Moving forward

America today is not the America before this election


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Moving forward
by Ben Madadi
06-Nov-2008
 

The American voters proved me wrong. They proved my scepticism that they (almost 75% white population) would not vote for a black man. I am actually glad that I was proved wrong and that Americans proved that they have so quickly moved so much, from slavery, and then segregation, to even electing a black president in such a short time; short for human social progress that is.

America is great because of its ability to progress, evolve, and become a better and better place. We can say so much about this election and there is indeed a lot to say. People my type do not usually get excited about much, especially individuals, and very often pretty much about anything. Others get excited, and then get disappointed. When you don't get excited, you have less chances of disappointment too. Life seems a bit more boring like this. But it is a much safer place when you take the boring approach.

I remember it very well that so many were excited by Barack Obama's candidacy, and many Iranians were (and still are) excited about it. I usually didn't even dare to ask the very simply question, why! Why are you so excited? What is Obama going to do for you you can't do for yourself? At the beginning I was turned off by Obama's big-talk and little-sense, little-policy, approach. Then he started to say a few things about what he was going to do. When I read, and heard, about his left-leaning policies and plans, then I liked none of them.

I can't say I liked everything McCain said, but I agreed with a few, especially about his steadfastness on terrorism, and the war in Iraq. The tax cuts both Obama and McCain promised seemed really out of touch with reality, as I wonder who is going to pay for all the budget deficit that is getting bigger and bigger, while everybody is promising tax-cuts after tax-cuts. I wouldn't mind a tax reform in which investment is promoted and consumption taxed more heavily, but simply going with tax-cuts America will do nothing but expect much worse financial and economic problems in the years ahead.

Anyway, beside this, just from the beginning I didn't quite understand what was all about Obama-mania, and why so many people cheered him. I listened to some of his speeches and I actually started to understand that most of his attraction came from his exceptional oratorical abilities. He is indeed a great orator and he knows how to talk to the masses. Then again, I always wanted to ask people why they loved Obama so much and what he was going to do for them, and I never really got any serious answer. They usually said "change".

Change to what? Oh, so, it's not really about change to 'what', but change 'from', and that is where I got my next answer. That Obama in himself was not actually the reason behind his success, but it was George W Bush who was behind Obama's success. Obama presented the opposite (the most opposite) of everything Americans had started to hate about Bush. This is where I reached a satisfying point to my pondering. Obama, poor Obama, was the victim of the American hatred toward Bush. Okay, so let's not go too far with it. I doubt Obama didn't (and doesn't) like it. It's quite nice to be the president of the United States, and even (absolutely) worth risking your life, and time, for it.

With all the hatred toward George W Bush and all that he had said and had been proved wrong, and with all the mistakes that he had made and all the paths that he had taken, and proved wrong, I still didn't think the Christian white American majority would vote for Obama. I still thought McCain would win. I didn't side with either Obama or McCain, but I actually believed that America would not vote for a black man! And I expressed my belief publicly. And at the end of my article I had written that "The main issue for the Democrats to have the slightest chance of winning these elections is to emphasise on their policies and attack the usual right-wing policies of the Republican party. This way they can attract voters who are concerned about the economy, because the US economy is in trouble and many ordinary Americans are already feeling the pain."

Most of the polls at that time (around 10 September, when I wrote the article) were indicating a slight lead for McCain. Then, 14 September, came the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, and everything that came afterwards, with the financial calamity that followed, form which the whole world has not yet recovered. And this final blow to the George W Bush legacy was what turned everything around, and turned a man who presented nothing but the opposite of George W Bush into a real choice for those who did not hate George W Bush enough to forget about their inner, more or less radical, racial prejudices.

Now all this is behind us. I may still ask people why they love Obama so much and what Obama is going to do for them, and I will still find no coherent and convincing answer. But one thing I really, really, like about Obama is actually the fact that he is black. I am sure many other people feel like this right now, and many others feel the opposite too! He is intelligent, calm and tenacious. Throughout the difficult campaign he has shown his leadership abilities. So there is no doubt he can be the leader of the Unites States of America. And the simple fact that he is black is the greatest thing about him.

America today is not the America before this election. America has moved beyond its shameful history of slavery, the human ownership, and there could have been no better a chance to prove this but by having elected a man of the same colour who were treated so badly for so long. Will this event, the choice of Barack (Hussein) Obama, as president, convince extremists (Muslim or non-Muslim) and conspiracy-theorists that America is indeed a genuine democracy where everything is possible? No.

