Remembering Gaddhafi: Donor or Dictator?

I came across an article on TheGriot.com about mixed feelings among African Americans about the recent assassination on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and it raised a few questions for me. While the majority of international (Western) media outlets portray Gaddafi as a maniacal dictator who tortured his own people he is remembered as "a great brother leader" by Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan recalls Gaddafi's progressive development of Libya's healthcare system and generous gifts of aid to Sub-Saharan African countries to support schools, hospitals and mosques. In defense of the persecuted leader earlier this year Farrakhan said"Even though the current tide is moving against him...how can I refuse to raise my voice in his defense? Why would I back down from those who have given so much?" I wonder if he means so much to Libya and Africa or so much to the Nation of Islam, as in a $3 million donation given since in 1971.

Image courtesy of www.kingsrowe.com

Of course Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam are a minority group of African American muslims and their perspectives are not indicative of others, but the alternative views are important to consider. Do the heinous acts of an individual negate or outweigh their benevolent acts? Gaddafi is known to have supported other tyrants in Africa, but does that discredit the infrastructural developments that benefit many people?


I suppose I choose to view the good deeds as the beneficial side effects of an otherwise horrific existence. What are your views?