Obama's Speech to the Arab World

A couple of days ago, Obama made a landmark speech in Cairo outlining his intentions for a partnership based on mutal understanding and respect between the west and the Arab world. There was no one better to do this, than Barack Hussein Obama, a man who is of african heritage, who spent part of his schooling in an Indonesian Pesantren in Jakarta (an Islamic school). Obama demonstrated this by greating the Arab world with the words "assalaamu alaykum" which translates to "peace be upon you" in in Arabic which is used by Muslims to great one another. This was something that many of the news channels did not speak of which is a shame because i believe it not only demonstrates his courtesy in speaking the language of his hosts, but also of his understanding and respect for Islam and its followers. Obama's obvious understanding of the religion is further demonstrated with his quotes of the Qu'ran.

I am particularly impressed with Obama's approach to this speech, this is something that has never been done by another US president and it is through such actions of selfless mutual respect that Obama proposed the US repairs its damaged relationship with the Arab world. The first step the US president made was admitting the faults of America towards the issue, accepting the responsibility meant more to the Islamic world than new promises ever would. Obama added that changes were not only one way and that the Arab world had many to make as well - notably the violence between Israel and Palestine (of which he used the name - another landmark admission).

I hope this speech put in the ground work for new beginnings between the two worlds and i hope that America will understand how essential these actions are.

Sacha Baron Cohen & Eminem

I really didn't know what to make of this when i first saw it. But it remains one of the funniest things i have seen on live TV in a long time! Sacha Baron Cohen continues to push boundaries with his characters, this time with the gay, austrian, Bruno. If you haven't seen it you can watch it on youtube. Some have said that Eminem was in on the act others go on to say that he didn't realise it was going to happen that way or that "Bruno" was going to be wearing such revealing pants while sitting on his face. I don't really care about who was in on what, as far as i am concerned, it was a believeable reaction by Eminem that cracked me and the rest of the world up and if it was planned, then Eminem is not only a talented rapper but a very good actor!

Tiananmen Sqaure Massacre

Well its been 20 years and China still refuses to acknowledge the massacre that occurred in the midst of a friendly student protest about democracy in China. Still, the new generation of chinese people have no idea of the horror that occurred at the hands of their own government. It is an outrage that such a government has been able to sweep such an atrocity under the proverbial rug. It is even more of an atrocity that the Olympic Game- something that symbolises freedom and unity was allowed to be held in a country that can't even be honest with its own people or diplomatic with its neighbours (Tibet). China remains to be one of the dominant financial superpowers and since the economic turmoil has gained greater power in the financial world lending the US Government another trillion dollar loan. However, if China wishes to be recognized as an emerging super power, it must make some serious changes to its government's leadership methods and diplomatic relations.