The important thing though is that America itself is moving forward, and the rest of the free world is following. And the free world needs more cooperation in order to protect the values that bond them from challenges that lie ahead from imperialistic and antagonistic regimes like those of Russia or Iran. And Obama seems to be a much more appropriate man (than George W Bush) for this task, of bringing together the leaders of the free world, in order to protect the values of freedom and democracy, for which so much has been paid (especially in lives) throughout the last centuries.


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Farhad Kashani

Anonym7, stop playing

by Farhad Kashani on

Anonym7, stop playing games. You are well aware where I stand on issues. Don’t be silly. Its not my fault that you guys are narrow minded and/or ideologically driven not to undertand and/or admit that ,by far, anyone who is against the regime (Which constitutes most of the world) which has destroyed Iran, is NOT a "supporter of AIPAC"!

I couldn’t care less about AIPAC, but I wouldn’t believe for a second, that the animosity between U.S – IRI and/or Israel – IRI is because of them. The animosity between IRI – Rest of the world has only one and only one reason: the fascist, war mongering and fundamentalist nature of the IRI regime.   


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rewriting history (to Kashani)

by Anonym7 (not verified) on

Kashani_jA, I don't know Mr. VAarjmand and I have rarely exchanged any comments with him. On the other hand my exchanges with you are VERY easily traceable, and there are many of them!
If you have recently moved from an ultra right very pro AIPAC position to a somewhat moderate place that is very good news.
As I mentioned to you in the past, don't try rewriting history, there are many highly informed people (such as Mammad as you know) blogging here.
--take it easy Kash
-- your old friend and critic Anonym7


Farhad Kashani

I have a good memory,  

by Farhad Kashani on

I have a good memory,

 

You should change your name to “I DON”T have a good memory” and/or I’m a pathetic  liar!

 

I have been an Obama supporter from day 1 and all my comments on this site are easily traceable (If you already didn’t know). I’m not like you people, because you saw in him a “socialist revolutionary!!” like your beloved murderer Castro, or someone who is “kind and gentle” towards your other beloved murderer, Khamanei; but I didn’t see any of those in him, because we think objectively, unlike you, who think (if we can call “thinking”) with a brain filled with hateful propaganda.

 

Vrajavand aziz, remember when I told you about some your supporters showing incivility and making outrageous claims, well this guy “I have a good”…. is a prime example of that. I’m glad that although you and I disagree on lot of points, but we can still have a civilized discussion. Just don’t let people like this guy talk on your behalf.


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The Chameleon (to Kashani)

by Anonym7 (not verified) on

Kashani, my comment to you is simply no comment!


varjavand

Mr/Ms. I have a good memory:

by varjavand on

 

Thanks for your comment.

I chose to apologize to Mr. Kashani to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I have been a loyal supporter of Mr Barak Obama since he announced his candidacy. Here is a portion of one of my comments posted in this site about eight months agoBarak Obama is an extremely intelligent black person who has been possibly subjected to all sorts of discriminations and hardships. Nevertheless, he has managed to earn his way up inch by inch and is destined to become the first black president of this country. We should all support him any way we can because based on what he is saying he is the best president for us, minorities, and for our country”

 

I don’t understand what kind of patriotic Iranian could have supported Mr. McCain who was determined to bomb our country (He even joked about it on national TV) and possibly created the same quackmire that has already been created in Iraq.

 Now, that Mr. Obama is, in fact, our president let us set aside our differences and stand behind him. Mr. Obama is the personification of the plight of many of us who have lived in this country for so long.   Varjavand

 


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Mr Varjavand

by I have a good memory (not verified) on

You didn't misjudge anyone. Mr Kashani was an avid Bush supporter until this past wednesday. He did not say one word in support of Obama, but praised McCain the war hero while being cautious enough to say he wouldn't vote for McCain but believed him to be the more qualified candidate, not once mentioning any support for Obama. He's confirmed again and again that he does not see anything wrong with Bush's policies.
Dear Mr Varjavand, the ones who used derogatory and racist comments may think we don't remember...


Farhad Kashani

Dear varjavand, thank you

by Farhad Kashani on

Dear varjavand, thank you sir.


Maryam Hojjat

Thanks Ben

by Maryam Hojjat on

for your truth in your arrticle regarding your opinion before & after election.  

America proved itself to the world that domocracy can correct itself in a period of time. The fact Barack Obama was elected proved to many how American domocracy works.

GOD Bless America

 


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Ok

by Sarzamine man (not verified) on

Ok thats very good that you have finally figured out American people now please concentrate on your own country and people.


