From Editorial’sDesk – Shahrokh Ahkami – Persian Heritage #84, Winter 2016
With the arrival of the New Year, as always I wish our readers worldwide peace. I hope that the New Year will be the one that ends the death of the innocent people in war torn countries, especially those in the Middle East and Northern Africa, who severely suffer. Let’s hope that this is the year my hopes and wishes come true.
The outcome of our Presidential election was unexpected to the citizens of this nation and the world. All political parties present in this election campaigned for equality and freedom. Depending on your party choice, however, equality and freedom have different meanings. In the end the losing party’s constituents were disappointed. Immediately following the results, protests erupted. They continued to grow, and as promised by some of the protest leaders they will continue to grow and spread across the United States.
It was interesting to me to find out that teachers even in the elementary grades encouraged their students to engage in discussions about the candidates and issues. Some of these discussions became so heated that the initiating teachers were forced to end heated arguments. The weekend preceding the election I had the opportunity to go on an outing with my grandson Tristen, age ten. He asked me if we could discuss the electoral process and the candidates, Mrs. Hillary Clinton and Mr. Donald Trump. I was surprised by the request and complied. “Papa, did you know that in the United States of America if I wanted I could vote for Mickey Mouse, that I am free to?” I answered by saying, “Tristen, we have four candidates and four parties running for this position, Republican, Democrat, Liberal and the Green Party. Tristen vehemently replied, “Papa, besides those options, as US citizens we can write in anyone we want to, including a cartoon character.” Surprised by his knowledge, I asked him what he thought the benefit was in writing a name of someone who had no chance to win the election. With a surprised and disappointed look on his face Tristen firmly answered, “PAPA I thought you understood what I meant by saying we could vote for Mickey Mouse. I know that voting for someone other than those on the ballot would be a waste of my vote, BUT it shows me that as an American I have the right to vote for whom ever I want without fear.” I remained completely in shock!
This discussion with Tristen made me remember elections in Iran, where a few older men, members of the Guardian Council picked who they wanted on the ballot. Even after the election Iranians knew their votes would be changed to reflect the Guardian Council’s choice; often allowing the least popular candidate to win. Protesters of these results met the batons, bullets and tear gas of the military and police, or they were arrested and thrown into jails, brutally tortured (some died during the torture) and some executed. My grandson’s words brought me back to old memories of my birth place Iran, a land which I left over 50 years ago and yet still long for. I have made my new home thousands of miles away as an American citizen yet I yearn for the love of the people and the land after all these years. And I know I am not in this alone, that there are many like me who are living away from their birthplace yet they are also feeling nostalgic reminiscing about their childhood memories. Tristen was still sitting next to me. I looked at him with his face so content. I was so happy that he did not ask me if the people in Iran shared the same voting freedoms as him. I would have been troubled by his possible reaction to my explanation regarding the voting rights in Iran.
Getting back to the election… for months prior to November 8, the majority of the people and the media believed that the Democrats and Hillary Clinton would prevail. On Election Day all of our grandchildren asked Bibi and I if they could watch the results with us, as grandparents we were honored. What we thought and were led to believe by the media, pollsters etc. was to be a short night, continued for hours. Slowly all but one went to bed, leaving 12 year old Kevin, who stayed to the end.!
These unexpected results brought me back to my early days in London, after graduating from medical school in Iran. It was the fall of 1966. My command of speaking and understanding English was minimal, but I must say I was trying! I had to make a decision of what area I wanted to specialize and decided to pursue Obstetrics and Gynecology. I was invited to be interviewed for a residency position. There were ten other individuals there for the interview, one was an Iranian woman who graduated from medical school one year behind me. Because she had prior OB/GYN experience she was certain she would be awarded the position. In fact, per conversations between the candidates the only person interviewing who had no chance was none other than me. After the interviews were completed, the door opened and the name called was Dr. Shahrokh Ahkami. I got the position and the Iranian woman, without congratulating me or looking at me, stormed out of the room.
Once again back to the election… Similar to me being the unlikely person to get the residency position because of no experience and minimal English, the pollsters and media believed Donald Trump, with his character and inexperience in politics and government, would not win the nomination of the Republican Party let alone the election. This election was one of the most negative I have ever seen since I began following US elections back to Nixon and Humphrey. Instead of the candidates addressing the important issues facing their candidacy, the world and America, they were more involved in character assassination. In the end Donald Trump triumphed despite the alleged scandals, despite his lack of political and governing experience and despite what all the professional pollsters, and news people predicted. At approximately 3:04AM November 9, 2016 Mr. Trump was elected to be the 45th president of the United States. Mrs. Clinton did win the popular vote, but the presidential election in the United States is decided by electoral votes.
The results as I stated, brought me back to my residency. It showed that the silent majority in the United States, made up mostly of whites, without higher education and members of the middle class were ready for a change. They were tired of being discarded and abused. With anti-government feelings they silently cast their votes for Mr. Trump!
The election has left some of all ages, educational levels, financial levels and those seeking a more liberal direction for the United States disappointed. Some are afraid and wonder if the progress made will be reversed or eroded.
The question that remains for all of us is if President elect Trump with his inexperience in politics and governing (outside of business experience) will be a good president or, will his presidency increase the unhealthy separation between us?
But, I remember that I too was an inexperienced candidate for the OB/GYN residency program. Only through dedication to my studies, hard work, sacrifice and surrounding myself with excellent mentors was I able to reach a level of high success in my profession. I am confident that Mr. Trump will use his wisdom and surround himself with those who will support him and with that result in a Presidency that will be a positive step for the United States, internationally and domestically. Internationally, I hope he will implement a way to remove the United States and other super powers from the war torn areas of the Middle East. These areas the land and the people have suffered in so many ways; loss of lives, separation of families, loss of homes, loss of dignity. Domestically, I trust that he will work hard to increase jobs, reform healthcare and respect individual constitutional rights; that he will understand the plight of the refugees and immigrants, the sacrifices they have made to protect their families from brutal dictators and war; and that he will treat them FAIRLY and with RESPECT.
We must remember that these refugees left their livelihood and beloved land out of desperation and chose to come to the United States “the cradle of liberty, progress and achievements”.
Following the election there were protests in the streets. Such protests will continue and increase if the voices fall on deaf ears by the new administration. But these demonstrations, on the streets of the United States should be an example to the brutal dictators of the world like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran. You cannot rule by fear, beating, torture, bullets and execution. Voices must be heard and compromises made. The ability of citizens to practice the freedoms of religion, speech, voting and peaceful demonstrations is what separates the civilized countries of the free world, from those where dictators reign. Dictators, who see their people as sheep and their roles as shepherd, to lead them only into one direction.
I look to 2017 with continued hope for a peaceful world for all of us, who share the same stars, moon and sun.