World Aids Day... the stigma

In 2001 Heads of State and Government Representatives of 189 nations gathered at the first special session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/Aids. Since then countries around the world remembers that Day on the First of December of every year, we remember the HIV/ aids patients: men, women and children from around the world.

Our Africa is a continent that is plagued with aids. But what is worse than being People living with HIV/ Aids is the stigma of HIV/Aids patients.

The ignorance about the HIV/Aids and how people contract it whether through unprotected sexual intercourse with various sexual partners, blood transfusion, infected syringes specially among drug addicts or from mother to child if the mother is sick. People are always afraid they may contract aids by being close to aids patients when aids can never be contracted except through body fluids such as blood or semen.

We can never forget Late Princess Diana who broke that stigma when she visited and shook hands with aids patients. She changed the peoples' thoughts and helped in understanding better that people living with aids are just very sick people who needed to be taken care of.

It is very sad to lose friends to aids specially when their parents are too ashamed to admit or say that their son or daughter died of aids because they are afraid what other people might say. I lost two of my friends to aids and it is very painful to see the slow death and detoriation of their health, the failing of their organs and there is nothing you can do to help, but only be there and around to encourage them.

Now there are certain medications that can keep them stable if taken consistently; however, if they stop they deteriorate immediately. In Africa, these medications are only available through certain NGOs and there is never a continous supply which threatens the lives of aids patients. So let us put our voices together and ask for help for these patients who cannot talk for themseleves.

Let us ask for more funds for research centers to work of improving the existing medication and to try and breakthrough for a vaccine that can help people avoid contracting such a killer disease.

Let us ask people not to judge aids patients since they are simply patients and humans who need to be treated. Nobody can be sure who may contract the disease in their families or how.

Let us hope for a healthy world and may God bless and protect us all.

So Much for Protecting Us

Could not hold my tears and my heart went out to the family of the lady and mother who died in Assuit, Upper Egypt. The lady was threatened by a Police officer to undress her, her daughters and her daughter in law on the street if she did not cooperate.

The police searched both houses of the late lady Zeinab Hussein Ahmed (45) looking for arms and when they did not find the arms they were looking for, the officer threatened her to undress them all in front of their village.

The Lady and mother dropped dead. She could not take the humiliation and disgrace in front of her neighbors and friends. Moreover, the police officer refused to call an ambulance and the lady died rather than being dishonored.

What exactly are the police suppose to do: protect us, help us, serve us the people or disgrace us.

This story in its essence reminds me of how the war on Iraq started, there were allegations that Iraq owned Chemical weapons, let us threaten with a war on Iraq, let us start a war on Iraq.... and look where we are now.

People always revolt against injustice, and when treated in a manner that degrade their humanity.

Please have heart and know you are dealing with really fragile people who need your help, support and understanding not your intimidation, bullying and terrorizing.

Think of your mothers and sisters before you act in such an irresponsible manner which has no manners.

International Terrorism Triggered!!!!

What is the reason for this lethal anger and hate ..... Why are people so angry to the extend of killing innocent people including women, men, old and young children without mercy around the world....

What triggered this international terrorism in countries that were relatively living in peace and had no part in the initiation of these terrorist groups and how are they financed...

Terrorism is as old as time.... in our times, the first one I remember was Carlos and he was a legend who was sought by the Interpol in many countries and they where unable to catch him until many years later in the Sudan where he was living with an alias identity.....

But let me try to analyse who are they and how they have reached this level of anger and hate to their fellow humans:

Are they a group of people who feel they were betrayed by their governments and want to retaliate;

Or

Are they a group of people who want to control the world and force their own dogmas and ideologies;

Or

Are they a group of poor people who want to be heard and terrorism was their only resort to get the attention they need to be heard;

Or

Are they a group of people who doesn't believe in existing systems and institutions and they think by acts of terrorism, they can achieve their final goals that no one knows, but them;

Or

Are they a group of well organized militants who have no problem with finance and wish to implement their fundamentalist ideologies....

And why are their numbers increasing by the day, why the strong believe that they are right and the whole world is wrong; what sort of brainwash do they use on all their victims. Yes, I believe that the recruits who kill themselves are victims to a higher level of criminal minds who manage to captivate them.....

How are they being recruited and are they a structured groups of people, and how organized are they under the circumstances they live in as fugitives and chased...

From the attacks on Egypt in 1992 to the World trade towers in 9/11 to Spain, England, France until Mumbai yesterday, where are they going??? Are they targeting only Westerns or are they making a statement that we surely do not understand.