Azarin Sadegh

Please take a little break and listen to this!

by Azarin Sadegh on

I was surprised to see so much anger in the comments related to this article (which has a pretty moderate tone!) So I would like to ask everyone to take a moment to listen to this music:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdFBA2r-FiE

Now, please ask yourself if politics is really worth all these anger and frustration and hatred? Haven't we all suffered enough because of it, despite the fact that we're all the same? Impressed by beauty and saddened by sorrow...

Azarin

PS: Sorry Ben for my unrelated comment! 


varjavand

Mr. Kashani

by varjavand on

Mr. Kashani’

 

The word Yankee was a derogatory term when it was first used by the British to characterize Americans as colonists. It is still used in foreign countries as an offensive term as in “Yankee go home” Although the world itself is no longer insulting when used generically, I believe when it is used particularly to characterize someone, especially if that someone is black, then it becomes insulting. My judgment about your support, or lack of it, for Barack Obama was mainly based on that one comment in which you called him “a liberal black Yankee” I apologize if I misjudged you.

 


Zion

Not much in to books either, I can see.

by Zion on

.


American Wife

although

by American Wife on

Usually one refers to it as "gray matter" or "brain cells"... but that's... amusing as well.


American Wife

once again

by American Wife on

Words with no meaning.  Just silly, empty, pointless little words floating around. 

My brain cells are quite intact, thank you very much!

:-)


Zion

Good for you AW.

by Zion on

lol. Indeed you should be thankful for all that, however that's not what I meant. My point was unfortunately not much seems to be passing through the little gray cells. That's all.


American Wife

Sweetie...

by American Wife on

I personally think you'd look good in anything you wore... but a turban?  Not with that beautiful hair... what a shame!

Don't you just love Zion!  I do... it makes my day.  I'm serious!  Even if you don't agree with them all the time, Ben or Kaveh provide some interesting ideas.  At least they make sense... well, to them anyway!  But Zion.. dear dear Zion.  She doesn't even HAVE a point!  It's a shame really. 

Don't feel sorry for me... ever.  I've got a life: a job which satisfies me... a husband who thrills me... friends who stick with me through thick and thin... wonderful kids.  I wonder what went so wrong in your life to make you so bitter?

I'll pray for you... you betcha...:-)


Ben Madadi

Re: Varjavand

by Ben Madadi on

Thank you for your comment! I have seen your comments under some of my other articles too and they were often unfavourable. I thought you were expecting a reply to your comments, but I really did't know what to reply. So, I hope you don't get offended, because I had no such intention. Maybe next time you can say a little bit more specifically what it is that you disagree with, or you want clarification, so I can try to clarify.


Ben Madadi

Re: American Wife

by Ben Madadi on

Thank you for your comment! Being a non-American, and someone who does not live in the US, I have no vote in the US anyway. I would like to say that I never sided, endorsed, any candidate. I did not wish any of the two candidates win. I liked Mike Huckabee most, but he was out pretty quickly. But I expressed my opinion wbout specific policies and I agreed with McCain policies more than with those of Obama. That never meant that I would rather have McCain as the US president. I never tried hard to make up my mind about it, and if I had to do so, I would have done it near the end of the campaign after having assessed the two carefully. And I would have voted (maybe, just maybe, if I had the vote) for Obama simply because of his excellent campaign and indeed the person he is, a young black man, the son of a Kenyan immigrant man, who has worked his way up, decently and extraordinarily. Obama's success story is extraordinary for America and what America stands for. And this reality may indeed be more important than his policies, which I profoundly doubt will be harmful for America. America is a very strong country with an entrepreneurial population who have great chances of moving forward. Anyway, I never made up my mind which candidate I would prefer to vote for, because I had no vote anyway. Would Obama win if the economic conditions would not have worsened so much? Who knows! Who cares? Things will be okay and I stand behind America as the most powerful defender of freedom in the world.


IRANdokht

My dear American lady

by IRANdokht on

A very smart lady just wrote (under another blog) that we should not waste our time... maybe we should both listen ;-)

If someone doesn't comprehend that the election of Obama was despite him being black not due to it, even commenting under the blog where this very idea is clearly explained, then why do you even bother...

Yes Obama is president because he was the best choice, it was so obvious that people overcame the age old feelings of racism and prejudice and elected him to save themselves from even more republican made agony and misery.

Its said (not in so many words) in the blog and it's the talk of the nation. Now someone who probably is signing on to this site from Israel, and most likely didn't even have the privilege to vote in the US wants to put a turban on my head and put us down to advance their own agenda.  Is that really something we should waste our time on?  I think not!

Boy!  I feel like making some of that sangria tonight! :0) 

IRANdokht


Zion

Thanks for proving me right, AW.

by Zion on

Much obliged. You couldn't have made my point any clearer that this. You just can't comprehend the difference. All I can say is I truly feel sorry for you.


