I firmly believe the administration has overlooked the one policy that could turn the hosing market around, stanching many foreclosures and raising the value of the now "toxic" mortgage assets, thereby saving the banks. It is simple (even Cramer has advocated it): Give Fannie and Freddie the financial backing to underwrite mortgages on real property at 4% for 40 years. Open this to everyone who can put down 15%; and add a tax credit for all who buy homes over the next 18 months.
Anyone with brains and the capacity to come up with 15% would be rushing to buy homes tomorrow. I would see that I and all my kids did so. Home values would start rising sharply, encouraging those with mortgages that have put their homes under water to hang on; causing banks to write UP the value of mortgage assets they hold and thereby enabling them to loan capital again; creating a vast buyers market for homes and for all the accessories that go with them.
This goes to the very heart of the problem; and it is fair because it would be open to everyone. And it requires no new government bureaucrats to step into this mess and assess losses. Perhaps this approach is being ignored because of its directness and simplicity. But until we find a "floor" for the losses of housing values, no real solution is in sight.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Crisis and Oportunity in the Gazan Tragedy
The Nub of the Gaza/Israeli Conflict
After a week of listening to the usual pundits discussing everything but the central issue in this conflict, I feel compelled to stress the issue which will determine the future of Gaza and its relations with Israel. This is the brutal fact that Hamas has dedicated itself, in writing and policies, to the destruction of Israel and the removal of all Jews from their Palestine, which includes all of Israel.
So long as Hamas maintains the policy of no negotiations (direct), and no compromise or recognition of Israel and its right to exist, there can never be peace with a Hamas-led Gaza.
How come there are no missiles, and virtually no suicide bombers or other conflict on the West Bank/Israel border? Simply because that area is controlled by the PLA, which has embraced the notion of a two state solution, living in peace, and is negotiating the details. This is the only possible approach to the conflict, short of one side annihilating and occupying the other.
Unfortunately, except for a few Fox commentators, those reporting and commenting on the current warfare ignore this reality, most of them happy with reporting on the casualties, the gore, and the "feelings" of those affected or concerned.
So why is Hamas so bent on the destruction of Israel, even if that policy means years of suffering, poverty and sacrifice for the Gazan people? One of the most cogent answers to this comes from Ziad Asali, of The American Task Force for Palestine, An American of Palestinian origins, he points to the fact that Hamas represents for Iran the one wedge it has into the Sunni Arab population, and is the only Sunni-based force that has thrown in its lot with Iran's announced plans not only to destroy Israel, but to replace the current Sunni regimes in the area with one Islamic state. (Hezbollah in Lebanon are exclusively Shiites)
This is why Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, while trying to stop the current violence, are extremely critical of Hamas for its recent actions. But for Hamas and Iran, making the Sunni Arab population disgusted with seeing Palestinian casualties, and ready to rally around Hamas, is the true objective of this struggle.
In short, the wages of this war for Hamas are the number of dead and injured Palestinian women and children they can produce from Israel's actions. And the more the better! The more CNN's uninformed commentators wring their hands over casualties, and the more the Arab press and TV stations picture dead and wounded Palestinians, the better off is their over-arching struggle to bring down not just Israel, but all the moderate Arab regimes.
At least this time, some newspapers and columnists in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia recognize this game being waged for Iranian goals, and are resisting. Most disconcerting , however, is the ignorance of so many of our own and BBC commentators, who will not even mention Hamas' central , rejectionist policies, while excoriating Israel for taking steps to stop the bombing of their civilians in three major cities, and the entire Southern Negev region.
Is There A Possible Solution?
Is there anything that can be done at this stage, which will break the deadly, downward spiral of events in Gaza? The one step that might work would be to have the moderate Arab states (Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) put the strongest possible pressure on Hamas to break with Iran and change their charter to permit negotiations with and the recognition of Israel. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states could promise the funding for an economic renaissance in Gaza in return for breaking with Iran, Hamas' current banker.
I don't know if this will work; but it must be attempted, with the USA promising Hamas recognition and international status for abandoning their rejectionist policies.
In the short run, pressures from the USA and international community will soon establish a temporary cease fire. But the Israelis will very likely remain positioned in Gaza, shutting off Gaza City from their tunnels on the border, and preventing a resurgence of violence. Hamas will have the choice to attack, and lose badly; or to come to some more permanent arrangement; or to become defenseless.
This is the point at which a strong diplomatic effort might work to have Hamas shift their philosophy, strategies and allegiances to something that promises a peaceful and prosperous existence, and a reunified Palestine. And this might be the moment and the opportunity for President Obama to make his power and prestige felt at home and abroad, consistent with the solid backing of Israel he has promised.
But only the combined and forceful persuasion of the Sunni Arab regimes, aimed at bringing Hamas out of the Iranian's hands and into the moderate camp, can exert the pressure and the promise that might move Hamas leaders to a major change of heart.
After a week of listening to the usual pundits discussing everything but the central issue in this conflict, I feel compelled to stress the issue which will determine the future of Gaza and its relations with Israel. This is the brutal fact that Hamas has dedicated itself, in writing and policies, to the destruction of Israel and the removal of all Jews from their Palestine, which includes all of Israel.
So long as Hamas maintains the policy of no negotiations (direct), and no compromise or recognition of Israel and its right to exist, there can never be peace with a Hamas-led Gaza.
How come there are no missiles, and virtually no suicide bombers or other conflict on the West Bank/Israel border? Simply because that area is controlled by the PLA, which has embraced the notion of a two state solution, living in peace, and is negotiating the details. This is the only possible approach to the conflict, short of one side annihilating and occupying the other.
Unfortunately, except for a few Fox commentators, those reporting and commenting on the current warfare ignore this reality, most of them happy with reporting on the casualties, the gore, and the "feelings" of those affected or concerned.
So why is Hamas so bent on the destruction of Israel, even if that policy means years of suffering, poverty and sacrifice for the Gazan people? One of the most cogent answers to this comes from Ziad Asali, of The American Task Force for Palestine, An American of Palestinian origins, he points to the fact that Hamas represents for Iran the one wedge it has into the Sunni Arab population, and is the only Sunni-based force that has thrown in its lot with Iran's announced plans not only to destroy Israel, but to replace the current Sunni regimes in the area with one Islamic state. (Hezbollah in Lebanon are exclusively Shiites)
This is why Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, while trying to stop the current violence, are extremely critical of Hamas for its recent actions. But for Hamas and Iran, making the Sunni Arab population disgusted with seeing Palestinian casualties, and ready to rally around Hamas, is the true objective of this struggle.
In short, the wages of this war for Hamas are the number of dead and injured Palestinian women and children they can produce from Israel's actions. And the more the better! The more CNN's uninformed commentators wring their hands over casualties, and the more the Arab press and TV stations picture dead and wounded Palestinians, the better off is their over-arching struggle to bring down not just Israel, but all the moderate Arab regimes.
At least this time, some newspapers and columnists in Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia recognize this game being waged for Iranian goals, and are resisting. Most disconcerting , however, is the ignorance of so many of our own and BBC commentators, who will not even mention Hamas' central , rejectionist policies, while excoriating Israel for taking steps to stop the bombing of their civilians in three major cities, and the entire Southern Negev region.
Is There A Possible Solution?
Is there anything that can be done at this stage, which will break the deadly, downward spiral of events in Gaza? The one step that might work would be to have the moderate Arab states (Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) put the strongest possible pressure on Hamas to break with Iran and change their charter to permit negotiations with and the recognition of Israel. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states could promise the funding for an economic renaissance in Gaza in return for breaking with Iran, Hamas' current banker.
I don't know if this will work; but it must be attempted, with the USA promising Hamas recognition and international status for abandoning their rejectionist policies.
In the short run, pressures from the USA and international community will soon establish a temporary cease fire. But the Israelis will very likely remain positioned in Gaza, shutting off Gaza City from their tunnels on the border, and preventing a resurgence of violence. Hamas will have the choice to attack, and lose badly; or to come to some more permanent arrangement; or to become defenseless.
This is the point at which a strong diplomatic effort might work to have Hamas shift their philosophy, strategies and allegiances to something that promises a peaceful and prosperous existence, and a reunified Palestine. And this might be the moment and the opportunity for President Obama to make his power and prestige felt at home and abroad, consistent with the solid backing of Israel he has promised.
But only the combined and forceful persuasion of the Sunni Arab regimes, aimed at bringing Hamas out of the Iranian's hands and into the moderate camp, can exert the pressure and the promise that might move Hamas leaders to a major change of heart.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Obama's Victory: The Meaning and The Hope
OBAMA VICTORY ENHANCES INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PERCEPTIONS OF AMERICA
by Forrest Broman
The November 4th victory of President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama will stand as a major historical event in this century. Despite the fears of many that a racial backlash would derail his quest for the White House, Americans voted for him by the overwhelming margin of 53%, to 46% for his popular opponent, Senator McCain.
Whatever their political preferences, most Americans appreciate and applaud the fact that a gifted, intelligent Black American could be elected to the nation's highest office. In a November 5th Gallup Poll, 67% of Americans were both "proud" and "optimistic" about the election of Obama, revealing the belief that this step reaffirms the nation's adherence to its highest ideals. Both Senator McCain and President Bush expressed their sincere appreciation of this aspect of the election.
