one-student's-misdemeanour' approach. The logic is to ensure the whole class police themselves!
They have branded us "terrorist prone" NOT terrorists. They KNOW we are not terrorists but they have, for decades, been looking for an excuse to search us more thoroughly and humiliate us without consequences. Now, stupid, poor-little-rich-lonely-misunderstood wannabe suicide bomber boy (who did not have the good manners to die from his burns or something) has given them a great excuse.
Unfortunately, America has the right to protect her shores, people and nation and anyone who CHOOSES to go to the USA just has to take whatever America chooses to mete out; after all, no one said you have to go to America, or as our people say - dem call you?
How do you think the Cubans feel? If Nigerians love life, the Cubans adore it! Poor as they are, "faaji" is the norm for them. They have been included on the list - mind you, they are the only country in the Americas on that list. So, if we are angry, they are probably shell shocked! And they have never even had an attempted terrorist act carried out by a national or distant relative of a national! Just imagine what they will be subjected to when they step off their little boats off the coast of Florida. And the kind of treatment they'll get while being held BEFORE being deported!! I guess they are Economic terrorists, since they, along with their fellow south americans, have taken over the lower level jobs in the US. If that was the criterion used to classify Cuba, then, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Haiti and Jamaica should all be on that list.
Has anyone wondered or asked why the UK is not on that list? After all, the UK has been the "training ground" so to speak for these terrorists. The terrorists that emanate from the UK have British passports which enable them move around the globe unhindered - they do not need visas and so can be undetected by the "terrorist-suspicion" radar.
And how will America deal with those that have dual American & "terrorist prone" or terrorist" country citizenship? They are the real threat. But, as "Big Boys" are wont to do, they are privately dealing with their issues and publicly showing support and solidarity for their "brother/comrade".
Personally, as silly as I believe America is about the whole thing, I understand they have a duty to protect themselves and anyone in their territory. I personally do not want to get on any plane that the people in it have not been thoroughly screened. And, though I am thoroughly miffed at the classification, I do not think that our huffing and puffing and protesting will make much of a difference. We need strategic and upper level huffing, puffing, protesting & posturing!
If anyone of us have access to the government (where's Mr President, anyway?), tell them what needs to be done. We need to state our case clearly, concisely and logically. We need to show the U.S. that Mr Abdulmutallab was a Nigerian only by virtue of his passport - he is totally Western in his thinking. We only get "radicalized" about ENJOYMENT, MONEY, POWER & FAME! Bring in the Sociologists, psychologists, profilers and historians who will buttress the points.
We need to point out to the US that he became the way he was while in the UK, like many of the bombers they have had. And while we are on that issue, our officials should ask why UK is not on the list.
So, by all means, protest. Complain. But remember it has to be in an organized and effective manner, not just a babble of noise that does little more than irritate or annoy!
They have branded us "terrorist prone" NOT terrorists. They KNOW we are not terrorists but they have, for decades, been looking for an excuse to search us more thoroughly and humiliate us without consequences. Now, stupid, poor-little-rich-lonely-misunderstood wannabe suicide bomber boy (who did not have the good manners to die from his burns or something) has given them a great excuse.
Unfortunately, America has the right to protect her shores, people and nation and anyone who CHOOSES to go to the USA just has to take whatever America chooses to mete out; after all, no one said you have to go to America, or as our people say - dem call you?
How do you think the Cubans feel? If Nigerians love life, the Cubans adore it! Poor as they are, "faaji" is the norm for them. They have been included on the list - mind you, they are the only country in the Americas on that list. So, if we are angry, they are probably shell shocked! And they have never even had an attempted terrorist act carried out by a national or distant relative of a national! Just imagine what they will be subjected to when they step off their little boats off the coast of Florida. And the kind of treatment they'll get while being held BEFORE being deported!! I guess they are Economic terrorists, since they, along with their fellow south americans, have taken over the lower level jobs in the US. If that was the criterion used to classify Cuba, then, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Haiti and Jamaica should all be on that list.
Has anyone wondered or asked why the UK is not on that list? After all, the UK has been the "training ground" so to speak for these terrorists. The terrorists that emanate from the UK have British passports which enable them move around the globe unhindered - they do not need visas and so can be undetected by the "terrorist-suspicion" radar.
And how will America deal with those that have dual American & "terrorist prone" or terrorist" country citizenship? They are the real threat. But, as "Big Boys" are wont to do, they are privately dealing with their issues and publicly showing support and solidarity for their "brother/comrade".
Personally, as silly as I believe America is about the whole thing, I understand they have a duty to protect themselves and anyone in their territory. I personally do not want to get on any plane that the people in it have not been thoroughly screened. And, though I am thoroughly miffed at the classification, I do not think that our huffing and puffing and protesting will make much of a difference. We need strategic and upper level huffing, puffing, protesting & posturing!
If anyone of us have access to the government (where's Mr President, anyway?), tell them what needs to be done. We need to state our case clearly, concisely and logically. We need to show the U.S. that Mr Abdulmutallab was a Nigerian only by virtue of his passport - he is totally Western in his thinking. We only get "radicalized" about ENJOYMENT, MONEY, POWER & FAME! Bring in the Sociologists, psychologists, profilers and historians who will buttress the points.
We need to point out to the US that he became the way he was while in the UK, like many of the bombers they have had. And while we are on that issue, our officials should ask why UK is not on the list.
So, by all means, protest. Complain. But remember it has to be in an organized and effective manner, not just a babble of noise that does little more than irritate or annoy!
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