Anatomy of an E-mail
Abeba Isahac
February 18, 2007
The other day I received the following email. I am not quite sure which of my articles the writer is referring to, but nevertheless, I found it interesting enough to want to share it as a good example of a twisted and confused mind.
Reading your article, it seems that you have anger on America. There is a saying in Ethiopia “you can’t bite the finger that feeds you” because in your (Eritrea) history, you have been biting the fingers that was feeding you. If America believed in you, they could have done a lot. After they see every thing, I am sure they regretted supporting your independence, if you call this independent. In your final statement, you said that Eritrea will prevail. I don’t think so. Your country is created with false history and out of hatred for the people of Ethiopia. You will not achieve any thing except being another African country begging for food and ruled by a war monger and a dictator. Freedom is not only waving flag. It is more than that.”
I don’t know how old you are and how much you know the true history (not what Isayeas feed you as history) of your country. The best thing I can tell you is, it is good you are separated from us. You can not live by yourself and we don’t want you either. No one wants a cancer. When the cancer is cut off from your body, you don’t want it back again. Do you?
Solomon”
One is not sure who he is defending – America or Ethiopia? And he speaks about fingers that feed Eritrea. Again, whose fingers it is that Eritrea bit is not clear. Then, after a lot of mumbo jumbo the best part is when he talks about Eritrea ending up begging for food? Look who is talking! Now, who is universally and notoriously known for habitually crying out famine, and who is perpetually begging for food? Surely, with the hard working, self reliant and proud people that she has, as well as with two seaports at her disposal, Eritrea will never starve.
The only thing that had dragged Eritrea behind was Ethiopia’s backwardness and cruel administration, and currently her belligerent government. Despite claiming three thousand plus years of freedom, Ethiopia, with all her fertile and lusciously rich land, still cannot feed her own people, let alone to feed others. Indeed, it is a good thing that we are separated. If you too see us as a cancer and do not want us back, then what is the problem? Why don’t you, and your arrogant and lawless allies just leave us alone to go on with our lives?
He inadvertently admits that America, as though they did not try their best to hinder it, regrets supporting Eritrea’s independence, thus justifying what he calls my ‘anger on America.’ And he admits that, had they (Americans) believed in us (Eritreans) then they would have done a lot. Believed in us in what sense? To stoop down and let them walk all over us, as they do, and have always done, in Africa in general, and in Ethiopia in particular? Now who is it that does not know his history?
Well, much more can be said about this email, but if I continue it will send us whirling around the bend with its twisted reasoning and obviously ignorant and hateful statements, unable to hide his anger and jealousy, as he even defies the statement “Eritrea will always prevail”
I hope not all Ethiopians think in this manner. We Eritreans do not hate the people of Ethiopia, the majority of whom have suffered just like us, be it under the Emperor, the derg, or this woyane regime, both of whom have been and still are supported by the Americans, no matter their human rights atrocities. Even Mengistu Hailemariam, the communist, who committed so much crimes against humanity was spared and helped by the Americans to escape justice. So what is there left for anyone in that region to like anything about America, especially now that they have come closer to cause and reek more havoc and destabilization, under the pretext of hunting for terrorists?
Eritreans are not in the business of hating anyone, not even the Americans, despite all their blundering ways. Right now we are busy building a nation, growing and producing. We also strive for good relationships with all nations. But we do intend to protect our sovereignty by every ounce of blood we have. All the rhetoric coming out of US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Ms. Jendayi Frazer, and the lies being spread by the woyane, is not sitting well with us, and so, although what we want is peace, if it comes to defending ourselves, we will always be ready, and with such a dangerous atmosphere, no one has the right to tell us where our defence forces should be placed within our own land. This should not be interpreted as war mongering but rather as a self defence. The war mongers are those searching for pretexts to fight in order to survive and prolong their life span as rulers among their disillusioned and disappointed people.
I normally like to respond to most emails I receive, whether negative or positive. I tried to respond to this one too, but it was electronically rejected and returned. I guess Ato Solomon only likes to send negative messages, but he is not brave enough to face the truth through a response. So, since he apparently reads my articles, I decided to go public in order to get his attention.
