For us living in Jordan, the cities are quite festive with hanging banners, pictures and signs plastered everywhere, promoting the various candidates who are running for Parliament on November 20. For the foreign traveler though, it is a different matter. A travel agent that was here with a group last week said that she thought she would avoid coming the next time (4 years from now) when this happens as it was hard to see the loveliness of the city with all of this craziness going on. I can see her point, but then again, the enthusiasm that is being displayed by all of the election signs is uplifting, taking our minds off more serious issues…such as Iraq, Iran, the rising price of oil, the expensive Euro, etc etc etc.
Yesterday Samar Haj Hasan spoke to a group of English speaking ladies (voters) laying out her platform and discussing issues that concern us. She was most impressive and we were left feeling that she would be a very positive choice to represent us from the 3rd district of Amman. When I mentioned this to some friends this morning I had a mixed reaction, with one telling me that she wasn’t going to vote! That caused me to put on my “civic duty hat”, urging her to do what every conscientious citizen should do, meaning….vote! Let’s hope that my argument convinced her and that she, along with everyone else who is eligible, will be at the voting stations in force, on the 20th…even though the government has proclaimed that day a holiday!!!
Good luck to Samar and to the other (over 200) courageous women who are running from the many districts around the country. You are a great example, especially to our youth, and we applaud you and your efforts.
kag
2 Comments:
Did you get this month's issue of JO magazine?? Didn't you wonder why the title of the cover story is not the same on the cover and inside?? Inside, it's a feature about women candidates running for parliament, and it profiles around 10 women... on the cover, it's only Samar, with the title saying "Samar Haj Hassan" in large font
Pick up the issue and see for yourself how odd that seems for a highly respectable magazine that could at least keep the bias subtle.
It might be because Samar's husband owns part of the magazine.. I can't think of another explanation
oh, and that might explain why she is in three other magazines this month, all partly owned by her hubby!
I don't know about you, but that turns me off...
I have read the article in JO, and I was impressed with the level of social interest the elections are attracting this time. Samar does appear in several other magazines, and whether or not her husband owns these magazines, it is only fair to say that Samar Haj Hasan is changing people's attitudes towards how parliamentary elections need to be conducted, especially in Amman.
Election campaigns in Jordan have always taken very little advantage of the media available. Samar's campaign is professionaly utilizing social magazines, radio stations and open air displays to deliver the message. I think that Samar's campaign is an example of how election campaigns need to be conducted...Professionaly!!
I think that Samar is raising the bar! She is a very qualified candidate and she has won my vote! And I do not see a reason why any of us would be upset about the fact that her husband might own the magazines she appears in, unless you're the competition of course...
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