BA FOR OBAMA-BIDEN

                 

111 16th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215

Tele: 718-832-6565/ Tel: 718-885-7430, Cell: 917-459-9846

718-885-7430, 718-753-0086

Donate: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/BengaliAmericansforObama

 

If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress.

                                                                                                                                  ~President Barack Obama


 

                        CONGRATULATION MESSAGE TO US PRESIDENT

Two score years ago Dr. King had a dream of an America where nobody would be judged not on the color of their skin but on the content of their character. By Electing Obama as the 44th President, what America has done is turn that dream into a reality.

In a message, Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed said, "I would like to convey to you my warmest felicitation on your election as the president of the United States of America."

In another message, the Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed said, "I am delighted to learn that you have been elected next president of the United States of America. Let me take this opportunity to extend to your Excellency my heartiest congratulations on your victory."

BA President Dr. Ali has congratulated Barack Obama on winning the US Presidential Election. Prof. Ali has stated that he also shares the joy the achievement Obama has gained, “I have never been this excited in my life” said Professor Ali. Meanwhile BA Secretary Rashidul Bari congratulating Obama states that he is a symbol of hope and icon of peace, “I still feel like I am thousand feet off the ground—flying like a  skylark” said Secretary Bari.

                                        

                                                                                               
                              

 ODE TO OBAMA

                                                 ~Rashidul Bari

 

I did not vote for Obama to make him the 44th president of the United States. I voted for him to make a more perfect world.

 

I voted for him to create a world without terrorism. I did not vote for Obama to send him White House—I voted for him to house the homeless. I did not vote for Obama to make him the president of the richest country in the world, but to create a world where the poorest people can look forward to the end of poverty.

In his Nobel Lecture, Muhammad Yunus said, “Poor people are like bonsai trees. When you plant the best seed of the tallest tree in a flower pot, you get a replica of the tallest tree, only inches tall. There is nothing wrong with the seed you planted; only the soil base that is too inadequate. Poor people are bonsai people. There is nothing wrong in their seeds. Simply, society never gave them the base to grow on.”

I know Obama will work tirelessly to make a more perfect world, where every “bonsai tree” gets a fair chance to unleash his or her energy and creativity. This is why I voted for Obama.   

                                    

                     

                  (Rashidul Bari casted his vote at PS 40, Queens, New York)

 

I did not vote for Obama to preserve the status quo—I voted him to make a world without poverty. I did not vote Obama to make him the first African-American president—I voted for him to abolish racial segregation. I did not vote Obama to make him first president whose father was a Muslim—I voted for him to make him the president of every religion.

When a journalist asked Gandhi whether he practic  ed Hinduism, he replied, yes, but I also practice Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. I voted for Obama because I have seen a Gandhi inside him. I know that Obama belong to nobody but mankind.

I did not vote for Obama to make him Huntington. I voted for him to sing like the Bengali poet Nazrul, who sang the words, “Come brother Hindu, Come Christian, Come Buddhist, Come Jews—come Muslims—let us transcend all barriers, let us forsake forever all smallness, all lies, all selfishness and let us call brothers as brothers. We shall quarrel no more.” 
 

At 11:18 pm, I got this letter from Obama: “I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first. We just made history.”

 

However, I did not vote for Obama to make history. I voted him to make a more perfect world.

I have often spoken about Obama’s work as a community organizer in Chicago because when I first met him in a Hilton hotel, I saw a divine image inside of  Him.  This was an image of a man ready to do great things: house the homeless, empower women, eradicate poverty—and establish religious tolerance. This is why I voted for him.

 I know that he will remain a citizen of the world—to fix every problem, piece by piece, to heal every wound, one by one, and to make it a more perfect world. I also know that he will put the good of the world over the pride of his administration, and that will not turn away the helping hands of the UN, NATO, OIC, and other international institutions.  

Today, after Obama’s election, I asked Muhammad Yunus to make a comment about the future of the world. He looked out through the window at the rising sun. Instead of saying anything, he recited Nazrul, “Let people of all countries and all times come together. At one great union of humanity—let them listen to the flute music of one great unity. Should a single person be hurt, all hearts should feel it equally—if one person is insulted; it is a shame to all mankind, an insult to all! Today is the day to hope.” 

I looked at Muhammad Yunus. My eyes were moistened with tears; the water was rolling down in drops, melting my heart. All of a sudden, there was a cry unleashed from my rebel heart, “Oh dear God, help Obama to make a more perfect world.”

Rashidul Bari, Secretary of Bangladeshi Americans for Obama, is a biographer of Muhammad Yunus. His website is:  http://www.rashidulbari.info/

 

                                                                           
                                    

                                            

                                                       


 

BA FOR OBAMA:AN ARGUMENT FOR SUPPORT

                                                                          Dr. Showkat Ali

 

WHO WE ARE?

