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Iraq: The New Gangsta’s Paradise

Filed under: Fashion With No Borders, Life: One Foot in Each Door — 1 Comment
December 3, 2011

Coolio and his twiggy braids would be proud. Real proud.

Now there’s a new place being dubbed the “concrete jungle”. And you’ll never guess where it is. Well, you might guess if you actually read the title of this article. So much for surprises. But for those of you who like to implement the whole “skimming-as-reading” method, it’s none other than the next “lil’ America” itself: good ole’ Iraq.

Not where you were thinking? Don’t feel too bad – you’re not alone. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting either, but – as it turns out – the US has left its mark in a big way, and the break dancing youth in Baghdad are living proof. That is, if you consider skull tattoos, body piercings and iPods playing 50-Cent the marks of the American Beast.

As December 31st draws nearer, so does President Obama’s order to withdrawal most of the troop forces stationed in Iraq; and one can’t help but wonder what the last 8 years of US presence has done to bridge the gap between the two cultures. It appears that the impression bestowed upon the nation’s young public is a boisterous mixture of an abundance of camouflage fashion (hot pink fatigues are the top choice for “blending in” to the desert surroundings), misspelled body art (Gangsta = GangStar, as the tattoo artist accidentally adds an “s” to one poor kid’s arm, no doubt forever-tarnishing his street cred), and – let’s not forget – the maniacal ‘Twilight‘ Edward vs. Jacob craze (that I should add, is about 2 installments behind). Is this sounding pretty American yet? It should.

“Punky” is what the Iraqi teens and 20-somethings are calling their newly adopted cultural movement, according to “Lil Czar” Mohammed, a 22-year-old rapper, and part-time teacher at a primary school in Baghdad. Mohammed was interviewed by the Associated Press, and along with other Iraqi young “hustlers” as they are calling themselves, was featured in the November 27th issue of the St. Petersburg Times. His baggy jeans (yes, they are indeed camouflage-print), NY cap (turned backwards of course) and nimbly-shaved head (with a $ etched into it) are all signs o’ the funky-fresh times that now reside in the midst of a country where almost half of the population is under the age of 19, according to former Senior Advisor to the US Embassy in Baghdad, Brett McGurk. And remember that tattoo I mentioned that was misspelled to read “GangStar“? That was Mohammed’s.

So it looks as though after all those years of observing US soldiers patrolling in their country, Iraqis are clinging to the machismo stylings of what they’ve come to consider “American”, including a pension for Ed Hardy-like hoodies, hip-hop & rap tracks and English slangy speech. Throw in Rollerblading stunts through hectic town traffic and heated breakdancing competitions in the parks, and you’ve got a virtual Little Brooklyn.

And even better, they’ve become rappers themselves; many of them incorporating lyrics that speak to their war-torn upbringing and hope for a better future. The “Iraq Rap” page on Facebook has almost 1500 fans.

Granted, none of this is sitting quite right with the parents and elders of these young Iraqis, but much like their American counterparts, the youth aren’t really letting that bother them.

According to Fawzia A. al-Attia, a sociologist at Baghdad University: “Teenagers, especially in poor areas where parents are of humble origin and humble education, started to adopt the negative aspects of the American society because they think that by imitating the Americans, they obtain a higher status in society.”

Al-Attia also claims that due to the unexpectedness of the young people’s openness, the country’s adults are not familiar with any sort of real strategy in which to handle the youth’s new-found rebellious voice. The rejection of school uniforms, forbidden love relationships and disrespect for elders has Iraqi parents, teachers and officials at a loss for control – and understanding – of this vital part of their society.

But oftentimes with the expression of something new, comes the edginess of defiance.

