Obama warns against racism, anti-Muslim sentiment in US

January 11, 2017

New Delhi, Jan 11: To deafening chants of "four more years", US President Barack Obama, in his final address as President today, cautioned against everything that incoming President Donald Trump has publicly espoused, including anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-women, anti-gay, pro-Russian and pro-rich sentiments.

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As he ascended the stage in Chicago, the crowds roared "four more years, four more years", even as Obama tried to quiet the very emotional gathering of people who had come to see off the man who finally avenged 9/11, made gay marriage legal and ensured healthcare for all Americans. But today, that man failed to quiet the crowd.

"You can tell I'm a lame duck, because no one is following my instructions," Obama joked, at the start of his address, and followed that up with a big "thank you" to all Americans who gave him a chance to serve as US President. Through most of his speech, Obama was calm and collected - he even joked about people who use social media - but towards the end, as he thanked his wife Michelle, his two daughters and vice president Joe Biden, he teared up.

In his almost-hour long speech, Obama never strayed from one message - that the US democracy is what it is because of its inclusiveness and its promise of equality of economic opportunity for all, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual identity. The thrust of the speech couldn't have been clearer, as Americans head into four years of a Trump presidency. Of a Trump who has publicly vilified women, the weak, immigrants and the poor. Of a Trump who was democratically elected.

"In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy," Obama said, and that statement's import wasn't lost on the crowd. The reference was obvious. America voted Trump to power, and American democracy must go on. But not without the strictest vigilance to ensure equal rights for all.

"Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination - in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system... we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. That's why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans. That's why we cannot withdraw from global fights - to expand democracy, and human rights, women's rights, and LGBT rights - no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem," Obama said.

The US President stressed the importance of economic and social equality, not for a select few, but for all. Again here, the reference was to Trump who has talked about Mexican immigrants being "rapists", about building a wall "to keep out Mexicans" and even about banning Muslims from entering the US. That last election promise of Trump's has watered down some, since he was elected November 8.

That equality that the US constitution has granted has yet to be fully realized, Obama said.

"But we're not where we need to be. All of us have more work to do. After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don't look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children - because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America's workforce," Obama said.

Obama also talked about foreign policy and how foreign powers can also be a threat to US democracy.

"So let's be vigilant, but not afraid. ISIL will try to kill innocent people. But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight. Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world - unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors," Obama said, clearly referring to US intelligence agencies confirming that Russia hacked the US elections to Trump's advantage.

Trump has publicly expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and has dismissed claims of any hacking. In fact, Trump has done it very publicly, thanks to his prolific use of microblogging site Twitter, which appears to be the President-elect's favourite means of communication.

The internet - and the misinformation it spreads - was never more evident than it was during these US elections. Joking about that was something Obama couldn't resist.

"If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life," Obama said to approving applause.
Eight years ago, as Obama ascended the stage following a phenomenal showing in the hustings, his campaign song, Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' was played.

Today, Obama ended his US Presidency by harking back to his 2008 campaign slogan - albeit with a twist.
"Yes We Can. Yes We Did. Yes We Can."

Comments

Rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 11 Jan 2017

America means business....they know how to keep people happy....gay marriage....lesbian marriage....all sorts of marriages....this is ugly...what kind of democracy is it....immoral....not good at all...Obama completed his tenure by bullshitting all those things....

shaji
 - 
Wednesday, 11 Jan 2017

Mr. Obama was a quite acceptable president of USA and he was impartial to all the nationals. Hope Trump will change in thinking towards minorities and other nations.

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News Network
March 28,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 28: A fish meal factory in the Baikampady Industrial area in Mangaluru was gutted in a fire incident on Thursday, officials said.

The factory is owned by the company 'Shihar Enterprises', they said.

According to the locals, the fire was first noticed at 4.45 am today, which was immediately reported to the fire department.

The fire engines reached the spot and tried to douse the fire, but it had already spread to other parts of the factory. After almost four hours of fire-fighting operation, the blaze was completely doused, officials.

The reason for the blaze is still being probed, the fire department officials said, adding that they suspect an electric short circuit could have triggered it.

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News Network
March 25,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 25: Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy on Monday rejoined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Gangavati MLA, who is an accused in an illegal mining case, had formed the 'Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha' (KRPP) ahead of the state assembly polls last year, snapping his two-decade-old association with the BJP.

