Advise to Obama on Egypt

What throws me off completely is that every time I write about Obama, within a week he uses similar words in his speech. It's happened time and again. I feel certain that he will speak similar words within a day or two, I just want to register with you before it happens. The article is pasted below.

Ever since I read Obama's speech to the Illinois senate, I have followed him and have written over a dozen articles about him, despite being a Republican, I have voted for him and held two rallies in Carrollton in support of him. He is the right man to bring cohesiveness to America and influence the world with the ideas of inclusivism.

Oddly, unasked, I was considered for two positions with his admin, the last one was special envoy to the OIC. I was told that the state department and particularly Hilary Clinton reads my write ups, whether she does or not, I am thrilled to share the same with you.

This will appear in Dallas Morning News today;

The President must remain focused on aspirations of the people and facilitate a sustainable change with grace and dignity, rather than leaning on individuals. 

We must not forget that the basis of our relationship is between “the People of the United States,” and “the people of Egypt,” and not between Mubarak and Obama.

I would advise the President to have a five fold agenda to develop a sustainable outcome.

President Obama must boldly support the aspirations of the Egyptian people and laud them for breaking the cycle of violence.  We must admire them for giving life to one of the most civilized forms of a political change; non-violence. It is a new experience for the Arab world and due encouragement will pave the way for others with similar aspirations. 

To Mubarak, he could say, “Mr. President you have dutifully served the interests of your people by relinquishing them from wars, anxiety and disruption of their lives through the peace accord with Israel, and now I urge you to honor the wishes of people and earn their respect and live a dignified life as a proud civilian, it is good for you and your people in every imaginable way.”

The legitimate fears of Israel are to be addressed. While assuring our support, we need to ask them to trust the Egyptians and support their aspirations for self determination.

The less we alienate the people the better off we would be, and it would be wise to give room to the Brotherhood to re-align themselves with new realities of the region instead of pushing them to dig in their heels, a Hamas mistake we must not repeat.

The security of region hinges on partnerships rather than aggravations, whether it is the Israelis or the Egyptians, people in distress remember and stick with those who will stand by them.

President Obama is blessed with this Golden opportunity to become a catalyst in shaping the world of democracy particularly in the Arab world. He should not miss a beat in nurturing our relationship with the people; it gives permanency to our policy.

He must reward them for becoming the pioneers of change and offer them a forum to map out their future.

11 Other members of the Texas Faith Panel have shared their opinions as well  at Dallas Morning news - http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/02/texas-faith-how-would-you-advi.html

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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer. He runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

TEXAS FAITH: Does firing Juan Williams improve our understanding of religious diversity?

That's this week's question: Are we better off by forbidding some views, some beliefs - however ill-expressed - in an honest discussion of America's view of Islam?

If you wish this article is worth reading, please feel free to comment at the end of the link, you can do thumbs up or down and recommend the article on top of the article

No, we are not better off forbidding any view however ill-expressed in an honest discussion of America's view of Islam. Neither God nor religion should be free from any critical study including Islam and Quraan. Yes, I am a Muslim, and like most Muslims I will defend that freedom to the core – Mike Ghouse

13 VIEWS ON THE TOPIC including mine - http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/10/does-the-firing-of-juan-willia.html

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, optimist, educator and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, India and Civil Societies. He heads the Foundation for Pluralism and World Muslim Congress and offers Pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on issues of the day.  He is available to speak at your school, work or place of worship. He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Rick Sanchez Syndrome

Rick digs into his memory and relates, “When my father and I delivered the furniture to this Rich lady in Boca Raton, I asked her for a glass of water and she told me to go outside and get it from the spigot or the water hose”. It’s amazing what holds people and what motivates them to go and excel. Rick is a decent human being and has the balls to ask tough questions, I hope more Journalists learn from him. No one should nurture anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic or anti-any sentiments to begin with, but if you find yourselves in a unnatural sentiment, fight from within, do you Jihad, the struggle to fight the temptation to slip from righteousness get out of it. Repentance and apology are the best cures and thank God, he did very well in that interview with Stephanopoulos.  http://voices.washingtonpost.com/howard-kurtz/2010/10/rick_sanchez_is_sorry_really.html

In 1982, the Sales manager at the now defunct Centennial homes did not hire me because I had an accent and he did not trust that I would sell the American dream of homeownership to folks walking in that door. It never left my memory and years later not only was I #1 community Sales Manager for Ryland Homes and Drees Homes, but also went on serving as a fellow board member on the Marketing team at the Home Builders Association.

In September, I gave a pre-show talk on the play “Kite runner” by the way no one should miss that show, it is a powerful drama about human aspirations, racism, humility, hope and getting even. In one scene, the bad dude confronts the man he hated when he was a kid and pushes him on the floor and says, “We have old scores to settle” and calls on him to fight like a man. Isn’t it human to bind ourselves with setting scores as well as expressing gratitude.

Way back in 1971, I drafted company letters for Sunder Chemicals in Bangalore, India. The owner Mr. Harbans Lal, praised every time, “you are going to become a writer” and I have now written over 300 articles on Pluralism and over 700 pieces on every aspect of Islam and hope to get two books out soon; one on Pluralism and the other one on Islam. Thank God my articles have been published in a large number of international news papers including Washington Post, Austin Statesman and Huffington Post including and oddly Tehran Times, Arab News, Sudanese News Paper and several Asian News papers. I was happy writing all over, but my happiest moment came when I started writing for Dallas Morning News, my home town paper.

Every time some one says a few good words, Harbans Lal comes on vividly with those words echoing in my ears.

The negative comments of that lady turned Sanchez to be someone, to be something and finally it came out. It negates the negative and brings a balance back. Let’s call it Rick Sanchez Syndrome.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at www.MikeGhouse.net

Unity Day USA - a 911 Memorial Event

We are pleased to invite you to Unity Day USA; a purposeful event to bring Americans together. The idea for Unity Day USA was first conceived on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and took its current form on Sunday, September 11, 2005. We cannot let things happen and drift into the abyss of incoherence. It is an initiative to come together to stand up for the safety, security and cohesiveness of America.

Continued: http://911unitydayusa.blogspot.com/