Another example of a feisty youth: tattoos and piercings. The tattoo industry is surprisingly booming now in Iraq; mostly due to young customers requesting coffins, skulls, snakes and dragons on various parts of their bodies – attempting to mimic the designs that they observed on US soldiers’. Even young women are donning butterflies and flowers on their shoulders as symbols of their adopted pro-Western philosophies. To boot, the tattoo parlors themselves now openly display advertisements of half-naked models on their storefronts baring examples of the body art available within. I can almost picture the jaws of the conservative older Muslim Iraqis as they scrap the floor in disgust and awe. The thought that’s no doubt running through their heads = “What the…?”. Ironically, it’s what a lot of American parents are also thinking about their own children. [ We're not so different now, are we? ]

And as for the young ladies of Iraqi, they’re apparently taking ‘hijab-chic’ to a whole new level, rocking tighter tops, form-fitting jeans and accessorizing with the all-too-popular American-girl must-have: a small dog in an oversized purse. (Paris Hilton, your influence is far more reaching than could have ever been imagined.)

Still, under the reign of Saddam Hussein (remember him?), where satellite television, the internet and cell phones were strictly monitored – and in many cases banned outright – these same young people were denied the exposure of such western cultural nuances, so it’s no wonder that the bottleneck buildup of defiance burst out to this inevitable result. Unfortunately, other more positive aspects of the American culture are not nearly as present within Iraq’s younger demographic.

High school student Maytham Karim is interested in learning English. Sadly, the only English he presently knows are the “F-words” and all related derivatives. (And as we habitual cursers know, there are quite a lot of ‘em). For these kids, most lessons in English end up coming from American music, specifically rap, which in most instances employs the more ‘colorful’ parts of our language, to say the least. Nonetheless, at most schools the lists to get into English classes are hefty with eager students and can be a months-long wait. The desire to be “more like Americans” is what fuels these young Iraqis to take what they see and hear in movies, music and online and translate it into a form of insurrection from their conservative, restrictive surroundings; which – let’s face it – isn’t such a bad thing.

Sound familiar? (wink, wink fellow Americans)

The take-away: American influence has seeped into the youth of a country whose next generation is still grappling with its identity. As much as the need for more positive aspects of US life is necessary to balance their understanding of what it is to be American, Young Iraq is still making a sort of headway into a new and unexplored frontier for their next step: life without US occupation. Here’s wishing them luck.

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Occupy Wall Street vs The Arab Spring: Eerily The Same

Filed under: Politix — 2 Comments
November 26, 2011

“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness“, a cherished phrase outlined in our Declaration of Independence is markedly and universally regarded as the essence of the basic rights afforded to each American. Plus there’s no denying that it rolls off the tongue ever so nicely.

In the US, it seems that while these three simple staples are inherently part of our culture, along with them, another fight is underway: to get more money for the hardworking American and to demand more accountability for those in power. The current Occupy Wall Street movement (and other Occupations throughout the country) are prime examples of how the American people are decidedly taking the Declaration’s most memorable phrase and manifesting it into their own destinies. The cry is pressing; government needs to be held liable for our current economic condition.

Across the pond, however, with the rise of what is being dubbed The Arab Spring, it seems that people are fighting too, but for things that the US luckily already has: basic human rights and a stable democratic government. With the ousting of Egypt‘s Mubarak, Libya’s Gaddafi, and the countless other civil uprisings all over the Middle East and Northern Africa, the people are finally speaking – and it’s louder and clearer than ever before. Nevermind a raise in wages or an explanation for why the mortgage bubble burst; they just want to be able to live under relatively peaceful conditions as human beings without fear of being beheaded or stoned. Doesn’t seem like too much to ask.

Still, what makes this time in our global environment most interesting is how similar these movements actually are in their fundamental purposes – even though they are so very different in their cultural foundations.

The US government has long been in bed with Wall Street, Big Business and the richest 1% of the population. There’s no secret there. And the Arab governments have long been in bed with the US, with much of their military and weapons-funding funneled directly through countless US administrations (both Dems & Reps are guilty on this one). So what we essentially have is this:  a governmental gang-bang with the “Do Not Disturb” sign indiscreetly hanging outside the door while both the American and Arab people wait outside with housekeeping.

Obama Administration: Arab People, You Deserve Better! American People, .. Uh… Sorry, We Got Nothin.

