Permissum Nos Reputo

Live Free or Die

2009-06-20T23:27:00.005-05:00

Regardless of your personal opinion of the Iranian people or regime, as a human being it is hard not to sympathize with the protesters who are risking their lives for one of our most basic desires: freedom.

Mousavi and his supporters may or may not want to continue the nuclear program, abolish the Islamic nature of their state, or establish a full fledged liberal democracy, but what they are asking for - freedom of assembly, equality amongst women, and the right to determine both their leaders and destiny, is something we can all understand and relate to.

Here are some great articles on Iran:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/opinion/21tehran.html

http://www.newsweek.com/id/199147
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65130/mohsen-m-milani/tehrans-take

Kick Out the Social Conservatives

2008-11-10T20:57:00.005-06:00

In the wake of John McCain's historic defeat, Republicans realized they needed some change of their own. The site RebuildTheParty.com attempts to address various issues within the GOP to ensure a competitive footing in the future.

The author states in the beginning of his piece that, "This is a document about bringing the Republican Party into the future -- and it isn't just about strategies and tactics." If you actually read the document, however, you will be hard pressed to find anything that fundamentally challenges the GOP's current identity. The ramblings in the plan are an attempt to imitate Obama's successful tactics through a new technology and grass roots infrastructure, rather than an introspective assessment of the party's ideology, appeal, and constituency.

I think that one reason why the Republican party has lost ground is because they have failed to lay out a coherent vision for the United States. Instead, they have built their success around a coalition of economic, foreign policy, and social conservatives without a domineering philosophy. A coalition is necessary and inevitable in our system, but it can only work when it is backed by a vision for the future. We are a forward looking nation, and when our leaders approach society through the prism of religion, economics as if it were the 19th century, and foreign policy as if we were fighting the Soviet Union, no wonder those views do not resonate with a majority of the country.

There is one set of issues that clearly represents the GOP's current perspective and strategy more than others: social issues. On every single social issue, the stereotypical Republican view is backwards. Whether the issue is abortion, stem cell research, or gay marriage, their stance is mostly based not on a rational argument weighing various interests in society, but solely on religious grounds that have no place in lawmaking.

We sometimes forget that we are not a pure democracy. Our constitution and bill of rights were enacted in part to ensure that minorities' rights could not be infringed upon by the whim of the majority. Why should one group of people impose a strict view on society that robs others at a chance at happiness? Lets look at one specific issue - gay marriage.

Marriage is a legal arrangement that gives the two parties certain rights in various areas of the law: medical, taxes, and others. Moreover, it is a sign of commitment between two individuals. Opposition to gay marriage can only be justified by a religious argument or the claim that gay couples in some way harm society. The societal harm argument does not hold because various studies have shown that gay couples' children turn out just as messed up as straight ones. In any event, opposition has its roots in an individualistic viewpoint of the world that is fearful of differences, change, and nuance.

Why should a blatantly and religiously motivated segment of society impose their will on a minority that does not cause any harm? Well...the only harm they do cause is that gut wrenching feeling that their fellow citizens stand in direct opposition to their view of the world. I think as a nation we can be more mature. The only reason why opposition to gay marriage still exists is because a large enough segment of society sees the notion as an affront to either their view of the world or it is outside their zone of social acceptability. In either case, thats their problem.

Now let me suggest a way Republicans can move their party forward: kick out the social conservatives. By acting boldly the GOP can clearly show the country they are a party of the future. After they do this, they will need to reestablish trust in the country that they are the party of foreign policy sensibility and real promoters of small(er) government. In addition, they can also move forward by welcoming African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities into the party. They should not do so because they are a potentially powerful voting bloc that can be used as a tool for power, but because they are as much American as anyone else.

The GOP should not be the party of low taxes, but of personal empowerment through the means of small government. Not the party of homophobia, but of inclusiveness. Not the party of hawks, but of calculated foreign policy. Not the party of the commoner (aka Sarah Palin), but of the party that understands the commoner.

His Name Was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan

2008-11-04T20:36:00.001-06:00

23%.