This election represents a watershed in American History, leaving behind 400 years of racism that not only prevented the progress of Black Americans, but that deprived them of basic rights such as voting freely until 1965. Working in anti-poverty programs in the Sixties, I recall how most educated and intelligent Black men could not get a white collar job, outside of the government programs spawned by that era. One also remembers that during WW 2, Blacks fought for their country in segregated units, a policy that was ended by President Eisenhower only in the early Fifties.
For non-Americans this event also resonates with enthusiasm and excitement. As noted by the British historian, Tristram Hunt: "Obama's election the narrative that everyone wants to return to-that America is the land of extraordinary opportunity and possibility, where miracles happen." Perhaps we will witness a new page as well in the perception of America as a nation that embraces its ideals and still has the capacity to be the beacon of the free world.
One fears, of course, that expectations are running so high for immediate economic and political solutions to the world's current, dire problems, that disappointment is inevitable. But rejoice we must, for the reaffirmation of America as a nation that welcomes and embraces those of every race and religion who want to share in the ideals of equality, freedom and the opportunity too realize their inherent talents.
by Forrest Broman
The November 4th victory of President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama will stand as a major historical event in this century. Despite the fears of many that a racial backlash would derail his quest for the White House, Americans voted for him by the overwhelming margin of 53%, to 46% for his popular opponent, Senator McCain.
Whatever their political preferences, most Americans appreciate and applaud the fact that a gifted, intelligent Black American could be elected to the nation's highest office. In a November 5th Gallup Poll, 67% of Americans were both "proud" and "optimistic" about the election of Obama, revealing the belief that this step reaffirms the nation's adherence to its highest ideals. Both Senator McCain and President Bush expressed their sincere appreciation of this aspect of the election.
This election represents a watershed in American History, leaving behind 400 years of racism that not only prevented the progress of Black Americans, but that deprived them of basic rights such as voting freely until 1965. Working in anti-poverty programs in the Sixties, I recall how most educated and intelligent Black men could not get a white collar job, outside of the government programs spawned by that era. One also remembers that during WW 2, Blacks fought for their country in segregated units, a policy that was ended by President Eisenhower only in the early Fifties.
For non-Americans this event also resonates with enthusiasm and excitement. As noted by the British historian, Tristram Hunt: "Obama's election the narrative that everyone wants to return to-that America is the land of extraordinary opportunity and possibility, where miracles happen." Perhaps we will witness a new page as well in the perception of America as a nation that embraces its ideals and still has the capacity to be the beacon of the free world.
One fears, of course, that expectations are running so high for immediate economic and political solutions to the world's current, dire problems, that disappointment is inevitable. But rejoice we must, for the reaffirmation of America as a nation that welcomes and embraces those of every race and religion who want to share in the ideals of equality, freedom and the opportunity too realize their inherent talents.
Why Obama? A Personal Confession
Sent: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 6:13 am
Subject: Inspiring !!
Paul You will have to forgive me this: I believe Obama has the intelligence, skills and values to be a different and great leader of our nation. But I am also emotionally overwhelmed by the possibility that Americans might elect a Black man as their President: something I never expected to see in my lifetime. This makes an Obama victory into one of the happiest and most inspiring days of my life! For Americans to do this in the face of 400 years of outrageous and destructive racism against Black folks, restores and renews my faith in our people and our nation. And all the nations of the world will be astounded. Even though you prefer McCain, I hope you will share in the pride of seeing so many Americans turning their backs on a racist past!
Your Buddy Forrest
Subject: Inspiring !!
Paul You will have to forgive me this: I believe Obama has the intelligence, skills and values to be a different and great leader of our nation. But I am also emotionally overwhelmed by the possibility that Americans might elect a Black man as their President: something I never expected to see in my lifetime. This makes an Obama victory into one of the happiest and most inspiring days of my life! For Americans to do this in the face of 400 years of outrageous and destructive racism against Black folks, restores and renews my faith in our people and our nation. And all the nations of the world will be astounded. Even though you prefer McCain, I hope you will share in the pride of seeing so many Americans turning their backs on a racist past!
Your Buddy Forrest
Monday, September 22, 2008
Whose Sky is Falling In?
OR, Should the Panic of Henry Paulson be the Panic of the Nation?
Something strange is going on when, a few short days after nationalizing Fannie and Freddie, and bailing out AIG, Henry Paulson found it necessary to tell the nations' political leaders that our entire financial and economic system is about to collapse.
But a quick look at what happened that very day to Goldman Sacks stock prices clears up the mystery. As hedge funds discovered that the much vaunted Goldman was also hiding nearly worthless derivatives and packaged mortgages, they drove the price of GS down from 145 to 103. The same day the administration banned selling short financial shares like GS, and Henry took his case to the assembled US leaders that the sky is falling in, and only giving him a trillion dollars to save his old firm and others like it can prevent a national collapse.
At least one Wall Street Journal writer has pointed out that this is a huge SCAM. Henry Paulson was running Goldman when they dug themselves in the same hole as Lehman Brothers. The near or actual collapse of Goldman would be a catastrophic embarrassment to Paulson and the President, and a colossal erosion of confidence in the ability of this administration to deal effectively with our real economic challenges. It is not a huge threat to this nation's economy.
The crisis is really one for Paulson, GS and the other reckless investment banks. There is no dire crisis in our other markets or the economy, other than for mortgage holders who can't meet their payments (and for whom no help whatsoever is being offered by Paulson). Walmart, Home Depot and my supermarket are crowded; our 6.1% unemployment rate is hardly catastrophic; and the stock market fell more in all three crises since 1930, than it has this year.
Folks, we are being asked to pony up a trillion dollars in more national debt, for Paulson to bail his own firm and those of his cronies. Not to save the nation, but to save them from further harm and ridicule. If we do this, Goldman's young employees will still get their $500,000 to $2,000,000 bonuses this Christmas; but GM and Ford will never be given a nickel to save an auto workers job that is threatened right now.
And we, the taxpayers, will be saddling ourselves and our grandchildren with a national debt that will reduce this country to a second rate power and lead to a fiscal disaster in record time. If we are so reckless with our nation's money and credit, why would the nations of the world even continue to use the dollar for most international transactions?
Fortunately, many leading Republicans and financial analysts see the "Paulson Gambit" for what it is. One only hopes that a spineless Democratic leadership will not be stampeded into agreement by Paulson's rant. If he is so brilliant as to predict a looming disaster, where has he been all year through this growing crisis?
Please correct me if I am missing something here; or use this to help others consider what is really going on in America this week.
Something strange is going on when, a few short days after nationalizing Fannie and Freddie, and bailing out AIG, Henry Paulson found it necessary to tell the nations' political leaders that our entire financial and economic system is about to collapse.
But a quick look at what happened that very day to Goldman Sacks stock prices clears up the mystery. As hedge funds discovered that the much vaunted Goldman was also hiding nearly worthless derivatives and packaged mortgages, they drove the price of GS down from 145 to 103. The same day the administration banned selling short financial shares like GS, and Henry took his case to the assembled US leaders that the sky is falling in, and only giving him a trillion dollars to save his old firm and others like it can prevent a national collapse.
At least one Wall Street Journal writer has pointed out that this is a huge SCAM. Henry Paulson was running Goldman when they dug themselves in the same hole as Lehman Brothers. The near or actual collapse of Goldman would be a catastrophic embarrassment to Paulson and the President, and a colossal erosion of confidence in the ability of this administration to deal effectively with our real economic challenges. It is not a huge threat to this nation's economy.
The crisis is really one for Paulson, GS and the other reckless investment banks. There is no dire crisis in our other markets or the economy, other than for mortgage holders who can't meet their payments (and for whom no help whatsoever is being offered by Paulson). Walmart, Home Depot and my supermarket are crowded; our 6.1% unemployment rate is hardly catastrophic; and the stock market fell more in all three crises since 1930, than it has this year.
Folks, we are being asked to pony up a trillion dollars in more national debt, for Paulson to bail his own firm and those of his cronies. Not to save the nation, but to save them from further harm and ridicule. If we do this, Goldman's young employees will still get their $500,000 to $2,000,000 bonuses this Christmas; but GM and Ford will never be given a nickel to save an auto workers job that is threatened right now.
And we, the taxpayers, will be saddling ourselves and our grandchildren with a national debt that will reduce this country to a second rate power and lead to a fiscal disaster in record time. If we are so reckless with our nation's money and credit, why would the nations of the world even continue to use the dollar for most international transactions?
Fortunately, many leading Republicans and financial analysts see the "Paulson Gambit" for what it is. One only hopes that a spineless Democratic leadership will not be stampeded into agreement by Paulson's rant. If he is so brilliant as to predict a looming disaster, where has he been all year through this growing crisis?
Please correct me if I am missing something here; or use this to help others consider what is really going on in America this week.
Whose Sky is Falling In?
OR, Should the Panic of Henry Paulson be the Panic of the Nation?
