Why I Write?

-
When I sit down to write, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art’. I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.
Georg Orwell (1903-1950)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trump dosn't want another war but his Rhetoric Could Stoke Many

-
  By Wahab Raofi The Prussian diplomat Klemens Wenzel Fürst von Metternich famously said, "When America sneezes, the world catches a cold." In much the same way, one could say that when America speaks, the world listens. American adversaries carefully analyze and adjust their agendas in response to U.S. actions, while regional powers focus on strategies to exert influence over their weaker neighbors. Trump was quoted as saying he would not rule out using military or economic action to pursue acquisition of the Panama Canal and Greenland, part of a broader expansionist agenda he has promoted since winning the Nov. 5 election. From Greenland to Panama to Mexico, leaders are in shock.  One has to wonder if Trump is even aware that such rhetoric undermines diplomatic norms, jeopardizes global stability and emboldens adversaries to take similar actions, potentially escalating conflicts beyond control.  What does Trump, as an incoming president, aim to achieve by with such pr...
Read more

Here’s Why We Need a Maximum Age Limit for Presidential Candidates

-
    Now that the first presidential debate has concluded, the verdict is clear: the true losers are the American people. They now face a choice between two aging men, neither of whom appears fully equipped to lead a vibrant and dynami   Just before tuning into the American presidential debate, I was catching up on Iran's election developments online. Following the tragic death of former President Raisi in a helicopter crash, Iranians were urged to participate in the polls to elect a new leader. Initially, 80 candidates entered the race, but only a select few received approvals after scrutiny from a panel of Islamic clerics, ultimately endorsed by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.   This process highlights the limited autonomy Iranian citizens have in selecting their leader. They are onstrained to choosing from a pre-approved pool of candidates.   Unfortunately, a similar situation arises in this year’s U.S. election, where voters find themse...
Read more

"Freedom of Speech Under Assault

-
    Arrest of Mohamoud Khalil is a Warning to Free Speech By Wahab Raofi The latest arrest of Mahmoud Khalil for political reasons silences critics, undermines justice and threatens our own freedom of speech. A Syrian-born Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent, Khalil had been a leader of pro-Palestine protests that consumed Columbia University’s campus life. His arrest by ICE for organizing protests and spreading hate speech against the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza — actions that resulted in civilian casualties — has ignited a heated debate on the issue of free speech as protected by the First Amendment. Many Americans believe expelling individuals for political speech sets a dangerous precedent, and outright political expulsions are rare. Instead, the U.S. government typically justifies such actions under legal violations, immigration laws or national security concerns. A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that Khali...
Read more