Baffling still is the unrelenting endorsement for the Arab uprising by the current US administration; an unwavering support for the military to step aside in countries like Egypt – allowing the people to put in place their own civilian-run government via a fair, democratic electoral process. Not to mention, another manipulable US ally in this unstable region wouldn’t be too shabby of a by-product. The US government’s consensus: hooray for the Arab Spring!

Conversely, the same US administration is producing an all but mute stance on the OWS movements that are taking place in their own back yards. No real response or tangible explanations are being offered to the American people, and the protesting is largely being ignored by top administrators. (coyly saying “we’re working on it” doesn’t really count either). Any response that’s not a muddled, ambiguous retort is one of complete cynicism. GOP candidates like the smug Newt Gingrich even go so far as to criticize the Occupy protestors by saying to “go get a job right after you take a bath”. Ah, eloquent words indeed. Especially coming from one of the dirtiest, corrupt hypocrites in all of US governmental history.
The fact is, no administrative support is going towards the uprisings that are occurring here in the US, but plenty of support is being ushered towards the Arab people who are rallying with a similar volume. Which brings me to:

So Egypt, Where’d You Get All That Tear Gas? Oh, Wait…

As Egypt’s unrest continues to swell, and more protestors are killed or injured by military forces and riot police, the question inevitably arises: where did all the tear gas, rubber bullets and nerve gas even come from?

Surprise, surprise. And by “surprise”, I mean “totally not a surprise”.

As much as the US claims that it supports the Arab Spring, and uprisings like that in Egypt, one wonders how the weapons being used against the very people who the US government is supporting are the same ones graciously supplied to the corrupt governments that the US actually helped put in place? Deep is the rabbit hole, indeed.

The simplified analysis here would be that, foreseeing the reality that Egyptian people have simply had enough, the best move for America would be to align itself with the winning side. It’s not just smart politics, it’s a safety mechanism the US has learned to utilize all-too-well over the years. So while Mubarak and Gaddafi were once very close US allies, now that their incredible unpopularity among their own people has removed them, best for the US to denounce these jokers and cuddle up with whomever’s next. In many cases with the Arab Spring, this means a civilian-installed leadership; most likely un-akin to what the US is used to dealing with. So good luck there.

But What About Here At Home?

As an Arab, I am extremely happy to see the tangible overturning of unethical Middle Eastern governments (aka dictatorships/tyrannies) and witness the people finally taking matters into their own hands – however dangerous the obstacles may be. There are generations of depravity to make up for, and so it will no doubt take just as long to establish something new and better; but there is a unified voice finally being heard, and that’s something that’s indeed long over-due.

But as an American, I am extremely disappointed that this same gusto for change hasn’t resulted in a more productive governmental transformation here; one that truly brings into question practices that are inherently damaging those three vital pieces of what we’ve collectively come to call our rights as Americans and that are outlined in our precious Declaration. If we are truly to set an example of how freedom of speech, peaceful demonstrations, and the right to organize are core principles that we wholly stand by, then we’d better start showing off our stuff right here at home. The spotlight is on and all that’s audible is the sound of crickets.

What are becoming evident now more than ever, especially through these movements, are the similarities shared between Americans and Arabs – revealing just how much of a cultural bridge exists between both worlds at the most elemental level. We are all in a similar pursuit: that of happiness.

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Everyone Can Finally Relax: US Congress Sorts Out Pizza Once And For All

Filed under: Crossover Cuisine, Let's Laugh — 1 Comment
November 19, 2011

This. Is. Ridiculous.

US Congress rules that pizza is a vegetable · TheJournal.

And to add insult to injury, our American tax dollars are actually going towards this massive waste of time. No, no – by all means – there’s no need to worry about our economy, healthcare or education; let’s just concentrate on getting this pizza thing worked out. Priorities, people.

It’s great to know that our lawmakers are spending valuable resources on such critical issues – now if they’d only teach their counterparts on the other side of the world:

The upside: at least GOP candidate and Pizza Godfather, Herman Cain can confidently claim knowledge on this subject. Should make up for his lack of knowledge on Libya, Cuba and, well…everything else.

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Jersey Shore, Make Room For The American Muslim

Filed under: Life: One Foot in Each Door — 5 Comments
November 16, 2011

Reality TV, meet your newest Snooky.

