Now I remember that fairly recent feeling when the US of Bush came to an end and Obama emerged victorious as a beacon of hope. A non-white President for hypocritically narrow minded Americans! Yipee! And I did feel great about it. I felt hopeful that the world's problems would all come to a miraculously smooth end because finally a smart and sensible man of the people, with a sense of reality was leading the front.
Jeez, I was such an idiot.
While floods ravage Pakistan, the Euro's existence comes under threat, Israel and Palestine continue their conflict, Americans living a comfortable, safe, sane life indulged in an absurdly inane discussion about the "mosque on ground zero". But you know what, silly as that was, it's easy to let go off those absurd analogies and accusations because people are people and we do dumb things all the time. What I really couldn't understand or accept however, is why wise old President Obama jumped right into the middle of this debate? Perhaps if he had said his short, sharp impactful statement to end this dribble I would have applauded his decisive authority. But no. Barack did what Barack does (as we have now realised) - avoid making a decision, President Barack, that is. Hmmmm. So the results led to the worst case scenario - a stupid debate over a non issue based on ignorant ideas that was lent credibility by the most important guy on the planet.
Part II - "Mr. Obama was expected to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, next month, but there were questions about how he would cover his head. Sikh tradition requires that men tie a piece of cloth on their heads before the spiritual centre. The president who is Christian, has fought the perception that he is Muslim. Sikhs are regularly mistaken for Muslim." (NY Times, online, Oct 22 2010)
And so now, he ain't going.
Well, really, on a scale of 1-10 of dumbness where 10 is the sole of my shoe with a hole in it, this has got to be a gzillion. Let's remind ourselves that India is a secular country and Obama was meant to be a non-partisan politician who promised to bind together fractitious society and here is avoiding a Sikh temple which was built on the foundation of uniting disparity in the community led by religious differences (Americans - wiki up "irony" please) and is engraved with writings in 3 different langauges to this purpose - hindi (for hindus), gurumukhi (for sikhs) and urdu (for muslims). President Barack Obama and dumb sidekicks have decided to avoid this monument because he doesn't want a photograph of himself with a handkerchief on his head. Let's also ponder on how it is that amongst all his advisors, there is not one who could point out to him that this "sikh" tradition is in fact one that requires ALL visitors (any gender, age, religion or nationality) to simply cover their head (and one that is adopted all over India generally in any religious or spiritual setting, irrelevant to which religion). Maybe someone should mention to him that a baseball cap would work pretty well since all that is needed is for everyone to cover their heads - the manner in which their head is covered, is not of concern. Unless, he isn't supposed to be seen to endorse baseball over any other widely loved sport in America...
It frustrates me and baffles me that a person of this stature is so poorly guided in such a simple circumstance and perhaps indicates he has lost all touch with reality to not be able to navigate yet another non issue. This poor show of judgement doesn't hold very well when considering this administration's ability to resolve the numerous overwhelmingly mighty issues they are currently battling against. But hey, at least no one will think Obama is a muslim, phew!
Jeez, I was such an idiot.
While floods ravage Pakistan, the Euro's existence comes under threat, Israel and Palestine continue their conflict, Americans living a comfortable, safe, sane life indulged in an absurdly inane discussion about the "mosque on ground zero". But you know what, silly as that was, it's easy to let go off those absurd analogies and accusations because people are people and we do dumb things all the time. What I really couldn't understand or accept however, is why wise old President Obama jumped right into the middle of this debate? Perhaps if he had said his short, sharp impactful statement to end this dribble I would have applauded his decisive authority. But no. Barack did what Barack does (as we have now realised) - avoid making a decision, President Barack, that is. Hmmmm. So the results led to the worst case scenario - a stupid debate over a non issue based on ignorant ideas that was lent credibility by the most important guy on the planet.
Part II - "Mr. Obama was expected to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, next month, but there were questions about how he would cover his head. Sikh tradition requires that men tie a piece of cloth on their heads before the spiritual centre. The president who is Christian, has fought the perception that he is Muslim. Sikhs are regularly mistaken for Muslim." (NY Times, online, Oct 22 2010)
And so now, he ain't going.
Well, really, on a scale of 1-10 of dumbness where 10 is the sole of my shoe with a hole in it, this has got to be a gzillion. Let's remind ourselves that India is a secular country and Obama was meant to be a non-partisan politician who promised to bind together fractitious society and here is avoiding a Sikh temple which was built on the foundation of uniting disparity in the community led by religious differences (Americans - wiki up "irony" please) and is engraved with writings in 3 different langauges to this purpose - hindi (for hindus), gurumukhi (for sikhs) and urdu (for muslims). President Barack Obama and dumb sidekicks have decided to avoid this monument because he doesn't want a photograph of himself with a handkerchief on his head. Let's also ponder on how it is that amongst all his advisors, there is not one who could point out to him that this "sikh" tradition is in fact one that requires ALL visitors (any gender, age, religion or nationality) to simply cover their head (and one that is adopted all over India generally in any religious or spiritual setting, irrelevant to which religion). Maybe someone should mention to him that a baseball cap would work pretty well since all that is needed is for everyone to cover their heads - the manner in which their head is covered, is not of concern. Unless, he isn't supposed to be seen to endorse baseball over any other widely loved sport in America...
It frustrates me and baffles me that a person of this stature is so poorly guided in such a simple circumstance and perhaps indicates he has lost all touch with reality to not be able to navigate yet another non issue. This poor show of judgement doesn't hold very well when considering this administration's ability to resolve the numerous overwhelmingly mighty issues they are currently battling against. But hey, at least no one will think Obama is a muslim, phew!
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