(Mu)Barak Obama

First and foremost, Mubarak to Barak Obama, Joe Biden, et al. The name Barak comes from the Arabic for "one who is blessed". Mubarak is the passive, and more commonly used, form of barak. In the Indian region, mubarak is an oft used incantation to wish good will and blessings upon someone. I do not mention this as a sort of insidious way to suggest he is a "Moo-slem", but rather as a genuine way of connecting with the new President on a more fundamental level.

So, once again, Mubarak to Barak Obama!
(Here, I'll even add a video with the "Bombay Dreams" song "Wedding Qawwali" where they chant mubarak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v="Rzhhjwud4P8"

And while we are at it, Mubarak to America!

Way back on Election Night 2004, I had a discussion with my "adopted brother". George Bush had just won his second election, but we were already looking towards 2008. Dennis emphatically had stated that Barak Obama would win in 2008 (by the way, an excellent prediction my man!). I was a bit hesitant. I knew he would be President some day, but I imagined he would first have to be Hilary's VP (because of his background), and then would be President after her 8 years were over in 2016.

I had been carefully following the path of the, at the time, fairly unknown, State Senator of Illinois for a while by then already. He had just won the US Senate seat of Illinois that night. He was about to become the Junior Senator from Illinois.

I had been carefully following his path for a couple of reasons. Every so often you can "hear" the footsteps of history about to be created. The buzz about the State Senator was still quiet, still fairly dormant, but growing. His "story" was an interesting one that I could relate to.

I am after all, the son of immigrants. My parents were born in India, and I am their first American born son. There is something to be said about being a First Generation (or is it Second, it is an odd terminology I suppose) American. In all honesty, I wouldn't trade it in for the world. I sometimes wonder how people who aren't First Generations see America, and the World. I sometimes wonder how people can live with both legs in just one culture.

Cause that is the beauty of First Generation American existence. We straddle cultures, and we are forced to deal with a "World View" with the only other option being suppressing a part of our own existence.

And that is the beauty of America. Though it might be easy to forget, considering the horrible policies of the last 8 years, not to mention, America's insidiously horrible domestic and foreign policy of the past, America is supposed to be "the shining beacon on the Hill". Though it has not succeeded in living up to its expectations, America is, after all, the culmination of immigrant dreams.

The reality is that America is a schizophrenic. The concept of "America" and the reality of its existence are often at odds. For all the "good" this nation has done, it has done so many horrible things as well. George Bush once said "they hate us for our freedom". This is silly. They hate us because they believe in us. The world looks at America as "the promise", but sees us act so very far from what we can be. The world shares in our vision of America representing "Hope", but is well aware that "Hope" is cheap when considering what we do.

President Hoover once said: "The business of America is Business". How sad. I always grew up hoping that America's business was Liberty, Justice, and the hope of a better future.

Moreover, Obama was a Kenyan-American. For all the talk of him being "African-American", a careful political ruse to make it look like he has the same historical understanding that so many Black-Americans (for lack of a better term) have had to deal with, he is really a half Kenyan, half White (again, for lack of a better term) American. I imagined he must understand the complexity of living in a multi-cultural world. Kenya is one of those nations I very much desire going to one day. I've wanted to go there ever since I read Ngugi in 9th grade. The history of colonialism, decolonialism, dealing with foreign minorities (mostly Indians), and a society that was essentially forced to be multi-cultural, and yet has been able to handle that burden, is something I have always been fond of. He also lived in Indonesia. Which gave me another reason to "hope" he would understand a more "world view" that I find precious.

So when the 2008 Election season began mid-2007, I made sure to pay close attention to the man. There is something to be said about "hope". There is something to be said about idealism and romanticism. George Carlin once said "if you scratch a cynic, you will find a disappointed idealist". Well, my eggs were put into Obama's basket a couple of years ago. Here was a man who perfectly fit for the multitude of trends that were arising. Here is a man who has an African connection, an Arab connection, an Indonesian connection. Here is a man who was against Iraq. Here is a man who is neither "White" or "Black" but "Bi-racial". Here is a man who is the son of a single-mother. Here is a man who came from humble beginnings to become the editor of Harvard Law Review, to become a Community Organizer, to become a State and then US Senator.

So, I set my cynicism upon this man. I would offer that idealists must do so. Believers must be wary, for we are believers. For those who know me, they know I have been exceptionally critical of President Obama. I am not critical of him, because I am some sort of conservative, on the contrary, I am critical of him, because I consider the moment(s) we are in to be exceptionally crucial; I feel very passionate about the direction of this nation; and I would like to see its leaders make the right decisions (no surprise that I believe I can lend a hand towards finding that right decision). I am not interested in lip-service "change" but "real change". Thus I have been critical (probably way too critical, admittedly).

