The Middle East was shocked. They didn't even believe that an African American candidate can even make it to the elections, or can even be capable of creating a successful campaign. All Middle Easterns were excited. They thought: "Okay, so Obama has an Islamic side of him, he is also African American so he can feel the pain we went through." This is what everyone I talked to told me about Obama. The Middle East has great high hopes for this presidency.I start to wonder, why would we have such high hopes from an American president? Aren't Middle Easterns supposed to feel this hope from their own leaders. The Middle East looks at the West as a saviour and a killer at the same time. They had such high hopes for George W. Bush, well, he disappointed all Arabs and Middle Easterns in every possible way. Now they are hoping for a radical change in the Middle East regions during the presidency of Barack Obama.
We think in a really weird way. Many of us refuse to be controlled by the West, however, we care alot about what the west thinks and who will be their leaders. It's contradictory as we get happy and sad about who will control us although we refuse to be controlled. I don't know if I am making any sense, but it hurts me to feel that I need someone from a far far away country to feel secure. The West is granting us security and taking it away. We are just standing still doing nothing, and I don't expect us to do anything because we are outstanding in talking and they are so good in taking actions.
Barack Obama. Why are the Middle Easterns so excited about him? Why does it matter to us so much? Is it for the Palestinians? Is it for the Iraqis? Is it for the Lebanese? Why? I am sure he will do the changes "he" will feel necessary to be done in the Middle East. But no one knows what those changes are. The problem is that we are so focused on him knowing alot about Islam more than understanding the fact that he is American and he is the president of the United States.
Hoping for a change from the West is what we always look for and fight for instead of hoping for a change from within ourselves. This makes me sad honestly. I respect and appreciate the West alot. But I don't want to be a follower, I want to be the leader, meaning, I don't want to follow anyone's traditions, rules or society because i can be the one creating my own traditions, rules and society.
