What great experiences, vote for my country on one day and visit the house that supports democracy the next day!
For more pictures, visit my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bassamsebti/.
Jon Stewart puts things in perspective and sends his colleague Jason Jones to Iran!
Read full op-ed here and see the video below.
Unbelievable…
Nothing better illustrates the change Obama is trying to do with the U.S. policy towards the Muslim world than his speech today in Cairo.
By addressing the Muslims in Egypt, Obama opened a door that was closed for eight years due to the Bush administration’s horrible approach with the Arab and Muslim countries. Walking through that door, Obama was greeted respectably and lovingly by those who once hated his country to the bone.
The fact that Obama is approaching the Muslim world through such a speech is very similar to someone carrying the olive branch, in my opinion. He is seeking peace for the world, unlike Bush who sent bombs instead, not to mention his administration’s black-or-white attitude that led to ongoing wars.
In this speech, Obama didn’t show signs of weakness or humility like how some conservative republicans view it. In my opinion he was the most powerful person. He initiated approaching the Muslim world by extending his hands to combat the stereotypes and the mistakes committed by his predecessors. In it, I viewed the other good face of America. In fact, I saw that the American administration can actually be nice to the others!
Fair could also describe the speech as well. For instance, when he mentioned how Muslims and the Americans should not perceive each other depending on stereotypes. Another example is when he criticized both Palestinians and Israelis for being responsible for the horror happening in their region. I agree the Israeli settlements should stop and also agree that threatening to destroy Israel will not bring the Palestinians any good and that it should stop.
The other thing that attracted my attention was when Obama indirectly criticized what the Bush administration did. The fact that the American president acknowledges that the Iraq war was “a war of choice” is enough to say that Bush did not have to invade Iraq, yet he did. However, he stated that Iraqis are “better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein,” which I agree and disagree with at the same time. It was good to get rid of Saddam, but the life of the Iraqi people was wrecked by the ignorant policies that were made by the Bush administration. We can’t really say that our lives are better off now than under Saddam, because it’s still a complete wreck compared to that before the invasion. I’m hoping that it won’t last like this and by then Obama’s statement would fit.
Bush and his henchmen believed in imposing the Jeffersonian democracy upon the countries they invaded. It’s amazing how for the first time I hear Obama admitting that “no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by another.” When I heard that, I said, “THANK YOU!” Was it hard to acknowledge such a simple, yet powerful fact? That’s what Bush did not understand or did not want to understand. You can’t impose democracy; you teach it; you increase people’s awareness of it, but not force it the way you like, ignoring the background of that country.
Overall, I saw that the speech came in a time when tension between the Muslims and the West has reached its peak. It’s very nice to see that Obama took the initiative of extending hands. I know this speech may not leave a big impact on many Muslims and Arabs but I think it’s like baby steps. By course of time, things will change to the better hopefully if Obama continues his positive and peaceful attitudes. It’s a long road but the thousand-mile road starts with one step.
From the White House YouTube page:
*Thinking here* Isn’t he on the verge of being 60 years-old? Does he think he is young? I can’t believe human beings actually watch his show and listen to his nonsense.
Here is what I wrote for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
blog.bassamsebti@gmail.com
I have long been following Barak Obama’s news, having had the hope he would become the president of United States. Even though I’m a non-American I believe studying Obama means studying how the world’s superpower is going to be led. I have been reading dozens of articles about him since I have gotten to be familiar with his name when I first came to the States in 2006. I even remember writing a story for my “Journalism and Politics” class about his decision of announcing his presidential candidacy for 2008. I have also watched TV programs and listened to interviews with and about him on the radio. These have all hooked me up to support him for a better America and hopefully a better world.
However, studying Obama politically is not enough. I felt I needed to study his personal life as well. Thus, and three days after he was elected to be the president, I headed to the nearest bookstore in downtown Washington DC where I go to work and bought his infamous memoir Dreams from My Father. I wanted to see why millions of people around the world, including me, fell in love with this man’s character.