We are proud Bangladeshi Americans. Bangladesh is our birth place and our promised land. The United States of America is our second home and the dream land. Just as other recent immigrants, we have brought with us our rich cultural heritage and traditions. We are U.S tax paying citizen with good standing. We are living here, working hard and raising our families in the United States of America . We are over a million strong Bangladeshis living in different parts of the United States .                           

 

                    (Dr. Ali & Rakibul Bari with Dr. Fakhriddin Ahmed, the head of the govt. of Bangladesh) 

However, our main concentration is in tri-state areas of New York , New Jersey , and Connecticut . No matter where we are living, we could not afford to ignore American health, education, economic crisis and current politics around us. Our voting rights must be exercised for a change. Our voting power must be unified and it should be implemented for the greater national and international interests.It must be noted that presidential election for 2008 is very important milestone not only for American history but also for all immigrants, especially for Bangladeshi Americans

 If the American economy is on solid ground only then it possible to fulfill our American journey and American dreams. When a Cyclone, Typhoon and other natural disasters hit Bangladesh , we Bangladeshi Americans are always at the forefront. Thus, the stable and better managed American economy in general is very important for the whole world. Therefore; we must need a change in White House.  

 

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN:

We believe in change. We can bring a change, a change for a better future. We believe in Barack Obama. I have followed Obama for a long time. His pragmatic domestic and foreign policy is superior to Hillary Clinton and McCain. Just as other Bangladeshis, all along I was a Hillary supporter and contributor. But Hillary sometimes behaves just like Bush. She first tries to spread an ‘unknown fear’ among US citizen and then started to exploit it just as Bush. She supported and voted for Bush’s unjust war effort based on international lie, deceive, threat and fear. She is recently talking against “patriot act’ but we know that she voted for it. She took millions of dollar from the political action committee and other interest groups. Obama did not participate in it. Obama is financed by us, common people like you and I. It never happened before in the history of US elections.He is a son of highly educated parents.In fact, his father, Barack Obama Sr, was a Harvard educated and his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham Soetoro, had a Ph.D.  Thanks to Obama, millions of young voters are now registered for the general election  in 2008.  So, please do not miss the train while it is at your station.

WE BELIEVE IN OBAMA:

We need a change in American failed domestic, education, and economic policies. In the past eight years the failed policies of Bush Administration have made America weak and a friendless nation on earth. We are the most hated nation in Asia, Africa, and in Latin America . In the name of democracy they have plundered sovereign nation and its wealth. As we know, Saddam was supported and encouraged by the Republican administrations against Iran for a long period of time, especially in Iran-Iraq war in 1980s. Millions of Iraqis and Iranians have lost their lives at that war. Obama declared that America must lead the world with mutual respect, compassion and understanding of friendship. He rejected Bush’s cowboy diplomacy based on ‘my way or high way’ policies. However, Bush’s foreign policies fostered dictators around the world such as Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Parvez Musharaf of Pakistan, and Khaddafi of Libya. The Republican administration also groomed all the undemocratic Kings, Emirs and Sultans against the will of their own people in the Middle East . Is it American democracy?  Obama rightly said that this should not be called American ‘foreign policy’. Now, over 4000 American soldiers died as a consequence of faulty administrative decisions. This war ruined Iraq and its economy for ever and killed over a million Iraqi people. We need to change these failed policies in the Middle East and around the world.

CHANGE IN THE WHITE HOUSE:

We have trillions of dollar budget deficit and trade deficit, popularly known as “twin-deficits”. Due to the failed policies, America now became a borrowing nation from the lending nation over the decades. The value of the US dollar is continuing to fall in terms of all major currencies in the world. There is a huge, almost a trillion dollar trade gap between the United States and China . Both recession and inflation are moving forward hand in hand to ruin the entire economy. Unemployment is also rampant. It created a stagflation in the US economy. The property market is destroyed. However, Bush-Cheney, Condi and McCain could not see it that way. Only Obama can see it and he can fix it.

(J. Posman,A. Taher, S.Ali, M. Yunus, M. Keizs, A.    Quseam,  R. Bari & Griffeth at York College)

 He believes in micro manage in economy. I see his poverty alleviation policies are similar to that of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and the father of Grameen microfinance from Bangladesh . Obama’s mother was one of the early pioneers in

   

   (Abu Taher, Dr. Yunus, Dr. Ali, and Bari)

microfinance movement in Indonesia from 1988 to 1992. It is surprising to know that almost $30 billion dollar is now invested under this microfinance program around the world including United States . Obama supports the microfinance method for the poor people around the world to alleviate poverty and changing the world. We need change in the White House. We need a leader who is pragmatic and courageous enough to stand against lobbyists and other interest groups. Barack Obama is that leader. Let us support Obama for the president of the United States .

Dr. Showkat Ali, author and noted intellectual, teaches at Long Island University. He is the President of Bangladeshi American for Obama 2008. He could be reach: showkat3@aol.com

 Note: This article was published on: The Daily Bangladesh Today

http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/archive/June 08/14-06-2008.htm

 

                                

                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            

 

 

                                                     
                                                      

                                          

 

 

 

 

 

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