Something strange is going on when, a few short days after nationalizing Fannie and Freddie, and bailing out AIG, Henry Paulson found it necessary to tell the nations' political leaders that our entire financial and economic system is about to collapse.
But a quick look at what happened that very day to Goldman Sacks stock prices clears up the mystery. As hedge funds discovered that the much vaunted Goldman was also hiding nearly worthless derivatives and packaged mortgages, they drove the price of GS down from 145 to 103. The same day the administration banned selling short financial shares like GS, and Henry took his case to the assembled US leaders that the sky is falling in, and only giving him a trillion dollars to save his old firm and others like it can prevent a national collapse.
At least one Wall Street Journal writer has pointed out that this is a huge SCAM. Henry Paulson was running Goldman when they dug themselves in the same hole as Lehman Brothers. The near or actual collapse of Goldman would be a catastrophic embarrassment to Paulson and the President, and a colossal erosion of confidence in the ability of this administration to deal effectively with our real economic challenges. It is not a huge threat to this nation's economy.
The crisis is really one for Paulson, GS and the other reckless investment banks. There is no dire crisis in our other markets or the economy, other than for mortgage holders who can't meet their payments (and for whom no help whatsoever is being offered by Paulson). Walmart, Home Depot and my supermarket are crowded; our 6.1% unemployment rate is hardly catastrophic; and the stock market fell more in all three crises since 1930, than it has this year.
Folks, we are being asked to pony up a trillion dollars in more national debt, for Paulson to bail his own firm and those of his cronies. Not to save the nation, but to save them from further harm and ridicule. If we do this, Goldman's young employees will still get their $500,000 to $2,000,000 bonuses this Christmas; but GM and Ford will never be given a nickel to save an auto workers job that is threatened right now.
And we, the taxpayers, will be saddling ourselves and our grandchildren with a national debt that will reduce this country to a second rate power and lead to a fiscal disaster in record time. If we are so reckless with our nation's money and credit, why would the nations of the world even continue to use the dollar for most international transactions?
Fortunately, many leading Republicans and financial analysts see the "Paulson Gambit" for what it is. One only hopes that a spineless Democratic leadership will not be stampeded into agreement by Paulson's rant. If he is so brilliant as to predict a looming disaster, where has he been all year through this growing crisis?
Please correct me if I am missing something here; or use this to help others consider what is really going on in America this week.
Something strange is going on when, a few short days after nationalizing Fannie and Freddie, and bailing out AIG, Henry Paulson found it necessary to tell the nations' political leaders that our entire financial and economic system is about to collapse.
But a quick look at what happened that very day to Goldman Sacks stock prices clears up the mystery. As hedge funds discovered that the much vaunted Goldman was also hiding nearly worthless derivatives and packaged mortgages, they drove the price of GS down from 145 to 103. The same day the administration banned selling short financial shares like GS, and Henry took his case to the assembled US leaders that the sky is falling in, and only giving him a trillion dollars to save his old firm and others like it can prevent a national collapse.
At least one Wall Street Journal writer has pointed out that this is a huge SCAM. Henry Paulson was running Goldman when they dug themselves in the same hole as Lehman Brothers. The near or actual collapse of Goldman would be a catastrophic embarrassment to Paulson and the President, and a colossal erosion of confidence in the ability of this administration to deal effectively with our real economic challenges. It is not a huge threat to this nation's economy.
The crisis is really one for Paulson, GS and the other reckless investment banks. There is no dire crisis in our other markets or the economy, other than for mortgage holders who can't meet their payments (and for whom no help whatsoever is being offered by Paulson). Walmart, Home Depot and my supermarket are crowded; our 6.1% unemployment rate is hardly catastrophic; and the stock market fell more in all three crises since 1930, than it has this year.
Folks, we are being asked to pony up a trillion dollars in more national debt, for Paulson to bail his own firm and those of his cronies. Not to save the nation, but to save them from further harm and ridicule. If we do this, Goldman's young employees will still get their $500,000 to $2,000,000 bonuses this Christmas; but GM and Ford will never be given a nickel to save an auto workers job that is threatened right now.
And we, the taxpayers, will be saddling ourselves and our grandchildren with a national debt that will reduce this country to a second rate power and lead to a fiscal disaster in record time. If we are so reckless with our nation's money and credit, why would the nations of the world even continue to use the dollar for most international transactions?
Fortunately, many leading Republicans and financial analysts see the "Paulson Gambit" for what it is. One only hopes that a spineless Democratic leadership will not be stampeded into agreement by Paulson's rant. If he is so brilliant as to predict a looming disaster, where has he been all year through this growing crisis?
Please correct me if I am missing something here; or use this to help others consider what is really going on in America this week.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Primaries Are Over; Obama is The Candidate
Thankfully, Obama's choice as the Democratic nominee for President is now a foregone conclusion. The burning question now is whether Hillary will make a graceful exit by June 3, one calculated to enable her fiercely loyal supporters (poorer Whites and elderly women) to at least vote for Obama rather than McCain. Those who distrust the Clintons and see them mostly as a self-interest political couple bent on reliving their White House years, fear that Hillary will try passively or covertly to undermine Obama, setting McCain up for a 2008 win, and her for a 2012 comeback.
The optimists among us believe that she will, as she had said: "Work tirelessly for a victory for the party's anointed candidate."
The outcome of the vote in December depends on one thing: Will the media and debates be focused on the primary issues facing the nation, or will it be muddied by extremely personal, religious and racial attacks on Obama. On the issues (Iraq,Iran,taxes, energy policies,global warming, foreclosures, the overall econmy, etc.), Obama should emerge as the decisive winner. The big question is whether the lower and middle class Whites who voted overwhelmingly for Hillary in the primaries, will resort to being Reagan Democrats and vote for McCain rather than a Black candidate. I say this, because as distasteful as it is to say this, many of Hillary's supporters in Pennsylvania and West Virginia seem willing to go against their own self-interest, rather than vote for a Black man.
Only the strongest support of Hillary for Obama has the chance of overcoming this predilection, which could restore the Republicans to another 4 years of power.
The optimists among us believe that she will, as she had said: "Work tirelessly for a victory for the party's anointed candidate."
The outcome of the vote in December depends on one thing: Will the media and debates be focused on the primary issues facing the nation, or will it be muddied by extremely personal, religious and racial attacks on Obama. On the issues (Iraq,Iran,taxes, energy policies,global warming, foreclosures, the overall econmy, etc.), Obama should emerge as the decisive winner. The big question is whether the lower and middle class Whites who voted overwhelmingly for Hillary in the primaries, will resort to being Reagan Democrats and vote for McCain rather than a Black candidate. I say this, because as distasteful as it is to say this, many of Hillary's supporters in Pennsylvania and West Virginia seem willing to go against their own self-interest, rather than vote for a Black man.
Only the strongest support of Hillary for Obama has the chance of overcoming this predilection, which could restore the Republicans to another 4 years of power.
A New Middle East; A Challenging Call for Change
This article recently appeared in a major United Arab Emirate newspaper. Please see my response following the article, and the Sultan's response to me.
Welcoming our long-gone neighbors
By Sultan Al Qassemi
Many of us have heard of the famous advertising empire known as Saatchi & Saatchi, laughed at the jokes of Jerry Seinfeld, tapped our feet to the beats of Paula Abdul and shopped at Max Azria's BCBG stores. So what do all these successful people from various industries have in common? They are all of Arab origins.
The Jewish presence in what is now the Arab world dates back thousands of years; in fact, the very religion was founded in this region. Arab Muslims, Christians and Jews have been living in peace and harmony for centuries, so what happened? In short, after the violent wave of European anti-Semitism in the mid-20th century there was an exodus of European Jewry into historic Palestine, much of it forced, armed and violent, led by groups such as the Haganah and the Irgun (who were responsible for the bombing of the King David Hotel).
Unfortunately, many Muslim Arabs from across the region reacted violently to these developments and decided to reciprocate; as a result, Jews who were living among them were shunned and assaulted. In Iraq, for example, about 120,000 Jews were compelled to emigrate to Israel, the U.S. and Europe in just less than three years.
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The streets of Cairo, the historic neighborhoods of Syria, the mountainous terrain of Lebanon and the bustling markets of Baghdad were, for the first time in thousands of years, emptied of one of the most successful ethnic minorities living within their communities. Doctors, architects, businessmen, scientists, poets and writers started to pack up and leave, some with good reason and some to avoid the repercussions of the founding of the state of Israel.
It wasn't all bad blood between the Arabs and the Jews; in fact, there were stories of heroism that have gone unreported and unnoticed in the Arab media. In the midst of the horrors of the Nazi occupation of France in the 1940s, the imam of the Paris Mosque saved the lives of scores of Jews by issuing certificates stating that they were Muslim. In Tunis, entire Jewish families were saved by a local hero, Khaled Abdelwahhab, who hid them in his farm at great risk to himself and his family; he was honored posthumously for his bravery by the Anti-Defamation League. As a result of such actions, fewer than 1 percent of the Jews of Arabia - who numbered in the hundreds of thousands - perished compared to more than 50 percent of the Jews of Europe.
Since then, there has been predominantly negative coverage of Judeo-Arab relations. Europe, after the Second World War, was able to turn the page almost immediately, yet many Arabs still paint all Jews with the same brush used for Israelis.
