Wednesday, May 28, 2008

It ain't over 'til it's over!

Should Senator Hillary Clinton quit now that Senator Obama has insurmountable lead in delegate support?

Why should she? Whatever happened to the democratic process where every vote counts? The race is so close that it is only right that this campaign take its natural course through the remaining States and each and every vote is counted before a winner is declared.

Hillary Clinton has already achieved something unprecedented - mount a serious attempt to become the first female President of the only super power. She has broken the barrier for women by effectively neutralizing the female angle of her candidancy. Obama on the other hand has not quite done the same for African Americans. His support has come due to his personal charisma and popularity. Another African American candidate in future will not necessarily get the same reception from the white America.

The sad result of this campaign though is that it will be a long time before another woman mounts a serious campaign for presidency. The long primary campaign in effect puts female candidates at a disadvantage as men usually have a clear advantage in physical stamina over women.

It is time to reform the electoral process and create a level playing field for all potential candidates.

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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Hajj - The Mother of All Pilgrimages

It's been the most humbling and fascinating experience performing Hajj last December. I have been struggling to find a way to capture this unique experience in words but have not been able to do so yet.

As they say, a picture is worth thousand words, so here is the pictorial story of my Hajj.

Hajj 1428 Pictures

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Sunday, February 11, 2007

President Obama?

Is America ready for a President who is not white, and not black either? Senator Barack Obama, who announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination yesterday, has forced people to ask this intriguing question. Obama is a product of a Kenyan immigrant father and white mother from Wichita, Kansas. His father left the family and returned to Kenya when Obama was only two years old. Does this make Obama a Black American? He is not a descendant of a slave from West Africa to qualify as a Black American. In fact, he is more white than Michael Jackson.

Why should it matter whether someone is white or black to be elected as the President? Luckily for Obama, it does matter. White Americans may find enough white in him to vote for him and for blacks, he is one of them. And if he wins, it will be a national celebration on the streets of Nairobi as "their son" will become the President and Commander-in-Chief of the only superpower in the world. One more national holiday for Kenyans!

If this Black n White debate was not enough then there is another twist in this fascinating story. Obama's middle name is Hussein. That's right, Barack Hussein Obama! Now all the Muslims will also jump on his bandwagon. Sorry, Hillary. Looks like Obama has all bases covered.

It will be the first time in the U.S. history that they will have a President whose name rhymes with their enemy #1 of the day. Consider the recent Presidents and their chief nemesis of the day:

Carter vs Ayatollah - no rhyming at all!
Reagan vs Qaddafi, Gaddaphi, Khaddafi (all three of them)
Bush Sr vs Saddam
Clinton vs Gingrich?
Bush Jr vs Saddam (part 2)
and now ...
Obama vs Osama - now we are talking! and rhyming!

There could be interesting exchanges between the two.

Obama to Osama: Yo mama so stupid she hears it's chilly outside so she gets a bowl.
Osama: Hey, dude. Chill. Come, share with me my favourite food, Shawarma.
Obama: Sorry, I am too busy. I go to Alabama.
Osama: Why in Iraq you make all this Hangama?
Obama to Osama: I'll tell you in a minute. First, come out of the hole, if you are a Mardana.


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