<cite> @Alpha Blondy said:</cite> ^nonsense. by the way have you heard about the three-legged donkey in Burao. i heard it the other day and its funny walahi. so much hype surrounding this donkey. All donkeys have three hind legs dee :-D

<cite> @Safferz said:</cite> No, not at all! Just the interest, funding and support/institutional commitment to bring this discussion to Harvard. It would be bringing everyone interested in developing this theoretical intervention and new line of inquiry/future directions for scholarship in one place, and following it up with a published collection of the essays they present there. The professors here have all been following closely and have been incredibly supportive. That is a good news for the study of our culture, language, history, and society if Harvard with its deep pockets is willing to fund reserch in Somali studies. This could indeed be a positive outcome of your campaign however controversial it might be.

<cite> @Safferz said:</cite> Harvard has even insisted that it be the place to host conferences to theorize this new Somali Studies, and I have other projects underway. This must be a job offer from Harvard Safferz. I am I right?

<cite> @Miyir said:</cite> lol flip flopper Well this debate is not like that long running Somali favourite 'my clan is better than your clan' nonsense where one is expected to stick to his/her clan's line till judgement day. It is about a topic I am not very familiar with and is being brought to us by an expert in the field. So unlike you I do have respect for the intellectual capacity of all the SOLers debating here and have appreciation for their well written contribution. Keeping my mind open to ideas from all sides does not mean I do not support our sister Saffrez and her intellectual and career development. I ask Almighty Allah to open all the doors of success for her.

This happened several years ago. Those kids should be taught how to coexist peacefully with those different in culture, race, religion, and sexuality.

<cite> @thefuturenow said:</cite> I rarely agree with Dr. K but he is right. This trend of scholarship is no scholarship. It is a reactive motion that underscores the power imbalance and highlights a latent inferiority complex in the author. It operates in many fields. Women studies, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, African (American) Studies, etc. There are scholars in these fields that get away with a lifetime of reactive writings. The feminist claims women studies before her reek of the "patriarchal" delineation of the world. The Arab goes that these white men have the "orientalist" gaze and don't really understand us. And when the "cadaan" scholar armed with his prejudices reaches the conclusion that the African is savage, this type of scholarship yells out "no, the African is not savage. You cadaan people think they're savage because you're racist and privileged." In other words, the cadaan actually went and observed the people whom he called savages. He may be misinformed and reach conclusions that are fueled by prejudice. But so too would the African if he studied Europeans. Yet, this type of scholarship does not encourage the African to correct these prejudices with an actual counter-study. Instead, it tells the African that he--because of his sheer Africanness--knows better. That he is more privileged to speak on the topic because he is the subject of study. The insidious aim of those who encourage this type of study is a slow unraveling of actual scholarship which culminates in a form of censhorship. That is why we see the subject resort to a form of name-calling and label certain studies as products of the "colonial gaze" or "racist" or "misogynist." The subtle aim is to discourage debate and dismiss certain efforts as motivated by sheer prejudice. It is to reserve a certain area for study for a specific group because they are part of that studied group. I do not disagree with its utility as a preface to an academic work. But it cannot be scholarship by itself. It is lazy. It is territorial. And it is perpetuated by personal attacks. But most importantly, it is a way for the inferior, the subject of a prejudicial study to express his rage. All the while the master smiles. Because when history is read, it will say--"the African is a savage because of x, y, z." And African's response will be "that scholar is racist because he said x, y, z and it doesn't apply to me." The proper response should be--"the African is not x, y, z, rather he is a, b, c." That is a brilliant analysis. I was initially very critical of Safrez's twitter campaign but then I kept reading her articles and somehow I was lead to believe that maybe Western anthropologists don't value Somali contribution to the study of our culture and society. I am still learning.

^ I am afraid you will be disappointed in Hargeisa when a mountain of trash greets you at every street corner. London in the 16th century was actually more developed than Hargeisa in the 21st century. There are very few roads worth the name in Hargeisa and even those roads are chaotically clogged with all sorts of transport vehicles including donkeys. As there is no drainage system in the city the rough roads are transformed into raging rivers whenever it rains. The electricity is also more expensive there than any other place I have seen.

I don't think family planning is illigal in Islam. It is probably just undesirable because according to a sahih Hadith the prophet(scw) questioned its usefulness given that every soul destined to be born will be born regardless of our intervention.

<cite> @bilan said:</cite> Good riddance. I would have said the same thing had it not been for the fact that the deceased was himself a victim of an organised criminal group's vicious deception and brainwashing campaign.

<cite> @Holac said:</cite> Was he trying to "cleanse his soul" after that modeling gig? What prompted this young man to go and die fighting for a terrorist group? My condolences to his family. AUN. The terrorist masterminds convince these young and naive people that joining their murder squard is the surest short cut to heaven. How sad that these young people are not capable of any logical reasoning with the terrorist recruiters.

Dr Ken, Kenya like every other country will never build a wall inside its recognised borders. As for the Somalis, I think our humiliation and fall from grace is complete now that even the other Africans want to erect walls of steel and concrete to keep us at bay. We have become the despised new Gypsies of the world.

