Author Archives: cabalamuse

About cabalamuse

venture down those ominous ways thread into that austere city

Children Anonymous

Posted on December 5, 2012

Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a recent report titled “Lonely Servitude: Child Domestic Labor in Morocco,” published in November 15th, 2012, wrote that the data it compiled between April and August of 2012 suggests the number of child domestic workers … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Child Abuse, Child Labor, Children, HUMAN RIGHTS, Human Rights Watch | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jesus Wouldn’t See That Movie and Mohammed Wouldn’t Go On That Demonstration

Posted on September 14, 2012

Moderate Christians, especially those living in Western nations, are always shocked when they are reminded that Muslims, so unlike them, do not turn the other cheek when their religious symbols are attacked. Mocking Islam is tantamount to hugging a killer … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-US demonstrations, Democracy, Egypt, Freedom of speech, Innocence of Muslims, Islam, Libya, Terrorism, United States | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Coming Out Of The Political Closet

Posted on August 23, 2012

Many see Abdelilah Benkirane’s moments of candor and transparency as a breath of fresh air in Morocco’s political governance today. In a clear departure from the false demagoguery proffered by previous prime ministers, he provides a glimpse of a pervasive … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Ahmed Akhchichine, Arab Spring, Fouad Ali El Himma, HUMAN RIGHTS, Mohamed El Ouafa, Moroccan Constitution 2011, Moroccan Initiative, MOROCCAN JUSTICE, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011, Mounir Majidi, Partie de Justice and Development, Salaheddine Mezouar | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Morocco’s Great Illusion

Posted on July 7, 2012

For the past three months, I have been struggling with the notion that Joseph de Maistre’s famous “every country has the government it deserves,” found in his “Lettres et Opuscules Inédits vol. 1, letter 53,” is indeed an accurate delineation … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Child Labor, Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, JUSTICE, Moroccan Initiative, MOROCCAN JUSTICE, MOROCCO, Mummar Qaddafi | Tagged , | 5 Comments

African Lion 12

Posted on April 5, 2012

The United States Marine Corps has deployed its “Few and Proud” to Morocco to take part in African Lion 2012, a joint and combined annual iteration sponsored by the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff (CJCS), scheduled by US … Continue reading →

Posted in African Lion, AFRICOM, Gen Carter F. Ham, General Abdelaziz Bennani, MOROCCO, US Marine Corps | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

A Tweet To Mohammed

Posted on February 27, 2012

Hamza Kashgari, a 23-year old journalist and blogger from Saudi Arabia, is currently in jail in Jeddah awaiting trial on apostasy charges. On February 5, the day Moslems celebrated Mohammed’s birthday, Hamza sent the following tweet addressing the prophet: “On … Continue reading →

Posted in Hamza Kashgari, Islam, Saudi Arabia | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

The Moroccan “Paper Terrorist”

Posted on February 22, 2012

When the news that a Moroccan was arrested in Washington, D.C. on charges of terrorism, a friend of mine called. ”I thought it was you,” she joked. But the case of Amine El khalifi is no joke. It profoundly rattled … Continue reading →

Posted in Amine El Khalifi, FBI, Terrorism | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

The New Court Jester

Posted on January 24, 2012

Before he uttered a word, Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane, the new Moroccan Prime Minister, was made to understand he will be challenged. As he stood before the lectern to address Morocco’s bicameral Parliament, parliamentarian women stood up holding printed slogans expressing … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Arab World, Democracy, Freedom of the Press, HUMAN RIGHTS, Individual Freedom, MOROCCO, POVERTY | Tagged | 1 Comment

2011… To Be Continued

Posted on December 31, 2011

2011 will be remembered as the year a young Arab generation leaders, intellectuals, and parents thought to be politically vain, unengaged, timorous, convulsed and toppled three dictators and caused others to reassess their positions, make concessions, and reform their ways. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arab Spring, Mohammed Bouazizi | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Morocco’s Museum Of Things I Can’t Afford

