DUBAI (Farrag Ismail)
Osama just got an extreme makeover and will now be known as Obama. The salon that is.
An Egyptian barber changed the name of his salon from "Osama’s Hair Design" to "Obama’s Hair Design" in what American media called an ideological shift but which perhaps simply reflected good business sense.
Mahmoud al-Sheikh managed to get a license to change the name of his salon on Nov. 3, one day before Obama's victory, because he figured city officials would not have agreed to put the president's name on a barber shop, he told AlArabiya.net.
In repose to the media hype about his supposed “ideological shift” from fundamentalism to moderation, Sheikh said that the previous name of the salon had nothing to do with Osama bin Laden and that he was never one of his supporters.
" "The previous owner of the salon was called Osama. American media took advantage of that to create a sensational story," " Mahmoud al-Sheikh "The previous owner of the salon was called Osama," he said. "American media took advantage of that to create a sensational story."
And he saw business drop off by half in the months following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Sheikh, who lived near the Obamas in Chicago for eight years, said he had supported him since he started his presidential campaign.
"I expected him to win. It was obvious that the American people's frustration with the previous administration pushed them to make a change even if that is through electing the first African American president in the United States."
He added that Obama did a lot of community work in Chicago and always met with members of minority groups like Arabs, Africans and Mexicans.
Sheikh pointed out that the main question posed by the American media was whether he changed the name of the salon to attract more African-American clients. |
" He won because of the dreams he created for the people and because of the people's desire to see their country ruling with justice and freedom, not arms " Mahmoud al-Sheikh "I told them I am 100 percent convinced of this man. I met him and talked to him. His success was not haphazard. He had goals that he was keen on achieving."
Sheikh, who immigrated to the United States in 1995 from the Egyptian city of Mansoura, said he did not believe Obama won because of the African-American votes.
"He won because of the dreams he created for the people and because of the people's desire to see their country ruling with justice and freedom, not arms," He said.
A Sudanese barber, Montaser Yaacoub, also called his shop Barack Obama.
The 27-year-old Yaacoub opened his salon three days before the election, but waited till Obama won to officially name it, he told the Sudanese paper al-Nilin. A huge poster of Obama features prominently on the wall.
Would Yaacoub have called the salon John McCain’ Hair Design had Obama lost the elections?
"God forbid! I would have put my name on it in this case," he was quoted as saying.
(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid) |
