A Brave New World

New Democratic Arab countries? Tyrants falling right and left in the Middle East? Atrocities discovered in various cities in Lybia? Billions of dollars stashed away by said dictators? Ruling families brought to justice or attempting to flee? Is this a brave new world, or at least a partial new world? How will we manage our foreign policy with these "new" Arab countries? With a heavy controlling political hand or with patience and billions in foreign aid, billions that we do not have?

We must be careful; we just might run out of enemies in the Muslim world (OK, just kidding). Iran is still our number one concern, mainly because they ferociously try to build a nuclear weapon and because we are sworn to protect our "beach head", Israel. But if Syria's murderous Assad falls and a real  Muslim democracy is established in that nation, a possibility that Teheran fears above all, our concerns with the Jewish state shall strongly diminish. Would you like to bet that Iran is helping Assad with money and arms to crush the rebellion? On the other side, the U.S. is secretly supplying funds to the rebels (through Tel-Aviv perhaps)?

Obama's strategy to deal with Ghaddafi has been wildly successful; he didn't listen to the hawks in his cabinet. He refused to take the lead in the assault on the tyrant's tanks and planes. He let Europe, yes NATO, become responsible for the bellicose intervention, a first in our foreign policy, and in so doing allowed the rebels to suffer the brunt of the war of liberation. The consequences of these actions are all positive; it's a win-win situation. The new government, or at least its more religious sector, won't be able to accuse America of "invading" their country, as happened in  Iraq and Afghanistan.

After more than 40 years of brutal regimes, several Arab countries will finally enjoy the sweet taste of freedom, and in the process shaming the remaining despotic Muslim nations which systematically abuse the rights of their citizens, especially women. (right Iran?). Their combined success will weigh heavily against the inflexible regimes and motivate their people to rebel as is the case in Syria. Internet, Facebook, Tweeter, and smart phones are all technological tools which bring the truth to all sectors, in spite of the governments' efforts to control the media.

Let us hope that the American government will see the opportunity to make amends, we developed cozy ties with the former rulers, and convince the new governments that we can live in harmony with the Muslim world. We cannot antagonize more than a billion Arabs by acting as the big bully we have been in the past. Working closely with the European Union and pooling our resources, we can no doubt help the new democratic regimes by treating them as equals in the Brave New World.

The European Immigration Turmoil

Americans, when asked their opinion about European countries such as Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, France, and Italy, usually respond with glowing praise for these "socialist" havens. We love to take a vacation in Paris, Rome, Geneva, Stockholm or Oslo, all the while admiring the Old Continent' s easy way of life: going to work on a bicycle, or on the tramway, sipping espressos in the sidewalk cafe, taking a trip on picturesque canals, or even smoking legal marijuana in a Dutch restaurant. Compared to the daily rush hour grind in the U.S., European lifestyle seems much more relaxed, more enjoyable, in short, a paradise on Earth.

Behind this facade of daily bliss, there is, however, a much darker image. My relatives in Europe tell me of a much changed social interaction, where crime is on the rise, and where racial bigotry has raised its ugly head. Immigration from Eastern Europe and Africa has sparked a tense debate among political parties in all western European countries, and voters are beginning to lean toward those groups who oppose lenient immigration laws. The prohibition of "burkas" (full facial veils) in France sparked violent protests in Paris by French Muslims who feel as second class citizens. The construction of a mosque was forbidden in Geneva, the Protestant Rome, again causing public manifestations by the followers of Allah.

The opposition to more relaxed immigration laws is not just against Muslims, though it is by far the most controversial, it also addresses Eastern Europeans who seek better economic conditions. Some of these immigrants have a criminal past in their native country and continue to exercise their unlawful trade in their new home, thus showing very little gratitude for the opportunity to prosper. In Germany, things became so critical in a southern town that federal authorities had to intervene to avoid bloodshed; immigrants from Turkey actually convinced a school district to accept their native tongue as an official German language. They had such political influence that the town almost became a Turkish enclave. From this incident a new law was born forcing newcomers to learn German within a year or face deportation to their home country.

In France and Switzerland, strict new laws allow the State to deport immigrants (even those who are naturalized citizens) who have been convicted of a felony. In some ways, these laws mirror the tough new posture taken by the U.S. toward legal and illegal immigrants. After many years of liberal and generous views toward those who must flee their country because of economic or political conditions, western powers are tightening the restrictions on immigration, due mainly to poor economies and rising voters' move to the right of the political spectrum. Some of the more vociferous complaints by native Europeans touch on the delicate matter of religion, Islam in particular.

The war in Afghanistan, Al-Qaida's threats toward Westerners, the perception that most Muslims are extremists anxious to become martyrs by killing the "Infidels", all these events since 9/11 have contributed to form the conviction in many Europeans (and Americans) that there is a war between religions worthy of the Crusades of the 11th century. "If you come to my country as an immigrant and you don't like our rules and way of life, go back home," is a phrase uttered constantly by right wing followers in the European Union. There is indeed a grain of truth in that statement, especially with regard to Muslim women who, in the eyes of Westerners, are treated very badly in Arab countries.

The full integration of non-white immigrants in  Europe will take a long time, but I am  convinced that eventually, common sense will prevail as it has in the New World.

THE INFLUENCE OF MODERN MEDIA

Our judicial system, sad to say, simply doesn't work, as illustrated by the Casey Anthony tragic case. There is however no better option, unless we give access to quality defense lawyers to every person accused of a crime, irrespective of their financial condition. We could do it by applying the enormous sums of money misspent in foreign wars; imagine how much help we could give destitute people with a trillion dollars already wasted.

While I keep wondering why this little girl's death has drawn so much attention by the media over the last 2 years, my focus today points toward the ever changing role and importance of mass media. True, modern technology allows everybody to keep abreast of the latest news instantly; from the laptop to the smart phone, from traditional means to modern blogs, one can be informed on every topic. That's the beauty of the Internet where the past and the present meet every second of every day. The Web never sleeps and, according to some studies, neither do many teens and adults (O.K., they do sleep a couple of hours).

How is this modern explosion of data changing our society, our world? As in the above criminal trial of Casey Anthony, I suspect that the daily coverage and histrionics of some commentators helped form a sinister image of this young mother. Was the jury influenced by the media in spite of the judge's orders not to read on the subject? Of course they were; after so many months, they could not help being bombarded by opinions on the Net, on TV or on the radio. By the same token, many accused people are "prejudged" by the media, thus strengthening existing prejudices among those who eventually will decide their fate. I am not excluding judges from the media's influence; they are humans as well.

On the good side, the multiple tools created on the Internet, whether Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, e-mails, and of course blogs, have all contributed significantly to the spread of democracy. The Arab Spring is in full bloom, as the masses in these countries can witness the freedom and prosperity enjoyed in the West through their own Internet tools. Tyrants and dictators have in vain tried to block the data. Pictures and videos from cell phones continue to reveal the horrors committed by these totalitarian regimes. More powerful than bullets and tanks, political blogs in Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia and Libia have demonstrated to their rulers that the truth cannot be hidden or killed.

As usual, whenever a new tool is created, some people will try to use it to their own advantage; there are however so many pros to the Internet that the cons are simply not able to compete. We will become a better society, a more informed society , and a society better able to separate the good from the bad. I am all in favor of technological progress, but, as Thomas Jefferson wisely stated:"I never submitted the whole of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself".