Hesham: Secularism: One nation under God

Submitted by Viking Woman (Kuwait), May 9, 2008 at 06:27

Secularism does not mean freedom to do whatever you like.

You see, my country was based on "One Nation under God" never one nation under a leader who stayed in power for 50 years and imposed his own laws.

It's a country based on, by the people, for the people, with the leaders fearing the people, not vice versa. I may not care for many of our leaders now, but I do have the inherent right to speak against them without fear of reprisals, such as the blogger in Kuwait recently who was jailed for his comments.

I have the right as a woman to vote for my leaders. I have excellent human right's organizations that listen and take complaints, unlike Kuwait.

Furthurmore, in the U.S. your rights as a foreigner are heard. You have the right to burn a flag in N.Y. City and not be arrested. I don't agree to this right at all, but it exists. I do however have the right to peitition and complain to the ACLU and hire lawyers to sue if I am offended.

It is hardly a perfect system, I agree, yet it's a better system than I've ever seen living in the Middle East.

Before you criticize the Western influences on countries and laws, honestly ask yourself this: Would you prefer an Egyptian or Kuwaiti judge to rule on a lawsuit you've filed? Or, an American judge? After spending years in the Kuwaiti court system, my vote is the American judge. Also, I would prefer a jury of my "peers" as opposed to one judge, who may, or may not be honest.

Also, with all the negatives on the Jewish people, the Jewish lawyers in the U.S. are some ot the most respected, honest lawyers I've seen. So, at the end of the day, my personal preference is the system that was implemented years ago by my forefathers, some of whom were Native Americans.

You have the right to vote for your own laws as well, in your country---when your leaders allow you to.

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