American Wife

huh?

by American Wife on

If you don't know what the big words mean Zion, don't use them.  Fascist?  What a disgusting analogy.  But one can hardly expect less from you.  Let me point out something to you that is clear to everyone else.  Obama was voted President by both popular vote and electorial count.  NOT by cheating or stealing votes as did your precious Bush.  So "better choice" is far more than IRANdokhts opinion, it was the opinion of over 6 million people as compared to 3 million for Bush... excuse me, I mean McCain.

The only thing shameful when it even comes to the name of George Bush is the fact that he won't be prosecuted for his crimes.  But in a way I agree... I am ashamed that the American people bought his BS a second time.  Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.  ANY support of President Cheney and his sidekick George Bush is the ONLY shameful thing.

If IRANdokht or anyone else supporting Obama is any kind of "type", then let me say that I'm damn proud that we "types" decided to speak up once and for all and say "No more". 

I doubt there are more than a dozen true blue supporters of Bush left in the country.  So I ask myself... what is your agenda?


American Wife

depending on who you hear this from,

by American Wife on

It either comes across as hyprocrisy (as in the current Repukelincan's total abandonment of THEIR great white hope, Sarah Palin) or an intelligent reassessment of the situation.  I would hope that the latter is true of Mr. Madadi.  I'm not terribly familiar with his prior postings except as described by several comments below and from the husband, but I hope I'm not too much of a pessimist to not give him the benefit of the doubt.  It was be disheartning to think that any change of mind would be for the sake of saving face... or even worse... to simply attach oneself to the winning team for self glory.

What does gripe me is the constant assessment that Obama wouldn't have won if he weren't black.  Or it wasn't so much a win for Obama as much as it was a loss for McCain.  Or, as Mr. Madadi suggests, that it was less Obama's campaign success as it was a dissatisfaction with Bush.  Or it was Sarah Palin.  I know it's too much to expect that anyone who didn't support him is ever going to give him credit for his successes... his nearly flawless campaign... the inability for anyone to shake his resolve or his messsage... his message of hope for all Americans... his ability to stir such emotion as has not been seen since Clinton. 

And something else... no one has been "silenced", at least not for long.  They have been humbled and humiliated.  They'll be back... like wolves circling their prey... waiting for the right moment to attack.  And attack they will... the nay-sayers who are just waiting for Obama to falter so they can say "I told you so".  No "joining their fellow Americans, they"... they would rather wish failure upon Obama just to satisfy their own agenda.  Beware these people!!! 

Lastly... to Tim Gray.  Welcome to Iranian.com.  I hope you'll come back.  As a visitor myself, being a non-Iranian, I've found this site to be the best there is.  Get registered and speak your mind.  While always respecting that this IS Iranian.com, I think more voices from the REAL joe six-pack would be welcome.  And I wouldn't mind the company either...:-0


Zion

Don't forget to bring your Turban, Irandokht

by Zion on

'You've been wrong about US politics and economy almost 100% of the time,..., praising McCain the war hero and belittling the better candidate...Nevertheless, I am glad that people like you who had all the praises for McCain and Palin too (as I recall vividly) are now admitting to the fact that Obama was the better choice. '

wow wow ... Hold it baby! Nothing can better show the fascistic tendency in the Obama supporters here than such diatribe. You think he was the better choice. Good for you. In my opinion, and that of many others, he was the worse choice, he was actually possibly the worst choice in the past US elections. I can see that you can't comprehend the difference between accepting the election results and having good faith for the president elect for the good of the country, and admitting the fact! that he was the better choice. Of course you can't comprehend this. The shameful way your type handled president Bush the last 8 years, and the way everything just has to be sacrificed to your ideological crap clearly shows this. Not everyone is this way though. It is good to learn this. For some, the good of the country, and the free world, trumps everything else.

Anyways, since you are evidently the one who sees and decides on the better choices, maybe from now on we just get rid of the costly election process and just let you make the "right" choice. How is that? Just don't forget to wear your turban when you are doing this favor for us, OK?


Farhad Kashani

varjavand, very

by Farhad Kashani on

varjavand, very interesting. Before I say anything, I am proud to be a supporter of Ben, a true Iranian who stands with the people of Iran and understands the roots of their suffering.