That’s the percentage of Texans who believe that Obama is a Muslim. More than anything else, it is a disappointing statistic that reflects poorly upon my home state. Even more damaging, only 5-10% of the rest of the nation believe this myth.

The following is an interaction I had with a friend at a few months ago:

My friend casually made reference to the incorrect assertion that Obama is a believer of the Islamic tradition. I told him, "regardless of what you think of his policies, personality, and politics, he is a Christian." My friend continued to push the point and eventually I stopped arguing with him. What lay behind his assertion is that a Muslim should not occupy the Presidency. It was so obvious to him that it was not even worth pointing out.

My friend is a Jewish immigrant and a real embodiment of the American dream. Given his unique status as a naturalized citizen from a hostile nation, he has the passion, appreciation, and love for the freedoms of our country that natural-born citizens sometimes take for granted. Yet, why does he hold a prejudice he would find abhorrent if he found himself in Obama's shoes?

The interaction above is one example of a disturbing trend within the Jewish community. That trend is an increasing comfortableness with attitudes and prejudices that we fought vigorously when they were applied to us. For example, a different friend of mine suggested that Muslims cannot be trusted, they all support terrorists, and we should evict them from the United States. Obviously this is an extreme example, but it illustrates the trend. Have we become so complacent in our societal status that we are blind to other people's situations that reflect our own history and unique circumstances?

The Jewish community, above all, should be deeply respectful and appreciative of attitudes towards minorities in our nation. It is not only the rights on paper, as the Black community can attest to in the era from reconstruction to the civil rights movement, but the attitudes and actions that have a real and massive impact on our social environment. We should be vigilant and address these issues head-on. Even though we may not think so, we are not immune to ignorance and bigotry.

Dare I say it, so what if Obama were a Muslim? Colin Powell eloquently made the case on Meet the Press on October 19th when he said regarding Obama, "he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?"

Powell then talked about a recent solider who gave his life to the defense of our nation on the Iraqi battlefield. He proclaimed, "at the very top of [his] headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American."

One reason my immigrant friend loves our country so much is that it gave him the opportunity to do and be whatever he wished. The only limits to his success were the ones he placed upon himself. We should not place limits, written or unwritten, on any group of people when we have benefited so much from our country's openness.

My Political Hero

2008-10-27T22:34:00.000-05:00

Hell must be freezing over. I am going to vote for Barack Obama. What happened?

I first came to know John McCain as I started to follow politics closely in the early 2000's through Hardball, a politically charged cable television show. He was different from the others. The main thing I noticed was that he talked about issues from his head and heart rather than from a list of transparent talking points. I never agreed with all of his policies, but he was a unique figure: a courageous man that approached issues in a pragmatic and thoughtful way in the land of Neocons and maniacal anti-war Democrats.

I read "Worth The Fighting For," the autobiographical narrative of most of McCain's political career. I found this politician fascinating, especially his ability to admit his own character flaws in the "go it alone, no turning back" Bush era. His notion of honor, selflessness, and service appealed to me in a way that no other politician could quite do. The book is still on my shelves.

Ask any of my politically engaged friends over the last five years who my political hero was and they could have effortlessly responded "John McCain." The Senator from Arizona frequently talks about his glory days as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution. Well, I thought of myself as a foot soldier in the McCain Revolution.

In essence, McCain appealed to me because of how I thought he approached issues. In addition, his willingness to cross party lines further proved that he put his "Country First." For example, he showed courage and leadership when he was one of the ringleaders of the Gang of 14, a move that outraged Republican colleagues.

Despite my admiration for McCain, I am fairly libertarian and conservative. I believe in small government, low taxes, and low government interference. My generation will pay a heavy price down the road should we continue our irresponsible spending spree in Washington. More than anything else, however, I consider myself a proponent of The Age of Bloomberg, an approach to government that is pragmatic rather than ideological in nature.

