Letter From America
Everybody loves America
"Ebony and Ivory, live together in perfect harmony, Side by side on my piano keyboard, Oh Lord, why don't we. " -
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. JUDGING by the world's reaction, Barack Obama's election as America's president has ushered in a black-white Kumbaya moment for the world, as yearned for in the song composed by Sir Paul. (Isn't it amazing that the compositions of the Beatles duo John Lennon and Paul McCartney have captured the essence of every social transformation from the 1960s to the present day through popular songs?) New born male babies in Kenya, home of Barack Obama's father, are being named "Barack" or "Barack Obama." Americans living abroad are coming out of the woodwork to accept the accolades of the natives. Such affection has not been heaped on America and Americans abroad since September 11, 2001. Of course, America garnered universal sympathy for what was done to it by Al Qaeda terrorists on 9/11. Now America is being applauded for something it has done to itself. No one in authority in America made any statement to the world. Obama's election was the silent, yet most powerful statement. No longer can Western Europe lecture America about racial discrimination here, nor tell their minorities that "if you think it is bad here, it is worse in America!" As Tom Friedman of The New York Times pointed out, Barack Hussein Obama's victory has turned America's world topsy-turvy. America's enemy was supposedly Islam and the Muslims. President-elect Obama's father was a Muslim. America waged two Gulf Wars, in 1991 and 2003, to overthrow an Iraqi dictator named Hussein. Now Hussein is the middle name of America's president-elect. Iran is supposed to be America's number one enemy, a member of the "Axis of Evil." Now, how can Iran be an enemy to an American president whose middle name is Hussein? After all, along with Hassan, Hussein is the most revered name in Shia Islam and in Iran! (Hassan and Hussein are Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) grandsons, who were martyred in Iraq. They are the sons of the Prophet's daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. "Shia" means partisans of Ali; Shias believe that Ali should have been the Prophet's temporal successor. Before the world gets carried away with Obama mania, it must remember that president-elect Obama will look after America's interests first, whether the world likes it or not. President Bush squandered the world's goodwill by foolishly attacking Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11. The first time American missiles hit Waziristan inside Pakistan and kill civilians, or America attacks Iran, the world's euphoria will quickly evaporate. Internally, Americans are optimistic and feeling good about themselves. While 74% of Americans disapprove of their current president, 70% approve of their president-elect. Even in a recession-ravaged America, two-thirds of the citizens believe that their new president will right the economy in two years. For the first time ever, a majority of African-Americans believe that race relations will improve in America. The current first family hosted the next first family at the White House on November 10. Michelle Obama scouted possible schools for the first daughters Malia (10) and Sasha (7). The most pressing issue at the Obama household now is which "first puppy" to get for the first daughters. The president-elect explained the Obama dilemma with self-deprecating humour: "Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic. Our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me." Ninety five percent of African-Americans voted for Barack Obama, as did 67% of the Hispanics. A plurality of women also voted for Obama. 78% of the Jews voted for Obama. Among white voters, John McCain beat Obama by 55% to 43%. In many of the 28 states Obama won, he won a majority of white votes. It was only in the poor, less educated Appalachian states in the South (West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas) that Obama did poorly among whites, getting no more than 10% white votes in many of these states. Some of these whites cited Obama's race as the main factor in voting for McCain. These are the only states where Republicans increased their majority over 2004. This is not good news for these states, because Obama has demonstrated that a Democrat can win in a landslide without winning Southern states. For the first time in sixty years, nominees for president and vice-president on the Democratic ticket were from the north. A fierce battle is raging for the soul of the Republican Party. Beginning in 1988, the Republican Party adopted Lee Atwater and Karl Rove's strategy of winning presidential elections through tactics rather than issues. Through fear-mongering, and the character assassination of the Democratic candidates, they managed to defeat Dukakis (1988), Gore (2000) and Kerry (2004). This time, American voters refused to be duped. The Republicans' appeal to their worst demons turned off many Americans, especially the young. Obama's appeal to their better angels resonated with Americans, young and old. Tech savvy Obama campaign enlisted the assistance of millions of young Americans though social networks such as Face Book, My Space and You Tube, sent them short Emails and Text messages explaining his positions and upcoming events, and asking for small donations. These contacts will prove invaluable in an Obama administration. Because of the Republicans' disdain for the elites (read education), they were