Well, not exactly.

This week, TLC launched a very interesting look into a minority that – up until now – has not been truly explored on American television: the American Muslim. So it’s only appropriate that the name of the show is … wait for it … “All-American Muslim”. (That’s right: leave it to the creative geniuses at TLC to come up with that brilliantly ambiguous title. Who would’ve thunk.)

The show follows the lives of 5 Arab-American families, revealing their daily encounters within their environment, and their role as a minority struggling to strike the balance between maintaining its identity and meshing with the surrounding American culture.

In theory, I’m all for it. What better way for the US to learn more about this greatly misunderstood group of their own citizens than to thrust them in all their hijab-covered glory right into American’s living rooms? It’s the MTV generation afterall, and everyone knows that the best way to teach people about a different culture is to pump their cable-crazed looky holes up with candid images of “them” being just like “us”.

Right? Well, maybe.

I have to admit, I’m thrilled that there is an interest in the media to cover this area of our demographic; in fact I’m all for it. It’s a portion of our society that hasn’t quite gotten a spotlight where it can be on stage, to be prodded and poked by the American audience like every other group. I’m fairly certain there’s a passage in the Constitution that says something about how each ethnic group is entitled to their 15 minutes. I’m almost positive it’s there, but someone should probably look that up.

My concern is that using reality television as the medium to depict the typical picture of the American Muslim isn’t without its drawbacks. Specifically, as it’s developed, this particular televised mechanism has become synonymous with staged, artfully edited scenarios; commonly picturing set-ups that are contrived and – for the lack of a better word – fake.

While the families featured in the show have varying lifestyles (there’s a conservative, covered woman, a hippie, liberal non-conformist and a converted Irish-Catholic), they do manage to touch upon the issues that most Americans can at least on some level relate to: suspicious looks, odd behavior by others, and outright discrimination. To boot, there are everyday, common practices that also take place; easily identifiable by the American mainstream public. A smart move on the part of the show’s creators, but again, I wonder how sincere those scenarios will be interpreted by the viewing audience. Even though the ratings for reality shows like ‘Jersey Shore’ or ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta‘ are through the roof, it is with the understanding that what we are watching is pure entertainment, not in any way an informative revelation about that group of people.
What’s more: the show is filmed in Dearborn, Michigan – where the nation’s highest population of Muslims resides. To say that the show is slanted (and consequently affected) by this environment, where the surroundings are more apt to receive and interact with this ethnic group positively, would be an understatement. There is no real way to accurately portray the day-to-day lives of American Arabs and Muslims without taking into account where they live within the country. The preferable move: follow the lives of families that live in different states. Voila! Simple fix, and one that already lends itself to a more built-in credibility. For crying out loud, it’s not brain surgery.

We won’t be able to measure the full effect of ‘All-American Muslim’ until well into this first season, but in all sincerity, I do hope it will translate into a successful revelation of one of America’s most misunderstood group of citizens. However, if the first episode is any indication, it will have an uphill battle. The feedback is already a-buzz with critics hailing the show as slightly contrived, the main characters even boring at times and the stories edited at an almost hurried pace (one of the women’s fiancé, Jeff McDermott, converts to Islam in a seemingly rushed, casual way). But the ratings were solid: 1.7 million viewers tuned in for the series opener, making it the number 2 show in its time period with 1.5 and 1.8 ratings for women aged 18-49 and 18-34, respectively.

One thing’s clear: at least now there’s an opportunity for conversation to take place about what it means to be American and Muslim in 21st Century USA. And that’s progress.

‘All-American Muslim’ airs on TLC on Sundays at 10pm EST.

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Mouth, Start Watering: Recipes Coming Soon

Filed under: Crossover Cuisine — 1 Comment
November 15, 2011

Since I keep getting requests from friends to share traditional Egyptian recipes and tips incorporating Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine into everyday American fare, I figured I’d finally indulge them. What can I say, I’m a dang good friend.

Growing up with that kind of culinary fusion really did – I believe – expand my palette, so my hope in contributing these interesting recipes is to do the same for my readers.

