We, Palestinians, are aspiring to any glimpse of hope to establishing our promising country of Palestine. Originally, that glimpse of hope grew when Israelis realized in the nineties that a real peace will not be achieved apart from an Independent Palestinian state. That time, the world agreed on that concept and peace deal (Oslo) was held in Washington D.C, after the first Bush had left office.
Regardless of Oslo and its disadvantages we started the self governing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip awaiting the transitional period in the next stages. But as many expected things went deep down after Israel approved that, it was unconcerned in any peace agreement that relied on giving us land in exchange for peace
With the second Bush administration and his first speech at the White House, our aspirations smashed into a barrier of Zioamerican arrogance! The hope raised back momentously and excessively when the caucuses of American elections started in 2007. Followed by the appearance of Barack Husain Obama, our hope reached a peak once more. We reckoned that by this heroic Black-American we would be able to get our Independent State of Palestine
This positive thought was strengthened for several reasons. Initially, having a black president in the White House means having the history of the Black generation who suffered the tortures of white enslavement and the discrimination as well. Surely, he knows our suffering, thus he will make sure to end our conflict. Accordingly, this president will work hard to liberate us from the occupation that we have been experiencing since 60 years.
From left to right, Michelle Obama, then Illinois state senator Barack Obama, Columbia University Professor Edward Said and Mariam Said at a May 1998 Arab community event in Chicago at which Edward Said gave the keynote speech. (Image from archives of Ali Abunimah)
Then, Barack Obama’s support for the Palestinian cause has had lenghty experiences and positive stances. Going back to the nineties, he participated in many activities in solidarity of Palestine.
Ali Abunimah, ex-friend of Obama pointed out, “I knew Barack Obama for many years as my state senator-when he used to attend events in the Palestinian community in Chicago all the time. I remember personally introducing him onstage in 1999, when we had a major community fundraiser for the community center in Deheisha refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. And that’s just one example of how Barack Obama used to be very comfortable speaking up for and being associated with Palestinian rights and opposing the Israeli occupation.”
Our desired change is completely inconsistent with Obama’s one currently. The change for us makes us ask why he is turning his back against Palestinians in this race. He was a sincere friend to us once.
“The last time I spoke to Obama was in the winter of 2004—As he came in from the cold and took off his coat, I went up to greet him. He responded warmly, and volunteered, “Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race. I’m hoping when things calm down I can be more up front,” Obama’s friend said.
So, his changing view towards Palestine seems to be unreal since he is looking to power. I, if I would be in his shoes, I would be doing as the same as he is doing.
During a speech I delivered in Lecce in Italy, I was named as Barack Obama due to the way I spoke using some of the rhetorical and public speaking tips. I was asked then, What do you think of Obama?
I was puzzled for a second, then I answered, ” Obama is holding opposing views to Bush in all policies which is so requested to improve the American image in the world. Yet, when it comes to Palestine he is as supportive to Israel as Bush and even more.”
This perspective was so clear during his first speeches after he won the Nomination of his party. At the AIPAC, Obama was reciting some of the Bush ideas and schemes towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He wants to give a livable and a connected state but he didn’t specify more about this state!
Finally, we Palestinians and Arab Americans have to look over this race to the White House wisely. We have two choices now. Barack Obama who is slightly supporting the Palestinians and their promising state. In the other side, we have one of the biggest new Bushes, John McCain, whose stances are more extreme than Bush and all the new conservatives in the US. One of McCain’ s advisors said a couple of weeks ago that Palestinians should go to Jordan and establish their own country. Thus, McCain is so dangerous for us and his ideas are so malicious. So, let’s pick the less worse of the two…Let’s endorse Obama.
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4 comments:
I have thought very long and hard about Barack Obama's candidacy and the hope and change he promises. Unlike many cynics, I am determined to hope that as an individual, he truly promises us hope for a better future.
However, I cannot support him for the same reason Mr. Habeeb wants to: because Obama is less worse than john McCain. The lesser of two evils is still evil.
If Obama were to auger true productive change, he needs a constituency behind him that can make demands of him.
