Comments for State of the Homeland at http://www.moroccoboard.com , comment 1 to 14 out of 14 comments http://www.moroccoboard.com Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:43:17 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2536 aren't there any more serius things we can discuss than the behavour of casawis going down the street. We need to discuss some real issues in order to bring morocco on the path of progress. 1.) In Morocco, the indigenous people, the Amazigh, despite being in the majority, suffer from a Bathist Government’s segregation. 2.) In Morocco, despite a population which is for the majority Amazigh speaking, the state created six Arabic television stations and refused to create even one in Amazigh. 3.) In Morocco, Arabic is the official language, whereas Amazigh is disowned and contemptuously rejected by the different levels of administration. 4.) In Morocco, it is strictly prohibited to use Tifinagh writing in public space, commercial shops and otherwise. 5.) In Morocco, the Arabs back racism to the point of preventing inhabitants of Morocco from giving Amazigh names to their own children. 6.) In Morocco, the Arabs tolerate only Saudi names and even a large number of cities and regions have already been arbitrarily Arabicised. 7.) In Morocco, the history of its inhabitants is occulted in preference of that of Saudi Arabian history. Even a young Moroccan will know the life of Mohammed and the different Saudi dynasties by heart and yet know nothing about his own ancient history. 8.) In Morocco, the Arabs have been erasing Amazigh culture decade after decade. 9.) In North Africa, the Amazigh people, despite the prevalence of racism, refuse to - Majid berkani Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:28:14 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2503 Of Diana krall's lyrics I dare to twist "Use your mentality, wake up to reality. for it time I do try to read you, it makes me want to stop before i start" Man you're still agonizing over leaving this land ! I can see it, between your lines and through your incoherence. you just need to find your way out of casablanca huh ? Sounds familiar ?? It must be despair...Again !! Of Mice and Men the best quote "I seen hunderds of men come by on the road, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an' they quit; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it." Measurement of individual success potential and emotional intelligence is far beyond certain IQs for it requires acceptance of others and intangible smart melting into the host society, in your case America, that gave you a sens of what freedom of speech means, gave you a compass at last and got you out of hibernation! just admit it for once, you still love America, you just cant get over her love! Pete yorn will tell you in his lyrics "Come back home for another year And ask yourself if you could handle this" And if you dont get it...Just s't up and drive ! Yours truly. The Lizard King ! - Of mice and men ! Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:55:40 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2500 Makes me decide moving back to Morocco to be happening ever sooner then I thought, I apreciate very much the way you write about the energie there it seems to be going on in each different city. I m not familiar with Casa, but Tangier and Tetuwan use to be very quiet and not that much noisy. Imagine with so much devollepements it must be turning to what you looking for. - Layla Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:34:52 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2479 Talking just about the coties in morocco, boy how about the juridical system they have as well, to have my marriage & divorce papers to be processed at the court house it is a nightmare, and everywhere you look you encouter those faces of scavengers asking you money to solve your problems. Guess what? did not surrender it's been 4 months i am still waiting for the papers, and no matter how long it takes, God Bless U S A, I learned how to do it without any corruption...but never again, be aware nothing changed execept buildings and resorts for the interest of the government. - Mhamed Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:27:42 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2477 Good article overall. I am personally regaining the homeland after 21 years in the US and I am looking forward to it despite all the negativity surrounding Morocco. The progress that Morocco has seen so far in very dismal and the country has a long way to go. What was done so far is similar to a "band Aid" effect in which we are only treating the symptoms and not the disease itself. Can someone name one innovation that Morocco was behind in the last 20 years, Nada!!!! We are so prefect at copy cat and all our businesses operate in a very unethical way, just to name few. Casablanca is the center of Morocco economy and as any large metropolitan city, it has its own problems and no matter what you do to address any of these problems, the ignorance of some of the inhabitants will only hinder any positive steps to alleviate some of these problems to make live better. Allah m3a al Jami3 - benito Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:35:30 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2476 For those of us who left a decade or two ago, going back is out of the question. Some like Mr Kadiri are toughening up to stay alive in the middle of total Casablancan anarchy. I sure hope that it will last for him, I know few people who decided to go back but in in no time i saw them packing their bags and coming back and swearing to never set foot in Morocco again. Morocco is good for those who want to retire in dignity and not be thrown in a nursing home. The truth is that we got used to convenience in here and many of us are not ready to go back to a lawless no man's land. Many of us like tha fact of picking up the phone and take care of business instead of staing in lines for hours, may of us like that fact that when you ae ill, you ae in good hands here, In casablanca, you enter Morizgo a the likes , you end up in shohada cemetery. - brazzilino Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:57:48 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2475 If the