no match for Obama's internet campaign. While Americans are becoming more educated and more socially liberal, the Republicans' divisive, race-based messages appeal only to the less educated poor of the South. With blacks, Hispanics and young whites deserting the Republican Party in droves, the party is in danger of becoming a regional (Southern) party. Conservative columnist David Brooks of the New York Times believes that the Republican Party will follow backward-looking traditionalists like the education-averse Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to many more defeats before educated, progressive reformists with new ideas reclaim the party and lead it to victory. The reformists will be led by the likes of the very charismatic and smart 37-year old Governor of Louisiana, Indian-American Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, who is a Rhodes Scholar. Right now, however, the toast of the Republican Party is Sarah Palin, who bounced around through six colleges before graduating. The McCain campaign just leaked out information that they were so horrified at Palin's lack of knowledge that they decided to keep her under wraps. For instance, Palin did not know that North America consisted of Canada, US and Mexico; and that she thought Africa was a not a continent but a country, of which South Africa was the southern part! (Palin denies it.) A few days before the election, Sarah Palin took a "phone call" from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who complimented her on the semi-pornographic portrayal of her in a film (she giggled). Then Sarkozy said (I paraphrase): "It will be fun to go 'unting with you on a 'elicopter and kill those animals!" (she laughed). Then the crank callers identified themselves as comedians from Montreal! I am no expert on the French language, but even I could tell as I listened to the audio that it was at best a Peter Sellers rendition of French in Pink Panther! In these days of caller IDs it is astonishing that a presidential candidate would make such a fool of herself. As a governor did she not know that it would be an unforgivable breach of protocol for the French president to call the vice-presidential nominee of the Republican Party? Democrats, on the other hand, are giddy with pride. Along with Social Security, minimum wage, Civil Rights, Voting Rights, affirmative action and Medicare, they have engineered another social revolution in America by electing the first African-American president from their party in a landslide. Who can begrudge them their well-earned moment in the sun! By electing Barack Obama, America was not making a cultural or social statement. America merely elected the best candidate. Funny how good things happen when one does the right thing. This is something Bangladeshis ought to remember as they too head for the polls.
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. JUDGING by the world's reaction, Barack Obama's election as America's president has ushered in a black-white Kumbaya moment for the world, as yearned for in the song composed by Sir Paul. (Isn't it amazing that the compositions of the Beatles duo John Lennon and Paul McCartney have captured the essence of every social transformation from the 1960s to the present day through popular songs?) New born male babies in Kenya, home of Barack Obama's father, are being named "Barack" or "Barack Obama." Americans living abroad are coming out of the woodwork to accept the accolades of the natives. Such affection has not been heaped on America and Americans abroad since September 11, 2001. Of course, America garnered universal sympathy for what was done to it by Al Qaeda terrorists on 9/11. Now America is being applauded for something it has done to itself. No one in authority in America made any statement to the world. Obama's election was the silent, yet most powerful statement. No longer can Western Europe lecture America about racial discrimination here, nor tell their minorities that "if you think it is bad here, it is worse in America!" As Tom Friedman of The New York Times pointed out, Barack Hussein Obama's victory has turned America's world topsy-turvy. America's enemy was supposedly Islam and the Muslims. President-elect Obama's father was a Muslim. America waged two Gulf Wars, in 1991 and 2003, to overthrow an Iraqi dictator named Hussein. Now Hussein is the middle name of America's president-elect. Iran is supposed to be America's number one enemy, a member of the "Axis of Evil." Now, how can Iran be an enemy to an American president whose middle name is Hussein? After all, along with Hassan, Hussein is the most revered name in Shia Islam and in Iran! (Hassan and Hussein are Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) grandsons, who were martyred in Iraq. They are the sons of the Prophet's daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. "Shia" means partisans of Ali; Shias believe that Ali should have been the Prophet's temporal successor. Before the world gets carried away with Obama mania, it must remember that president-elect Obama will look after America's interests first, whether the world likes it or not. President Bush squandered the world's goodwill by foolishly attacking Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11. The first time American missiles hit Waziristan inside Pakistan and kill civilians, or America attacks Iran, the world's euphoria will quickly evaporate. Internally, Americans are optimistic and feeling good about themselves. While 74% of Americans disapprove of their current president, 70% approve of their