By Yassin M. Ismail, Kent, UK
Snakes, crocodiles and most reptiles are known and feared for their reputation of killing instinct and reactionary behavior. Most reptiles are said to be cold blooded, stealth and often strike when least expected. They do so in self-defense.
Unlike amphibians and mammals, particularly predators, reptiles do not choose their prey and often remain hidden most of their time awaiting for their prey to arrive within striking distance.
Snakes and reptiles in general are physically inferior and intellectually deficient compared to mammals and amphibians. They have neither legs to run with nor wings to help them fly and though some of them live in waters their bodies are not particularly designed for life in waters.
In addition, reptiles are intellectually subordinate to both mammals and to some extent amphibians.
Snakes are primitive animals intellectually under-developed due to the size of their brain and the fact that their cerebral cortex is very tiny.
In fact snakes only utilize their lower brain, the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for instinctive life decisions: i.e. defense, eating, reproduction etc.
Snakes are also half blind and do not see very well though they rely on their highly sensitive vibration sensors (their excellent ability to detect sound vibrations).
In other words they listen to the ground to find out if any threat is coming to their way and if there is, they automatically engage themselves in defensive mode once they realize the presence of a danger. Hence whoever crosses their protective lines is potential attacker and instinctively the snakes would automatically strike in self defense.
Scientists say, this reactionary behavior is normal for snakes whose reptilian brain is merely capable of making life decisions and as they are not capable of making consciously thought response their fear and vulnerability overrides their rationality. Furthermore, as cold blooded animals, snakes spend most of their time conserving their energy and sleeping.
But sleeping makes you even more vulnerable to attacks and snakes know that very well. Thus they developed the ability to remain alert even when sleeping.
Imam Hamze Yusuf, an American Muslim scholar once compared the behavioral characteristics of snakes with that of brutal dictators. In a lecture titled the ‘Dangers of Heedlessness’ Imam Hamze said most of the known brutal dictators have one thing in common with reptiles. Their brains function from a reptilian level.
Imam Hamze’s argument is particularly true knowing that ‘fear’ and insecurity have often been the main driving force behind brutalities committed by many dictators and fuelled by folly and greed. Just the same way a snake would strike when felt threatened dictators tend to resort to the use of violence and repression in order to suppress their political opponents.
This analogy is particularly true considering President Dahir Rayale’s rather stubborn behavior in his judgments on number of politically sensitive issues. Such has been the recent unlawful arrests of three journalists working for the Haatuf Newspaper earlier this year. Without trial the three journalists spent more than 100 days in prison.
In addition, three prominent members of the Qaran Political Party were taken to prison without any charge or trial process and still remain incarcerated in Mandhera central prison.
Human Right organization condemned the unlawful imprisonment of Dr Gabose, Eng Mohamed Hashi Mr. M. Aideed.
Clearly Mr. Rayale’s tendency to resort to high handed tactics, including repression and illegal arrests of his political opponents is a display of all known characteristic behaviors of a reptilian creature.
The pattern of his recent actions also prove that President Rayale is coming out his shell and eventually showing his true colors as brutal dictators whose fear and insecurity override his sense of rationality. The question is will Rayale continue to grow into a fully fledged monster or he would be stopped before his ego hatches?
As the Somali saying goes, ‘Maska Madaxaa laga dilaa’ an indication that the snake’s reptilian brain is the source of his reactionary behavior.
Email: foryassin19@hotmail.com
Source Somaliland Times:
http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/290/9.shtml