I will be posting a new dish periodically; sometimes in its most traditional preparation (just like Mom made!) and other times as a modern blend that embraces both the customary preparation and the intermixing of American flair.*

*To be honest, that’s “just like Mom made” too, since her ability to infuse tradition with what’s popular got us to eat every bite on the plate.

So get ready  to learn how to make some of the most incredible dishes from this part of the world, incorporate them with familiar foods, and hopefully impress your friends just like I did.

 

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Scandals = Just Bad Politics, As Evidenced By The Cain Train…Wreck

Filed under: Life: One Foot in Each Door, Politix — 1 Comment
November 10, 2011

Although we have a ways to go before November, I wanted to take a brief moment to address the recent allegations that GOP Presidential candidate, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO and Haagan-Daz Chocolate Walnut Flavor Herman Cain has found himself answering for as of late.

The fact that multiple women have come forward accusing Cain of sexual harassment is not surprising. Nor is his blubbering, tangled [and sadly predictable] denials. What intrigues me more than anything is our obsession with politicians’ sex lives, scandals and extracurricular activities rather than with their ability to function as leaders. While in the US, the word “character” keeps getting thrown around as a term used to deem one’s appropriateness to hold/not hold office, in many (and most) other places in the world, it really doesn’t take precedence over one’s ability to function as a leader. And in most other Western as well as Eastern nations, men are generally assumed – whether correctly so or not – to have these “happenings” going on anyway. The discussion, therefore, about the subject is usually shelved right from the get-go; allowing us all to just get down to business.

Before I come off as heartlessly dismissive of the merit of these weighty allegations, let me be clear: I do not agree with any of this kind of misconduct by anyone, politician or garbage collector, teacher or pastor, dentist or WalMart greeter. It’s never ok to treat anyone with any less respect than you’d want for yourself or for your loved ones. What I’m focusing on here is the harnessing of these “character flaws” as blatant distractions from the real issues – and from the actually relevant discussion of how this person can serve the greater good of the people who would elect him/her as their legislator. Period.

After witnessing the latest round of Republican debates – or as I like to call them, after-school specials – I noticed the incessant “boos” at any line of questioning that addressed Cain’s alleged indiscretions. These audience outbursts were followed by a solid round of applause after Chocolate Walnut’s obvious dodging attempts. It became abundantly clear how far off our pulse is on the importance of what actually constitutes a candidate’s merit for holding public office. The mentality isn’t, is this person able to address our concerns, propose valid, thoughtful plans to reach workable [and realistic] resolutions and otherwise serve to defend the greater well-being of the people. Rather, it’s all about what the latest post is on their Facebook page. I mean, come on; our society deserves better than to be constantly and systematically distracted from the real matters at hand – and both Dems and Reps are wholly guilty of it. Even in the Middle East and Asia, where very strong arguments can be made for the existence of historically corrupt governments [oftentimes not running in any sort of ideally ethical way] the personal lives of the candidates for positions within those governments are almost never brought into question. And for good reason: They.Just.Don’t.Matter.

Cain is incompetent. He does not have the cognitive capacity to run the faucet, let alone America. He has no business whatsoever being on stage debating [and I use that word loosely] about a government he doesn’t have a chance in all hell to ever run. But the judgment of his worth as a legislator should be solely based on his professional resumé, his ability to troubleshoot complex problems efficiently and thoughtfully, his comprehension of our governmental systems and their intricacies, and his past related experience. No personal issues – religion, marital status, iPod playlist, boxers or briefs, sexual history, sexual preference, or even professed misconduct should be part of the dialogue for what one can do as a leader.

Allow me to be even more transparent [and I'm talking Windex-kind-of-clean here]: If questionable activities like money laundering, misuse of campaign funds or extortion are part of allegations against a candidate, then by all means these issues are crucial components that should be instantly investigated and scrutinized. These kinds of points are what truly make up the “character” of a potential job-applicant for one of our most treasured places in society: that of a leader.

