Thursday, February 24, 2011

Letter to Khamis Muammar al Gaddafi


Dear Khamis,
I hope this letter reaches you well, reaches you not too late and, above all, I hope it comes across with the sincerity I have in my heart.

I wish I was sending this letter in better circumstances and Libya was not going through the unrest that it is going through now. At the same time, maybe this is when a letter like this is the most needed.

It's difficult not to be influenced by the news, by the images and by the violence. It is difficult not to take sides, not to “judge” but...

God judges, History judges, your people judges, you judge... I don't judge.

It is in the hour of darkness that we need our friends the most and, I hope, I can be of a voice that makes a change in this hour of darkness that Libya is going through.

Had the troubles in Libya not happened I would have been proud to say that once we sat in the same class and studied the same books, listened to the same ideas and dreamt of changing the world. I'm writing here because I know you can and I know you will do the right thing and, as you do, I can repeat that I am still proud to have known you!

What I have seen so far on the news are only violent actions and brutal reactions. Is that all that is on the table? One party eliminating the other instead of achieving together?
What do your people want? Who in Libya has stopped and asked this question? Who has the trust of the people to ask this question and is that person trusted enough to see the will of the people realized?
Who is the one in Libya that will stand and say: I refuse to accept that violence is the way and retaliation is the answer!
Who is the one in Libya that will stand and say: I am going to be the change?

Are the people asking for more than freedom, equality, pride and self respect? Is this impossible to achieve in ways other than one side eliminating the other and fighting to the last bullet?

The Libyan people are drunk... yes! But they are drunk on freedom and equality. The Libyan people just witnessed two revolutions where the authorities ran over people with tanks and yet, at the end, the will of the people prevailed. The Libyan people are empowered by the belief that freedom and equality can be achieved if they face the government long enough. They expect violence and so far, from the speeches that I have heard, this is what the Libyan regime has delivered. Not only are you giving the revolution what they expect, you are fueling their rage and destroying future chances for peaceful agreements.
What is more important to you?
We are all dying and what is left is our legacy. What do you want your legacy to be? Do you want it to be marked with destruction and death or do you want it to be marked by Greatness... greatness comes from building not destroying, greatness comes from giving life not taking it.
You are the one: no one knows Libya better than a Libyan, no one knows Libya better than you. And no one has the resources that you have. No one is in a better position to to make a difference. No one in these troubled times can achieve greatness.
At IE we are part of an elite and we pride ourselves with the genius to turn obstacles into opportunities, and crisis to resolutions. Where every body else fails we manage to stand for what is right; for what is a leader other than a student, as you are, that can look at his people in the darkest hour and lead them into the light? I am at your disposal to help you achieve your greatness.
May God be with you and guide you in this time

Antonios

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