In 1975, in the wake of the death of the Egyptian revolutionary leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, many countries in which he had financed and encouraged revolutions shed the burden of his pan-Arab nationalism and scaremongering and decided to take action in order to restore the social unity of their countries. The pre-Saddam Iraqi Revolution Command Council issued advertisements in The New York Times and elsewhere inviting Jews to return to their home countries and guaranteeing their rights. Anwar Sadat's Egypt and Hafez Al Assad's Syria also issued such statements.
In recent history, only the two forward-thinking Middle Eastern kingdoms of Morocco and Bahrain have broken the mold of suspicion toward their Jewish citizens and integrated them into the social and political spheres. The former with the case of Andre Azoulay, an adviser to the previous and current kings; and the latter with the recent appointment of Huda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo as the new Bahraini ambassador to America.
Today in New York City alone there are more than 75,000 Jews of Syrian origin, many of them educated in the best schools, who speak or understand Arabic and still have an affinity for Syria. Is it not possible to imagine that such persons have the right, if they so choose, to be full citizens of Syria?
Is it not time to reassure the Jews of Arab origin that their ancestral homes are mature enough to welcome them back if they decide to invest, visit or even take up citizenship? If football players who spend a few months in the Middle East are given citizenship, shouldn't people who have a natural birthright, tremendous wealth, and valuable education and skills be accorded the same?
Of course such statements will be met with criticism and reminders of what the Israelis are doing to our Palestinian brothers and sisters. To that one can reply that in the Middle East, no one has been more cruel and violent to Arabs, more exploitive of the Palestinians and more manipulative of their cause than Arabs themselves. Have we forgotten that it was Iraq that invaded Kuwait, Egypt that encouraged bloody revolutions throughout the region and mostly militants from the Arabian Peninsula who perpetrated atrocious crimes of terrorism in Iraq? We ourselves have been the victims of unfair generalizations by the Western media - but should we learn from past lessons, or should we continue to reciprocate?
Sultan Al Qassemi is a Sharjah-based businessman and graduate of the American University of Paris. He is founder of Barjeel Securities, Dubai, and can be reached at sultan.alqassemi@gmail.com. This article originally appeared in The Nation.
My Response"
Dear Sir,
I read with admiration and respect your suggestion that Jews who formerly lived in Arab countries should be asked to return. You so clearly represent a tradition of humanistic and civilized thinking that one sees returning to the Arab world and their spokesmen.
After living in Israel for 20 years ,during which terrible conflicts left one thinking all Arabs are bent on Jewish/Israeli destruction, I have for 3 years been on a Saudi education board, led by a Prince of the Royal Family. Here I have met and worked with a number of prominent Saudis, and been welcomed warmly with real friendship and consideration. I have found them to be very concerned, caring people,with a great sense of humor. Like so many enlightened people, they are struggling, with some considerable success, to move their nation toward a more modern, just and compassionate future.
I take every opportunity I can to inform my Jewish friends of the reception I have received in Saudi Arabia. Obviously, many Israelis trading in Qatar, Dubai and other centers have already discovered, and are renewing the traditional ties between Jews and Arabs.
Is there some way we can help promote this process? Help the Palestinians to see the tremendous potential a peaceful resolution with Israel could bring them? Promote trade and relations with Israel, so they can stop believing they are threatened with annihilation?
With warmest regards and gratitude
Forrest Broman
The Sultan's Response to my note:
Dear Forrest
Thank you Sir for the kind words. I am greatly encouraged by many of the replies. The fact that the article appeared in a UAE government owned newspaper says a lot. They have also asked to contact President Perez to write an official article on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel to appear in the very newspaper. I hope for peace but I will also write and lobby for peace for as long as I can.
Kind regards
Sultan Al-Qassemi
P.S. I would appreciate it if your reply appeared under the article so that Haaretz and the other commentators read positive replies as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcoming our long-gone neighbors
By Sultan Al Qassemi
Many of us have heard of the famous advertising empire known as Saatchi & Saatchi, laughed at the jokes of Jerry Seinfeld, tapped our feet to the beats of Paula Abdul and shopped at Max Azria's BCBG stores. So what do all these successful people from various industries have in common? They are all of Arab origins.
The Jewish presence in what is now the Arab world dates back thousands of years; in fact, the very religion was founded in this region. Arab Muslims, Christians and Jews have been living in peace and harmony for centuries, so what happened? In short, after the violent wave of European anti-Semitism in the mid-20th century there was an exodus of European Jewry into historic Palestine, much of it forced, armed and violent, led by groups such as the Haganah and the Irgun (who were responsible for the bombing of the King David Hotel).
Unfortunately, many Muslim Arabs from across the region reacted violently to these developments and decided to reciprocate; as a result, Jews who were living among them were shunned and assaulted. In Iraq, for example, about 120,000 Jews were compelled to emigrate to Israel, the U.S. and Europe in just less than three years.
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The streets of Cairo, the historic neighborhoods of Syria, the mountainous terrain of Lebanon and the bustling markets of Baghdad were, for the first time in thousands of years, emptied of one of the most successful ethnic minorities living within their communities. Doctors, architects, businessmen, scientists, poets and writers started to pack up and leave, some with good reason and some to avoid the repercussions of the founding of the state of Israel.
It wasn't all bad blood between the Arabs and the Jews; in fact, there were stories of heroism that have gone unreported and unnoticed in the Arab media. In the midst of the horrors of the Nazi occupation of France in the 1940s, the imam of the Paris Mosque saved the lives of scores of Jews by issuing certificates stating that they were Muslim. In Tunis, entire Jewish families were saved by a local hero, Khaled Abdelwahhab, who hid them in his farm at great risk to himself and his family; he was honored posthumously for his bravery by the Anti-Defamation League. As a result of such actions, fewer than 1 percent of the Jews of Arabia - who numbered in the hundreds of thousands - perished compared to more than 50 percent of the Jews of Europe.
Since then, there has been predominantly negative coverage of Judeo-Arab relations. Europe, after the Second World War, was able to turn the page almost immediately, yet many Arabs still paint all Jews with the same brush used for Israelis.
In 1975, in the wake of the death of the Egyptian revolutionary leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, many countries in which he had financed and encouraged revolutions shed the burden of his pan-Arab nationalism and scaremongering and decided to take action in order to restore the social unity of their countries. The pre-Saddam Iraqi Revolution Command Council issued advertisements in The New York Times and elsewhere inviting Jews to return to their home countries and guaranteeing their rights. Anwar Sadat's Egypt and Hafez Al Assad's Syria also issued such statements.
In recent history, only the two forward-thinking Middle Eastern kingdoms of Morocco and Bahrain have broken the mold of suspicion toward their Jewish citizens and integrated them into the social and political spheres. The former with the case of Andre Azoulay, an adviser to the previous and current kings; and the latter with the recent appointment of Huda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo as the new Bahraini ambassador to America.
Today in New York City alone there are more than 75,000 Jews of Syrian origin, many of them educated in the best schools, who speak or understand Arabic and still have an affinity for Syria. Is it not possible to imagine that such persons have the right, if they so choose, to be full citizens of Syria?
Is it not time to reassure the Jews of Arab origin that their ancestral homes are mature enough to welcome them back if they decide to invest, visit or even take up citizenship? If football players who spend a few months in the Middle East are given citizenship, shouldn't people who have a natural birthright, tremendous wealth, and valuable education and skills be accorded the same?
Of course such statements will be met with criticism and reminders of what the Israelis are doing to our Palestinian brothers and sisters. To that one can reply that in the Middle East, no one has been more cruel and violent to Arabs, more exploitive of the Palestinians and more manipulative of their cause than Arabs themselves. Have we forgotten that it was Iraq that invaded Kuwait, Egypt that encouraged bloody revolutions throughout the region and mostly militants from the Arabian Peninsula who perpetrated atrocious crimes of terrorism in Iraq? We ourselves have been the victims of unfair generalizations by the Western media - but should we learn from past lessons, or should we continue to reciprocate?
Sultan Al Qassemi is a Sharjah-based businessman and graduate of the American University of Paris. He is founder of Barjeel Securities, Dubai, and can be reached at sultan.alqassemi@gmail.com. This article originally appeared in The Nation.
My Response"
Dear Sir,
I read with admiration and respect your suggestion that Jews who formerly lived in Arab countries should be asked to return. You so clearly represent a tradition of humanistic and civilized thinking that one sees returning to the Arab world and their spokesmen.
After living in Israel for 20 years ,during which terrible conflicts left one thinking all Arabs are bent on Jewish/Israeli destruction, I have for 3 years been on a Saudi education board, led by a Prince of the Royal Family. Here I have met and worked with a number of prominent Saudis, and been welcomed warmly with real friendship and consideration. I have found them to be very concerned, caring people,with a great sense of humor. Like so many enlightened people, they are struggling, with some considerable success, to move their nation toward a more modern, just and compassionate future.
I take every opportunity I can to inform my Jewish friends of the reception I have received in Saudi Arabia. Obviously, many Israelis trading in Qatar, Dubai and other centers have already discovered, and are renewing the traditional ties between Jews and Arabs.