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Unlike Charlie, Women Aren’t Exactly “Winning!” Quite Yet

Filed under: Life: One Foot in Each Door, Politix — 5 Comments
November 4, 2011

I’ve never really considered myself a feminist, in the traditional sense. I believe in equal rights across all spectra: gender, race, religion, hair type, skin tone, you name it. But I’d also like to think I live in a time [and place for that matter] where being a woman doesn’t translate into a constant struggle for that equality. But alas, (that word isn’t used enough – it’s got a dramatic yet poignant effect), we simply do not live under the utopian conditions that most of us naively assumed the 21st century was to deliver. Hell, I’m still waiting for my electro-laced pair of Nike’s and hover-converted DeLorean.

In a rather revealing Newsweek article published last month, the best – and worst – places to be a woman were outlined; where a rather thorough compilation of data was collected that spanned from how well women were treated within their justice systems to their participation in government. Five major factors were used when categorizing which countries in the world were optimal for women’s prosperity, and which were lacking: Justice, Health, Education, Economics and Politics. Each of these factors were graded on a scale of 1-100, and were evaluated  according to how well women fared when it came to these basic fundamental issues. Not surprising, primarily Westernized, progressive nations made it in the Top 20 where overall scores ranged from 100-85.

What was surprising, however, was The United States’ ranking: 8th overall in the world – something that most Americans might very well scoff at in disbelief. After all, this is the nation where the invention of the phrase “stay-at-home-dad” is considered a benchmark for judging how far the working mom has truly risen the corporate ladder. Sigh.

On the forefront of women’s prosperity in the international community with an outstanding overall rating of 100, was actually just a little fellow: Iceland. Piloted by a female president, this tiny nation leads all others in women’s rights, health, education, financial well-being and political clout. The US’s score is a good deal lower: 89.8 overall. Ouch. Our poorest grade was in women’s participation in government; arguably the foundation for which any improvement – and success – can be given a chance to be implemented into society.

As Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary-General once said, “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.” So it seems that without this incorporation and participation of 50% of the world’s population, any growth – economic, societal or otherwise – is bound to be stunted.

I began to then take a look into where the worst places to be a woman were and again, sadly I wasn’t too surprised by what I found: the poorest, most democratically lacking countries took the top ranks. Chad climbed to the No. 1 podium position with an overall score of 0. Yes, you read that correctly. Zero. Health and education were rated as non-existent, as women have basically no legal rights. And this wasn’t the only place with remarkably dismal scores. Countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Sudan where honor killings and arranged marriages are not only legal, but oftentimes condoned by the male-dominated governments filled the top 10 spots. At least they’re winning at something.

It seemed like the more I read about this, the more frustrating it was to realize that the underlying reasoning behind much of the world’s difficulties was the lack of vital, unobstructed female participation in absolutely every aspect of life: from active roles in passing legislation to the incorporation of women in the labor force as equal contenders for jobs, salaries, and the ability to climb the industry ladder. Without establishing the root for which fundamental change may have a chance to grow, no hope can be realistically garnered for any sort of development for women’s rights – in this country or any other.

We [The US] like to think we have it made over so many other places and admittedly, we certainly do have a lot to be proud of. There are private and governmental programs in place that support female-owned businesses, more women with college degrees than almost all other nations, and increased advancements in early breast cancer detection with new 3-D mammogram technology. But the US is still lacking severely in reproductive-health services, maternity-leave policies and the number of women holding political office (thanks Hillary, but we’re going to need a whole lot more assertive pant-suits to counteract the Sarah Palins/Michelle Bachmans that have effectively set back our gender another 30 years).

Still, women in other countries, mostly in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, have it a lot worse. While Egypt didn’t make the top 20 for worst places to live as a female, it certainly didn’t make any where near the top 20 best places either. With its growing political uncertainly – also echoed by many other Arab countries now in critical civil turmoil – there’s no telling where the future of women’s lib is heading. If Sharia law becomes incorporated more stringently into the daily lives of Egyptian citizens, (or any other Arab/Islamic country) this could substantially thwart any progress for women to make their mark in the growth of developing countries. As much as the US would like to believe that Egypt is the Mid-East pillar for democracy, its immensely flawed model obviously revealed an intensely corrupted system as evidenced by the ousted former President Mubarak. Amidst the already mighty reign of men in this and other Arab/Islamic societies, women oftentimes struggle to survive, let alone be heard – or even better: be participant.