I think that decision making and leadership capabilities are often overlooked qualifications for the Presidency that our nation ignores over the ongoing debate of issues that never seem to die: abortion, health-care, and taxes. In fact, the President is more like the CEO of America, not the Board of Directors. His job is not only to run a massive bureaucracy, but to lead our nation. He is the "leader of the free world." Of course, any President's policy preferences matter a great deal, but inevitably, a President cannot push all of their policies. In reality, they only have so much political capital.

So why Obama?

1) Socialism and the Economy - The chatter on socialism has become absurd. In the highest tax bracket, the difference between McCain's and Obama's tax rates are 35% and 39.6%, respectively. No one likes paying higher taxes, but apparently McCain and Palin think the definition of socialism hinges on a 4.6% difference in income tax rates. According to their measure, we have been practicing socialism since the early 20th century when we enacted progressive income taxes. To put this all in perspective, the highest tax rate in the highest tax bracket was 94% in 1944 and 70% in 1967, respectively.

I refuse to vote for such a short term personal interest in deference to other more powerful reasons to vote for Obama: leadership, Palin, and foreign policy.

Both McCain and Obama's plan for the economy doesn't satisfy me. McCain has no clear strategy and Obama is hypocritical with his pledge of free trade while yearning to amend NAFTA. Obama's plan is barely bearable, but at least he has a vision.

2) Leadership - Over the course of the campaign, Obama has shown a propensity for leadership that I believe is rare. Not only is he "calm, cool, and collected," but he has shown that he has an ability to weigh all sides of an issue and make an educated decision. Read this article on Iraq.

Leadership is the most important quality of a potential President. McCain has not showed any sort of decision making prowess and he is known for his temper. His campaign has been badly mismanaged and has no message for the future of our country. Their message is the same message we have been hearing for many years and they aren't necessarily the right solutions to the problems of our day. Furthermore, McCain decided to select Sarah Palin as his VP. It is fairly obvious that she was a hail marry pass. The big gamble failed big.

I am willing to set aside my support for McCain because, as with stock picking, what matters is future performance, not past performance. Obama seems to be the better leader forward in our challenging and complicated 21st century.

3) Palin, Palin, Palin - When McCain selected her for VP I was both uneasy and excited at the same time. Who was this unknown woman from Alaska? I think she did a great job at the convention, sticking to a speech where she talked about everything from foreign policy, taxes, and special needs rights. Then came the debate.

As she continued to debate with Joe Biden, if it can be called that, it became clear to me that she did not have the depth of knowledge I demand in a Vice President, let alone a President. She said, "Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president."

Wrong. The constitution is very clear on the role of the Vice President. It says, "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." That is, the VP can only break a tie in the Senate. Furthermore, the constitution states, "In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President." That is, if the President is incapacitated, the VP becomes President.

Any person who reads the constitution can figure this one out. Either she is ignorant of the role of the Vice Presidency, or she is trying to grab more power and legislative influence as a VP. Either case reflects poorly upon her.

To spare you from a lengthy post of examples, I will summarize. It is clear to me as a casual observer of domestic and international events that Palin does not have even a basic breadth of knowledge on the most complex issues of our day. Furthermore, she panders unapologetically to the group of "Angry White Voters" that I spoke of in an earlier post. In my opinion, Palin is the heir apparent to Bush's political empire. Her no-questions-asked style and willingness to pander to "the base" is more reminiscent of Bush than anyone else. Due to McCain's age, we cannot take any risks with a Palin Presidency.

4) Foreign Policy - I think Obama's foreign policy style is more suited to our increasingly global world than is McCain's adversarial approach. Why not talk to Iran? Fist waiving has not gotten us anywhere in the last eight years. Untrue to Teddy Rosevelt, we have been "speaking loudly and carrying a big stick." We must approach this challenge pragmatically and realistically.

For the last eight years, I think we have been conducting a foreign policy from a basis of fear -- fear that we will lose our sole superpower status. We must conduct a policy from a position of strength, working with our allies to solve problems while being firm with our enemies to avoid international conflict. Furthermore, we must end the idea, and current version of "The White Man's Burden," where it is our mission on earth to spread democracy. Hamas' rule in Gaza is a perfect example of this policy gone awry.

