Photos

It is ten o'clock in the morning, and so I have done little today, but the Internet is so cheap here (fifty cents an hour) that I decided to treat myself before going out for a walk.

I have some pictures of the last few days which I will place below. Some are from a small children's parade in Meknes (notice the young boys holding a picture of the King. One of them has a paper hat that makes him look like a condom. Just like a bachelorette party.) Others are from here in Azrou: a picture of the landscape, one of the view from my hotel window, and one of a billboard with a photograph of the King.

In case it has not become quite obvious, the King is a very important figure here in Morocco. He is NOT like the Queen of England, who is basically a mere figurehead. Here in Morocco it seems that the Parliament is a figurehead, and the King is all powerful. Nevertheless, this King has been quite liberal, and has been a major force in creating new freedoms for Moroccans. This is not to say, however, that these freedoms have reached a level that many countries would deem acceptable. Freedom of the press, for example, is still something of a chimera, and most newspapers, even those of the opposition, fawn over the royalty in a truly sycophantic fashion.

One exception is Moroccan journalist Aboubakr Jamaï, editor of the newspaper Le Journal Hebdomadaire. His writings, quite independent and quite frank, have resulted, most recently, in a 350,000 dollar fine, and "rumors have it that he plans to self-exile".

Even the opposition newspapers, such as L'Opinion, however, display a bias (not that journalistic bias is anything rare anywhere in the world) that can be shocking to Europeans or Americans. I have included a somewhat blurry photograph below of a political cartoon from this newspaper. The caption reads, "It is a Palestinian activist". Notice the way in which the Israeli is drawn.



While this may be shocking, it is perhaps important to consider the way in which the US and European press often depicts Muslims and Arabs, or the recent controversy over the depiction of the prophet Mohammed in European newspapers. Bias and prejudice are certainly not limited to the Muslim world

Still, it is shocking to speak with people here about Israel, Palestine, and the politics of the Middle East in general. Anti-semitism is quite common, and it is not uncommon to hear seemingly rational, very friendly people on the street voice their negative opinion of Jews with few qualms.

Interestingly, the Jewish presence here in Morocco was quite large until the 1950s. After the beginning of the Spanish inquisition in the late 1400s, Jews and Muslims alike took refuge in Morocco, and lived in relative peace for hundreds of years. Most Moroccan cities boast a Jewish cemetery, in fact, and it is said by some that the blue color of the walls in Chefchaouen is a legacy of the Jews, though many locals will deny this fact. Unfortunately, the independence movement of Morocco in the 40s and 50s gave rise to a strong feeling of anti-semitism, and most Moroccan jews fled to Israel at this time.

Enjoy the pictures below, leave a comment, and check back soon.