STOIC Posted May 14, 2008 Hamid Dabashi Op-ed column in Al-Ahram weekly is not the first article that has planted the first seed of doubt on me about Obama sleeping with the AIPAC. There is a good reason to criticize Obama narrow view of the Palestinian issue. All along I knew the AIPAC working hand in gloves with all the American presidential candidates to support the state of Israel. Rarely doesn’t an American politicians tare themselves as the quintessential apostle of Israel existence. Any politician that sides with the Palestinians explodes in the national press as the villain that sleeps with the enemy. It is hard for Obama to navigate away from the norm without being tainted with the title of anti-Semitic. I believe though that Obama campaign would produce a new engagement of American politics and the abiding realities of even handed in the American foreign policies. The story of Palestinian is one of pain, turmoil, and conflict. One of my best Arab friends is an American born Palestinian whose family was affected in every shape and form by this conflict. Together with him we have battled the Jewish organization of Hillel on our campus during our undergraduate studies. We picketed outside Jewish sponsored talks and even erected a mock wall of Israel wall that divides the Palestinians in Gaza. I do sympathize with these people. My vote can not bring perfection to the American foreign policy, but I think my conscious tells me that it has to start from somewhere and I believe electing Obama in November can at least raise the curiosity of the sleeping American voters. I think withdrawal from the American politics by the Muslims will not solve any problem, but exacerbates it (as one close friend wondered why as a Muslim I’m even bothered with the American politics). I think as a Muslim our growing dissatisfaction and alienation with the American policies should not stop us from voting. It is the politics of everyday that is the accurate barometer of our society that we choose to live in. Read Dabashi article below...... Sources Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
