As a British observer looking from the outside in, it seems from the time that Barack Obama took the oath of office, as the first African – American President, Republicans made destroying him politically their number one priority. In doing so they have made a variety of outlandish threats and predictions accusing the president of wanting death panels to socialism.
However the recent news events destroyed three of the top lies told by Republicans to try and bring down the president - no matter what the cost to the country.
1. President Obama is soft on terrorism/won't protect the country/is a Muslim sympathizer. From the time Obama took office, he has had to contend with a Republican campaign to portray him as weak on national security. The attacks really took off after the unsuccessful attempt by the "underpants bomber" on Christmas Day 2009.
However, Obama has been more aggressive than his predecessor was in targeting and killing terrorist group leaders, including authorizing more drone attacks. Then, putting nearly 10 long years of frustration to bed, Obama authorized a daring and well-planned operation to kill Osama bin Laden at his retreat in the suburbs of Islamabad.
And while terrorists may be able to strike in the United States no matter what precautions are taken by the president, it is telling that the greatest domestic terrorist attack of the last 100 years took place on President Bush's watch. Based on recent events, Republicans will look idiotic if they again try to engage in scare tactics based on an idea that Obama isn't capable of keeping the American people safe.
2. President Obama wants to raise taxes. These attacks were works of pure fiction, given that Obama campaigned that he wouldn't raise taxes on anyone making more than $250,000 per year, and would cut taxes on most families below that range. And he has done exactly what he promised. But despite the fear mongering tactics of Republicans who promised the American people Obama wanted raise their taxes, he has been a tax-cutting president.
3. President Obama wasn't born in the United States. On April 27 2011, as unnecessary as it was, Obama released his long-form birth certificate, putting the issue to rest once and for all.
The release of Obama's birth certificate has given Americans a lot of questions to ask themselves: Why did Republicans spend so much time on a patently ludicrous accusation, even while the country was grappling with important problems, including a struggling economy, two wars, and national security. What does it say about a party that would conduct its business that way?
I have no hope that the Republicans will change how they operate. But I do hope the American people have taken notice and will react accordingly.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Monday, 9 May 2011
A Sense of Place
For me, there's only one location where I genuinely feel a sense of place - Lord's Cricket Ground.
I can still vividly remember venturing there as an impressionable 14 year old for trials with Middlesex Cricket Club as an aspiring batsman and an occasional spin-bowler.
Entering the gates on the morning of the trail was an exhilarating experience. The smell of linseed oil being liberally applied on cricket bats punctuated the atmosphere. I thought to myself yes, this is where I truly belong.
Up to that stage cricket had been my life. Every ounce of me wanted to become professional cricketer, and the cathedral of cricket, Lord's, was the place I wanted those fantasies to become reality.
I would often dream of striding elegantly across the perfectly manicured and hallowed turf of this famous cricket ground, in my creased ironed whites, bat in hand, ready to commence war with the best bowlers in the world.
It soon dawned on me that my fellow contemporaries all shared the same dream. I rapidly realised I was a Stockport United to their Barcelona. I was way out of my league. I was inconsolable for weeks.
Thirty years on, Lord's still generates a tingling sensation in the back of my spine whenever I attend a match. It’s still a place where I feel I belong – but now only as a mere spectator.
I can still vividly remember venturing there as an impressionable 14 year old for trials with Middlesex Cricket Club as an aspiring batsman and an occasional spin-bowler.
Entering the gates on the morning of the trail was an exhilarating experience. The smell of linseed oil being liberally applied on cricket bats punctuated the atmosphere. I thought to myself yes, this is where I truly belong.
Up to that stage cricket had been my life. Every ounce of me wanted to become professional cricketer, and the cathedral of cricket, Lord's, was the place I wanted those fantasies to become reality.
I would often dream of striding elegantly across the perfectly manicured and hallowed turf of this famous cricket ground, in my creased ironed whites, bat in hand, ready to commence war with the best bowlers in the world.
It soon dawned on me that my fellow contemporaries all shared the same dream. I rapidly realised I was a Stockport United to their Barcelona. I was way out of my league. I was inconsolable for weeks.
Thirty years on, Lord's still generates a tingling sensation in the back of my spine whenever I attend a match. It’s still a place where I feel I belong – but now only as a mere spectator.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Demise of Terrorism - Don't Count your chickens yet!
It was seven in the morning on Monday 2nd May when I woke up to the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
I was ambivalent to the news as I never consider Bin Laden, for many years now, a significant player in al Qaeda terrorism. There was much jubilation across the United States when the news broke.
For President Obama this can only help his re-election in 2012 - the man who gave the order to kill/capture the ultimate bogeyman in the eyes of many Americans.
A note of caution for the President. He many bask in the glory with the inevitable sharp rise in his poll ratings. However, the first President Bush won the first Gulf war against Iraq but was soundly beaten by Bill Clinton at the following presidential election. A week is a long time in politics let alone 18 months. There is also the probability of revenge attacks which may diminish the feel good factor that many Americans are feeling now and call into question President's security credentials
Beware Mr President your second term in office is far from guaranteed.