The book sat on my bookcase for a few weeks because I was reading another book I needed to finish, a habit I don’t think I will change. I can’t read a new book unless I finish the one I have in hands. Some of my friends read three books at a time. Anyways, I started reading it recently and lived with Barak Obama the person, his life from childhood to adulthood and marriage.
Legendary Toni Morisson called Obama “a writer in my high esteem” and the book “quite extraordinary.” Indeed, it is an extraordinary account of life. Even though I loved Obama’s political accomplishments, I have never expected him to be such a great writer. His literary style chilled my entire spine with details portrayed with emotions and metaphors not any writer can master.
Every time I read about one of the characters in Obama’s life I feel I got to know him or her. His grandparents, mother, sisters and brothers. I loved how he talked about his sister Kenyan sister, Auma. She reminded me of my sister and how greatly she loves me and cares about me. The brother-sister relationship between the two of them was greatly discussed in the book, despite the fact that they lived oceans away.
As for his achievements, I should no longer be surprised that this man has become the president of the US. His will and strength when he was young and when he started off as a community organizer made me respect him a lot more. He did what no one in the African American Chicago community was able to do. Above all, he believed in what he was doing. He believed it was a good cause that needed to be addressed and dealt with, not ignored.
Throughout the book, Obama was brave enough to talk about what he was really going through as an American with African roots, what his father meant to him, how his relatives lived when Obama Sr. was alive and after his death, his brothers and sisters solidarity in hard times, and how after all of that he was awarded with his wife Michelle and how at the wedding he felt “the luckiest man alive.”
blog.bassamsebti@gmail.com
Like millions across the world, I was glued to the TV last night. CNN did an incredible job in covering the elections night. When Obama was announced the elect president I jumped off the couch and the first words I uttered were, “I have a huge respect for this country.”Obama’s speech was very moving. The very first sentence made me respect him even more.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
Last night’s victory was indeed the answer to all those who had ever suspected American democracy. As for McCain, as much as I didn’t like him, as much as I highly respected him after hearing his speech. I commend him for his respectful speech. His words showed he was not a loser but someone who truly loves his country.
There are no enough words to put on this thread. So I’ll just say that last night was a historic moment not only for the United States, but for the entire world. I am glad I had the chance to witness that great event in my lifetime. The entire world looks to America differently now. They see the new great, bright face of America, not what they used to see for the last eight years. Obama’s victory brought the world together to love America again.
blog.bassamsebti@gmail.com
American society has often been described as a melting pot. It has become a great nation by its people’s will and desire to live, work and build as they work hard to achieve their American dream. But what is happening now by some conservative Americans as they support McCain is extremely hurting this great image of the American dream, which is the essence of what America is all about. Expressing their racism and intolerance publically while rallying for McCain is just sad.
I’m sure all of you saw this ignorant American woman rallying for McCain saying she doesn’t trust Obama and that she has “read about him and found out he’s an Arab.” At first, I thought she said “he’s an error” which is why I accepted McCain saying, “No, Madam. He’s a decent family man…” But when I realized she meant an “Arab” and connected it to what McCain said, I felt very offended. It appeared as if he was saying, “No, Madam. He’s is decent, not Arab.” I wonder if he said that deliberately to convey that Arabs are not decent and that since Obama is not an Arab, he’s decent!
In all cases, I’m not surprised that this came from a McCain supporter and from McCain himself. I wonder what would the Arab Americans feel when they heard this ignorant woman. What would they think when they see the country they built along with their Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, atheist and Hindu countrymen intolerant like this. Haven’t they defended their country like what Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan did when he enlisted in the army, deployed in Iraq and then killed there? What would his heart-wrenched father say when he sees or hears ignorant people disregarding his son’s sacrifice for his country and faith?I guess no one said it better than Campbell Brown in this CNN video. “What if Obama was an Arab or a Muslim… What if McCain was?”
This election is a wakeup call for Americans and how they are going to shape their country. I hope they do it the right way this time, unlike what happened when they voted for Bush whose eight years brought destruction, caused many enemies around the world and most importantly used the people’s taxes to pay for wars and let the entire American economy collapse before the American people’s eyes.
Now, it is time for change. And yes, you can!
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