quruxleey,
i do 'praise' those who do good work in our community. just yesterday... i posted an article... dealing with the victory of the protocol in africa. one of the campaigners, in somalia/kenya/etc, is faiza jama mohamed-- who is the director of "equality now" in africa. she was one of the 19 african organizing people who brough the protocol to the AU (african union.)

i had also written about hassan ali adan who works with the unicef... and who really works for the rights of women and children in somaliland. he has challenged that government time and again... to do better for the society's most important fabric: women and children.

i'm currently writing an article about a group of somali scholars who met in mogadishu to talk about the horros of fgm. two of the leading scholars, dr. mohamed dheere and sheikh nuur baaruud, are both men
what happens is that... whenever i talk about these people, nobody responds. and you know why nobody responds? because it is expected. we all need to be fighting for the rights of those of us who can't speak for themselves.
i have never, ever said our people are uncapable. what i said, what i'm saying and what i will continue to say is this: most of our people pretend like it is not a problem. it is a denial... and that is not a river in egypt lol. it is a big, big river in somalia lol.
as for the 'interference' of other people, well sometimes we have no choice. take the issue of waris dirie. can you imagine she would have lived if she wrote her book in the somali community, and addressed those concerns in the somali community? what about ayaan hirsi ali? you see what i mean? these people would be killed. so they have to. they can't afford NOT to talk to others. it is their only chance.
again, this is not about 'you', quruxleey. it is about our society. and when i respond to what you say... i'm not responding to you -- because i don't know you -- but what you say. so, for fucck's sake... take your head out of the sand

i hope you had fun at the wedding... and that you didn't niikis too much

and, yes, i replied to your pm.
afdhere