Monday 8 March 2010

I'm very happy because I voted!!!



I'm so happy that I managed to vote for my country Iraq.It was very important for me to join our people inside Iraq who decided to participate in the election despite threats by the terrorists.


I'm pleased that Iraqi people once again has Defeated terrorism.We're just moving in the right direction and the future will be so bright for all the Iraqis.


May ALLAH bless all the Iraqi people wherever they are and guide the winner candidates to honesty serve their people and their country without any weakness or discrimination.

Saturday 28 November 2009

Happy Eid Al Adha To All of You!!!



HAPPY EID FOR ALL THE IRAQIS AND THEIR BROTHER, SISTERS & FRIENDS!!!

Wish You A Very Happy Eid Al Adha!!!

Khalid Ibrahim

Thursday 1 October 2009

A Happy mamma Duck Updates

I belive some of you still remember the story of Happy Mamma Duck and her nine babies. I will try to give you some updates about this nice family.

First of all, let me tell you that we lost three out of the 9 babies. The fox kidnapped two babies:



While the cat brutally killed a third baby:



So after all the killing, the remaining family includes the lovely and dedicated mother together with her six babies:



Have a look and you can see for yourself that the baby who was initially yellow colored is totally white now. For us this's not less than a miracle:



Not only white but she is the only sister for her five remaining brothers. She is so beautiful, brave, independent, adventurous and tried her best all the time to be close to her mum and also to look after her brothers and to be there for them.

She is showing an early leadership in this picture:



While here, she proves to be ready to go as far as it takes:



Myself and my colleagues enjoyed looking after them and feeding them 24 hours so they grew up so fast.I have to say that we brought for them some special tasty tablets full of vitamins so they used to run toward us whenever we tried to see them.

During the last week of their stay they continued checking out their wings and just two weeks ago we arrived in the morning to see that they have gone!!!

Farewell, my friends and confidantes!
As you go, so must all
Return upon the well-worn path
Each soul must travel by.
Wend where you will, our wanderers,
Even as you stay
Long-treasured in the lonely hearts,
Loved well, though far away.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

HAPPY EID!!!


May ALLAH Accept Your Fasting!!!
May ALLAH Honour You!!!
May ALLAH Forgive you!!!
May ALLAH Inspire You!!!
May ALLAH Mercy and Protect You!!!

HAPPY EID FOR ALL MUSLIMS AND THEIR FRIENDS!!!

Wish You A Happy Eid.

Monday 31 August 2009

Multiculturalism?No sir, It's a Joke!

I have worked very hard to promote the so called Multiculturalism in my city. I established many Multicultural initiatives including diver(c)ity, a magazine deals with intercultural issues. I brought to my College the joyful "International Food Festival", which runs every year. I aimed -with my colleagues- to bring people from different backgrounds to meet and be friends in order to discover for themselves the richness of other cultures. I'm very much involved with some NGOs, that focus on Multiculturalism, human rights and social justice.

Having said all that, I should mention the fact that I have discovered from my long on going experience that Multiculturalism is fine if it is about having a meal or a brief chat. However if you are talking about real life then I afraid Multiculturalism is no more than a joke.

First of all think with me about any possible answers for the following questions:

Does Multiculturalism in your view mean that ethnic minorities should keep their culture and tradition or they should adopt what the host country thinks is good and fit for them?

Does Multiculturalism mean that the host nation is superior and the ethnic minorities have no roots or pride and as such they have no any entitlement to whatever they think is right for them?

Could we say that Muticulturalism is a voluntary interaction between all cultures to have a healthy society in which people are equals and recognize each other's entitlement to free religion, culture and tradition?

Do you think we could agree about a specific definition for Multiculturalism?

I have to tell you that there are many other questions and the reality is, people have different answers, approaches and expectations which actually make the process of Multiculturalism difficult if not impossible.

I have lived in the west for many years and needless to say I have met many good people but I have to say that there are many communities here that live in fear of who are often referred to as "foreigners who are here to take our money", why do they think like that?

What are the implications of this way of thinking on the life of the ethnic minorities? Surely the answers need a complete and focused study to find out the roots of the problem.

