WP blogpost: Is Obama the Muslim World's Superhero?
Is Obama the Muslim World's Superman?
Muslim Americans overwhelmingly supported Obama's election earlier this month, and his promise of a more inclusive America. But as the initial euphoria dies away (a little), what can Muslims, both at home and abroad, really expect from the president elect with the middle name Hussein. Here American Muslim playwright and author Wajahat Ali explores.
Muslims, both here and abroad, are investing their collective faith in Obama as a modern political Superman who will transform U.S. foreign policy from the abrasive "Us vs. Them" ideology of President Bush to an engaging, constructive dialogue. But as Obama begins to assemble his administration, are Muslims assuming too much about the transformative powers of the president?
Certainly among American Muslims the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Specifically, a poll by the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Election (AMT) found that 89 percent of Muslims who voted went for Obama, and that the Muslim turnout in the U.S. elections reached 95 percent, the highest Muslim turnout in U.S. history.
American Muslims' vote for Obama reflects a repudiation of President Bush and his administration's relentless stereotyping of Muslims as extremists and terrorists. Obama's talk of inclusiveness and multi-culturalism, while not specifically naming American Mulsims, has already fulfilled one central wish of the community - to feel included in the political and cultural life of the country (whether the President-elect can fix healthcare or the economy, other pressing issues facing the American Muslim community, we eagerly wait and see, along with the rest of America).
Overseas, however, Muslims are treating Obama with considerable skepticism born from a fear that once in office, he will be overwhelmed by imperial desire and will perpetuate the rhetoric of the "War on Terror."
Read rest of post here:
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/islamsadvance/2008/1...
Muslim Americans overwhelmingly supported Obama's election earlier this month, and his promise of a more inclusive America. But as the initial euphoria dies away (a little), what can Muslims, both at home and abroad, really expect from the president elect with the middle name Hussein. Here American Muslim playwright and author Wajahat Ali explores.
Muslims, both here and abroad, are investing their collective faith in Obama as a modern political Superman who will transform U.S. foreign policy from the abrasive "Us vs. Them" ideology of President Bush to an engaging, constructive dialogue. But as Obama begins to assemble his administration, are Muslims assuming too much about the transformative powers of the president?
Certainly among American Muslims the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Specifically, a poll by the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Election (AMT) found that 89 percent of Muslims who voted went for Obama, and that the Muslim turnout in the U.S. elections reached 95 percent, the highest Muslim turnout in U.S. history.
American Muslims' vote for Obama reflects a repudiation of President Bush and his administration's relentless stereotyping of Muslims as extremists and terrorists. Obama's talk of inclusiveness and multi-culturalism, while not specifically naming American Mulsims, has already fulfilled one central wish of the community - to feel included in the political and cultural life of the country (whether the President-elect can fix healthcare or the economy, other pressing issues facing the American Muslim community, we eagerly wait and see, along with the rest of America).
Overseas, however, Muslims are treating Obama with considerable skepticism born from a fear that once in office, he will be overwhelmed by imperial desire and will perpetuate the rhetoric of the "War on Terror."
Read rest of post here:
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/islamsadvance/2008/1...
Comment
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Comment by Zeenat on November 19, 2008 at 3:59pm - Ever felt like shouting: "Down with tribal think!" ?
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Comment by siddiq rasuli on November 15, 2008 at 1:05am -
ASalaam,
Great thoughts Zeba and Allen I think that until there is the issue of Palestine and the Zionist there will always be blood and resentment. You have to remember there could be so much peace in Afghanistan or Iraq or anywhere else but until there's peace in Palestine nothing will matter. Palestinians will always be the little bother or sister of the muslim world. Always.
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Comment by Richard D. Allen Jr. on November 14, 2008 at 11:27am -
Dear Zeba and all:
This is an incredibly complicated topic on which I could write pages. I am optimistic in the sense that the Pres.- Elect is one who is intellectually curious and will go to the root causes of the divisions between the Islamic extremists, such as Bin Laden and the more "moderate" Islamic and Arab leaders, who, while not sharing all the goals of the extremists, still have major problems with our country and its foreign policy.WE probaly have nt had a President as intellectual since John Kennedy or maybe Woodrow Wilson.
Essentially, the problems start ( 1) with the Zionist movement and the establishment of the State of Israel. (2) with the presence of our troops in the middle and far east after the first Gulf War.There, we ( USA) is "dammed if we do and dammed if we don't".
Our presence was requested by the Gulf States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent those states from being over-run by Saddam Hussein. Bin Laden, after receiving our help clandestinely, to rid Afghanistan from the Soviets, comes home and finds our troops there in his own country. Worse, in his eyes, is the culture our troops and presence bring to his country--a shocking display of un-religious mores to him--and he leaves and decides to fight us and the West as well.
The Islamic countries who invited us--no, begged us to come over--then are placed in the position of trying to placate this fundamentalist influence in their own countries so as not to lose power themselves. So they end up, unintentionally, indirectly, helping those who attacked our Twin Towers in 2001.
Now we are back again, with a misdirected attack upon Iraq, it seems, and we are bogged down and can not leave without setting a bad precedent for our foreign policy in the future; from those such as a resurgent Russia who is looking for signs of weaknesses from a new Pres. Obama.
So we have, Israel, the First Gulf War, the second Gulf War( removal of Hussein) --with a huge presence and money to support it wich really needs to be used at home and has almost bankrupted our country. Man! We need the smartest President in the last 2 centuries to handle all that in a responsible manner!
I hope Pres. Obama will look through the ranks of the Muslim citizens living in this country and pick qualified people to serve in our diplomatic corps--and use Imams from the various Islamic groups in the US to help advance his new foreign policy. This is not a pay-back for the Muslims help in the election, but rather is tapping this untapped resource to HELP OUR NATION at this critical time.I have some ideas myself as to how the Muslims could use their ties to their Muslims brothers and sisters in the Middle East for peace and also for the uninhibited access to oil and natural resources.I notice that Zeba has spent time studying and working in that area of the world and she may have some ideas herself.
I would hope that the Muslims here would be pro-active in seeking a place in this administration. Sure, you have to understand the P.R. niceties, but let's use all the resources we have as a nation.
I hope this has been on topic. The expectations of the Islamic family around the world and at home here, could fill a book.
RDA
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