Gab, gab, gab

GQ's September British issue features an article titled "All the president's gab". Its a great piece with President's ex-speechwriter, his speech excellency Jon Favreau giving advice on how political speeches should be, listing of course examples from Obama's previous addresses. Given its election time in Azerbaijan and how little (softly said) our ruling and (un)ruling politicians talk I thought this might be a timely post.

So here is some piece of advice, I hope the President's speechwriter (including the rest of beloved political speakers) also read this and get few tips: 

1. Begin conversationally:

• "You know, they said this day would never come" (Obama, opening to the Iowa caucuses victory speech, 2008). Favreau when writing this speech says he wanted it to be natural and yet with a lot of meaning as Obama won the Iowa caucuses. I myself can hardly think of a time when I. Aliyev or any of his staff began their speech conversationally. I doubt that concept even exists in their dictionary, because they rarely talk anyway, most of time issuing orders and praising each other, well, more like one Person most of the time.

2. Tell riskier jokes:

• "Just the other day, Matt Damon- I love Matt Damon, love the guy- Matt Damon said he was disappointed in my performance. Well Matt, I just saw the Adjustment Bureau, so right back at you buddy" (Obama, White House Correspondents' Dinner Speech, 2011). This is a really good one- can anyone remind me of any political speech that remotely had jokes in it (let alone jokes about the conversations with stars)? I don't. Most of Azerbaijani stars bow their heads, and write songs dedicated to the President and him only, or the land, or the President, or the land. Puf... boring...

3. Get personal:

• "Being a teenager isn't easy. Its a time when you're wrestling with a lot of things. When I was in my teens, I was wrestling with all sorts of questions about who I was. I had a white mother and a black father, and my father wasn't around; he had left when I was two." (Obama, Back to School Speech, 2010). Hmm... when was the last time the President went personal on anything? Apart from cutting ribbons and dry "congratulations" and "wish you successes" there hasn't been much. But then again, "personal" might not be a "feeling" expressed "commonly" in our political world.

4. Fight with humor (oh boy, this was my favorite esp. in the light of recent bottle- throwing scandal):

•  "You [Mitt Romney] might not be ready for diplomacy with Beijing if you can't visit the Olympics without insulting our closest ally" (Obama, Democratic National Convention speech, 2012). Ok, I thought not to say anything, but this is too good. One comment, just think of our most recent pre- election TV debates and how "humored" our candidates were (especially some of them). Except from belittling, shouting, and more belittling and more shouting there is nothing really said. Wait, did I just write "said" apologies, my bad.

5. More drama

• "I'm no longer just a candidate. I'm the president. I know what it means to send young Americans into battle, for I have held in my arms the mothers and fathers of those who didn't return." (Obama, Democratic National Convention speech, 2012). Well well well... This is also not familiar to our vocabulary. I can hardly remember our president ever utter the words like "candidate"- thanks to all the propaganda and brain washing, it feels like he has been the president for as long as people can remember. Wait, was there anyone else before anyway? 

So this is a list. I turned the page hoping there will be more, but these were just the five tips listed. Now who will be first to change their gag?

Mentality of our Azerbaijani bones

I have lived in several countries in my 20 something life, and nowhere did I hear the word mentality used so often than in my home sweet home Azerbaijan. 

What is this mentality? Some degree of machismo? Or maybe superiority?

Apparently in Azerbaijan it means a lot. For instance, comedians dressing up in women's clothes (which is something many comedians around the world do) is considered "as contradictory to Azerbaijani mentality". Or so says, one of our parliament members Fazil Mustafa. I wonder what else Mr. Mustafa considers as contradictory after hearing him say this. 

I am just curious since when this has become contradictory? Its been done through centuries. Should I remind you of Shakespeare?

You see this is why Azerbaijan is lagging behind with the whole concept of gender equality and women's rights. I am not a feminist, nor will I ever be one (this is just a side note for those whose minds it crossed). I am just for equality and for removal of such senseless expressions as "against/contradictory to mentality". Yes we have a very traditional society where men and women are not treated as equals, where woman's place is at home and man's at work, where women get most of the time off work when they give birth and men get none, even though the baby belongs to both of them, and they should both be entitled to spend the initial (and crucial) first months with the baby and... Wait a second, where was I? Ah right, family, equality and gender, oh and lets not forget the key word in this post- mentality!

So yes, mentality and what contradicts it- maybe its time we really start breaking the stereotypes within our heads?! Mentality is just another excuse for men and sometimes even women to bring it up as an argument, an exit strategy. It doesn't suit us!

'Azerbaijani Movie and TV World'

A recent article I wrote on Azerbaijan's cinema world.

Azerbaijani Movie and Tv World

The lucky number seven

The male vs. female equality is a topic widely debated not only in Azerbaijan but in many countries across the world. We do not question the reality of what if we actually were not born just because we were a boy or a girl or our parents made that decision for us. Imagine that your life abruptly ended somewhere down the first few weeks. It is hard to imagine, because it didn't happen to many of us but we should not forget about so many lives of tiny, helpless, little human beings that are ended just because their parents or elders or uncles and brothers chose to do so because they are simply the male figure, because they can.

This is an article I wrote recently for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso on selective abortion in Azerbaijan. It makes me wonder how many lives were ended, do you?

Azerbaijan Seven Sons and One Daughter