I will admit, I did not vote for President Obama. To many this may come as a surprise, especially if/when one considers my own background(s), as well as my political positions, but I didn't. I didn't vote for McCain either. I voted third party more so as a symbolic statement because I knew Obama would win. I knew I had that luxury, and I wanted to make a statement that "Hope" and "Change" wouldn't be enough; that I wanted more. I voted third party because, after setting my critical eye on Obama, I found too many flaws. Was it fair to do so? Probably not, and I readily admit that. But when you are ready to put your hope into someone, you should be vigilant about what they represent. This election was simply too important to not be.

What are they? First and foremost, beyond anything else, is his position on Afghanistan. I see little to no difference between his and Bush's position. It is a position of folly. I am reminded now of the Russia-India Joint Declaration made about 6 weeks ago where they emphatically stated "There is NO Moderate Taliban". I agree with that. They also stated it was time NATO accepted a more International role in the Afghan theater. I agree with that. They also stated it was time NATO accepted that it was not the appropriate forum, and that the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) must be given a larger role. I am wary of that (the SCO), but I agree with the fundamental idea behind it at least.

Moreover, I want to see "real change" in America's foreign policy. For too long we have considered nation's like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan our "allies". For too long we have considered nations like Iran our "enemies". If it was up to me, that would be reversed. We can gain so much more by becoming close allies with Iran, and moderate Arab nations like Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE. Those four are the "hope" of a better Mideast in my opinion. Becoming allies with Iran would allow it to lessen its rhetoric. It would also give us more leverage on pressuring the despotic rule of the Saudis who spend billions around the world promoting strict Wahabbi-ism.

Our stance towards Cuba too must change. Not so we can colonize its resources, but so we can respect it. There are some who want to normalize relations with Cuba, so we can send our companies down there. I have little interest in doing that. I want to normalize relations with Cuba, and then offer joint-ventures. Allow Cuba to keep its independence. Dependency should not be a condition on normalization of relations.

My non-vote is not because of my dislike of the man. I like Barak Obama a lot. I am very glad he won. Let's be clear on that. I think his election is a beautiful representation of what America represents. It once again restores the notion that "The American Dream" is real. It is by the way, in case anyone has any doubts. The American Dream is what separates us from Europe, and most of the rest of the world. The idea that anyone can come here, work hard, and if things go right, can make it. Obama's election is historic, especially in light of Race. I feel a profound joy watching minorities, especially Black Americans, joyously cheering, crying, screaming at the moment. As one 'talking head' put it: How beautiful it is that a building built by Black slaves would now house a Black man (never mind that this is inaccurate nuance, because the sentimentality is a nice one, nonetheless). Hopefully, this is the beginning of an era where everyone truly has a chance, and that such "promise" doesn't go the way of simply lip-service.

In one fell swoop, America reminded itself, and America reminded the world that America is what it is, and that America has not forgotten what it is meant to be. I would even go so far as to suggest that this election is a sort of 're-enactment' of the American revolution. How appropriate are these words that we have had 8 years of "King George" only to have someone come and represent the following:

"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

The people have suffered under despotic rule for 8 years, and in response, they reinvigorated the spirit of the American nation.

What is that spirit? America is built on the Enlightenment, Transcendentalism, and Classic Liberal Philosophy. I consider myself a Liberal. A classic liberal, not a modern one. The 20th century saw that term change meanings in the US.

As a Classic Liberal, I find Obama's victory to be exceptionally sweet, but I find his foreign policy position (less Iraq that is) to be a continuation of Bush policies. Sure, the carrot is replacing the stick, but the policy itself is the same. I want to see "real change" and see the US finally consider a more constructive foreign, and domestic policy. Domestically, I agree with Obama for the most part. I think it is time for some economic justice. America needs to improve its GINI index.

To conclude this note (sorry, I'm half-awake while writing it), mubarak to Obama. I am very glad you won. I knew you would one day, and I'm very happy that it came sooner than later. However, I will keep criticizing you. Not because I fundamentally disagree with you, but because, I disagree on a nuanced level. Not because I am a conservative, but because I am a classic liberal who hopes and loves classic liberal ideals, and wants to make sure you are committed to classic liberalism. I will criticize you because we agree more than we disagree, and in the end, someone has to keep this "movement" honest. "Obama Girl" ain't going to do it, that's for sure. lol :p

I hope you have a very successful 8 years (two terms); I believe you will. America has slowly, sometimes too slowly (perhaps too often too slowly), hunkered its way forward. For every promising notion of America, there is a very ugly reality. The treatment of Natives, of Black slaves, of immigrants, of women, knocks down the beautiful image of the "concept" of America. Hopefully today is the beginning of when America stops to slowly jaunt forward, and begins to run towards its destiny. It's manifest destiny of being that "Shining Beacon on a Hill".

Mubarak to Barak Obama et al. Mubarak to America. :)