The Cairo Speech: A New Beginning

Check out the transcript at the White House blog.



Here's my silly Twitter commentary. (Actually starts at the bottom):
  • RT @hrw: Obama Mid-East Speech Supports Rights, Democracy http://tinyurl.com/qvxqaf

  • ashamed to say i'm going to pause for sytycdance. but did you notice that he actually SAID THE WORD COLONIALISM?! at the beginning. wowow!

  • Obama "...align our policies with those who pursue peace, & we will say in public what we say in private to Israelis & Palestinians & Arabs"

  • ♥ hearing that Cairo audience applaud him. (um, but i think he just said "hajib." it's hijab, yo.)

  • & he quotes the Qur'an! i'm a secular type, but i grew up Muslim. such a big day: the POTUS quoting the Qur'an! this will make a difference.

  • ♥ that he said as-salaamu alaykum السّلام عليكم (greeting: peace be upon you)! but someone shoulda coached him on his ع'ayn sound, ha : )

  • FINALLY watching video of Obama's Cairo speech...

  • just read the cairospeech transcript on the bus. tears in my eyes. cant wait to watch it after work.

  • RT @whitehouse: The President’s Speech in Cairo: A New Beginning: Watch or read the President’s speech---http://tinyurl.com/r5xfvu

  • ahhhh YES! ♥ Obama opened his speech by saying شكراً shukran (thank you in Arabic) to the audience! i'm so proud : )

This is such an important moment. Obama said a lot of things I never thought I'd hear the POTUS say. He was honest, he reached out a hand, and I think this will make a difference.

More on this later.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I really love how passionate you are... makes me kinda wanna be a better person....

wahida said...

wow, thanks so so much! that's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me : )

ps---of course you're a good person! and we all have our own passions.

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CashewElliott/John said...

I campaigned and voted for him for health care reform (which I'm getting nervous about), but he keeps doing the awesomest things in so many different arenas. He even acknowledged the US involvement in overthrowing Iran's democratically elected government in the 50s in this speech. This single speech could change US relationships with Arab nations more than anything that's been done in the last 5 decades. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

This country is safer because of the speech.

How bad do the old right wing men hate seeing us actually be productive citizens in the world instead of ignorant, loud bullies? This is just killing them. They are through.

Emily said...

I thought this speech was so important, and so well-done. There are plenty of problems in the U.S. and in the world, but I feel more hope than I have at any point in my adult life.

(I followed you from the MFA blog, if you're wondering who this is)

wahida said...

hey Cashew, hey Emily! thanks so much for commenting, it's SO good to hear from others out there who felt like this speech was a moment to remember.

Cashew, i absolutely agree. this is the kind of diplomacy that makes the world a safer place. and all the bad voices out there trying to shout down the whole idea of diplomacy are, just as you say, nothing but bullies. they'll fade out if we let them.

Emily, i remember you from the MFA blog! : ) i'm following you on twitter now, it's nice to connect with people who were going through that crazy process at the same time. this made me feel really hopeful, too---and thank you for saying that, b/c sometimes i feel like i'm supposed to be embarrassed to admit that i feel that way, and that's not right.

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