The best example of an Obama-Biden foreign policy is exemplified by their stance on Russia: firm yet engaging. Indeed, both nations have shared interests, it would be rash to provoke any unnecessary conflict with them.

McCain appears to approach Russia and China with a 20th century cold war mentality. We have different challenges in the 21st century, and a different strategy is needed.

On Iraq - I agree more with McCain than I do with Obama, but it is becoming increasingly clear that we are succeeding in Iraq. I doubt Obama would risk everything we have gained by hastily withdrawing without any practical thought on the matter. I am willing to risk this one.

5) Israel - This one is to my Jewish friends with a strong passion for the State of Israel, which I share. There are more issues in a Presidential election than who is the most Pro-Israel. I became aware of the "One Issue Israel Voter" my freshman year of college when a friend of mine rightly or wrongly believed that Bush was better for Israel than Kerry. As an American citizen she argued that Jews should vote for whoever is better for Israel.

I strongly and respectfully disagree. As a citizen, we have a duty to vote for a President that we believe will lead our country in all aspects. Voting for a candidate who represents one specific view for one specific type of voter is a disservice to our nation. What kind of serious American citizen votes in favor of a candidate that he or she believes will serve a very particular role in Israeli-Palestinian affairs to the exclusion of other important issues like energy, health-care, and globalization?

In any event, I think Obama and Biden are strong on Israel. They are in favor of a strong Israel-US relationship, Israel's right to self defense, foreign assistance, and a two-state solution. Blindly giving what Israel wants all of the time does not move the peace process forward and in the long run hurts Israel.

And that is why I am voting for Barack Obama for President.

The Drunken Buffoon and His Posse of Eight

2008-10-27T00:13:00.000-05:00

An odd incident happened the other night as some friends and I walked to our car from a night out in Downtown Dallas. As the four of us strolled through a dimly lit neighborhood someone unexpectedly ran by and shouted, "Jews!"

Now, amazingly, he was right. I don't know how he figured it out, but all of us in the group were Jewish. Maybe our noses are really that big and distinguishable. As this buffoon walked away, one of my friends unwisely muttered "I should stab you in the heart" under his breath.

At that point the drunken buffoon and his posse of eight confronted us. What ensued from this point on doesn't really matter except for the fact that we all narrowly avoided a serious confrontation. Thankfully we're all alright. As the bickering died down, one member of the posse threw an insult that caught me by surprise. He shouted, "Obama supporters!"

Now, my friends are anything but Obama supporters. They are proud American citizens and immigrants from the collapsed Soviet Union. To them, for whatever reason, Obama represents an Un-American and and foreign force in American politics. I disagree with them, but what struck me was the insult.

What the drunk person said does not reflect poorly upon my friends at all, but on the insulter himself. Is it bad to be associated with Obama because he is a Democrat, a socialist, or black? I can never know what he was really thinking, but I believe he was hinting at Obama's "otherness." I find this whole thing quite humorous, actually. My friends and him probably hold the same beliefs about Obama!

I had two moments of clarity as we drove home.

First, the Jewish community in America must not take its freedom for granted. I don't think that the community is especially at risk, but this incident reminded me that anything is possible and that freedom from persecution can never be guaranteed.

Second, I may be right or wrong in this assessment, but it appears that the Republican party is increasingly appealing to a particularly disgruntled demographic of society. They are a group of white people that are rejecting a change, perceived or real, in their socio-economic standing and position of power. "To them, they are the "real Americans." They are the white, hardworking, rural, god-fearing, heirs to power, and sole representatives of American excellence.

Here are some examples of the trend:

First, Congresswoman Michele Bachman recently said that she was concerned that Obama held Anti-American views and that the media should conduct an investigation into whether members of congress are Pro or Anti-American. I wasn't alive during the McCarthy era, but it sure sounds familiar.

Second, a McCain spokeswoman proclaimed that even though Virgina has been a tight race, "the rest of the state – real Virginia if you will – [] will be very responsive to Senator McCain's message." What the hell is the real Virginia? Some Virginians are more "real" and "American" than others? I want to meet one of these real Virginians.