I was ambivalent to the news as I never consider Bin Laden, for many years now, a significant player in al Qaeda terrorism. There was much jubilation across the United States when the news broke.
For President Obama this can only help his re-election in 2012 - the man who gave the order to kill/capture the ultimate bogeyman in the eyes of many Americans.
A note of caution for the President. He many bask in the glory with the inevitable sharp rise in his poll ratings. However, the first President Bush won the first Gulf war against Iraq but was soundly beaten by Bill Clinton at the following presidential election. A week is a long time in politics let alone 18 months. There is also the probability of revenge attacks which may diminish the feel good factor that many Americans are feeling now and call into question President's security credentials
Beware Mr President your second term in office is far from guaranteed.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Black Community - Fighting The Wrong Enemy
The march that took place on Saturday 16 April to demonstrate against police deaths in custody illustrates the lack of self-awareness and insight of the Black community.
Thousands march on behalf of Smiley Culture and others who have died in questionable circumstances but tell me who is marching for the five-year-old girl who is critically ill in hospital after being shot by teenagers in Stockwell. For that matter who is protesting after another teenager - 15-year old Negus McLean was fatally stabbed in Edmonton - the fifth black teenage murder victim in London this year. In this same period we have had the conviction of two men for the machine gun murder of 16-year old Agnes Sina-Inakoju in a Hoxton takeaway last April. Who is crying for her?
There should be a million-man march demonstrating against crime, drugs and violence, which is tearing the Black community apart. However, it seems that apart from the above victims' families we as a community don't give a damn or we choose to look the other way.
It is so much simpler and straightforward to blame the police and other state institutions for the lack of progress we as a community have made in comparison to other ethnic communities over the last 30 years.
In reality the biggest obstacle to our advancement and perceived oppression has never been the police or other agencies but OURSELVES and always has been. At the very heart of our failure in my contention has been the breakdown of the family - black boys being raised in homes where education, hard work and morality are frowned upon. Instead immediate gratification and rampant materialism is everything and obtaining it by any means necessary is seen as the norm. It is no wonder that we have so many young black children being shot or stabbed on an almost daily basis and the black parents of these children don't seem to care and the black community as a whole is totally apathetic.
It's easy to rage and vent your anger against the 'system' and blame it for all our ills. However, when it comes to analysing for instance black gang violence, we are afraid to take responsibility for an issue, which is completely of our own making.
Rest assured I support the deaths in custody march and would like to see a full and thorough independent investigation. But be in no doubt the biggest problem facing the black community is the feral youths who have no qualms in spraying gun fire in public places, and their parents who ignore or condone their actions.
If we do not take full responsibility and combat this malevolent cancer then the consequence is that the black community will be feared, ostracised and hated by all sections of society and we would only have ourselves to blame. Unfortunately, I see no evidence of parents wishing to take responsibility of stopping their children turning to gangs and equally I have witness no proof of the wider black community taking this issue seriously. I fear for the future.
Thousands march on behalf of Smiley Culture and others who have died in questionable circumstances but tell me who is marching for the five-year-old girl who is critically ill in hospital after being shot by teenagers in Stockwell. For that matter who is protesting after another teenager - 15-year old Negus McLean was fatally stabbed in Edmonton - the fifth black teenage murder victim in London this year. In this same period we have had the conviction of two men for the machine gun murder of 16-year old Agnes Sina-Inakoju in a Hoxton takeaway last April. Who is crying for her?
There should be a million-man march demonstrating against crime, drugs and violence, which is tearing the Black community apart. However, it seems that apart from the above victims' families we as a community don't give a damn or we choose to look the other way.
It is so much simpler and straightforward to blame the police and other state institutions for the lack of progress we as a community have made in comparison to other ethnic communities over the last 30 years.
In reality the biggest obstacle to our advancement and perceived oppression has never been the police or other agencies but OURSELVES and always has been. At the very heart of our failure in my contention has been the breakdown of the family - black boys being raised in homes where education, hard work and morality are frowned upon. Instead immediate gratification and rampant materialism is everything and obtaining it by any means necessary is seen as the norm. It is no wonder that we have so many young black children being shot or stabbed on an almost daily basis and the black parents of these children don't seem to care and the black community as a whole is totally apathetic.
It's easy to rage and vent your anger against the 'system' and blame it for all our ills. However, when it comes to analysing for instance black gang violence, we are afraid to take responsibility for an issue, which is completely of our own making.
Rest assured I support the deaths in custody march and would like to see a full and thorough independent investigation. But be in no doubt the biggest problem facing the black community is the feral youths who have no qualms in spraying gun fire in public places, and their parents who ignore or condone their actions.
If we do not take full responsibility and combat this malevolent cancer then the consequence is that the black community will be feared, ostracised and hated by all sections of society and we would only have ourselves to blame. Unfortunately, I see no evidence of parents wishing to take responsibility of stopping their children turning to gangs and equally I have witness no proof of the wider black community taking this issue seriously. I fear for the future.
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