Obama's speech in Indonesia: reality overwhelms rhetoric
"No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust."
This is perhaps the truest thing President Obama said in his speech last night at Indonesia University. A speech, after all, is just a speech. What counts are the actions that precede and follow that speech.
Many Muslims received the President's speech in Cairo in June 2009 with elevated hopes -- hopes for American intervention to spur peace negotiations in Palestine and Israel, for American pressure on Arab and Muslim governments to reform democratically and to improve their human rights records, and for American acceptance that the Muslim world is not a monolithic force for evil, but a diverse group of nations with unique strengths and challenges, the vast majority of which desire peace, prosperity, and progress.
After the Cairo speech, the Muslim world waited to see how the president and America would implement the promise of a "new beginning" between the U.S. and the Muslim world. And much of the Muslim world has come to the conclusion that the new beginning never materialized, rather it is business as usual with regard to the Middle East and the Muslim world.
President Obama's speech in Indonesia, then, was falling on the ears of a tough audience, one that has lost hope in Obama's message that change is coming. Indeed, the Indonesia speech did not revisit that theme, and made only passing reference to Israel and Palestine, and the empty words that the U.S. is committed to a two-state solution. That assertion is hard for the Muslim world to believe when Israel has just recently declared that it will not extend a settlement ban, despite American and Palestinian protests. The U.S. didn't do anything. Indeed, our unhappiness with Israel was barely mentioned. Congress didn't consider a resolution condemning the resumption of settlements, or the building of 1,400 homes for Jewish residents in East Jerusalem which the Palestinians claim for their capitol. And what the Muslim world would really like to see -- a decrease in military aid to Israel when Israel refuses to bow to American pressures -- isn't something that seems to be up for consideration.
The American government hasn't put pressure on Arab governments to clean up their human rights mess, or to implement democratic reform. It hasn't pressured ally Pakistan to eradicate corruption, enforce the rule of law, or even to deal with extremism in the army. Troops are still in Iraq. Relations with Iran are still on a teeter-totter of hostility and bravado. There are even some 175 prisoners still at Guantanamo.
No matter what Obama said last night at Indonesia University, these realities outweigh any words. And they make those words seem empty.
Having said that, I personally found the speech touching. Obama's recollection of his childhood years and his mother's love of Indonesia and her people was moving. His recitation of Indonesian history that most Americans are unaware of showed not only his affection for the country, but a true connection. Finally, the main points of the speech -- the mutual desire for development, democracy, religious tolerance, and the eradication of religious extremism and terrorism -- pointed a way forward. Let's hope that this speech is followed by concrete actions, by American engagement with the Muslim world and by Obama's challenging the forces that jeopardize religious tolerance here at home. Only that sort of action, a true rapprochement at home and at abroad will make this speech into more than empty words and a photo opportunity.
By
Pamela K. Taylor
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November 10, 2010; 12:40 PM ET
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Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 12, 2010 1:00 PM
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Gen. 35:
19And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
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Emails from Israeli friends suggest that the Palestinians had better find another way to provoke Israelis. Rage grows hourly. It is so strong at this point that Netanyahu's meeting with the UN lady of the evening, Bank Ki Moon ended in bloggisphere meltdown.
Since those houses blew up in Lebanon (not reported in Islamic WaPo), due to tens of thousands of Hezbollah rockets filling Lebanese homes, Netanyahu has been pleading with Madame Moon for the UN to investigate. However, Mademoiselle declines.
Nejad threatened last week to turn Lebanon into Iran in a day. NOt a word from Pammy.
Obama has been sword waving re the Tomb as well as at Iran for its arming of Lebanon, but knows it can do nothing.
Byebye Lebanon. I do grieve for you, but it was Assad who did you in. The poor corrupt buffoon, Assad. Nejad's playtoy.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 10:45 PM
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Ms. Taylor finds Obama's speech to be "touching" in its mention of Obama's childhood, but I'm sure that I would find the life stories of Obama's thousands of civilian murder victims to be far more touching. You know, like these:
photo:
http://indyposted.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Afghan-children.jpg
article:
http://www.indyposted.com/24950/drone-crew-civilian-deaths/
Interestingly, Ms. Taylor avoids mentioning the #1 dissatisfaction by Muslims with Obama: that Obama is a serial mass murderer. His infamous "Obamassacres" of thousands of Muslim civilians in Pakistan and Afghanistan using unmanned predator drones guided by non-uniformed civilians in the US make him both a war criminal as well as too disgusting a former human being to make it even worth speaking to him. True, Obama hasn't killed "as many" Muslims as dajjal Bush, but no decent Muslim is ever going to accept the "lesser of two evils" excuse in support of Obama's "fewer killings" Al Capone style over Bush's "more killings" Adolf Hitler style.
