Muslims! Stop Whining About Obama

Date:

U.S. President Barack Obama greets students after his remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland February 3, 2016.  REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
U.S. President Barack Obama greets students after his remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Until and unless the US Muslims empower themselves and build alliances with other oppressed minorities and social justice movements, no politician would be ever fair to them or pay attention to their grievances

DR SHAIK UBAID | Caravan Daily

The immaturity shown by some of the Muslim leadership on President Barack Obama’s legacy is sad and pathetic. The stances taken and decisions reached after emotional thinking, instead of a rational analysis, will not lead us anywhere.

Obama was elected by the American people to serve American national interests. The US national interests are determined by powerful lobbies and interest groups, and not by moral leaders. His duty and loyalty is first to Americans and American interests.

Instead of focusing on reviving Islam and uniting Muslims, we Muslims whine that Obama did not do more for the Muslim world. But why should he? He is not a Muslim. He is not a moral or a religious leader. All said and done, he is a politician who had to make sure that he is re-elected and that his party would not face hardship in the coming years and decades.

When the American Muslims remain divided, un-involved in the struggle for civil rights and do not even work for their own empowerment in a positive fashion, what right do they have to whine and complain?

US President Barack Obama waves farewell to students after his remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland February 3, 2016.  REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
US President Barack Obama waves farewell to students after his remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Instead of focusing on reviving Islam and uniting Muslims, we Muslims whine that Obama did not do more for the Muslim world. But why should he? He is not a Muslim. He is not a moral or a religious leader. All said and done, he is a politician who had to make sure that he is re-elected and that his party would not face hardship in the coming years and decades.

The moment Obama got elected, he not only faced an economic recession but also a backlash from the white, upper class elites.

The Republicans vowed to not cooperate with him and to paint him as a Muslim and as a “traitor” to America. The fact that he was pulling out of Iraq and tried to pull out of Afghanistan was used to hammer him as a closet Muslim who was a traitor to America. Obama had to weigh his options as he did not want to lose in the coming elections. He decided to opt for the drone war so that he had a fig leaf to get out of Iraq.

From a moral point of view, President Obama’s decision to intensify the drone war was an abhorrent one. But we should have expected that from him. Why not expect more from the Muslims both here in America and in the world?

I have been heavily involved in the anti-war movement and there were hardly any Muslims both at the leadership level and in the trenches supporting the anti-war movement. Muslim organizations were too scared to take a stand against the war establishment.

Overseas Obama tried to promote democracy in the Arab world and supported the Arab Spring. It was not Obama but Sissi and the Egyptian deep state including its Arab patrons and Israel who crushed the Arab Spring in Egypt.

The fact is we often tend to be reactive, instead of being proactive in our responses and actions. We are more negative, rather than positive. We rushed to boycott Danish products because of the Danish cartoons. But did we rush to help New Zealand when it voted against Israeli settlements and is now facing the wrath of Israel? Where is the movement to support New Zealand?

Till the American Muslims start to get themselves organized and become truly involved in the struggle for civil rights and social justice, the choice will be between Obama on the one hand and Bush or Trump on the other.

Stop blaming Obama. Stop whining. Stop having unrealistic expectations. We should be rather blaming ourselves. We must start correcting our mistakes, start removing our deficiencies.

Until and unless the US Muslims empower themselves and build alliances with other oppressed minorities and social justice movements, no politician would be ever fair to them or pay attention to their grievances.

America is not ruled by a President. It has different power centers and a system which is exploited by various lobbies and special interest groups. I am not trying to justify or cover up for Obama’s moral failures. All I am attempting is hold a mirror to ourselves and our leadership.

theclarionindia
theclarionindiahttps://clarionindia.net
Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe

spot_imgspot_img

Popular

More like this
Related

Mukhtar Ansari’s Death: Tejashwi, Owaisi Smell a Rat

Mukhtar’s son Umar Ansari had moved the Supreme Court...

Madrasa Organisations Gear Up to Challenge Allahabad HC Verdict

In a bid to consolidate efforts and present a...