president-elect. Even in a recession-ravaged America, two-thirds of the citizens believe that their new president will right the economy in two years. For the first time ever, a majority of African-Americans believe that race relations will improve in America. The current first family hosted the next first family at the White House on November 10. Michelle Obama scouted possible schools for the first daughters Malia (10) and Sasha (7). The most pressing issue at the Obama household now is which "first puppy" to get for the first daughters. The president-elect explained the Obama dilemma with self-deprecating humour: "Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic. Our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me." Ninety five percent of African-Americans voted for Barack Obama, as did 67% of the Hispanics. A plurality of women also voted for Obama. 78% of the Jews voted for Obama. Among white voters, John McCain beat Obama by 55% to 43%. In many of the 28 states Obama won, he won a majority of white votes. It was only in the poor, less educated Appalachian states in the South (West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas) that Obama did poorly among whites, getting no more than 10% white votes in many of these states. Some of these whites cited Obama's race as the main factor in voting for McCain. These are the only states where Republicans increased their majority over 2004. This is not good news for these states, because Obama has demonstrated that a Democrat can win in a landslide without winning Southern states. For the first time in sixty years, nominees for president and vice-president on the Democratic ticket were from the north. A fierce battle is raging for the soul of the Republican Party. Beginning in 1988, the Republican Party adopted Lee Atwater and Karl Rove's strategy of winning presidential elections through tactics rather than issues. Through fear-mongering, and the character assassination of the Democratic candidates, they managed to defeat Dukakis (1988), Gore (2000) and Kerry (2004). This time, American voters refused to be duped. The Republicans' appeal to their worst demons turned off many Americans, especially the young. Obama's appeal to their better angels resonated with Americans, young and old. Tech savvy Obama campaign enlisted the assistance of millions of young Americans though social networks such as Face Book, My Space and You Tube, sent them short Emails and Text messages explaining his positions and upcoming events, and asking for small donations. These contacts will prove invaluable in an Obama administration. Because of the Republicans' disdain for the elites (read education), they were no match for Obama's internet campaign. While Americans are becoming more educated and more socially liberal, the Republicans' divisive, race-based messages appeal only to the less educated poor of the South. With blacks, Hispanics and young whites deserting the Republican Party in droves, the party is in danger of becoming a regional (Southern) party. Conservative columnist David Brooks of the New York Times believes that the Republican Party will follow backward-looking traditionalists like the education-averse Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to many more defeats before educated, progressive reformists with new ideas reclaim the party and lead it to victory. The reformists will be led by the likes of the very charismatic and smart 37-year old Governor of Louisiana, Indian-American Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, who is a Rhodes Scholar. Right now, however, the toast of the Republican Party is Sarah Palin, who bounced around through six colleges before graduating. The McCain campaign just leaked out information that they were so horrified at Palin's lack of knowledge that they decided to keep her under wraps. For instance, Palin did not know that North America consisted of Canada, US and Mexico; and that she thought Africa was a not a continent but a country, of which South Africa was the southern part! (Palin denies it.) A few days before the election, Sarah Palin took a "phone call" from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who complimented her on the semi-pornographic portrayal of her in a film (she giggled). Then Sarkozy said (I paraphrase): "It will be fun to go 'unting with you on a 'elicopter and kill those animals!" (she laughed). Then the crank callers identified themselves as comedians from Montreal! I am no expert on the French language, but even I could tell as I listened to the audio that it was at best a Peter Sellers rendition of French in Pink Panther! In these days of caller IDs it is astonishing that a presidential candidate would make such a fool of herself. As a governor did she not know that it would be an unforgivable breach of protocol for the French president to call the vice-presidential nominee of the Republican Party? Democrats, on the other hand, are giddy with pride. Along with Social Security, minimum wage, Civil Rights, Voting Rights, affirmative action and Medicare, they have engineered another social revolution in America by electing the first African-American president from their party in a landslide. Who can begrudge them their well-earned moment in the sun! By electing Barack Obama, America was not making a cultural or social statement. America merely elected the best candidate. Funny how good things happen when one does the right thing. This is something Bangladeshis ought to remember as they too head for the polls.
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