And remember, Obama is a Hindu (google: Obama Hanuman) who fully supports India and its rapes and murders of women in Kashmir. He even wants to give India a security council veto so that no one can even say anything against them.
With all this against such a calculating and slithering renegade worm, it would be an understatement to say that "No number of his speeches can eradicate years of mistrust."
Posted by: bloggersvilleusa | November 11, 2010 10:35 PM
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JJ, you are right as usual. :)
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 9:06 PM
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.........."WE SALUTE ALL GOOD MEN & WOMAN"
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. A FLAG for the 3rd NEW U.N.:
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VOTE For APOCALYPTIC GOVERNMENT! and
G R I D A R I A N -- D E M O C R A C Y!
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"Something to LIVE for, NOt to Die For"!
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Credit to "JJ"
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http://onwapo.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/w-e-l-c-o-m-e/
Posted by: woodstock-41 | November 11, 2010 8:28 PM
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As I've always said, every religious group should have its own water bowl. This is the only way to ensure peace in our time.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 7:29 PM
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Todays News from the Islam world and of people who we do not want to know exist:
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\12\story_12-11-2010_pg1_4
Christian woman gets death for blasphemy
LAHORE: A court has sentenced to death a Christian woman for blasphemy, the first such conviction of a woman and sparking protests from rights groups on Thursday.
A local court in Nankana district sentenced Aasia Bibi, 45, on Monday, but the country has never executed anyone for blasphemy.
Aasia’s case dates back to June 2009 when she was asked to fetch water while out working in fields. But a group of Muslim women labourers objected, saying that as a non-Muslim, she should not touch the water bowl.
A few days later the women went to a local cleric and alleged that Aasia made derogatory remarks about the religious personalities. The cleric went to local police, which opened an investigation.
She was arrested in Ittanwalai village and prosecuted under Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries the death penalty.
Sentencing her to hang, Judge Naveed Iqbal totally ruled out any chance that Aasia was falsely implicated and said there were no mitigating circumstances.
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AS a non-muslim she should not touch the water bowl!! Why? Because she is too filthy for the believers.
Is this the Great Religion that Obama tells us to appease and remove "misunderstandings" that we have caused?
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http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/04/19/indonesia-court-ruling-setback-religious-freedom
The court, in an 8-1 decision on April 19, 2010, ruled that the blasphemy law, which provides criminal penalties for those who express religious beliefs that deviate from the central tenets of the six officially recognized religions, is a lawful restriction of minority religious beliefs because it allows for the maintenance of public order.
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The blasphemy law has been used to prosecute and imprison members of religious minorities and of traditional religions. In 2006, a Jakarta court sentenced three leaders of a spiritual movement called the Eden Community - Lia Eden, M. Abdul Rachman, and Wahyu Andito Putro Wibisono - to prison terms of two to three years for violating the blasphemy law. Others prosecuted under the law include members of the many traditional religions practiced in Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and other parts of Indonesia.
"The blasphemy law criminalizes the peaceful expression of certain religious beliefs," Pearson said. "It hangs like a ‘Sword of Damocles' over the heads of religious minorities and those who practice traditional religions."
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Obama will not be remembered for representing American Ideals. He seems to believe that appeasing tyranny and evil will buy him peace.
Posted by: AKafir | November 11, 2010 6:07 PM
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Btw., did Obama mention Indonesia's Blasphemy Law?
Must have missed his comments.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 5:19 PM
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Obama failed here in other ways. He said nothing of the Indonesian genocide of the East Papuans and other indigenous peoples, even as they continue to starve.
He said nothing of the slaughter in an Iranian CHURCH of NINETY CHRISTIANS.
He said nothing of the enslaved Christians in Pakistan, Bangaledesh, etc.
He said nothing of Indonesia's treatment of gays.
He said nothing of its anti-Jewish racist filth, said filth dominating its discourse.
He said nothing of the attack last week by Hamas on Fatah and Israel's stupid defense of said corruptos.
He said nothing of the efforts of Abbas and co to steal Judaism's third holiest site, the Tomb of Rachel/Cave of the Patriarchs, having stolen our most holy site, the Temple Mount.
Here's the thing, Kleptos: In 1967, Moshe Dyan (of blessed memory) stood at the Temple Mount and Jews all over the world stood with him. Every day for six thousand years Jews have said, "Next year, in Yerushalaem." The word Jerusalem occurs thousands of times in Tanakh, not once in Quoran.
