obama gets my spikeolo icon
So Obama had a speech in Cairo, Egypt today. And it was pretty awesome.
What was striking about this speech is that he knows the issues. In his own words: "has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations." More than that, he also went on about how some terrorists have used these legitimate issues to fuel this fire and kill innocent people instead of actually doing what they can to help their fellows.
He also went on to acknowledge Islamic history and how it has affected our own: As a student of history, I also know civilisation's debt to Islam. It was Islam - at places like Al-Azhar University - that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment.
The image of a barbaric and icky Arab/Muslim is one that's offensive, among many reasons, because Islamic culture has had a history of innovation and dedication towards learning. From Arabs and Muslims I've talked to and heard from, there is a real sense of frustration that that's overlooked. And, on my part, there is a real frustration that there are so many reasons that so much of the Muslim world hasn't gotten a chance to continue to add to the world as much as they used to in part because of said colonization. If Obama stays true to his words and really attempts to help Muslim countries make progress and listen to them in order for them to maintain aspects of their culture that are important to them, I will be happy. I also hope we really can exchange more students between our cultures, because a lot of real good can come of it. It's hard to demonize one another if you're eating lunch with them and becoming friends with them.
I also liked that he recognized wearing the hijab should be a personal choice and is not automatically a symbol of oppression towards women. I also like that he went on some that it's NOT just the Muslim world that has trouble with sexism - that it's everywhere, including our own. To fix these problems, I believe we do have to work together and learn from one another and I think that Obama's speech agreed with me.
I think it was telling that when Obama talked about religious tolerance and talked a bit about Egypt's own issues with that, the crowd got a real energy about it. Obama respected them as human begins who are smart enough to not only know some problems in their culture, but also as people who wanted to fix them. And he didn't single them out because these issues aren't exclusively Muslim. The ways in which Muslims are singled out for this type of criticism is frustrating and profoundly hurtful.
But my favorite part of the entire speech is that Obama's knowledge of Islamic culture showed. He brought up stories from Koran and said peace be upon you. He didn't just say Islam is a religion of peace, he actually pulled up quotes and told stories to prove it. I know of some of the uglier quotes in it, but I also know of some of the uglier quotes in the Bible as well - but I think neither Christanity nor Islam has to be a religion that promotes warfare.
And he mentioned one of my favorite bits of the Koran: The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. Actually, that's not just some of my favorite bits of the Koran, but honestly one of the most moving sentiments I've ever read.
Basically I loved that Obama respected the humanity of Muslims and asked them to do the same for him and the people he represented. Treating other cultures as grown ups is a step up. It was also nice that he clearly expected his audience to have religious tolerance because the idea that all Muslims want to kill anyone who isn't a Muslim is ridiculous.
And I also learned that the first nation to recognise the United States was Morocco. Which is awesome.