Is there some way we can help promote this process? Help the Palestinians to see the tremendous potential a peaceful resolution with Israel could bring them? Promote trade and relations with Israel, so they can stop believing they are threatened with annihilation?
With warmest regards and gratitude
Forrest Broman
The Sultan's Response to my note:
Dear Forrest
Thank you Sir for the kind words. I am greatly encouraged by many of the replies. The fact that the article appeared in a UAE government owned newspaper says a lot. They have also asked to contact President Perez to write an official article on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel to appear in the very newspaper. I hope for peace but I will also write and lobby for peace for as long as I can.
Kind regards
Sultan Al-Qassemi
P.S. I would appreciate it if your reply appeared under the article so that Haaretz and the other commentators read positive replies as well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, January 27, 2008
South Carolina Speaks Loudly
Obama has surprised us all again, and renewed our faith in America and in politics. His SC speech is in itself transforming---and the NYT report of Caroline Kennedy's endorsement is indicative of the rise of the younger generation into political action..Hard to imagine how any other candidate in either party can even come close to Obama's ability to uplift, enthuse and activate voters, across the spectrum.
This does not mean he is a shoe-in to capture the nomination. He can hardly have the intense, immediate impact on all 22 states voting Feb. 5, so the existing machine still has a presumptive advantage. But notice how fired up the news media (MSNBC,CNN and Fox) and anchors are about Obama's message and his ability to deliver it. Combined with their resentment at Bill Clinton's antics and distortions, the media could make the difference to Obama on Feb. 5.
The primary results, and the general election might come down to the significant leap in the participation of age 18-24 voters, and their strong inclination to back Obama. More than any other sector of our society, these younger Americans are relatively free of the old attitudes and the racism that seem to many to make Obama's victory an impossible dream. Let's remember how improbable JFK's victory appeared early in the primaries, and how only Obama has a comparable ability to inspire us all to work for a better nation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This does not mean he is a shoe-in to capture the nomination. He can hardly have the intense, immediate impact on all 22 states voting Feb. 5, so the existing machine still has a presumptive advantage. But notice how fired up the news media (MSNBC,CNN and Fox) and anchors are about Obama's message and his ability to deliver it. Combined with their resentment at Bill Clinton's antics and distortions, the media could make the difference to Obama on Feb. 5.
The primary results, and the general election might come down to the significant leap in the participation of age 18-24 voters, and their strong inclination to back Obama. More than any other sector of our society, these younger Americans are relatively free of the old attitudes and the racism that seem to many to make Obama's victory an impossible dream. Let's remember how improbable JFK's victory appeared early in the primaries, and how only Obama has a comparable ability to inspire us all to work for a better nation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The Obama Phenomenon: A Defining Moment
Whether or not Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, or the subsequent election, he has already changed American politics forever. Forgetting race for the moment, he has galvanized a rapidly expanding cadre of Americans who want to believe again that the policies and decisions of the US government can be liberated from the greedy grasp of corporate lobbyists and special interests. This is a hard sell among a dispirited and cynical public who have seen energy policy, the war in Iraq, illegal immigration, FEMA relief, health care and the economy held hostage to very narrow, corporate interests. Barack's political genius is his consummate ability to convince millions of people that special interests can be brought down as the arbiter of American policy, and to reconnect the younger generation to political activism.
But seeing a Black American gather tremendous support in states mostly made up of white voters is the real miracle of Obama's ascendancy. Tremendous gains have been made since 1960 in the ability of Black Americans to work their way into the middle class, through education and equal rights legislation. But racism persists in America, stifling the lives and futures of far to many young Blacks, and particularly the young Black men who fill our prisons, and the 50% who never complete a secondary education.
Obama wisely never plays the race card. But the startling symbolism of a young and relatively inexperienced young Black man, with a Law degree from Harvard Law School, turning the most exciting American electoral process in years on its ear, is a powerful, healing proof that the American dream lives on. One cannot imagine an election in any other country where a minority person could be so strongly supported by an overwhelming majority with excellent candidates from their own ethnic group.
As an American who witnessed in the Fifties and Sixties the fierce obstacles preventing Blacks from economic and political success, and the blatant racism that Black Americans faced in every aspect of their lives, I am thrilled to see the Obama phenomenon unfold. However it ends, his popularity is proof that a huge majority of Americans have moved beyond racial prejudice, so substantially that they can embrace a dynamic Black leader seeking the nation's highest office. In this is a reassurance that America is indeed, despite its flaws, the last, best hope for mankind.
But seeing a Black American gather tremendous support in states mostly made up of white voters is the real miracle of Obama's ascendancy. Tremendous gains have been made since 1960 in the ability of Black Americans to work their way into the middle class, through education and equal rights legislation. But racism persists in America, stifling the lives and futures of far to many young Blacks, and particularly the young Black men who fill our prisons, and the 50% who never complete a secondary education.
Obama wisely never plays the race card. But the startling symbolism of a young and relatively inexperienced young Black man, with a Law degree from Harvard Law School, turning the most exciting American electoral process in years on its ear, is a powerful, healing proof that the American dream lives on. One cannot imagine an election in any other country where a minority person could be so strongly supported by an overwhelming majority with excellent candidates from their own ethnic group.
As an American who witnessed in the Fifties and Sixties the fierce obstacles preventing Blacks from economic and political success, and the blatant racism that Black Americans faced in every aspect of their lives, I am thrilled to see the Obama phenomenon unfold. However it ends, his popularity is proof that a huge majority of Americans have moved beyond racial prejudice, so substantially that they can embrace a dynamic Black leader seeking the nation's highest office. In this is a reassurance that America is indeed, despite its flaws, the last, best hope for mankind.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Our Responsibilities in This Presidential Election
Isn't it time we swallow our narrow political ideologies and recognize the commitment, the idealism and the will to make the USA a better country that drives every one of these presidential candidates? Think of the time, the energy, the crap they have to put up with to be in this race. And for the one who wins, try to imagine the colossal task of trying to manage the affairs of the world's greatest superpower at this moment in time.
Yet we join a spiteful, divisive media, and hacks on the right and left like Hannerty, Chris Matthews, Tucker and many others, in seizing on every word of our least favored candidate that can be misconstrued, and pouncing gleefully on every gaffe, mistake or change of mind.
We talk about uniting the country; than we join every day the crowd of media miscreants who feed on sharpening divisions and aggravating the natural tensions among competing parties and candidates. Shouldn't we at least set a new standard for ourselves, who should represent at our age some wisdom and maturity. Shouldn't we start to focus on the issues rather than the personalities, foibles or human mistakes which makes every active person vulnerable.
If we could stand in their shoes for even one day, we might appreciate the overwhelming burden these candidates have assumed in trying to represent and lead our country.
Yet we join a spiteful, divisive media, and hacks on the right and left like Hannerty, Chris Matthews, Tucker and many others, in seizing on every word of our least favored candidate that can be misconstrued, and pouncing gleefully on every gaffe, mistake or change of mind.
We talk about uniting the country; than we join every day the crowd of media miscreants who feed on sharpening divisions and aggravating the natural tensions among competing parties and candidates. Shouldn't we at least set a new standard for ourselves, who should represent at our age some wisdom and maturity. Shouldn't we start to focus on the issues rather than the personalities, foibles or human mistakes which makes every active person vulnerable.
If we could stand in their shoes for even one day, we might appreciate the overwhelming burden these candidates have assumed in trying to represent and lead our country.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Trends in the American Elections of 2008
A surprising shift ocurred over the last few months in the issues that Americans believe are most important in this election. Despite the opinion of 2/3 of all Americans that the war in Iraq is a mistake and should be ended, this is no longer the dominant concern of US voters. Illegal immigration and creating a safe border with Mexico has now emerged as the primary focus of voter concern.
Thanks to the dogged criticism and revelations of Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck on CNN, a majority of Americans of all political stripes are now convinced that the US must finally close and secure the border with Mexico and prevent the movement of drugs, people and perhaps terrorists over what has been a wide open frontier. In fact, they were so incensed by the recent attempt of President Bush, Teddy Kennedy and John McCain to pass what came to be called "Amnesty" legislation for illegals already in the country, that public opinion forced an early and decisive defeat of the bill.
It has seemed clear to me for some time that the winner of this presidential election will have to take a very strong stand on securing the border with Mexico and preventing the drug traffic and the wholesale violence it breeds. Border towns on both sides are awash in drug-related violence, and the Laredo area has witnessed over 70 kidnappings of American citizens over the past 2 years, none of them solved or found. (See the film "No Country for Old Men," a great movie touching this issue)
The issue is more problematic for Democrats than for Republicans, in spite of the President's toleration of the status quo. Both Obamba and Hillary stumbled badly in November in supporting the NY State governor's proposal to grant drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants. Attacked by his own Democratic party members, the governor withdrew the legislation. Many democrats, independents and republicans are incensed over the costs taxpayers bear for the education, medical care, tax-free incomes and other financial benefits many states afford illegals. The high crime rate among this group, and the fact that in California alone over 50% of the prison population are illegal immigrants compounds the anger.
