By Azza Heikal The speech delivered by US President Barack Obama at Cairo University was one of hope and aspiration. Common fare, for politicians, perhaps. But those who have read his book, The Audacity of Hope, know that his ideas are inseparable from his deeds. Obama dedicated his book about restoring the American dream to two women: his maternal grandmother, Tutu, and his mother. Women for Obama are a mirror image of his beliefs as well as his life, instilling in him a concern for the oppressed and the denied, who in turn he dedicates his life to assisting. From here, he rises from poverty and masters both language and law, taking Abraham Lincoln as his role model. When he moved to Washington as a senator for Illinois he refused to disturb the peace and tranquillity of his small family, preferring that Michelle, his wife, together with his two daughters, remain in Chicago with their extended family. This fatherly, unselfish attitude stresses the importance Obama places on the role played by families in the upbringing and the shaping of the new generation. Though Obama is a Democrat he has always been against abortion because it destroys not only humanity but also breaks family ties. Undoubtedly, Obama is nearer to being a social reformer rather than a shrewd politician. He aims at changing society by nurturing its core, which are women. He believes that no woman is to be denied the right to life and education, and that her freedom relies on her own choice. Nothing is to be imposed on women since they are equal to men in all rights and duties, whether religious, social or political. Nevertheless, societies have to pay more attention to the role of women in development, economy, and politics. In other words, the heart of life rests mainly and primarily on women, due to their inevitable role in reproduction and taking care of, and raising, the new generation. For Obama, women are the rock of stability in his life and the spirit of inspiration for all mankind. This week's Soapbox speaker is professor of English literature, Ain Shams University.