Posted on December 22, 2011

As I sat in Fanajeen, Aasmaa, Akhannouch’s café, contemplating a map of Morocco amputated of its southern provinces in a Morocco Mall brochure while sipping from my 30 dirhams cup of coffee, I couldn’t help thinking Salwa Idrisi Akhannouch, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Akhannouch, ECONOMY, MOROCCO, Morocco Mall | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Democracy

Posted on December 14, 2011

The unflappable Mr. Abdelillah Benkirane, who billed himself as a spur to political virtue, the ultimate standard-bearer willing to stake his political future on standing up for the people, has succeeded in ushering in a golden age of nonpartisanship when … Continue reading →

Posted in Abdelilah Benkirane, Democracy, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011, PJD | Tagged | 6 Comments

PJD: Mission Impossible?

Posted on November 29, 2011

Abdelilah Benkirane, the PJD’s (Justice and Development) leader, is living an enviable political moment. His party’s electoral win hurtled him into the inner circle of the King’s decision making process. He was summoned to the Palace to be officially nominated … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011 Election Morocco, Abdelilah Benkirane, Partie de Justice and Development, PJD | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Moroccan Government to Citizens: You Supply The Vote, We The Results

Posted on November 25, 2011

Surveying the Moroccan media’s coverage of today’s election, I got the impression the political parties are locked in a vicious, but healthy fight for power. I have intently read, listened, and watched as the leadership of the thirty political parties … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO, Morocco Legislative Election 2011 | Tagged | 2 Comments

Qaddafi: Return To Sender

Posted on October 22, 2011

And so, it has been proven that the King of Kings of Africa, the Guide of the People was a mere mortal who bled red like the rest of the Libyan people he tortured and executed. For once, his hands … Continue reading →

Posted in Libya, Mummar Qaddafi, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 4 Comments

On Killing U.S. Citizens

Posted on October 13, 2011

A few days ago, Charlie Savage wrote an article for the Times reporting on a sub-rosa 50-page U.S. legal memorandum drafted in 2010 justifying the execution of a U.S. citizen without a trial.David Barron and Martin Lederman, the drafters of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

The FBI’s Minority Report

Posted on September 30, 2011

On Wednesday, the FBI arrested Rezwan Ferdaus, a 26-year-old U.S. citizen from Ashland, west of Boston, on terrorism charges. The arrest came as a result of an undercover operation conducted by FBI agents posing as al-Qaeida terrorists. They provided Ferdaus … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Department of Defense, FBI, George W. Bush, Individual Freedom, Moroccan Initiative, Terrorism, United States, USA PATRIOT Act | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Lonely Death of a Moroccan Child

Posted on September 28, 2011

For an hour, in the sanctum of an apartment in El Jadida, the maid was beaten with the hose of a gas cylinder. Her screams and supplications brought her aggressor, the daughter of her employer who “borrowed” her to help … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Abuse, Child Labor, Children, HUMAN RIGHTS, POVERTY, Uncategorized, Women's rights | Tagged | 9 Comments

Post 9/11 Arab American

Posted on September 19, 2011

One week after 9/11, the Bush administration and a large majority of the American people developed the attitude that would later set us on the path to the ebbing of U.S. global authority and shrinking of its self-confidence. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in 9/11, Terrorism | Tagged | 4 Comments

Moroccan Hospitals: Poor People Unwanted

Posted on August 17, 2011

Dismayed by the lack of official responsiveness to the humanitarian tragedy in southern Somalia, a group of Moroccan activists launched a campaign on facebook to sensitize the population, mobilize support, and solicit donations. They called on the Moroccan government to … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Masae, Children, Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, MOROCCO, POVERTY | Tagged | 7 Comments

Morocco’s Constitutional Sleight of Hand

Posted on July 13, 2011

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights – Association Marocaine des Droits Humains (AMDH) made public today, Tuesday July 12th, a pointed report on the July 1st constitutional referendum. It noted the government orchestrated grave transgressions that undermined the electoral process … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, HUMAN RIGHTS, Khaled Naceri, Moroccan Constitution 2011, MOROCCO | Tagged | 2 Comments