On Wednesday, August 30, 2006, Naguib Mahfouz died at age 94. (Read The Economist’s obituary). Mahfouz won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988. His Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sugar Street) was one of my most enjoyable reads in the past few years. I had written a previous post on Mahfouz earlier this year. If you are interested in 20th Century Egypt or simply want to read a great entertaining saga, I highly recommend the Trilogy.
Category Archives: Essays
Expanding my political digressions
In an effort to expand my digressions towards other horizons, I have just published this brief piece on Europe’s failure to react to the crisis in the Lebanon in the Safe Democracy Foundation’s Democracy Forum, an online repository of political analysis regarding the state of global democracy. Notice that I am more interested in the use of words to develop a feel and argument than I am in the actual validity of the argument itself. Can you say, “legal training”? You can also read the piece in Spanish if you prefer. Safe Democracy is managed by my friend, Joaquín Mirkin. Can you say, “enchufe”?
Filed under Digressions, Essays
Hippies with Dreadlocks and why I quit Reggae
I used to be the only 13 year old kid expert in Rastafarianism and Reggae in the US. I say “used to be” because it lasted for a few years (1985-89). I still appreciate it, but even at 16 I was mature enough to know that White guys can listen to Reggae but cannot hear it. Its message is simply not for White people. As a matter of fact, the Rastafarian movement could even be considered exclusive. So, why are there so many White hippies in Europe with Dreadlocks? And what is a group of White, aging hippies on Ibiza’s Benirras beach doing playing tribal drums? What happened to bag pipes and clavicords?
Filed under Digressions, Essays
Sisyphus in Beirut: Acting local, fighting global
In a comment to my previous post, Eric’s brother correctly points out the lack of syncronicity between words and deeds in the US’ international policies, using this powerful Malcolm X quote:
“America preaches freedom and practices slavery. America preaches integration and practices segregation… A devil is still a devil whether he wears a bed sheet or a Brooks Brothers suit… I’d rather walk among rattlesnakes, whose constant rattle warns me where they are, than among those Northern snakes who grin and make you forget you’re still in a snake pit… Then the whole world would give Uncle Sam credit for being something other than a hypocrite.”
But, I do not think that the US is unique in this. As a matter of fact, practically every nation’s international policies and actions are, in reality, manifestations of its local and regional power struggles. Countries fight globally their local battles . . . That is the tragedy of Lebanon.
Filed under Essays
You have your Lebanon
“You have your Lebanon and its dilemma. I have my Lebanon and its beauty. Your Lebanon is an arena for men from the West and men from the East. My Lebanon is a flock of birds fluttering in the early morning as shepherds lead their sheep into the meadow and rising in the evening as farmers return from their fields and vineyards. You have your Lebanon and its people. I have my Lebanon and its people.”
—Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)
Filed under Essays
Zizou: An excellent op-ed piece
Read this excellent op-ed piece, En honor de Zinédine Zidane, by Darío Valcarcel from the Spanish daily ABC (ironically from one of Spain’s most conservative newpapers). I guess I think it is excellent because it follows much of my line of thinking on this issue. In any event, it is nice to see someone offended by (i) intolerance and (ii) winning at any cost. Don’t worry, I have come to terms with the whole thing. Soon we’ll be back to jamón conspiracy theories and other digressions. Take a deep breath, we’re almost there . . .
La Resistance: It was fun while it lasted
I have decided to end my political activism and radicalism with regards to Zizou’s famous cry of “basta ya“. It has been loads of fun. I encounted my alter ego as a soap box orator. Yet, now my past three sleepless nights of indignation have concluded. But before retiring completely, I would like to thank the Men in Black for their support in their recent post, William for his disucssions on this matter, Waya for her empathy, Berga for running the political campaign, and my brother for his “Rage Against the Machine” inspiration. Finally I would like to conclude with the following thoughts:
Filed under Digressions, Essays, Zizou
Cry Freedom
Or as Condolezza Rice said:
There comes a time in the life of every nation where its people refuse to accept the status quo that demeans their basic humanity. There comes a time when people take control of their own lives
It explodes
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
-Langston Hughes
Sticks and Stones and Zizou is still King!
When I was a kid we had this saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” But, that is an easy lesson for those who grow up as the majority class, who are not immigrants, or who have never been discriminated against. We may never know exactly what Materazzi said to Zidane, but my guess is that is was something racist or xenophobic. So, what lesson do we have to learn from this? In my mind, there is a very clear lesson. It doesn’t matter how great you are, insults still hurt. The World Cup which celebrates tolerance, multi-culturalism, and internationalism should not dethrown Zizou, but understand that even the greatest of the world’s stars is still subject to cheap, insenstive insults. The world is converging (just look at the make up of the French team), but there is still a long way to go. What is a horrible shame is that today the news media have depicted Zidane as someone who lost his cool under pressure, and yet Materazzi is a national hero. What are we valuing in society? How would you have reacted? Which side of the fence do you want to stand on? This is the sad reality of a politically incorrect Europe that permits racist remarks because it is always the offended that bears the responsibility for not being offended and the offender? Is clever? . . .
Grave Error 