Is there any other way where we can negotiate to understand what they want and where do they stand???

Please communicate, killing is not an answer specially if all the ones you kill are innocent civilians.

Communicate..... Communicate..... Communicate

Gay Marriages and Human Rights

"Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged: and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why to you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can say to your brother, "Let me remove the speck from your eye" and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite, First remove the plank from your own eye, and you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5)"

Who are we to judge others.  

The personal choices of people are their own affair and in no way we are allowed to single out a certain person because they are gay or not.  Whatever choices people make are theirs and theirs alone. They are responsible for their choices and they live with them.  Our belief system makes us judge others as if we are flawless or without faults.   No government or system should interfere with people choices.

Their personal sexual preferences are theirs and they take responsibility for it;  to separate a couple by force who are in love and who found the real love in a relationship is so unfair.

If they are faithful and sincere in the relationship, they should have equal rights to married couples and if they want their relationship to be blessed in a church, synagogue or temple, they have a all the right to do so.

I have a numerous number of gay friends who are much more sensitive and fragile than many of my other friends;  many of them remain for years undeclared because of family liens or social pressure and are always stressed and unhappy because they cannot come out with it.  They just need to be understood, accepted and treated normally to be able to flourish and develop.

People used to think I am crazy when I told my children at the age of 16 that if any of them was gay, it doesn't mean I will love them less. They are free with their choices and I will respect them.  None of them turned gay, but I tried to teach them that there is nothing wrong with our choices as long as we are happy.

Give them their rights as humans, we talk day and night about human rights when we cannot respect personal choices of humans.  Do we tailor human rights according to our social beliefs and if they differ we fight against them!!!!  I really need answers to set my records straight....

They have rights..... give them their rights!!!!!

Africa Rocks......

We, Egyptians, by nature like always to travel to Europe, North America, even to Asia, but we rarely think of going to any of the beautiful countries which are in our continent Africa.

Actually Africa Rocks..... Truly our continent is so amazing and beautiful, and until I travelled in two of its countries, I had no idea how beautifully primitive, pretty and unexploited are they. I had the chance to visit the Sudan and Kenya twice in the past few years.

I was surprised by the people's warmth and friendliness, let alone the beautiful scenery and diversity of their cities. The cities are so unexploited and the people are so real and kind.

If we invest half of what we invest in Europe in terms of expenses, we can help the continent countries increase their income from tourism let alone doing business with these countries that are still so primitive, natural and beautiful.

Our continent is so rich in raw materials of various kinds and investing in Africa is by the far our best solution to get out of the long coming recession that will be facing our countries and the whole world.

China is investing heavily in both the Sudan and Kenya, and Chinese are are known for their foresight and vision. Can't we follow in their steps instead of always betting our money on the losing horse.

Africa has to unite and use their resources internally to fight the bad years ahead. Is that too much to ask. We have a continent that Rocks and that can be self sufficient and even attract tourism, create export and live happily ever after.

It truly Rocks, and I am truly proud I come from Africa.

Jews on the Nile

I was moved by the article written in the Masry El Youm by Writer Nabil Sharaf El Din (nabil@elaph.com) about the Jews of Egypt titled "Jews from our Country". With great respect to the writer and appreciation for people who really value the essence of this country that has always been the basin of all religions and civilizations, I share and support his views totally and I was happy to realize that people are starting to pay attention to a missing part of our history without which we can never be complete.

I was born in 1962 when most of the Egyptian Jews have already left Egypt. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of being at school or university with any of them.

Not until later in life, that I met some of the Egyptian Jews who stayed behind. They were always of certain age and they have either changed religion to continue to live in Egypt and never raised the issue of religion or they never talked about their religion or mentioned their origins. Some of them had a large part of their extended families moving to live in Israel.

It always saddened me not to be able to discuss and learn from these people. This exchange enriches our minds and cultures and teaches us to respect and accept differences and teaches us also tolerance. This exchange makes us grow and develop, respect differences and others.

My mother used to tell me that when her family was living in Daher, their neighbors who were Jews would ask her as a young girl to help them put the lights on on Saturday. It really amazed me and I wanted to learn more. I truly owe it to my mother who always encouraged us to have different friends and religion was never an issue to talk about. During Ramadan, as a Christian family, we always had friends for Iftar and we always went to some of our Muslim friends for Christmas parties. This was the spirit I was raised in.