Reddy today merged his KRPP with the BJP as he, along with wife Aruna Lakshmi and some family members, joined the party in the presence of its veteran leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, state President B Y Vijayendra, and others.

Reddy had recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

However, in the February 27 Rajya Sabha polls he had extended support to the Congress candidate.

Calling it a "home coming", Reddy explained that the move to merge KRPP with the BJP is to "make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister a third time".

"Amit Shah had invited me to Delhi and told me that -- there is no question of extending outside support (KRPP supporting BJP in LS polls) and instead I should join the BJP and work for it, as I took my political birth in the party. Accepting it, I'm joining the party," he said.

Praising Yediyurappa and the leader's contribution in his political growth, Reddy said he is happy that he will be working in the party now with the veteran leader's son Vijayendra.

"I will work as a common party worker along with other leaders under the leadership of Vijayendra. I have not come with any conditions or expectations. Whatever responsibility the party gives me, I will honestly work.

"BJP was always there in my blood, but due to some reasons I had gone out, but today I feel I have come back to my mother's lap. Looking at my brothers here, I don't feel like I'm coming back to the BJP office after 13 years," he added.

Welcoming Reddy back into the party, Vijayendra said his joining will strengthen BJP in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

"Liking Narendra Modi's leadership and accepting BJP's ideology, Reddy has rejoined the party. Reddy has said that Karnataka should have a larger contribution in making Modi PM once again -- to ensure that BJP and JD(S) alliance win all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, he is merging his KRPP with BJP and is joining the party," he said.

Before the assembly polls last year, Reddy had been largely politically inactive for nearly 12 years since his arrest by the CBI for an alleged role in a mining scam. During this period, he had a brief stint ahead of the 2018 assembly polls when he campaigned for his close friend and former Minister B Sriramulu in Molakalmuru Assembly segment.

In the run up to the 2018 assembly polls, the then BJP national president Amit Shah, in response to a reporter's question, had distanced the party from him and stressed that "the BJP has nothing to do with Janardhana Reddy." Accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case, he has been out on bail since 2015. Several conditions were imposed by the top court in its order which includes prohibiting him from visiting Ballari in Karnataka and Ananthpur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

Because of these restrictions, he had to contest the 2023 Assembly polls from Gangavati in Koppal district.

Expressing his displeasure about the way BJP had ignored him, Reddy had announced a new party last year and also took a dig at his brothers -- Karunakara Reddy and Somashekar Reddy -- and Sriramulu, as they remained with the BJP.

The three of them had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls, with Reddy's new party said to have impacted their performance in the election.

Sriramulu, a ST community leader and former Minister is now the BJP's candidate from the Bellary (Ballari) Lok Sabha constituency.

Reddy had played an instrumental role in strengthening the BJP in the Ballari district and is still believed to enjoy a considerable clout there as well as in adjoining districts like Chitradurga, Koppal and Raichur, which could be useful for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by the CBI on September 5, 2011.

The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari in Karnataka and the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy first came to political limelight during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when he campaigned for BJP leader, the late Sushma Swaraj, who had contested against Congress' Sonia Gandhi from Ballari.

Former Congress Minister T John's son Thomas John also joined the BJP today.

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News Network
March 27,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday launched simultaneous raids in multiple places, including Bengaluru and Shivamogga.

Reports suggested that the ongoing raids are in connection with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1. The blast had injured at least ten people as per the police report.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) had launched an investigation alongside the NIA, and the trail of the suspect led them to Tumakuru first and subsequently to Ballari. Investigators believe that the bomb was planted by Mussavir Hussain Shazib, a handler of the Islamic State’s Shivamogga module who was aided by another IS handler called Ahmed Taahaa.

Sources in the know said that Shazib and Taahaa had stayed in Chennai for about a month between January and February using fake credentials. The names of the suspects were identified after they traced the cap worn by Shazib to a shop in a mall in Chennai. The cap, which was abandoned by the bomber in Bengaluru after the blast, was reportedly bought by Taahaa, around January-end.

As per the NIA, Shazib hails from Masjid Road in Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, and Taahaa from Fish Market Road, Soppu Gude, Thirthahalli Rural. Both "wanted" suspects have been termed "absconders" by the NIA.

The NIA has questioned seven jailed terror suspects so far in connection with the blast. The investigation agency had also obtained seven-day custody of a jailed terror suspect named Maaz Muneer Ahmed.

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