Change is not the only constant and other useless ponderings

Its funny how things play out. sometimes, most times, its quite tragically- but as consistently it is with deep, almost comic irony.

Yes, this is sort-of about the Obama speech in a convulted sort-of logic. Let me delay my conceptual qualms with dichotomies such as "america can co-exist with islam" (where can i get islamic citizenship by the way?) and let me overlook my dismay with his complicity with the Mubarak regime. For philosophical concerns, i'd rather refer you to this very insightful article. But about Palestine, I was still thinking you know, its a good thing what Obama said, about Israel being an occupying power, and about Palestinians suffering untolerable daily humilation. But with equal scrutiny I wondered about why he asks Muslims to not get trapped in the history of colonialism, but lists the atrocities of the holocaust. why he tells Palestinians to abandon violence but doesnt mention the devestating cast lead operation. Then i tell myself, well, he's a politician, and he's getting enough of an ass kicking in America for even just being here, from all sorts of paranoics and crackpots. But I wasnt too forgiving on that point. But as i followed the hype of the Abdulhakim Muhammad incident i realied: America is chucked full of lunatics with no degree of sense or reason. Please see here.And unlike the crazy crackpots in Egypt, these ones have voting power.gak! I had just written my response, here to this guy, and had just managed to retrieve my eyeballs from how far back they had rolled to the back of my head after reading the rants of this loser here. Although I'd always thought Obama was an adventurous and brave man, sometimes I forget what he's up against. But then, things never stay in one way. Against this intense rhetorical whopping that Obama was getting, being questioned as to how he would "justify this one", came the most startling statement, that could outshine any retort I could have tried to tell some of these bloggers. A crazy supremacist senile white man, shoots a black security guard at the national holocaust museum. Obama was lecturing us about the wrongs of denying the holocaust, but few are bigger critics than whats his face,James W. von Brunn. Id like to see the haters try to pin that one on the Muslim world. Or scarily run away from the whole thing. I feel really sorry for the family of the deceased guard but I absoultely have to admit that I chirped and clapped my hands when I clicked on the story and realised it was a white american who dun it.

Who cares about Tina Fey?

It's all about the swing states, right? About the indepedents, the undecideds, the uncertainties, the ambiguities, the unknowns, the little enclaves that can make or break your bid to the presidency.

Obama seems to be cashing in on those, if my months of trying to understand what I never understood about the American democratic process has taught me anything. Recently, four "key" battleground states; Michigan, Colorado, Minnessota and Wisconsin, have apparently swung widely to his favour. If you trust the polls.

Am I the only one who is struck by the futility of following every little itsy bitsy particule of event, that seems to send the polls rolling? This time, its McCain's "ineffective leadership" during the financial crisis. And what, exactly, could McCain have done to display effective leadership? What defines effective leadership when the Dow Jones commits suicide, and Mr. Charles Dow himself is probably having seizures in his grave. Dont get me wrong, I dont approve of McCain's little stunt to pause campaigning, but at least he was entertaining, since there was really nothing he could do.

Anyways, so here we are. I guess the economy is the "single most important" issue for voters in the four battle ground states. Im just having a hard time believing it doesnt have more to do with Tina Fey. Tina Fey, top coverage on CNN: NO BODY thinks thats WEIRD? Well I do. How is that news? Only in America are comedy skits routinized as political discourse. Im not hating on the fact that Tina Fey is shaping the destiny of America and the world, except I dont really like her except on 30 Rock: thats a good show and Ive seen Alec Baldwin in person, so Im biased.

Thats what I'd like to see in the polls, to what extent is American political opinion governed and influenced by SNL, and whether the hell thats a good or bad thing.

Should Egypt blog America?

Currently based in North Carolina, me and Zeinab went to visit the largest TV station in North Carolina, WRAL, who also include a blog-ish section called Go-lo, and they included a link to our blog
Some locals expressed some interest, others were less impressed. Naturally, I got into a bit of a, lets say, encounter with the skeptic who said:

"I've been out and missed a lot of the discussion but let me tell you where I'm coming from. Arabs for the most part are muslim. In my opinion all muslims are potential terrorist due to their upbringing, training, education, and religion. Most of the terrorist tragedies in the world in the last 20 years were perpetuated by insane muslims. They have no respect for anyone except their own beliefs. As long as we're giving they take but then they don't reciprocate. Again, I don't see where their opinion about our elections matters one bit."

Because I was annoyed, and because indeed this was the first unfriendly remark i'd received here in the all-too friendly American south, I tried to be diplomatic in reply:

"Dear Mohawk, im one of the bloggers on the collective blog that angela was talking about and who WRAL was nice enough to invite for a visit of the station. Am i supposed to ignore your offense remark? Following your logic, or at least your example, I have every reason to believe that every american is a xenophobic, narrow minded, stubborn racist. However, Ill choose not to make stereotypes, and ill try to take the example of the other, friendlier americans ive met here in North Carolina to make a more informed impression about American society. I advise you to do the same, not just about muslims, but for the sake of how you seem to see americans too. everyone else, please check the blog! and we appreciate the feedback."

Our friend, named after an outdated and mishaped hair cut was quick to retort:

"Dear Egydiva, I am not a racist, never have been, never will be. I base my opinions on facts and my own life experiences. Muslims at the present time present a danger to the world that only a fool can ignore. I don't know what the answer is but I do know I don't want their opinion inserted into my country's presidential decision making process. I can forgive but not forget. I recommend you do some soul searching and research of your own.PS: I checked out the blog which is a slap in the face at the American political system. It's all onesided. I apalled that WRAL would even consider providing a link to it."

Thanks for the heads up Mohawak, Ill be sure to renounce my terrorist ways (despite that they are intrinsically instilled in me genetically) and stay out of American presidential business, just like the americans have stayed out of mine.

Super Mom?

Articles like this one from Time magazine, amaze me. I am stunned by the amount of profiling that occurs for the American voter: the precision and alaysis, catergorization, classification and observation is beyond my capacity of understanding. Security moms, soccer moms, white moms, moms with sons at war, moms with bastard sons, moms with sons going to college, now wal-mart moms, moms. Just pick a mom.

I wonder if this kind of effort went into to profiling Egyptian moms what are the pseduo labels we would come up with? But I guess thats the thing about democratic elections, it makes you care about who's cheering you on. Even if it is sorta reluctantly...