 

First of all, I was always an Obama supporter, from day 1. My postings on this site are easily traceable. Second, the term Black Yankee that I used, was not to call him one, but rather, to make a point about you guys’ mischaracterization of America and its political figures. Because you and people like you always called Bush a cowboy, or a religious nut job, or an idiot southerner, and absurd mischaracterizations like that, I was making the point that are you guys saying that since Americans think like that, are they gonna elect someone who according to you, are not any of the above mentioned, so, a “black Yankee”, since you guys said that Americans are all rednecks and will elect religious southerners!!!??? That phrase I used was more towards making a point that you guys that over and over and over again have proven to be wrong, out of touch and ill intended. Third, although almost all the  people with your ideological background show nothing but incivility, mean spiritness, and absurd arguments, I always thought you to be different, at least in the civility and mean spiritness category. Althought I disagree with you almost all of the time, but at least we had some civilized discussions, so, in that spirit, I will let this one go and pretend you weren’t intending to character assassinate me and rather you just didn’t know!. And I also hope that this is not out of bitterness because you guys’ argument about mischaracterizing America and cruelly bashing it lately turned out absolutely false and ridicules Tuesday night with the election of a liberal, intellectual, patriot Black American. (That’s what have I always called him). You guys called America “racist”, you said there is no Democracy in America, you said U.S – Iran animosity is because of U.S actions, not IRIs barbaric nature and blamed it on Bush…and all of that, turned out to be false Tuesday night. Its not like it wasn’t false before, but Tuesday night was a shocking defeat for all U.S bashers, including almost all of your “staunch supporters” on this site.

 


IRANdokht

Dear Ben

by IRANdokht on

I agree with Mr Varjavand. You've been wrong about US politics and economy almost 100% of the time, supporting the far right's ideology and expressing your own opinion as facts, praising McCain the war hero and belittling the better candidate. Even now you keep bringing up Obama being black as the most extraordinary element of this election.

There is a difference between being a skeptic and arguing for one side. You wrote to justify your feelings and your views and presented arguments etc... 

You wrote to express your own opinion, you didn't say that Obama would be the better choice, you didn't say he was more qualified to handle the economy, you didn't say that Obama would present a hope for peace, you didn't say that you were skeptical of the American people's ability to set aside their racial history and do the right thing for their country. You just promoted republicans and their agenda. 

I wouldn't call that being skeptic. Nevertheless, I am glad that people like you who had all the praises for McCain and Palin too (as I recall vividly) are now admitting to the fact that Obama was the better choice. Better late than never...

respectfully

IRANdokht


varjavand

BenYou usually come to

by varjavand on

Ben

You usually come to this site with strange opinions backed by incorrect analyses or erroneous statistics. I knew all along, by reading your previous articles,  that you were wrong,  may be deliberately or may be because you do not live in this country, about the US economy and about the US election. Here are some of my comments responding to your earlier postings:

“With all due respect, as I stated in one of my earlier comments you are a good writer but a shallow analyst. Please you worry about the country where you live in, and let those who know what is going on make judgment about economic condition in this country”.

“You praise everything; Republican, American democracy as a prelude to ridicule the democrats at the end and to label them as even socialists. Your biasness for a black man who has worked hard to earn his way up inch by inch, and destined to become the next US president, is clear from your skewed opinion of Republicans and is utterly unfair. You state that republicans are better for the economy. Whom are you kidding? May be because you don’t live in this country, you have not seen what this country has gone through under the Republican administration and as a result “trickle down” ideology”

Your staunch supporter, Mr. Kashani who is now so upbeat about the election of Mr Obama is the person who once called him a “black Yankee”  

 


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As far as Iran is concerned

by Hopeful (not verified) on

I just hope he can HELP bring GENUINE freedom to Iran.

No Iranian (disregarding the ones attached to mullahs) in their right mind wants any more of pro-regime reformist kind of democracy or their non-existent oxymoron Islamic democracy so that the mercantile EU feels happy.


Ben Madadi

Re: Farhad

by Ben Madadi on

Thanks!


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Yes You Can

by Anonymous 5000 (not verified) on

Having followed most of your posts, I should say that having been wrong about Obama is one of the least important of your problems. You are not only wrong about almost all other issues, you are totally of course. Unfortunately, your other distorted views cannot be corrected as easily. I only hope this one incident is going to give you an opportunity to look at things differently. I like to think that "yes you can" change your visions; but, I doubt if you would do that. Most likely, you believe that you are right about all other issue except this one.


Nkminea

Why not?

by Nkminea on

I am surprised by your skepticism...After all America the youngest nation on earth has burned steps before to get ahead of History and defy the rule of thumbs of all civilizations. I was not surprised, the time had come and Obama was the right man. Maybe we, as a new immigrant community willing to share similar dreams and hopes in this country, we should consider working on our low self esteem issues and start to think that yes we can too. Obama's election has already won the half the battle...