Among the leading candidates, Mitt Romney has taken the strongest stand on stopping illegal immigration and securing the border. Once the primaries are over, you will see this issue mushroom into one of the defining issues of the 2008 elections. And if the recession that looks increasingly likely comes into play, the war in Iraq may slip further down the list of issues that will dominate this election.
Thanks to the dogged criticism and revelations of Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck on CNN, a majority of Americans of all political stripes are now convinced that the US must finally close and secure the border with Mexico and prevent the movement of drugs, people and perhaps terrorists over what has been a wide open frontier. In fact, they were so incensed by the recent attempt of President Bush, Teddy Kennedy and John McCain to pass what came to be called "Amnesty" legislation for illegals already in the country, that public opinion forced an early and decisive defeat of the bill.
It has seemed clear to me for some time that the winner of this presidential election will have to take a very strong stand on securing the border with Mexico and preventing the drug traffic and the wholesale violence it breeds. Border towns on both sides are awash in drug-related violence, and the Laredo area has witnessed over 70 kidnappings of American citizens over the past 2 years, none of them solved or found. (See the film "No Country for Old Men," a great movie touching this issue)
The issue is more problematic for Democrats than for Republicans, in spite of the President's toleration of the status quo. Both Obamba and Hillary stumbled badly in November in supporting the NY State governor's proposal to grant drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants. Attacked by his own Democratic party members, the governor withdrew the legislation. Many democrats, independents and republicans are incensed over the costs taxpayers bear for the education, medical care, tax-free incomes and other financial benefits many states afford illegals. The high crime rate among this group, and the fact that in California alone over 50% of the prison population are illegal immigrants compounds the anger.
Among the leading candidates, Mitt Romney has taken the strongest stand on stopping illegal immigration and securing the border. Once the primaries are over, you will see this issue mushroom into one of the defining issues of the 2008 elections. And if the recession that looks increasingly likely comes into play, the war in Iraq may slip further down the list of issues that will dominate this election.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
On Administrators Impacting Student Learning
By far the most significant influence any head will ever have on student learning in his/her school rests in hiring the very best teachers one can find, and retaining only those who demonstrate a high level of teaching competence.
In far too many of our schools the public school standard is applied to rehiring decisions: Is this person bad enough to let go? The question should be: Has this person demonstrated a teaching ability (measured by student learning) that at least comes close to the school's aspirations?
The biggest obstacle is this: You can become very unpopular letting go nice people doing a "reasonable" job, stoking the fears and paranoia of all the teachers, egged on by those who are leaving and their supporters. Suddenly you are the target, and the attempts to undermine your efforts can be ferocious.
The only way to counter this phenomenon is to make it very clear what the bar is for successful teaching at your school; and to constantly reinforce your appreciation of the staff who are doing outstanding work. But no amount of effort will increase the "popularity" of a head making tough decisions on retaining mediocre staff.
My advice (having been a staff target for much of my career): When you look in the mirror every day, ask yourself if you and your principals are doing all you can to ensure that every kid is interacting with effective and superior teachers. Providing this is ultimately your only reward---but it's the only one that really counts!
Kevin Bartlett recently acted on these convictions at IS Brussels:
"The other thing we are trying to do along similar lines (feeling backed by Collins in Good to Great and the Social Sector, who says that it’s tough to get the wrong person off the bus in schools, and that we’ll always make some hiring mistakes. so we must use ‘early intervention’, in other words move them on at the first opportunity) ) is be much tougher about only retaining outstanding teachers at the end of the initial contract. We’ve shifted the emphasis from an implied ’It’s up to the leadership to prove my incompetence’ to ’it’s up to me to prove I’m outstanding’. We use the example of the simple question addressed by Michael and we say, ’this is effectively a rehiring, so it’s up to you to make sure that we want to re-hire you with enthusiasm’.
We’re far behind in this attitude shift, compared to say, Bill Gerritz, who’s been tougher for years, but better late than never.
In far too many of our schools the public school standard is applied to rehiring decisions: Is this person bad enough to let go? The question should be: Has this person demonstrated a teaching ability (measured by student learning) that at least comes close to the school's aspirations?
The biggest obstacle is this: You can become very unpopular letting go nice people doing a "reasonable" job, stoking the fears and paranoia of all the teachers, egged on by those who are leaving and their supporters. Suddenly you are the target, and the attempts to undermine your efforts can be ferocious.
The only way to counter this phenomenon is to make it very clear what the bar is for successful teaching at your school; and to constantly reinforce your appreciation of the staff who are doing outstanding work. But no amount of effort will increase the "popularity" of a head making tough decisions on retaining mediocre staff.
My advice (having been a staff target for much of my career): When you look in the mirror every day, ask yourself if you and your principals are doing all you can to ensure that every kid is interacting with effective and superior teachers. Providing this is ultimately your only reward---but it's the only one that really counts!
Kevin Bartlett recently acted on these convictions at IS Brussels:
"The other thing we are trying to do along similar lines (feeling backed by Collins in Good to Great and the Social Sector, who says that it’s tough to get the wrong person off the bus in schools, and that we’ll always make some hiring mistakes. so we must use ‘early intervention’, in other words move them on at the first opportunity) ) is be much tougher about only retaining outstanding teachers at the end of the initial contract. We’ve shifted the emphasis from an implied ’It’s up to the leadership to prove my incompetence’ to ’it’s up to me to prove I’m outstanding’. We use the example of the simple question addressed by Michael and we say, ’this is effectively a rehiring, so it’s up to you to make sure that we want to re-hire you with enthusiasm’.
We’re far behind in this attitude shift, compared to say, Bill Gerritz, who’s been tougher for years, but better late than never.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Facing The Brutal Facts (by Bambi Betts)
Facing the ‘Brutal Facts’
by Bambi Betts
In his widely acclaimed book, ‘From Good to Great’ Jim Collins describes a critical finding from his research that should be a wake-up call for international schools. To become ‘great’, an organization must ‘face the brutal facts’. And greatness in a school can mean only one thing: more and better learning for all.
How woefully far we are from that goal. What have been passing for facts have often been unchallenged perceptions, perpetuated by a culture of excuses. Whether through naiveté, cunning political savvy, or just plain ignorance, we in international schools continue to show an unwillingness both to find and to face those ‘ brutal facts’.
Some challenging examples:
FACT: Dozens, if not hundreds of schools claim in their mission statements that they will educate their students to become global citizens. Yet, it is entirely possible (and very frequently happens) in an international school for a student to complete all the grades in the school and NEVER, that’s right NEVER have to grapple with a global issue?. This is true even in programs like the IB.
FACT: Despite decades of emphasis, and writing it into curricular 'standards', today's secondary school graduates are no better at public speaking today than those of two decades ago. Moreover, according to polls of adults, this remains one of their worst fears.
FACT: The majority of students report that they were never actually TAUGHT to do research. They were just ASSIGNED research.
FACT: Almost no school can claim ‘the ability to innovate’ as one of its school-wide learning standards. How frightening for our on-going civilization to imagine another generation educated for compliance rather than innovation.
FACT: The underlying premise for an overwhelming number of practices in our schools is teacher equity rather than student learning. We are often more concerned, for example , that each teacher has an equal teaching load than whether individual students have equal opportunity to learn.
FACT: We frequently allow learning to be the variable, while sacred organizational structures (like departments, length of day, start times) are the constant. We ask not what structures would best support learning, but rather what learning might emerge from the sacred structures we have adhered to for decades. Organizational structures in our schools which supposedly support learning have not been significantly overhauled since well before the advent of the information age. We fear to question lest we ‘offend’ a professional educator. Never mind about the learning. FACT: In school after international school, a huge proportion of the writing program for children in elementary (and often secondary as well) continues to be based almost exclusively in creative writing - stories, poems, personal journals. Meanwhile, purposeful and technical writing - editorials, proposals, factual accounts, 'brief's - are largely ignored. And to add insult, we ignore the FACT that the transfer of writing skill from creative fiction to purposeful products is minimal.
For too long we in education have been too easy on ourselves., too willing to accept the perceptions when finding the facts is either too hard or too demoralizing. We somehow have exempted ourselves from one of the primary ingredients that actually constitutes a profession - facing the facts and holding ourselves accountable.
by Bambi Betts
In his widely acclaimed book, ‘From Good to Great’ Jim Collins describes a critical finding from his research that should be a wake-up call for international schools. To become ‘great’, an organization must ‘face the brutal facts’. And greatness in a school can mean only one thing: more and better learning for all.
How woefully far we are from that goal. What have been passing for facts have often been unchallenged perceptions, perpetuated by a culture of excuses. Whether through naiveté, cunning political savvy, or just plain ignorance, we in international schools continue to show an unwillingness both to find and to face those ‘ brutal facts’.
Some challenging examples:
FACT: Dozens, if not hundreds of schools claim in their mission statements that they will educate their students to become global citizens. Yet, it is entirely possible (and very frequently happens) in an international school for a student to complete all the grades in the school and NEVER, that’s right NEVER have to grapple with a global issue?. This is true even in programs like the IB.
FACT: Despite decades of emphasis, and writing it into curricular 'standards', today's secondary school graduates are no better at public speaking today than those of two decades ago. Moreover, according to polls of adults, this remains one of their worst fears.
