Most Liberian experienced yesterday the Town Hall Meeting that NEVER was. Indeed a golden opportunity for genuine dialogue was shamelessly sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.
From the initial interviews conducted by the http://www.radiolib.com correspondents, with sections of the "purported" attendees outside of the venue, any reasonable individual could have seen through the veneer that overshadowed President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Town Hall Meeting held yesterday, 05/21/2010 at the Morgan State University in Maryland, USA.
I was shocked to hear a number of the interviewees, including a non-citizen who claimed he was there to SUPPORT the president simply because he has business interest(s) in Liberia. An interviewee referring to himself as a member of the leadership of the shadowy group Liberians for Ellen unknowingly spilled the beans when we mentioned that his group was THERE in their NUMBERS basically as a show of strength and support for their Queen.
Did any of the loud PRAISE SINGERS remember the hardship the ordinary Liberians face on a daily basis ? The extreme lack of the very basics of life? The widespread poverty, lack of sanitation and absence of JUSTICE !
One must give credit to the folks at http://www.radiolib.com for the live stream. It brought to life the callous sycophancy and giant show of shame.
When the reporters entered the building we, the listening audience, were greeted by repeated battle cries and loud praise-singing even before the programm began.
The Unity Party must be very desperate to put up this GIANT show of SHAME so far away from the Homeland. The praise-singers gave ordinary Liberians a realistic taste of what “purchased support” actually is.
If indeed the praises heaped on Ellen, for virtually resuscitating Liberia, were deserved why are thousands of Liberians annually crying for the extension of DED just to remain in the USA ? If conditions are right and the Unity Party is the best thing that happened to Liberia since “palm butter” why the annual pleas to stay here in the USA? Why not go home in our numbers and enjoy the FRUITS of Queen Ellen's work(s) !
This giant show of shame must be roundly condemned by ALL well meaning Liberians. These town Hall Meetings are meant to be a forum for realistic dialogue that are intended to resolve the many problems facing our nation. It was wrong and callous for the Unity Party and her HACKS to hijack this meeting and turn it into a mini political rally.
Except for the lone voice who raised concern regarding the shortcomings judiciary, where Queen Ellen was forced to admit the shortcomings of the judiciary and proclaimed her intention to seek reform that will introduce the “jury system” into the Liberian legal system, this was everything but a Unity party rally - clearly meant as an emotional exercise - for MOST of the praise singers ARE non-voters.
We roundly condemn this show of shame and lay the blame at the feet of overzealous UP partisans who denied Liberians a valuable opportunity for GENUINE dialogue with their leader.
In the cause of the people, the struggle continues.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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