With truth, courage and determination as her only weapons, Eritrea will definitely always prevail.
Reading your article, it seems that you have anger on America. There is a saying in Ethiopia “you can’t bite the finger that feeds you” because in your (Eritrea) history, you have been biting the fingers that was feeding you. If America believed in you, they could have done a lot. After they see every thing, I am sure they regretted supporting your independence, if you call this independent. In your final statement, you said that Eritrea will prevail. I don’t think so. Your country is created with false history and out of hatred for the people of Ethiopia. You will not achieve any thing except being another African country begging for food and ruled by a war monger and a dictator. Freedom is not only waving flag. It is more than that.”
I don’t know how old you are and how much you know the true history (not what Isayeas feed you as history) of your country. The best thing I can tell you is, it is good you are separated from us. You can not live by yourself and we don’t want you either. No one wants a cancer. When the cancer is cut off from your body, you don’t want it back again. Do you?
Solomon”
One is not sure who he is defending – America or Ethiopia? And he speaks about fingers that feed Eritrea. Again, whose fingers it is that Eritrea bit is not clear. Then, after a lot of mumbo jumbo the best part is when he talks about Eritrea ending up begging for food? Look who is talking! Now, who is universally and notoriously known for habitually crying out famine, and who is perpetually begging for food? Surely, with the hard working, self reliant and proud people that she has, as well as with two seaports at her disposal, Eritrea will never starve.
The only thing that had dragged Eritrea behind was Ethiopia’s backwardness and cruel administration, and currently her belligerent government. Despite claiming three thousand plus years of freedom, Ethiopia, with all her fertile and lusciously rich land, still cannot feed her own people, let alone to feed others. Indeed, it is a good thing that we are separated. If you too see us as a cancer and do not want us back, then what is the problem? Why don’t you, and your arrogant and lawless allies just leave us alone to go on with our lives?
He inadvertently admits that America, as though they did not try their best to hinder it, regrets supporting Eritrea’s independence, thus justifying what he calls my ‘anger on America.’ And he admits that, had they (Americans) believed in us (Eritreans) then they would have done a lot. Believed in us in what sense? To stoop down and let them walk all over us, as they do, and have always done, in Africa in general, and in Ethiopia in particular? Now who is it that does not know his history?
Well, much more can be said about this email, but if I continue it will send us whirling around the bend with its twisted reasoning and obviously ignorant and hateful statements, unable to hide his anger and jealousy, as he even defies the statement “Eritrea will always prevail”
I hope not all Ethiopians think in this manner. We Eritreans do not hate the people of Ethiopia, the majority of whom have suffered just like us, be it under the Emperor, the derg, or this woyane regime, both of whom have been and still are supported by the Americans, no matter their human rights atrocities. Even Mengistu Hailemariam, the communist, who committed so much crimes against humanity was spared and helped by the Americans to escape justice. So what is there left for anyone in that region to like anything about America, especially now that they have come closer to cause and reek more havoc and destabilization, under the pretext of hunting for terrorists?
Eritreans are not in the business of hating anyone, not even the Americans, despite all their blundering ways. Right now we are busy building a nation, growing and producing. We also strive for good relationships with all nations. But we do intend to protect our sovereignty by every ounce of blood we have. All the rhetoric coming out of US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Ms. Jendayi Frazer, and the lies being spread by the woyane, is not sitting well with us, and so, although what we want is peace, if it comes to defending ourselves, we will always be ready, and with such a dangerous atmosphere, no one has the right to tell us where our defence forces should be placed within our own land. This should not be interpreted as war mongering but rather as a self defence. The war mongers are those searching for pretexts to fight in order to survive and prolong their life span as rulers among their disillusioned and disappointed people.
I normally like to respond to most emails I receive, whether negative or positive. I tried to respond to this one too, but it was electronically rejected and returned. I guess Ato Solomon only likes to send negative messages, but he is not brave enough to face the truth through a response. So, since he apparently reads my articles, I decided to go public in order to get his attention.
With truth, courage and determination as her only weapons, Eritrea will definitely always prevail.
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