<cite> @SomaliPhilosopher said:</cite> Lol @ careful consideration. And what about the security situation in Somalia, where the satanic black flag rises in many of the areas where these refugees come from? What future layeth there? Hello Mr SP. I am really shocked that you refered to a flag carrying the Islamic declaration of faith as Satanic!!

Safiyaay your arguments in this article are very well articulated and convincing, therefore I am officially withdrawing my opposition to your campaign :-D

Apparently Ayaan is not following the mass murder of black men and boys with impunity by racist white cops.

<cite> @ElPunto said:</cite> Happens all the time - just lucky it was captured on camera. What happens to the other cops on the scene who backed up the story of the killer cop? Any consequences for the coverup? There was one black officer with the racist killer who was also probably involved in the cover up. I don't know what is wrong with the black members of the American police forces, waa bilaa damiir. Odd that this story makes it on to SOL and not the 148 people killed in Garissa. Unfortunately we got used to Alshabaab's endless crimes against humanity.

<cite> @Nin-Yaaban said:</cite> Not trying to get involved in this, but I remember this Saalax person being staunch separatist 2yrs back. And he has now done a complete 180 degree turn. Don't be the type of person who changes their view every time they don't get their way. Principals matter in life sxb. And tomorrow if u get what u want, you'd get right back to ur Aflagaado. Somalis are Pirates, iyo Amisom, iyo waxaan loojoogin. He is still a separatist. He just wants president Siilaanyo dead :-D

<cite> @Alpha Blondy said:</cite> the chick being interviewed looks like she could be on a Clean Bandit music vid. she speaks with a lisp. looooool. she made some valid points though. She made some valid points indeed particularly the absence of students and scholars from the university of Hargeisa which the journal claims to represent. Despite my obvious disagreement with her regarding this unfair mashruuc, at times I felt I was in danger of being convinced.

<cite> @Alpha Blondy said:</cite> Salaax, lets meet up man. i'll show you around, ma garatay? you're so full of bs, taking foul of our nation's captials, bakhtiyahow. Relax Mr Blondy. Although much of Saalax's comments in this forum is nothing more than cyber mooryaanism, his description of our nation's capital isn't actually that far off the mark.

<cite> @Miyir said:</cite> You missed the point again, no one cares what clueless Cadaan dude says about us. according to your beloved Cadaan friend this hipster kid Rodrigo Vaz knows more about Somalis and Somalia while sipping Shaah in London? we need not to question them, meanwhile we sit back because we Somalis hate sitting down 8 Hours straight? care to explain? I sure hate sitting down 8 hours Apparently this "hipster kid sipping tea in London" took the initiative to start an important project documenting our history while our fellow Somali academic warlords like Abdi Samatar are busy sowing the seeds of hatred amongst the Somali people.

<cite> @ElPunto said:</cite> ^Relax - not sure why you are making things so personal. I don't see him making anything personal. On the contrary he is being very objective. These comments are crap. No they are not. Indeed these comments are by far the most serious challenge to this ridiculous and unwarranted campaign against a man who has done absolutely nothing wrong. 1- Markus did attack Somalis as a whole when he says - "I did NOT come accross [sic] many younger Somalis who would qualify as serious SCHOLARS – not because they lack access to sources, but because they seem not to value scholarship as such." and when he says - "Fine. I will go. You and your friends can talk about a stupid white man who is colonizing you, but I think that when you are finished talking about colonialism, you will go back to your Somali tribalism." These statements made by Markus could not be closer to the truth. Indeed he knows a thing or two about us. 2- The point of this campaign is not that white scholars are studying Somalia and its history. It is/was a discussion on the lack of effort at including Somali voices. This discussion was mishandled by Markus who responded in an intemperate manner. That gave life to what would have otherwise been a discussion for only a few passionate activists. End of story. I said it before and will say it again. This journal is like any other private business and therefore it is upto its owners to decide the make up of its staff.

A white man says something true about the Somalis and suddenly descends of supposedly "outraged" characters emerge from the woodwork!! Where have these people been in the last 25 years when the same Somali people had more serious issues to worry about than the Facebook comments of a German teacher?

<cite> @somalee said:</cite> I admire this young lady's energy and courage. Mr Hoehner was very arrogant, racist and condescending in his remarks and its great to see this show of solidarity from young Somali scholars. A lot has been done, said and written in our name. It is high time we took charge of our own destiny and this is one big way of doing that. Haven't we written our own history and narrative in the books of infamy and the anti-terror watchlists of the world's intelligence agencies when the colonial powers left us alone? I don't think I can trust a Somali written history book about other Somalis knowing that it would be nothing more than the usual tea shop trabalism in fancy language.

<cite> @Miyir said:</cite> Saff Agree 100%, Well done and thank you. Talaabo You upset eh? belittling of anyone who dares to criticise your beloved Cadaan edited I did not belittle Saffrez and will never do that. Indeed I admire the passion with which she defends the issues that are important to her such as the one here. Saffrez and I share many views some of which are controversial but we also respectfully disagree on others, therefore your interference here is not needed.

^ Lool. Holac do you know he is beautiful and desirable in the eyes of his people?

Maxaa dhaqan celis loogu samayn waayay dhalinyaradan horta.