Indeed Jerusalem did not become "holy" to Muslims until the 1940s and then only owing to the efforts of the Nazi (literally) Grand Mufti.
Kleptos, get this: You will not steal the Tomb of Rachel. Left, center, and, of course, right have said this. Israel has severed relations with UNESCO and many are demanding an end to relations with the oil mongering UN.
A good number of the Askenazim, the Sephardim, the Ethiopians, the MIzrahi (my tribe), the Ismaeli Shiia Muslims, and the Christians have made the point clear.
Lay off the Tomb. Or start preparing for WWIII.
OBAMA: Things are heating up every day in every way. Better start "opining." You can't take the oil with you to the grave.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 5:02 PM
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"No matter what Obama said last night at Indonesia University, these realities outweigh any words. And they make those words seem empty."
I've noticed that pretty much all of President Obama's words are empty. Just an observation.
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Posted by: ZZim | November 11, 2010 4:54 PM
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I recently posted comments much in line with those of Pamela.
However, upon reflection, I have to say that the various heavily funded dawah organizations in the US are not doing the Muslim cause any good.
They, in fact, are moving inclusivists to the right and it is to them that Pamela should address a column.
They make Obama's impossible situation more impossible.
Posted by: FarnazMansouri2 | November 11, 2010 4:52 PM
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Forgot:
WHERE is the Long Awaited "NEW MONROE DOCUMENT". Anybody? Now, besides Shia IRAN, via 'AL TAQIYAH' Tactics managed to infiltrated & Mesmerized Venezuela's Leaderhip [Chavez] via Satanic VersUS etc.. Pleazza see:
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=13657
EXCERPT: "[Sunni & Shia aka Sufi & Armenian Killers] TURKEY has rebuffed a U.S. effort to persuade it to scale back its trade ties with [mostly Shia] IRAN despite a persistent U.S. lobbying campaign this week in Washington and Ankara" AND
NOW The Jealous Neo-Nazi TURKish Ummah have, by Religio "PROXY elements" ruffled the SECULAR feathers of a SECULAR's good Natured UNITED STATES & Beyond by Boldly, via SEcular Pretexts (not Secular Guns & means & Ways or Hearts) recently dared
Infiltrating AMERICA's Ab-ORIGINAL "NATIVE INDIAN's Special rights and taking advantage of their TRADE & "TAX-EXEMPT" loop holes, as be OPEN OFFSHORE BANKING & TRADE Entities. OYE...?
Pleazza See:
http://bunkerville.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/native-american-tribes-seek-trade-ties-with-turkey/
EXCERPT: "Native American tribal leaders seeking trade ties with Ishlami Sunni TURKISHT COMPANIEShave offered [Native American Spiritual-Fanatics/FundaMENTALists] tax incentives to operate in their territories in the United States...."
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Revealation (opposite Secret) Hark!; Islamic Creep/ScareThreat is Real, and it's AGENDA against KAFIRS-NATIONALS are indirectly being Assisted, by their SINO/CHINK COMMY backed Corporations.
Note: Please See: What CHINA recently said about their [Atomic-Islamic] where, "PAKISTAN IS OUR ISRAEL." Note This was really a FREUDIANLY-SLIPPED & made by their SINO/CHINKO UMMAH leaderships (who Pakistan's Mr. KHAN (Mr. DEath) aka Father of the "SUNNi-A-BOMB" Stole From Western DENMAK/DUTCH technology while WORKING therein & gave CHINA or shared with China + N. Korea simultaneously for highest Help or Bidder) on our S.pace-S.hip Earth, not only Theirs!?.
EXCERPT: "... a Chinese [DIPLOMAT?] diplomat ... responded with a heavily-loaded sarcastic remark: "Pakistan is our Israel".
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/10/20101028135728235512.html
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Another Development Brewing is the Fact that the "Elders Of AL TAQIYAH" have also been Exponentially Populating South America's GUYANA with Ishlami's and MOSQUE Buildings too, not Only In America NYC at Ground Zero and it's City's. AND
ISHLAMi-COMMYs are currently Infiltrating Neighboring BRAZIL (Irans Pal too, not Only NICARAHUA & VENEZUELA & "CUBA...)
Secret: The CHINESE [Investment Houses] Government CORPORATIONS, stealthy Helping IRANian-COMMUNISTS" Launder & Evade U.S. LAWS with SINO/CHINKO, Seculars in Disguises, via "OFF-SHORE-BANKS" THROUGH Several Caribbean Secret BANKS & via Several S.A. CHURCH's (Priests?) & MOSQUES (Imams?) are 'Greasing' the Politic?
VOTE: NEW MONROE DOCUMENT Now!