I am deeply gratified for the privilege of allowing me to openly express my continued disappointment with politicians in Liberia, in particular those of the most recent past administrations.

In my opinion, any society in which individuals lose their ability to feel ashamed and disgraced, for acts of commission and omission, inimical to the welfare of that society, is evidence that the society is on a downward spiral. I am awe-struck by the lack of remorse, the refusal to feel ashamed, and admit culpability for having wreaked havoc on unsuspecting, innocent members of the Liberian society, on the part of former stalwarts of the administration of Charles Taylor.

Reference is herewith made to the story carried in the Tuesday, July, 3, 2007, edition of AllAfrica Online Magazine, under the caption, "Liberia: Cyril Allen Opens Up". At first glance I passed it up, refusing to dignify the man by reading whatever nonsense he had espoused. However, I was reminded of one famous quote by Sir Edmund Burke, in which he said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". I certainly do not which to cast myself as being such a good, or for that matter, self-righteous person, because I am really nobody. The Holy Bible puts it more succinctly than I ever could by saying, "All of our righteousness are like filthy rags". Notwithstanding these caveats, Mr.. Burke also said, "Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do little", hence my response to Mr.. Allen.

In my pinion, Mr. Allen needs to be reminded that it has only been about four years since he participated in what was intended to be the final nail in the coffin of Liberia as a republic, or as older Liberians could remember it. For six years the reins of power was solidly in the hands of men whose only intentions were to rob and pillage the very country that had given them a platform on the world's stage. In other words, Taylor and his band of marauders were no more than armed robbers, using Liberia and Sierra Leone as their private piggy banks. The evidence shows that they were devoid of any good intentions, because how else can you justify six years in office with nothing to show except a pile of dead bodies.

Chased from power in disgrace, they refuse to simply shut up. The kindness of the Liberian populace is being trampled upon by the likes of Cyril Allen, Edwin Snowe, and others who won't just go away and hide in shame. Instead they are launching ever increasing aggressive campaigns in the media and using whatever means are available to them. It is their hope to salvage their disgraced images, and in the process denigrate the efforts of the present administration to rehabilitate the destroyed country, and maybe, just maybe, fix what they destroyed. Most are so brave as to suggest that Charles Taylor is innocent of the charges levied against him. Beware of those who call evil good. If Taylor is innocent then Mussolini and Hitler should be resurrected and apologized to.
While not perfect, the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf administration has done infinitely more in less than two years than what Taylor did in six, or what he would have done in a lifetime. Simple put, Mr.. Allen needs to shut up and let others assume the mantle of watch dog of this government. If there are criticisms to be meted out, there are more competent Liberians, very capable of keeping the government honest and on the right track.. The last thing Liberia needs at this point in her history, is having super-crooks and wanton killers, serving as watchdogs over people of goodwill.

Maybe the government should take Cyril Allen and others up on their offer, and put them on trial for the evils they perpetrated against an innocent people. But I applaud the mercies of the Liberian people and their slogan, "Let by-gones be by-gone", however, a reminder is necessary, that those who fail to heed the lessons of history are destined to repeat them. (Sir Edmund Burke) Liberians need to stop given audience to individuals like Cyril Allen. If this happens, maybe, just maybe, they will go away and shut up.