Reflection On the
Issues Of Our Time
With Nvasekie N.
Konneh
Chris
Harmon, Writer of the Hate
Emails, Apologizes to the
Mandingoes
Reflection On the Issues of
Our Time, the new column we
started couple of weeks ago
has started on a good
footing. Like we say in the
inaugural article, we will
not back away from any
issue, no matter how
controversial it is. We want
to say something that no
else is saying or are scare
to say. As of now, the
column has succeeded in
getting people talking about
something no one feels
comfortable in talking
about. That is, ethnicity
and religion. On those
issues, most people would
prefer to keep silent.
Every society has its taboo
subject, its little dirty
secret which people would
rather keep under the wrap.
For instance in America or
Europe, racism is an issue
that is very much alive but
most people are not
comfortable in discussing
it. But every now and then
when it bursts into the
open, people are forced to
talk about it and the
offenders are often
condemned and forced to
apologize. Recently, the ex-"Seinfeld"
star Michael Richards had to
go from place to place
apologizing for using the
N-word.
In the case of Liberia,
anti-Mandingo/Moslem
discrimination is something
that is comparable to racism
as we know it in the West.
It is rampant but seldomly
discussed. We would rather
talk about other safe
politically correct issues.
By exposing the hate emails
and the person behind it, we
have succeeded in getting
people talking about the
issue of tribal or religious
intolerance in our own
society. Many people have
spoken their minds and the
good news is that all of
them disagree with the hate
messenger and his message of
hatred. They all have
categorically condemned him
and reminded him that such
hatred bordered on tribe has
no place in Liberia after
the brutal civil war that
has affected all of us in
one form or another. The
same way progressive forces
have succeeded in getting
the KKKs and affiliates out
of business in America, we
must succeed in getting our
own tribal bigots out of
business in Liberia. We must
make trash talking about
other people's ethnicity and
religion very unpopular to
the point that people in
authority of trust must be
forced to resign their
positions when they commit
the offense. Does that
remind you of Trent Lott?
When Chris Harmon wrote
those hate emails couple of
weeks ago, we decided to
only publish some portions
while not exposing the
identity of the writer. We
did so for the fact that we
didn't want to give him the
publicity he might have
been seeking. We only used
those portions of his emails
that were relevant to the
discussion of the
anti-Mandingo sentiment in
Liberia. He sent us another
letter challenging us to
publish. In this letter, he
was bold to tell us where he
lives. After few days of
editorial debate, we finally
agreed to publish the full
contents of two of the
emails. Since then there has
been ton of letters from
both Mandingo and
non-Mandingo Liberians
condemning Hormon for his
bigoted emails. These
letters are too many to be
published. Some of the
letters have come from
Chris' "Mandingo friends" in
Netherland. These are the
friends he mentioned in his
second letter. Among them
are Ismail Fofana,
Salim Sherrif, Abu Donzo,
Fofi Donzo, Sekou Donzo,
etc. Does that also remind
you of a KKK person saying
that his best friend is a
Black Man? According to
Ismail Fofana, one of Chris’
“friends,” all along they
have acted as the relatives
and friends Chris Harmon
does not have in Europe.
That's why they are
surprised and disappointed
beyond words that the person
who has benefited too much
from their generosity is now
bad-mouthing them and their
ethnicity. He says he does
not know Chris Harmon has
this hateful feeling towards
him and his people. Another
person whose response is
worth mentioning is Solomon
James who expressed
disappointment for the fact
that Chris Hammond is not
one of those Liberians who
have not got the opportunity
to travel and experience the
world beyond Liberia. He is
presently living in another
country outside of Liberia
and his host country has
been very generous to him.
For such a person to harbor
any tribal hatred for other
people is very hypocritical,
according to Solomon James.
While we were prepared to
publish some of these
responses in their
entireties, we received
another letter from Christ
Harmon. This time, it's not
another hate email but the
one apologizing to the
Liberian Mandingoes for the
hateful emails he has
written. He's now saying
sorry for the
unfortunate views he
expressed in previous
emails. Instead of
publishing those angry
letters sent as responses to
his, we have decided to
publish Harmon’s letter of
apology. Is he apologizing
out of fear for the
consequence generated by his
actions or is he doing so
out of the goodness of his
heart? Whatever the case, we
can only hope that he has
learnt something he didn't
know before he wrote those
hate emails.
Dear Sir:
I wish to extend my sincere
and deepest apology to my
Mandingo brothers and
sisters for my e-mails sent
to your site. I want to
emphasize here that I was in
no way trying to discredit
or demonize anyone during my
chatting with you, at which
time we both had swaps at
each other.
I realize that I went
beyond, of which I
considered obloquy. I'm
deeply troubled for those
remarks, knowing fully well
what we all have gone
through during the bloody
civil war, that was a
complete mistake and I'm not
too big to say gentleman I'm
sorry. I know fully well
that tribal sentiments are
very delicate and at such
one has to be very mindful
in addressing it.
Mr. Editor I'm very sorry
for any inconveniences those
emails may have caused my
Mandingo brothers and
sisters around the world.
I want to also extend my
apology to BENGOMA and my
Mandingo brothers and
sisters in the Netherlands
for the inconveniences those
e-mails have caused them.
There's nobody more Liberian
than the other.
Mr. Editor I'll also like to
see some positive
development on your website
about the present regime in
Liberia. We go onward and
forward backward never. Long
live the people of Liberia,
in union strong success is
sure.
Once again Mr. Editor my
deepest regret.
Sincerely yours
Christopher Harmon
About Nvasekie N.
Konneh: Nvasekie
Konneh is a nine year
veteran of the US Navy and
the author of the book of
poetry,“Going to War for
America.” He’s the chairman
of the Liberian Writers
Network (LWN) and Editor in
Chief of the Limany website.
Besides writing, Nvasekie
Konneh is a music
producer/promoter and CEO of
the KonnLove Entertainment
and Production. Nvasekie
Konneh is the Executive
Producer of the Positive
Force’s CD, “Liberia, Land
of the Free,” and Massebe
Kamara’s debut CD, “Dengo.”
Contact info:
KonnLove@aol.com
or 215 869 2463.