FACT: The majority of students report that they were never actually TAUGHT to do research. They were just ASSIGNED research.
FACT: Almost no school can claim ‘the ability to innovate’ as one of its school-wide learning standards. How frightening for our on-going civilization to imagine another generation educated for compliance rather than innovation.
FACT: The underlying premise for an overwhelming number of practices in our schools is teacher equity rather than student learning. We are often more concerned, for example , that each teacher has an equal teaching load than whether individual students have equal opportunity to learn.
FACT: We frequently allow learning to be the variable, while sacred organizational structures (like departments, length of day, start times) are the constant. We ask not what structures would best support learning, but rather what learning might emerge from the sacred structures we have adhered to for decades. Organizational structures in our schools which supposedly support learning have not been significantly overhauled since well before the advent of the information age. We fear to question lest we ‘offend’ a professional educator. Never mind about the learning. FACT: In school after international school, a huge proportion of the writing program for children in elementary (and often secondary as well) continues to be based almost exclusively in creative writing - stories, poems, personal journals. Meanwhile, purposeful and technical writing - editorials, proposals, factual accounts, 'brief's - are largely ignored. And to add insult, we ignore the FACT that the transfer of writing skill from creative fiction to purposeful products is minimal.
For too long we in education have been too easy on ourselves., too willing to accept the perceptions when finding the facts is either too hard or too demoralizing. We somehow have exempted ourselves from one of the primary ingredients that actually constitutes a profession - facing the facts and holding ourselves accountable.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
We Must Teach History; Not Just Social Studies
Since I became an educator in 1973, I have ranted and raved about the need to ensure that every HS graduate of our schools has a solid grounding in 20th century history, at the very least. One of my first changes at AIS Israel was to develop a year-long course for seniors on the 20th century, and to require every senior to pass that course in order to graduate. We had a staff of outstanding history teachers at AIS, and the HS curriculum included ancient history (grade 9): world history (10) : and American History (11). Other social studies courses were available, but as electives.
Surveys in the USA and the UK consistently reveal that history/social studies are to HS students the most boring and irrelevant courses they take. But that is because they are most often not taught by history majors; but rather by teachers with social studies or general degrees. Taught by impassioned, committed and innovative teachers, history will be, as it was at AIS, the most enjoyable amd popular set of courses in the school.
Why should this matter? Humankind is facing a complex and dangerous period, in which violence on a grand scale, ecology, diseases and religious conflict again threaten the world's equilibrium and survival. But most Americans under 30 now get their news from Jon Stuart, a TV comedian. Most students (and often their teachers) fail on the most simple assessments of historical knowledge, and most assessments focus on pure factual knowledge. Political candidates can and do distort with impunity the meaning and lessons of even recent history. The internet guarantees that anyone can secure a view of history grossly distorted through the lenses of religious, political and social fanatics.
Those who read the many excellent books focussed on historical events know that history is more exciting, surprising and compelling than any work of fiction could ever be. The true human stories, like that presented in the recent, acclaimed ducumentary by Ken Burns (The War), are increasingly accessible on film as well.
What would it take to promote a renaissance in the teaching of history, that would deliver a structured, comprehensive understanding of where mankind has been andwhere we might be headed?
I beseech every educator to focus time and energy on this formidable but vital task, of ensuring that every student develops not only an understanding of the history of humanity, but also a passion and excitement that guarantees a lifetime of learning.
Surveys in the USA and the UK consistently reveal that history/social studies are to HS students the most boring and irrelevant courses they take. But that is because they are most often not taught by history majors; but rather by teachers with social studies or general degrees. Taught by impassioned, committed and innovative teachers, history will be, as it was at AIS, the most enjoyable amd popular set of courses in the school.
Why should this matter? Humankind is facing a complex and dangerous period, in which violence on a grand scale, ecology, diseases and religious conflict again threaten the world's equilibrium and survival. But most Americans under 30 now get their news from Jon Stuart, a TV comedian. Most students (and often their teachers) fail on the most simple assessments of historical knowledge, and most assessments focus on pure factual knowledge. Political candidates can and do distort with impunity the meaning and lessons of even recent history. The internet guarantees that anyone can secure a view of history grossly distorted through the lenses of religious, political and social fanatics.
Those who read the many excellent books focussed on historical events know that history is more exciting, surprising and compelling than any work of fiction could ever be. The true human stories, like that presented in the recent, acclaimed ducumentary by Ken Burns (The War), are increasingly accessible on film as well.
What would it take to promote a renaissance in the teaching of history, that would deliver a structured, comprehensive understanding of where mankind has been andwhere we might be headed?
I beseech every educator to focus time and energy on this formidable but vital task, of ensuring that every student develops not only an understanding of the history of humanity, but also a passion and excitement that guarantees a lifetime of learning.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
A Simple Truth That Transforms
Ever wondered why the Chinese and some other old civilizations honor profoundly their ancestors? Think for a moment just about the lives of your four grandparents.
The truth is that everything they did made an incalculable difference to you, however trivial or important it seemed at the time. The hard fact is that every action they ever took in their lives, and every chance encounter they had with man, beast or inanimate objects, had to have happened in such a precise and perfect sequence for you and your offspring to have been born. Had one of them missed the bus that day of your parents' conception; not gone to a party; neglected to call on Friday Nov. 12, 1908 for a date; and on and on in an infinite panorama of possibilities, any one action of which would have doomed your ever being born.
Endless, really, and mind-boggling, how perfectly timed almost every aspect of their lives had to have been to have borne just your parents into the world. And the same for every prior and subsequent generation in your direct line to the mystic past.
It's much like the discoveries of science that have converted modern physicists into persons of faith. Had the Big Bang not occurred with the precise force and timing that it did, the resulting universe would not have been created in a way that could initiate and sustain living organisms. So the birth of every one of us is tied to this initial miracle, and a timeless sequence of events has resulted in our own miraculous birth.
That unassailable truth about each of our own lives screams out at us. If only we would listen. Every thing that happened to every one of our direct descendants, and to the organisms which preceded them, had to happen precisely as it did for each of us to have been conceived.
However ordinary our lives, or those of our progenitors, in conventional terms, the incomprehensible odds of our being conceived makes us each the winner of a cosmic lottery against odds we couldn't even imagine. So little had to happen in the course of millions of years for us not to have made it into existence. The smallest detail might have sabotaged our very lives.
So totally extraordinary is it that I am alive, and every ancestor before me.
A miracle really. Every person who has come into existence represents a miracle, in overcoming the incalculable odds of it never having happened. But do we remember this in the conduct of our lives? Are we imbued with the profound miracle of our private existence, so that we treasure every moment and experience? And give thanks?
___________________________________
The truth is that everything they did made an incalculable difference to you, however trivial or important it seemed at the time. The hard fact is that every action they ever took in their lives, and every chance encounter they had with man, beast or inanimate objects, had to have happened in such a precise and perfect sequence for you and your offspring to have been born. Had one of them missed the bus that day of your parents' conception; not gone to a party; neglected to call on Friday Nov. 12, 1908 for a date; and on and on in an infinite panorama of possibilities, any one action of which would have doomed your ever being born.
Endless, really, and mind-boggling, how perfectly timed almost every aspect of their lives had to have been to have borne just your parents into the world. And the same for every prior and subsequent generation in your direct line to the mystic past.
It's much like the discoveries of science that have converted modern physicists into persons of faith. Had the Big Bang not occurred with the precise force and timing that it did, the resulting universe would not have been created in a way that could initiate and sustain living organisms. So the birth of every one of us is tied to this initial miracle, and a timeless sequence of events has resulted in our own miraculous birth.
That unassailable truth about each of our own lives screams out at us. If only we would listen. Every thing that happened to every one of our direct descendants, and to the organisms which preceded them, had to happen precisely as it did for each of us to have been conceived.
However ordinary our lives, or those of our progenitors, in conventional terms, the incomprehensible odds of our being conceived makes us each the winner of a cosmic lottery against odds we couldn't even imagine. So little had to happen in the course of millions of years for us not to have made it into existence. The smallest detail might have sabotaged our very lives.
So totally extraordinary is it that I am alive, and every ancestor before me.
A miracle really. Every person who has come into existence represents a miracle, in overcoming the incalculable odds of it never having happened. But do we remember this in the conduct of our lives? Are we imbued with the profound miracle of our private existence, so that we treasure every moment and experience? And give thanks?
___________________________________
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Neurosis and Human Growth
One of Freud's disciples was a young woman named Karen Horney. Had she not been a woman, she would have eclipsed Sigmund in every category: understanding the causes of human neurosis, clearly documenting that understanding; and giving her readers rare insight into the phenomenon.
Her book, Neurosis and Human Growth, must be read by every person interested in human presonality development, and the creation and uses of neurotic behaviors. Everyone will find large segments of their own personalities in her deliniations. More importantly, one comes to understand how essential neurosis is to survival, and how endemic and useful it is to mankind. (Do you want to fly with a pilot or be operated on by a surgeon who is not strongly "compulsive"?)