noise of vehicles are the worst concern you have when you visit downtown Casablanca, I suggest you travel a bit further in and outward of the city. Casablanca is the biggest metropolitan city in Morocco, when you talk to Americans, in particular those who never visited Morocco, They romanticize about visiting it an seeing the street where Mr. Rick used to walk before entering his exotic cafe. The reality on the ground is much different than that, on one hand you have the Beverly hills like mentions and residences in Ain Diab, some of which were built and are barely visited by the petrodollars. The other side of town you find Hay Mulay Rachid, Hay Sidi momen and other new slums appearing overnight in the Outskirt of the city such as "Karial Toma" and Tqalia . These slums are in part inhabited by villagers who have left their dry villages for the promise a big city could bring, looking for better opportunities and ultimately receiving the title "CASAWI", they live in slums that are sometimes hidden behind high white walls , segregated in Ghetto like communities and lacking basic necessities such as water and sewer systems. All inhabitants of these slums have received a certificate of residency issued by a central government official( Mqadam) which means that there are people living in less than Human conditions and are sanctioned by the Kingdom of Morocco. I can not help but to compare Morocco's strategy, whether during the rein of Hassan II or Mohamed VI to that of a young child who was asked by her mother to clean her room and instead she kept sweeping all the dirt and storing it under the bad. Morocco is changing and some Moroccans are feeling the positive change. Others are seeing a deterioration and that is also true. Morocco's north is experiencing a revival and I sure hope that is will last. My biggest fear and that of many concerned Moroccans is that all these positive cosmetic changes are not based on a real development strategy. Some argue that it is based merely on the mood swing of the top decision maker in Morocco "namely the king". This scepticism is justifiable considering the recent history of Morocco. King Hassan II gave all his attention and Morocco's resources to Southern Morocco by building road, cities and giving "privileged status" to the young men and women in Sahara(Achbal Alhassan). This attempt to buy the love of the Sahrawi has backfired, because most Moroccans of the interior (Dakhel) including Casablanca's felt marginalized. The Sahrawi themselves started feeling the wrath from almost every Moroccan. The privileged status that the Sahrawi enjoyed has also caused them to have a huge chip on their shoulder, some started asking whether they were being bought with the right amount or should they ask for more. Others reacted by expressing their Sahrawi pride and refused to be bough. Consequently, the resolution of the Sahara Issue has stalled in part for this reason. King M6 is now focussing on the north and is trying to remedy the resentment created by many years of old mutual despise between the Rif region and the throne. His move should be commended and applauded considering how Spain has exploited this anger to strengthen it hold on Sebta, Melilia and even inserting it nose in the Sahara issue. - Ash-lah Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:03:58 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2473 You gave me hope in a better tomorrow in Morocco... Glad to see someone talk positively of their experience upon their return to our great land. Not sure I'm ready for the huge leap, but it is promising. - Zainabest Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:40:18 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2472 I do not have enough time to spend in Morocco to experience what you had but I can tell you that while reading about the traffic part in Casablanca and how surprising the North of Morocco had changed, I can honestly said that I could not have express it better. Loved you article. - Aziz Nouhaili Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:50:44 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2470 Great article by a very "eloquent" writer. Good luck in DarElBeida... - ElBahja Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:06:10 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2468 Great article from a great perspective. You never waisted a minute from your experience in Pennsylvania I can tell. The way you think shows your education also your music gift. Casablanca has always been the city of disorder from the 20s. City of greed and nouveau rich or extreem poverty. Now that desease has spread to other large cities. Take the example of Fez!!! and that says all about Today's New Morocco. You have been fair in your article and I applaude you for it. Good luck to you in your career there. Hope you will find a position somewhere with less chaotic noise outside of the New Jersy Turnpike(Casablanca). - Hamid Mernissi Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:51:32 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2466 Nicely written article. I experienced all the issues you mentioned in your article. I agree with all your comments except the one about the pedestrians in Casalbalca sidewalks; in most cases they are forced to walk in the pavements because of the obstructed sidewalks. The obstruction can be trash, construction, sidewalk venders,... - Ahmed boutkhil Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:12:47 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2462 "there is also an environment where young educated folks with good diplomas can actually find decent paying jobs, quite easily nowadays." and a few lines underneath : "Certainly wages are not yet where we’d want them to be but they are certainly up substantially from years past and with very solid benefit packages, health insurance and so forth." You must be kidding, right? Decent paying jobs? You'd better say so to hundreds of unemployed youth bumming around all day long!!! - frufritt Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:41:50 +0100 http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/40-karim-kadiri/609-state-of-the-homeland#comment-2461 Brilliant, well-written post. - Sarah Alaoui Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:35:34 +0100