Years later I was in Bogota, Colombia visiting a friend with my Ex and he was having a problem with his knee. Our friend recommended a young doctor who spoke English and French to be able to communicate. The doctor was advised that we were from Egypt and he received us, treated my husband and refused totally to take any money. He was a young man of 36 years old.... guess what!!!! His parents were Jews from Egypt who moved to South America. When they knew he is seeing an Egyptian Patient, they asked him not to take money and to tell us that they loved Egypt and missed it. It was coming from the heart of true Egyptians......What more can one say.

People who went to schools in the 50 and early 60 would tell you they never knew who is what. All for one and one for all. However, after the revolution most of the foreigners and Jews left Egypt and young students would wonder where did their colleagues go and why.

Years later, through a dear friend of mine, I visited the Synagogue in old Cairo. For the first time in my life I visited a Jewish religious place. I was at awe because of its beauty and the architectural similarities it had with the Egyptian mosques and churches.

It was about culture, not really about religion. We had similar background, grew up in the same country with a common sets of ethics and values. The difference in religion did not make us loving Egypt less or being less patriotic.

It is a pity that all the Egyptian Jewish monuments and burial places are not being seriously maintained with the respect they deserve. This is part of our history and part of our being a great nation.

Professional versus Personal

In my whole life, I have never seen people who are so mixed up between professional and personal lives like our Egyptian people.

It is so annoying to see people who are so unaware how to set limits between personal and professional acts.

I believe, we are warm and kind people at heart, but we need to understand that our work has to be done with the utmost level of professionalism and efficiency.

There is nothing such as for my sake, or for the prophet sake. It is really a matter of attitude.

People don't wish to work, but expect to be paid the highest possible salaries even if they were not efficient.

People abuse their workplace and use its assets and services without feeling guilty about is as if they own the place;

What is wrong with us, is it our educational system, our ethics have changed, our values are no more there or is it simply that people don't care to separate their personal from professional lives.

The other day, I watch on TV a piece of news that shocked me: a police officer in a street fight pulls out his official gun to shoot a person who was fighting with his brother and killed him.....

Where are we??? What is going through people's minds.... Are we losing control... People wake up before it is too late.

Obama Mania

Obama.... Obama....Obama

What made Obama such a special man, a man who won the heart of the world. Why is everyone so captivated by him and his whole existence....

Does it have to do with all the challenges he faced as a black american man and still overcame all obstacles and became the President of the Unites States of America..

Or
Does it have to do with his bottom up campaign that encourged lots of people specially young people to take part in this election...
Or
Does it have to do with his down to earth attitiude and courage to stand up to other very tough and strong candidates...
Or
Does it have to do with his ability to raise money more than any other candidate in the election....
Or
Does it have to do with his other half Michele Obama who is an educated, cultured, strong and excellent partner to the President Elect Obama...
Or
Does it have to do with all the endorsements he got from people loved and respected all over the world starting with Oprah, Bill Richardson, Caroline Kennedy and many many more....
Or
Is it a God given Charimsa that overcomes all other weaknesses...

I think it is all the above and more and much more that is causing the OBAMA mania.

It is the HOPE and CHANGE that he promised and the whole world is waiting for him to change as if he is the long waited for HERO who will save the world.

People all over the world are hopeless and stagnate in systems that are as old as time and are hoping for something to happen to improve their systems of education, health, energy and all other lives.

Obama... the whole world is waiting for your moves and you are going to be under scrutiny inside and outside the USA. Please don't disappoint us...

God bless you......

Could not believe it until it happened to me!!!

Religion: what is religion, is it our belief system and what we truly believe in. Is religion biased??

Religion clergymen: Who are they, are they saint people or regular people. Do they believe in the righteous thing to follow or they have their own interests and favors to return.

So many questions went through my mind when I had a conversation with the clergyman who took part in my marriage ceremony more than 24 years ago.

Since I was married to an influential man within his religious community, we separated like 4 years ago and I departed from a very unhappy marriage to live on my own in a separate place. Finally, I decided to file for a civil divorce since divorce is very difficult in the Catholic rite.

My Ex deciding he wanted a marriage annulment, his puppet of clergyman comes to me to give me advise saying if I go to the church council and under oath say I don't believe in the christian faith I can get the annulment immediately and said it is called "Al Daimouma". Wondering what is this advise coming from a clergyman, and asking me to lie under oath!!!!!

I answered why doesn't my Ex do what he is suggesting, specially that he is living with a married woman under my home roof and in my bedroom, with my younger son in the house; that it will sound more realistic, he could not answer and repeated that he was just advising me to get a quick annuelment.

Believe me, I have no idea what to think or how to react to such an advise.

Anyone can help me think what I have to believe???