Third, McCain rallies appear homogeneous. His rallies are not necessarily indicative of all of his supporters, but I think it is symbolic. At least on TV, his audience is predominantly white. Now, you would expect that McCain would place a diverse crowd behind him to portray a broad base of support. Here is my question: is a diverse audience absent or is it precisely that he wants to portray a homogeneous crowd? If either situation is the reality, it does not bode well for the Republican party.

Furthermore, some McCain/Palin supporters are occasionally quoted at rallies claiming that Obama is a muslim, socialist, and terrorist. A good debate about policy and leadership qualities is a legitimate reason to support one candidate or another, but ignorance is not. Even if Obama were a Muslim, what is the big deal? Aren't we a nation without a religion?

And now to my point. It is first and foremost important for Americans to understand that we are a vast nation of differing cultures, nationalities, and perspectives. Increasingly, "minority" and "majority" are getting skewed. In Texas, whites are below the 50% population line.

We need to rethink what it means to be an American and where our ancestors really come from. No one group of people represent the "real America." Our diversity is one aspect of our society that has made us strong and will continue to make us strong.

We must not let our fear of the unknown cloud our national conscience. We need to realize who were, and who we aren't. When we do that, I think all groups in this great country will be secure in their freedom.

One Big Tent Of Jewish

2008-10-20T22:07:00.001-05:00

Here are two articles I came across at virtually the same time:

Religious boy ousted from soccer practice

Sukkot strike in Meah Shearim over modesty

I read the first article and thought it was unconscionable that in the Jewish state, a religious boy of 10 would be discriminated against because of his religion. Although he was harassed by young and immature boys, their actions reflect the type of values that parents are instilling in their children consciously or not. It is deeply saddening.

In the second article, the feuding between Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) over the holiday of Sukkot was yet another example of infighting in Israel. Even among the stronghold religious community of Meah Shearim there is a deep appetite for fractionalization. It is not surprising that there is infighting in this community given their various interpretations of Judaism, but it is another example of how polarized Israeli society is.

Both of these articles express a vice of increasing importance in Israel that threatens to tear their society apart. That vice is communal selfishness. In my opinion, as seen through the ethical tradition of Aristotle, Israeli society places an extreme importance on individualism among differing communities that threatens greater society. This is a war for dominance between each community. Secular against secular, religious against religious, secular against religious, etc. (The permutations are endless) Indeed, it was Maimonides who wrote, "Any person whose character traits all fall in the center, midway between the extremes, is considered wise."

But wait, isn't this the country of kibbutzim (collective communities), socialism, and Jewish brotherhood? Obviously not. Us Jews like to take pride in our tradition with its supposedly special emphasis on community. In the cases above, however, the greater community is not being taken into account, even in the more traditional and religious communities. It appears that all of the various groups view the world through a prism of fear-- fear that their way of life remains eternally threatened by the "other," no matter who they are. This fear brews physically, spiritually, and intellectually segregated communities which further deepens rifts throughout society.

My hope is that all of Israel can learn that their home is one big tent of "Jewish," not a land splattered with communal selfishness where each group battles for dominance.

These articles made me think: are these events likely to occur among our community in the United States?

Permissum Nos Reputo

2008-10-20T21:12:00.000-05:00

Hello world!

As I watched my daily fix of politics today with Chris Matthews on Hardball I noticed something interesting Chris said. Responding to one of Rush Limbaugh's comments about Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama, Chris plead with him and said, "Let us think."

At our best, we express our opinions through eloquent speech and thought. Our society, however, fails to live up to the ideals we strive for far more frequently than we would like. On all sides of the aisle we occasionally force a conversation that robs us of the real intellectual back and forth we deserve.

I decided to start this blog because I believe in expressing ideas thoughtfully, and I am a fairly opinionated person. I can't promise a right-wing or left-wing slant, but I will express my opinion honestly and as thoughtfully as possible.

Thank you and please make comments because I enjoy debate and conversation (even if you're wrong)!

Thanks,
Eric