Comments on: What the Nihilists Think

By: eatbees

eatbees — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:38:32 +0000

Emilie, thanks for your interest! I don’t know what happened to intikhabat.com but I think it was never really an organization, just a group of individuals who decided to do something for the elections last year. About getting together to talk, unfortunately I’m not in Morocco but in the U.S. If you’re interested in the perspective of Doga the young Moroccan who wrote the first part of this post, please contact me at write[at]eatbees.com and I can put you in touch with him.

By: Emilie Francois

Emilie Francois — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:50:12 +0000

Hi
Im really interested in this piece as I am doing a PHd on Morocco – that link for intikhabat.com isn’t working – are the people who did that still active? I’m also due to be in Casa durng the week of the 16th of November – i’d love to chat if you have time.

Great work in any case!
M’slma

By: Hisham

Hisham — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:26:22 +0000

@eetbees: would you (or any of your commentators be interested in participating on a Radio Phoning program on the BBC World Service this evening at 1700GMT. The program is World Have Your Say and it has a considerable world audience. Tonight they are dealing with the topic of the legislative elections in Morocco. I’ll be participating so as -I believe-many other Moroccans. I was thinking it would be great if you or any of your dedicated commentators could take part. If it’’s OK, all you have to do is send an e-mail at worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your phone number and they will call you back.

By: Hisham

Hisham — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:17:46 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. As for the boycott of the process as favored by Doga, it is perfectly understandable. As you rightly pointed out, the problem in morocco is constitutional. I would add another layer; which is psychological: peoples’ mentality is gridlocked by years of abuse of power to the point that servility has become part of the average Moroccan’s behavior and mentality. A lot of work is needed by people like us who have had the chance to study and learn and free themselves from the shackles of either religion or the Makhzen.

By: eatbees

eatbees — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 22:28:02 +0000

@Hisham — It’s true, if I were a Moroccan I would vote for the PSU. Do you think any of their candidates stand a chance?

Even as an American I often feel that I’m throwing my vote away. For example, putting Democrats in control of Congress has done nothing to stop the war in Iraq. But I’m not so much of a “nihilist” as to believe that it makes no difference at all who is in power.

There is one difference between the U.S. and Morocco. In the U.S. the principle of “We the People” is 230 years old and has survived many challenges. Our Constitution is currently under threat, but it still offers us its protection. It is what stands between us and absolutism. Morocco is starting in a different place. The “Years of Lead” have left scars, bad habits of subervient thinking. The system itself has shown it can be an obstacle to democratic hopes. Changing that system in basic ways can only happen with the king’s permission. So I have some sympathy for people like Doga who feel that at this stage in Morocco’s evolution, voting means participating in a lie.

Here is where I stand. Whether in the U.S. or Morocco, every vote matters, but voting alone is not enough. We need to magnify our vote through citizen action. We need to practice our basic rights, such as the right to organize or the right to freedom of speech. We need to work with those around us, educate through example, and rather than waiting for permission from above, transform society from within.

By: Hisham

Hisham — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:16:47 +0000

Great post as usual.
I must admit, I have some sympathy for the PSU and may have been tempted to vote for them if I were in morocco, despite the non-sensical nature of the whole process, just to support a party that seems to me much cleaner and of much, much quality than the rest. I don’t think it’s totally pointless to support people who may have some nuisance power by putting them inside the system. what do you think?

By: eatbees

eatbees — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:53:10 +0000

@adilski — Thanks for your encouraging comment, which I passed on to Doga. We discussed it a bit, and decided that al-Masae is the newspaper that would most likely be interested in such a piece. Translating what he wrote into Arabic would certainly be no problem for Doga since that’s his native language, but the biggest problem is that we’re running out of time. The elections are only two days away, and Doga has other obligations tomorrow (he is in Casa looking for work).

At any rate, I know that comments like yours encourage Doga to keep contributing his thoughts to this blog, so thanks for letting us know are out there, and that you appreciate what he has to say!

By: adilski

adilski — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:42:38 +0000

This is a great piece. I wish it can translated into Arabic and published on Moroccan papers, if they can.

By: adel

adel — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:13:30 +0000

Here’s an offer you can’t refuse, my vote! just pick a party…