There is no book I could recommend more strongly than this one. For those of us working in education, it should be mandatory.
Please give it a go, and let me know what you think! But I warn you, one dear friend fell asleep every time he came to chapter that encapsulated his own neurotic syndrome. The insights from this book resound forever, and strengthen us greatly.
Her book, Neurosis and Human Growth, must be read by every person interested in human presonality development, and the creation and uses of neurotic behaviors. Everyone will find large segments of their own personalities in her deliniations. More importantly, one comes to understand how essential neurosis is to survival, and how endemic and useful it is to mankind. (Do you want to fly with a pilot or be operated on by a surgeon who is not strongly "compulsive"?)
There is no book I could recommend more strongly than this one. For those of us working in education, it should be mandatory.
Please give it a go, and let me know what you think! But I warn you, one dear friend fell asleep every time he came to chapter that encapsulated his own neurotic syndrome. The insights from this book resound forever, and strengthen us greatly.
Speaking of Miracles.....
Speaking of Miracles........
Our dear friend and wonderful colleague was lying in a Singapore hospital close to death last week. He had been suffering from high fevers for some weeks, which completely debilitated him, and they could not find the cause. After closest family were summoned to his bedside, one of his Docs had a feeling that a very rare disease (10 known cases worldwide) might be involved. On instinct he contacted a US MD who had written on the subject, and got the name of a steroid that had stopped the disease.
48 hours later Bill Powell (formerly head at ISKL and IS Tanganyika, and renowned PTC trainer) was sitting up in bed, talking and planning to go to his and Ochan's home in KL. Recovery will take awhile, but this turn of events is simply miraculous.
So many people were praying for Bill. And the Doc who followed his hunch (where did that come from)? reminds us that answers are available if we hope and search our souls for answers!
Welcome back Bill....we need you and your wisdom, ideas and willingness to share!
Our dear friend and wonderful colleague was lying in a Singapore hospital close to death last week. He had been suffering from high fevers for some weeks, which completely debilitated him, and they could not find the cause. After closest family were summoned to his bedside, one of his Docs had a feeling that a very rare disease (10 known cases worldwide) might be involved. On instinct he contacted a US MD who had written on the subject, and got the name of a steroid that had stopped the disease.
48 hours later Bill Powell (formerly head at ISKL and IS Tanganyika, and renowned PTC trainer) was sitting up in bed, talking and planning to go to his and Ochan's home in KL. Recovery will take awhile, but this turn of events is simply miraculous.
So many people were praying for Bill. And the Doc who followed his hunch (where did that come from)? reminds us that answers are available if we hope and search our souls for answers!
Welcome back Bill....we need you and your wisdom, ideas and willingness to share!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Preventing and Fighting Colon Cancer
Blaylock Tip of the Week:
Stop Colon Cancer
Of all cancers, colon cancer has the strongest links to diet, in terms of both prevention and causation. Without a doubt, Americans consume more carcinogens than just about any other population in the world.
As a whole, our diet is high in carcinogenic fats, cancer-causing nitrosamines and nitrites and tumor-promoting sugar. And worse yet, we eat dangerously low amounts of fiber, vegetables and fruits.
Finally, recent evidence indicates that glutamate, found in MSG and other food additives, is a powerful catalyst for the growth and spread of cancer. That is, glutamate enhances the growth of cancer, making it much more deadly.
Generally speaking, it takes decades of nutritional abuse before colon cancer develops.
The first changes occur within special clusters of cells found in the lining of the colon. These are called aberrant crypt foci. The more of these you have, the more likely you are to develop colon cancer.
Several nutrients have demonstrated the ability to suppress these precancerous cell clusters. The most impressive fighters are:
curcumin
conjugated linolenic acid (CLA)
quercetin
DHA
natural vitamin E
vitamin E succinate
silymarin
ellagic acid
N-butyrate (ButyrAid)
vitamin B6
Calcium suppresses colon cancer in those who maintain a high-fat diet. Research shows that curcumin, a flavonoid extracted from the spice turmeric, can powerfully suppress many types of cancer, especially colon cancer. Cumin and turmeric are staples of Indian cuisine and this has been thought to account for the significantly lower incidence of colon cancer within the Indian population.
N-butyrate, a short-chain oil, has been shown to powerfully inhibit colon cancer development as well as the growth of cancers that have already developed.
Research shows that the oil CLA also powerfully suppresses breast and colon cancer. As little as 1,000 mg. a day will be effective. This special oil regulates immunity and directly suppresses colon cancer formation. DHA and omega-3 oils also suppress colon cancer.
Three flavonoids that provide powerful protection against colon cancer are quercetin, silymarin and ellagic acid.
A tremendous amount of recent evidence demonstrates the dramatic anticancer effects of ellagic acid. It is a flavonoid found in most berries (especially the meeker raspberry), walnuts, pecans, pomegranate and muscadine grapes. The dose is 1,000 mg. twice to three times a day.
For a more detailed discussion, see my special reports “Colon Cancer: The Hidden Dangers”, and "Better Digestion: Protect Your Intestines, Colon and Vital Organs from Disease and Cancer."
Editor's Notes:
Nasty Bacteria Can Take Over Your Stomach and Even Cause Cancer: Fight Back!
Can Eating the Right Foods Prevent Cancer? Yes!Discover Details Here.
Heart Attacks Caused by Inflammation, Not Cholesterol.
Stop Colon Cancer
Of all cancers, colon cancer has the strongest links to diet, in terms of both prevention and causation. Without a doubt, Americans consume more carcinogens than just about any other population in the world.
As a whole, our diet is high in carcinogenic fats, cancer-causing nitrosamines and nitrites and tumor-promoting sugar. And worse yet, we eat dangerously low amounts of fiber, vegetables and fruits.
Finally, recent evidence indicates that glutamate, found in MSG and other food additives, is a powerful catalyst for the growth and spread of cancer. That is, glutamate enhances the growth of cancer, making it much more deadly.
Generally speaking, it takes decades of nutritional abuse before colon cancer develops.
The first changes occur within special clusters of cells found in the lining of the colon. These are called aberrant crypt foci. The more of these you have, the more likely you are to develop colon cancer.
Several nutrients have demonstrated the ability to suppress these precancerous cell clusters. The most impressive fighters are:
curcumin
conjugated linolenic acid (CLA)
quercetin
DHA
natural vitamin E
vitamin E succinate
silymarin
ellagic acid
N-butyrate (ButyrAid)
vitamin B6
Calcium suppresses colon cancer in those who maintain a high-fat diet. Research shows that curcumin, a flavonoid extracted from the spice turmeric, can powerfully suppress many types of cancer, especially colon cancer. Cumin and turmeric are staples of Indian cuisine and this has been thought to account for the significantly lower incidence of colon cancer within the Indian population.
N-butyrate, a short-chain oil, has been shown to powerfully inhibit colon cancer development as well as the growth of cancers that have already developed.
Research shows that the oil CLA also powerfully suppresses breast and colon cancer. As little as 1,000 mg. a day will be effective. This special oil regulates immunity and directly suppresses colon cancer formation. DHA and omega-3 oils also suppress colon cancer.
Three flavonoids that provide powerful protection against colon cancer are quercetin, silymarin and ellagic acid.
A tremendous amount of recent evidence demonstrates the dramatic anticancer effects of ellagic acid. It is a flavonoid found in most berries (especially the meeker raspberry), walnuts, pecans, pomegranate and muscadine grapes. The dose is 1,000 mg. twice to three times a day.
For a more detailed discussion, see my special reports “Colon Cancer: The Hidden Dangers”, and "Better Digestion: Protect Your Intestines, Colon and Vital Organs from Disease and Cancer."
Editor's Notes:
Nasty Bacteria Can Take Over Your Stomach and Even Cause Cancer: Fight Back!
Can Eating the Right Foods Prevent Cancer? Yes!Discover Details Here.
Heart Attacks Caused by Inflammation, Not Cholesterol.
Faith or Old Age
On Sunday I flipped around channels to see a nearly perfect NE Patriots team execute miraculous passes; several figure-skating couples performing with great skill and agility; and an international youth orchestra with wonderfully professional musicians, filled with passion and idealism.
I was suddenly overwhelmed with the understanding of what magnificent gifts, talents and opportunities God has bestowed on mankind. For us lesser mortals in terms of talents, the seabirds flocking over Barnstable Bay; or a stunning sunset here instills the same wonder and awe at God's creation of tremendous beauty for us to enjoy.
Maybe one needn't reach this ripe, old age to appreciate the colossal joy and wonder our existence offers; or to know that a divine creator has given us an existence filled with endless possibilities for great happiness, wonder and love.
Love and Peace to you all Forrest
I was suddenly overwhelmed with the understanding of what magnificent gifts, talents and opportunities God has bestowed on mankind. For us lesser mortals in terms of talents, the seabirds flocking over Barnstable Bay; or a stunning sunset here instills the same wonder and awe at God's creation of tremendous beauty for us to enjoy.
Maybe one needn't reach this ripe, old age to appreciate the colossal joy and wonder our existence offers; or to know that a divine creator has given us an existence filled with endless possibilities for great happiness, wonder and love.
Love and Peace to you all Forrest
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