Giving him unqualified support based on hoping he will do the right things when in office will make it easier for him to ignore us and be irresponsible in the future.
Instead-- he could enter office indebted to interests that are making demands on him: his party, AIPAC, Wall Street, and plotters with offensive military-strategic interests that do not have a high regard for the sanctity for all human life.
Since he became a presidential candidate, Obama has shown an adeptness for promoting his candidacy-- at the expense of his character. When Dennis Kucinich was kicked from the Democratic Party debates-- what did Obama have to say?
Nothing. The game of becoming nominated was more important to him than allowing Americans a chance to hear a debate that would include an antiwar or peace candidate.
About the role of AIPAC and its opposition to a real peace process-- where was Obama? Grovelling at its feet and telling it everything it wanted to hear.
Where was Obama when his minister, the Reverend Wright, spoke out? Surely Obama must have been once taught the biblical story of how the cock crowed when Peter replied to Power, "I do not know the man!"
Now Obama has helped give away Americans' Fourth Amendment Constitutional Rights by voting in favor of the FISA Amendment Act. How much farther will he stoop for a Pyrrhic election victory? To win-- he is helping turn his own country into a Gaza. If he has such scant regard for the rights of his fellow citizens, what more will he have for the rights of others?
Every two to four years-- America's two-party system asks its voters to vote for the least worse candidate-- and consequentially we get worse and worse.
To support the long-lost ideals that should make Obama a better man-- we must break the chains this evil system imposes on us and the world-- including Palestine, Gaza, and the West bank.
We must support others whose character cannot be diluted-- who are truly in favor of ending the stalemate that feeds apartheid and mayhem.
Doing so-- is painful. But it is our only real hope.
The powers that be will always complain that supporting a third party candidate, be he or she Socialist, Independent, or Green is an impoverished action which makes the perfect the enemy of the good.
After a lifetime of seeing the world become worse and worse I will no longer be intimidated. I know that virtually all positive political change in America is due to the pressure of independent third parties.
I have met Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney on several occasions, and have closely followed their political careers-- both are trustworthy because both have true moral character. Neither is interested in power-- but both are committed to making their ideas of peace and universal human rights powerful.
Both are writing a script which if adopted would make Obama and the world a winner.
If ignored-- I fear we will all lose.
For more information please research the myth about how Nader "gave" the 2000 election to Bush. That is a myth promoted by the Democratic Party.
It was a stolen election. In eight years-- the Democrats have done nothing to reform a crooked electoral system in America. Having taken power in 2006, Nancy Pelosi has kept Democrats in line: Impeachment of the war criminal Bush has been kept "off the table". We saw how she and others assisted Israel's attack of Lebanon.
For those who will continue to support Obama "come hell or high water" (which we have had plenty of both)-- supporting Cindy Sheehan's congressional campaign against Pelosi in San Francisco is a "no-brainer".
If Obama does become president-- it will be in all of our interests to see Cindy in Washington with him-- to make sure that he becomes the ideal we wish him to be.
Obama is not a favorite of mine at all. I view him as a sellout, especially after his most recent trip to colonial Israel. I consider myself very progressive (I actually voted for Kucinich in New Hampshire), and I am very skeptical about Obama's "change".
I am afraid Obama has turned out to be an empty shell who obeys his masters, like Bush and most other previous Presidents who are owned by AIPAC and the Zionists. He will further the Zionist agenda on planet earth, and that is all.
He is surrounded by such people in his cabinet and his VP Joe Biden said, on film, I have seen it.
"Am I a Zionist? Of course I am a Zionist. You don't have to be Jewish to be a Zionist!"
I watched McCain, Clinton and Obama speak before AIPAC and it was frightening to see all three liars try to be more Jewish than the other! I would say Liar Clinton did best because she is a consummate actress and might have had better speech writers that day.
That was also the first time in the election race Obama was seen publicly wearing a button on his lapel. The Zionist flag. Up until then, people had been very concerned because he never wore the American flag and here we was in white and blue.
That is when my suspicions were confirmed.
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