Morocco: Obama to Speak?

Algerian-American blogger The Moor Next Door has reported on a campaign set up by Moroccans to encourage President-Elect Barack Obama to make his first speech abroad in Morocco. The blogger states:

This clever Moroccan site — Obama to Speak in Morocco — is marketing that country as the best candidate for Obama’s proposed Islamic world speech. They’ve even drafted my post on the issue to their cause. Note that I have no realtionship [sic] with “Obama to Speak in Morocco,” whatsoever, and operate this blog and write on my own behalf and no one else’s, and recieve no financial or material gifts or compensation from any individual or organization.

In the comments section of his blog, Tidinit responds to the claim:

Interesting. Have not read your post on Obama, but I will now, because of its implications for our “waring” countries. Don’t worry if you are accused to take side. We know you are not and you are giving us some food for thought on issues pertaining to the region. I appreciated very well your past posts on Turkey and the new OPEC gas consortium. Among others, of course: Ya Khattou, Al Majlissi and your excellent post that I responded to. That is why I m checking almost every morning or night. Keep it up. We need you and you are opening our eyes on some key issues no one is talking about.

The petition for Obama to speak in Morocco originated with The Moroccan American Board, an organization based in Washington, D.C.

The campaign's major talking points follow:

Here is why It should be Morocco

What do you call an Arab, Muslim and African country which was the first to recognize the United States independence?

Kingdom of Morocco

What do you call a moderate, tolerating, peaceful country which is the strongest ally to the United States in the region?

Kingdom Of Morocco.

What do you call Obama's first speech in Morocco after his inauguration?

A historical moment.

Although only time will tell, thus far the campaign has been successful; the petitioners have even signed Washington D.C. Mayor Adrien Fenty on to endorse it at his own birthday party:

Among the invitees and contributors were Washington Moroccan Club members and friends-of-the-mayor that chatted with the mayor and informed him of the ongoing campaign to entice President elect Barack Obama to make his first foreign policy speech from Morocco. Mayor of Washington, Adrien Fenty, said ” it is a good Idea, Morocco is an ideal location for that speech” In a subsequent encounter with Jan and Phil Fenty, the mayor’s proud parents who were on hand for the mayor's 38th birthday bash. They run their Fleet Feet running shoe store in Washington for over 24 years, while Jan Fenty , the mayor's mother, worked as a DC public school teacher. His father, Phil Fenty, informed the Moroccan Community members present that his own grandfather is from Morocco. the Group members were startled by this unexpected piece of information and promptly admitted the mayor and his family to the Moroccan American community since the mayor's own great grand father was Moroccan and celebrated the event with a well deserved glass of fresh mineral water.

9 comments

  • What do you call a moderate, tolerating, peaceful country – well, maybe not Morocco which invaded it’s neighbour and keeps it occupied without respect for international law and human rights, and is responsible for tens of thousands of refugees living in Algeria.
    It is a pity Moroccans fail to understand the flaws in their international relations.

  • […] from:  Global Voices Online » Morocco: Obama to Speak? […]

  • Marokanski

    this blog is only a crap, instead of bringing new articles, you are relaying others, what happend, you run out of ideas, in this case go and find a real job!

  • Rashid, the ignorant

    Are you with us or against us, Sir Marokanski? This action is critical to bring peace in the mideast. Let us study with a sense of humility, the condition of the Jewish people in Morocco, remembering that Morocco is the first country to recognize the U.S.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Morocco
    Then we will be more knowledgeable about our leader’s first foreign trip. And we will appreciate the Moorish people more.

  • Rashid, the ignorant

    Here is more on the Jewry of Morocco. This should be sufficient knowledge to take an interest in the first nation to recognize the U.S.
    http://www.sefarad.org/publication/lm/017/morocco.html

  • Hicham

    Time Will Tell….

  • Mehdi

    In the land of Optimists LEADED by Mr. Obama, pesimists are Aliens and they dont think like us.

    It is not about Morocco, and it is not about US, and it is not about nations…it´s about the world main issue that we face “Terrorism & Financial crisis”

    The Muslim world is a big part of the world, and the origin of the Terrorism and the financial crisis started from the Muslim and Arab world (Oil, Gaz, War in Iraq & Afghanistan…etc).

    Being a president of US isn´t only being a president of a nation, but it´s also a responsibility of a Leader of the entire planet.

    We all have faith in god, and god coloured this world in two different colours ” The Good & Evil “, and in Obama we hope the “GOOD”.

    Mr. Obama, im a Muslim living in Sweden, i have always disliked US, but today the 20th January, i have cried when listening to your speech, you have no idea how much hope we have on you, all other presidents promised the same, but in you there is a magical feeling that makes us truly BELIEVE.

    If you start from Morocco, bear in mind that 1.5 billion persons will convert their ideas from Hate into Love towards the US, you will spread the love between hearts of those that have been hidding hate and anger toward the occident.

    We want you to do what others that had your position didn´t, we want you to re-build what others in your position distroyed…

    Please Mr. Obama, we Muslims need someone that be not really in our side but just in middle, make justice and keep balance and might balance lead the world to peace, and teach those that want war and Terrorism that we are all equal.

    Screw all the protocol and the barriers and obstacles, and Go to Morocco or any other Muslim country, and tell those, that we are all Muslims and Christians and Jews and Buddhists and Atists, We had enough of hate during the last millions of years of humanity history, NOW Mr.Obama your time has come to teach a word that haven´t been teached to Humans since the start……… “LOVE”

    “When the power of Love overcomes the love of power, there will be peace in this world.”

    Obama feel free to speak love in Morocco

  • Micky

    There is an innocent 67 year old American man…James Willson…dying in a Morrocan prison as I type. He has been falsely accused (absolutely no evidence) and detained and has been denied his diabetic medications since last May. Every right of Mr Wilsons has been violated by both countries. Read about the case, the injustice at savejameswillson.com and get involved. He desperately needs our help as he is truly perishing.

  • SAMIR BENCHEKROUN

    Whil I do support the tendancy of diplomacy that president Obama is pioneering as far as reaching out to the muslim word. I think that the idea of president Obama giving a speech from Morocco would give a wrong signal to the Moroccan government that has never cease to opresse its citizens. Few months ago, I spent a short vacation in Morocco;and I had the chance to listen on a daily basis to ordinary citizens who complain about their human rights being violated but the police. I have nothing against the Moroccan people of which I belong to; however, I do protest against all kind of humiliation that our citizens ,in morocco, go through.
    I do have serious issues with the the pioneer of this initiative as he is trying to reach some narrow interest behind launching this campaign. He has no credibility among the moroccan community that lives In USA. HE does not believe in any of those universal that suppose to bond us like democracy, freedom of speech. To back up one of those claims: He is, for instance, filtering all the opinions before posting it on his website. He is not allowing those who disagree with him lay out their counterarguments.

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