Some people would argue that there are many things being done to promote the empowerment of women in business via microfinance programs: lending services that assist natives of impoverished countries. These programs claim to empower indigenous workers to grow their businesses usually based on the capitalist model, and many times use a particular emphasis on aiding women as their common-place tagline. Nevertheless, the impact that these programs have on women – or whole communities in general – have not been accurately measured, and therefore no concrete conclusions can be drawn regarding their effectiveness. It can be assumed however, that if women’s presence is not established in the governmental strata for which these programs are even permitted to be employed, any help derived from them would therefore have no fighting chance to exist.

This may sound bleak. And it is. Understanding where we are as a country, (and where everyone else is), is key in grasping how far we still have to go in the pursuit of women’s equality. But the answer is unquestionably clear: the establishment of women in government is the first and most critical step in moving forward toward progress in absolutely every way. While it is still very much a ‘boy’s club’, for any sort of international evolution to take place the female population must construct an assertive voice at the very base of our society – not just for the well-being of the gender, but for the overall advancement of our civilization.

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Gaddafi’s Gone: No More Partying, Just An Investigation. Really?

Filed under: Politix — 5 Comments
October 25, 2011

Ever since Libya‘s former leader, Muammar Gaddafi has been pronounced dead, the international response has been more than favorable. One of enthusiastic triumph, it appears the global opinion is that the removal [in this case, the literal elimination] of such a dreaded figure is, well, just plain awesome. Even going so far as to place his body on display for public viewing* – a complete violation of Islamic burial procedures by the way – the National Transitional Council (NTC) is basically rallying behind his demise, praising it as a gateway to a “liberated Libya”.

A Question Arises:

Why the calls from the US for an investigation into his death, when no such calls were demanded after the deaths of Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden? Why do we care about how this bad guy croaked and not how the others did? In this country, when decidedly evil people die in war, in shootouts with police, or at their own hands via suicide, requests for intensive investigations rarely occur – most instances are approached as a cut and dry “wicked witch is dead, let’s all get on with our lives” mantra. In the case of internationally regarded villains such as Hussein and Bin Laden, very little probing (if any) occurred upon their announced deaths. The world – including a rejoicing America – jumped with triumphant glee, and brought out the chips and dip. For crying out loud, Bin Laden’s body wasn’t even photographed before he was [supposedly] chucked into the sea (also against Islamic law). Wam-bam, thank you Imam. And this was the world’s #1 most wanted dude. No questions asked, no investigations issued. Just a whole lot of celebrating and patting ourselves on the backs for a mission truly accomplished.

The message being sent is, at best, rather muddled. The head of the NTC, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, is claiming that Gaddafi was mortally wounded during “crossfire” between NTC fighters and pro-Gaddafi loyalists while he was being moved to Misrata. He was in the custody of NTC fighters when the shooting broke out, and was allegedly shot by accidental flak. However, apparently influenced by the US, Britain and other human rights groups, Abdel Jalil and the NTC are assembling a task force to further investigate the circumstances surrounding Gaddafi’s death – if anything, to quell the appeals (ie. shut them up) in an attempt to appear “fair”, and thus moving towards a democratic Libya. Because if there’s anything that the international community can unanimously agree on is that appearances are, quite frankly, everything.

The Plot Thickens:

The notion that Gaddafi loyalists purposely targeted the former leader in order to silence him from implicating them during any sort of trial is one shared by many calling for the investigation, as the issue of human rights also makes its way into the forefront of discussion. Yes, you read that correctly: human rights. In a country where those two words haven’t been put in the same sentence for a good long while, I keep wondering how they conveniently sneaked their way back in now. Interesting.

