Arab World uprisings.

Many people have asked me lately - what do you think of the events in the Arab World at the moment? While no one knows where these uprisings will lead, below are some thoughts on where it came from (an article I wrote for another publication).

Unlike the standard military coup d’état, what’s happening in the Arab world today are People-uprisings. This is significant and exciting. It’s significant because the impetus for change is not coming from a few high ranking military men with guns at hand, but from millions of young men and women with mobile devices in their pockets. It’s exciting because ordinary people are achieving extraordinary things because they’re hungry for change!

What makes millions of people stand up to their corrupt and well armed leaders? I suggest it comes from a deep sense of shame and disempowerment. This new generation of Arabs feel ripped off! The promises their grandparents passed on to them that very soon they would reap the rewards of wealth and self rule have failed miserably. Vast numbers of Arab people are poor and weak, subject to rich and powerful dictatorships. The dream that the average Muhammad and Fatima would feel some sense of self-rule has died. The hope that the Arab nations under Arab leadership would be run for the people has been dashed. At the same time, the iron-fisted aggression of these governments has now been exposed as meek revolutionaries upload incriminating evidence to Facebook or tweet the details to their compatriots. This convergence of desperation and technology has empowered the wave of revolution to just keep on rolling in.

So far two governments have toppled, and several others are being shaken. The word “democratiyya” (democracy) is heard in the Arab world more today than ever before, but not only will it sound different in Arabic, it will look different too. These nations are Muslim, and if they establish new governments truly elected by the people for the people, they will be new Muslim democracies. Muhammad on the street sees presidents like Ben Ali and Mubarak as secularised leaders, and he longs for a good Muslim head of state to usher in security and prosperity. I suspect the people will demand greater Islamic government from their new leaders, meaning the church is not necessarily in for an easier ride. However, the good news is that the revolutionaries are not extremists and (in Egypt at least) have shown their solidarity with their Christian neighbours in some very encouraging ways. One incident in Alexandra saw thousands of Muslims acting as “human shields” for Christians at Coptic New Years Eve celebrations in January. “We either live together or die together” was their slogan. Millions of Egyptians also changed their Facebook pictures to the image of a cross within a crescent – symbolising an “Egypt for all.” (source: ethnologue.com)

So, as we continue to reach out to this hungry generation, pray for Muslim and Christian relations to be blessed, there is much to be hopeful about.

Culture change, cultural values, & Kiwis

One of the fascinating things about culture is that it is constantly shifting. Like tectonic plates societies gradually move as the thinking and behaviour of their peoples alter with time. And like their seismic counterparts societies occasionally experience big shifts that really shake people up. Immigration is one of those shifts that is impacting many countries and, according to experts, is only going to increase.

So what does this mean for New Zealand? I suggest it means more mosques, more burqas, more covered girls in schools, more Indians behind the counter, fresh expressions of art, alternative greetings, more accents on the phone, and more "Kiwis" getting upset about immigration. It also means more colourful variety in communities, new terminology being introduced, new recipe combinations being tried, new fashion developing ...

One thing I like about New Zealand culture is our relaxed acceptance of other people. But so often it comes with a rather naive hope that they will keep to themselves and we won't impact each other. The reality is, of course, we will. How we influence each other depends on how we relate together. Reports from the Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research (Victoria University Wellington) state that the more interaction different ethnic groups have with each other, the more the intergroup respect grows between them (presuming the interaction is positive), and furthermore, this reduces intergroup fear. This all seems pretty logical to me! However, it does seem easier to stay apart and worry, than to take initiative and meet strangers.

I suspect that apart from the common hesitation to bowl up to strangers and "interact" more, many people are concerned that immigrants will change society by eroding our prized way of life. I would like to hear your comments on two things:

1. what are your most prized "Kiwi" values - what's really important to you?
2. how do we continue to grow in ethnic diversity AND maintain our core values?

Please leave your thoughts. If you don't have an account just email me.