What word is the entire Arab world waiting with bated breath to hear pass President-elect Obama’s lips? According to this op-ed article from Al-Watan of Oman – that word is Barack Obama’s middle name, ‘Hussein.’
And more than that, Atef Abdul Jawaad writes for the Arabic-language newspaper, Arabs want the president-elect to come clean on why he is so determined to enunciate his middle name. Apparently, Mr. Jawaad doubts the explanation that has already been given – which is that past presidents have done so.
“Obama still seems shy when it comes to discussing his father’s Islamic heritage. We say to Obama today: The American people elected you president; they know you are the son of a Muslim man from Kenya and that your middle name is Hussein. There is no reason to disguise the truth of your ethnic and religious roots. Your decision to use your full, three-word name when taking the oath of office is a decision we salute. But you must tell us the true reason. It’s not historical tradition, because there is no historical tradition followed by all former U.S. heads of state. It’s because you’re proud of your name and your father and of both heritages, racial and religious, in which Black and White, Christianity and Islam, are combined.”
And how much are Arabs looking forward to hearing Obama’s middle name? Jawaad goes on:
“There will be no muezzin’s voice [the man who announces the hour of prayer] at the ceremony when Obama is sworn in, but his voice will echo his middle name: “Hussein.” When Obama says that word, his will be the most beautiful voice the world’s Muslims have ever heard from or about America.”
By Atef Abdul Jawaad
Translated By James Jacobson
December 19, 2008
Oman – Al-Watan – Home Page (Arabic)
On Wednesday [Dec. 17], Barack Obama confirmed what we reported here a few weeks ago, which is that he will use his full, three-word name when he takes his constitutional oath as America’s new head of state at noon on January 20th. His name is Barrack Hussein Obama. Obama justified the use of his full, three-word name, saying the he wants to continue the tradition followed by former America presidents of using their full names when taking their constitutional oaths. But the truth is that some U.S. presidents used their full names and others were content to use just two, like former presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.
I hope that America’s new president, Barrack Hussein Obama, gives us another reason for wanting to use his full name. The best reasons are that our names are given to us by our fathers and, whatever they may be, we must feel and express pride for them; and that these names were also a tribute to our own fathers, grandfathers and heritage. But Barack Obama still seems shy when it comes to discussing his father’s Islamic heritage.
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