The Libyan people have long awaited the capture and prosecution of the dreaded Gaddafi for some time, with the overwhelming opinion that the tyrant should be tried, convicted for his crimes and made to suffer an extensive, dreadful sentence in jail. However, since the discovery of 53 decomposing bodies found in Sirte by the New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW), along with reports of looting, “trend killings” and other crimes by anti-Gaddafi supporters, the theory that these ‘freedom fighters’ have taken matters into their own hands – and considered themselves above the law – has instigated the demand for a more thorough investigation into Gaddafi’s actual assassination. Translation: we [the US, GB, etc] want to make sure that the people responsible for eliminating one of the world’s most despised figures are not officially associated with any “illegal” deeds along the way that could call into question the validity of the former ruler’s warranted – albeit ‘accidental’ – execution. We wouldn’t want our hands to be dirty with any human rights violations or anything like that – even though the bad guy is gone. Let’s just keep this clean, shall we?

What Do We Want? Control! When Do We Want It? Always!

What troubles me is this: when the situation can be controlled, and the forces that take down a threat are directly guided and managed by a unified entity (usually government), all investigations are considered mute and unnecessary. After all, the oppressive fiend was eliminated and it’s happy, happy, joy, joy. But when other forces beyond the immediate control of a government operate outside the confines of that governmental fence, by-the-book procedures are conveniently presented as the proper way to conduct any impartial business. The general public – domestic and international – can then be swayed to trust their government to implement fair and decent judicial proceedings, no matter how awful the culprit in question was; in life or death. With no one questioning the logic (or lack thereof) and the extremely conditional components of the process, governments – both Western and Middle Eastern – can function to impose those rules when it suits their greater agenda: to appear just.

*Reuters news agency reported that the NTC had ended the public viewing of Gaddafi’s body at 3:00pm local time (13:00 GMT) on  Monday, October 24, 2011. His body was on display since his killing on Thursday, October 20, 2011.

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Happy Muslims = Closer to Peace?

Filed under: Politix, The Spiritual Zone — Leave a comment
August 31, 2011
Ethnic composition of American Muslims, accord...

Image via Wikipedia

So after all that’s happened internationally over the past 10 years, it looks like American Muslims are bouncing back – and polls are showing that they’re happier than they’ve been in awhile (post-911 discrimination anyone?)

Stats are showing that Muslims’ standard of living and optimism is reported as having improved since the last survey done in 2008. What does that say? Mainly that the Bush Era of right-wing extremism is beginning to wear off* from when the “blame-the-crazy-Arabs-for-all-our-problems” mantra was in high fashion. (Our combat boots and camouflage hunting outfit was completed by this oh-so-essential accessory). Crazy part is, even though they’re reporting that things are improving, Muslims are also saying that the discrimination has pretty much hovered around the same level – between crappy and a little less crappy. Even though predictions of Obama taking office were widely anticipated as potentially having a positive impact on Muslims worldwide, his gracious** world tour at the start of his term clearly didn’t help Americans ease up as much on their misinformed and ignorant treatment of Arab Muslims. Clearly some things are harder to change than others.

The good news: this same polling is revealing that American Muslims and their Jewish counterparts are actually agreeing on things – can I get a Salem!? how ’bout a Shalom?! – primarily their views on resolving the unrest spanning generations in the Middle East that. These two groups have long been at odds on a great many things, and to have a united footing on such a fundamental issue as attaining peace in arguably the most chaotic part of the world, is progress indeed. I just wonder how long it will take for the next group of Americans to be pulled out of our boiling melting pot and thrown on the back burner to be singed and isolated. We have a knack for that unfortunately, and as our history has shown, we like to spread this honor amongst all our fine minorities. Hey, at least we don’t discriminate in the way we discriminate.

Still, I do hope things continue to improve for American Muslims, and American minds become more and more open to learning about a culture and a religion that has been greatly misunderstood for so long. (and peace in the Mid-East would be super cool too!)

I recommend reading the LA Times article here

NOTES:

*at least a little. Still could use significantly more work I’d say.

**the word ‘gracious’ is being used with a thick layer of sarcasm here people.

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Wake up Obama!

Filed under: Politix — Leave a comment
August 31, 2011

I happen to adore Felonious Monk in a musical sense, but now I have a whole new-found respect for him politically. Refreshing is an understatement people:

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