Also I met many individuals who are either members of right wing parties or you could describe them as racists. However, the most astonishing thing was when some friends of mine tried to impose their own culture on me just because I live in the west.There is kind of confusion amongst my friends about "what's Multiculturalism is all about?", I was surprised to find some very educated friends telling me what I could describe as an aggressive way to impose their own values upon me. Read the following and see for yourself people's perception of Multiculturalism:

1. Khalid, forget Iraq and try Guinness.
2. Khalid, do you drink?No
do you dance?No
do you have a girlfriend?No
What's the meaning of your life then?
3. How many wives you could have in Iraq at one time?
4. Khalid, you should find a girlfriend.
5. Show some respect and come and drink with us.
6. Khalid, do you in the Middle-East force your women to wear the scarf? Do you also
keep them at home?
7. Why do you not have democracy in your countries?Is it because you love
dictatorship?
8. Why do you treat women badly?
9. How often do you have to beat women in the Middle East?
10.Why do you write from right to left?
11.Do you allow girls only to cook in the Middle East?

There are many other strange questions but these are just some examples to show you the lack of understanding amongst many western people for our religion, culture, values and traditions. I think that's the main reason why almost all the Multicultural marriages failed in our community.

Few years ago, I met a western girl and I thought we could get a future together but I was totally wrong.

She did not want to have kids until she is 35 or 40 while myself I wanted many kids as quick as possible.She feared that getting pregnant would ruin her figure.She also used to drink heavily every week-end and to marry her would meant for me as a Muslim husband to be with her and then carry her on my shoulders. How many times would I have to do that?Probably for the rest of my life if I were to marry her.

Then the straw to break the camel's back came when she went swimming wearing -at least in my view as a Middle Eastern citizen- almost nothing.

The next day I told her:

We should stay good friends.No need to destroy our friendship by trying to impose one's culture on another.We both have every right to be free and nothing like freedom.I would like to keep my values and I do not want to impose them on you.The ending was nice and we remain good friends.

The problem we have these days is that some people in the west think they have a superior culture and the others who are coming, for example, from the Middle East should learn from them.However, I strongly believe that there is no better or superior culture of any kind.We are all equals as responsible people and have the same entitlement for whatever we think is fitting for our life.

We should accept each other as we are.My or your religion, culture, tradition and values are no one's business as far as they are within the law of the land and reflect my and your legal entitlement. This fact should be protected and respected.

I do not believe in Multiculturalism if it means that I should forget my history and culture to adopt other cultures that I had never encountered before.

Multiculturalism is not going to work with people who are brought up to believe that their culture is the absolute truth and the ethnic communities should follow them; does not matter for that crowd if the minorities are obviously not willing to do so.

Multiculturalism is a joke if only the minorities are always ready to accept the others who think they have the superior culture, and not ready to move one step forward in recognition to the fact that minorities will bring enrichness to any society in which they live.

I conclude by saying that Multiculturalism, if it does not mean freedom for all cultures, should be rubbished.Those who are trying to create conflicts between the different cultures should leave people enjoying their life and building their successful future in the way they think is most suitable to their culture and values.

Friday 21 August 2009

RAMADAN MOUBARAKرمضان مبارك

Monday 29 June 2009

A Happy Mamma Duck & a dead Pigeon

I have two stories, which I would like to share with you.
Let me start with the happy story which took place when, on my arrival to work about ten days ago, I herd a mama duck quacking loudly at the nearby pond of water. So, I went quickly over there to see something really amazing happening. The mamma duck was in actual fact encourging her nine babies to jump into water, something which typically takes place in the first 48 hours of a duck successfull hatching.I looked at the mamma duck and her nine babies and I screamed on my mobile phone with glee as I asked my friends to join me because I felt so happy.



No doubt the ducks family reminded me that in Iraq we used to have big families, but not anymore.However, I still love to have a big family of my own.


One of the babies is yellow colored which is a very unusual color for a duck to have. My friends started to talk about genetics theories, weak and strong genes. However, one of them suggested that it could be that the mamma duck has cheated on her husband with a very attractive rooster which we keep in the garden surrounding the water pond.


The second stroy is a very sad story.
Last Saturday, as I was walking through the garden in my way to our office, I met face-to-face with a male pigeon that was not able to move.I walked closely to him but he was not attempting to run away or to fly.



I took him in my hands and assured him that he is more than welcome in here.He looked so vulnerablehe and weak.I put him back on the ground and left a bucket of water and some cereals beside him but he did n't show any interest in them either.



He closed his eyes and I started talking softly to him.

Where's your father? Where's your mother?
Do you have any brothers and sisters?
well, do you not have any cousins or friends?
The friend in need is the friend indeed but sadly enough you have none of them.

What happened to you?Why are you so lonely?
Do you want to show your discontent with the war, killing, and human arrogance?

Do you want to protest agains the continuous destruction of our lovely planet by profiteering humans?

Could it be because you are in love and your heart was destoryed by an unfaithful lover?
If your lover dumped you, please don't die, just be strong and get over it!

To this end, he fell on his left side and passed away.

I felt so sad the whole day.