(MENAFN- Alghad Newspaper)
Allow me to dedicate this article to brainstorming ideas fitting of the weekend, away from all the politics and analyses. On social media, a friend of mind, Mohammad Omari, spoke about the Jordanians society, its professional segments, noting his own observations, including teachers, among other professions, from lawyers to mechanics.
Speaking of teachers, his post took me back to my old school days, to when we used to hold our teachers in great esteem. I still remember our English teacher, Hussein Qubabj. He was as unforgettable as his cheer and stylish elegance.
Most of the teachers in our schools back then were of the same standing; formidable, elegant, and articulate, with a strong residual presence. There was very little difference, if any, between the faculties of different schools we went to through the stages of our education, in these regards.
At the Hussein College too, where I attended high school, there was another remarkably formidable teacher, Fawwaz Ramini, who wore a full suit to school every day. We never every saw him wearing anything else!
The rule was that teachers were indeed respectable, knowledgeable, elegant, and classy.
I remember my call with Mathhar Saeed, the late Feisali Sports Club technical manager, on April 16th, 2010, when he resigned his post, after failing to win the league.
Since his passing and the eulogy Prince Ali, president of the football federation, gave on that sad day, that phone call I had with Saeed has been on my mind.
I wrote about moral responsibility, the day the Feisali 'General passed away, how when he, the legendary football manager who made miracles happen had the sense of duty to resign upon his onetime inability to secure a league title, and the indifference of other officials.
In my article I compared his great sense of duty to that of other politicians and officials, mainly the Ministry of Education.
Notably, Saeed was able to bring the Feisali up from to rock bottom. One little failure, one title, one league, was enough to make him resign his post.
How common is this sense of responsibility among our officials?
We have had ministers and officials drive us from one catastrophe to another, bashing Jordanians for their 'ingratitude as they 'never wanted to become ministers. Who wants to leave the private sector to carry such a heavy responsibility that comes with an even lower pay! The people should be grateful that those ministers even agreed to become ministers in the first place!
O', the audacity of the people! The Nonsense of it!
What sort of people expect ministers to do their part with sincerity and dedication?!
How naïve!
Honestly, the officials' attitudes towards the public's ingratitude, rightly so, is disgusting; preposterous!
Meanwhile, dedicated leaders, innovative, responsible, hardworking people like Mathhar Saeed have no place in Jordan!
Like popular idiom goes, 'a prophet has no place or dignity among his people!
Just last Monday, I delivered a lecture at the Shoman Forum, on identities and Arab national security. The former foreign minister, Abdul Elah Khatib, introduced the lecture and commented on it.
The point is, this man is one of Jordan's most prominent politicians, and is considered an authority in the spheres of foreign Jordanian relations. A reference for politicians and researchers alike, known for his vast knowledge.
Despite his place among his peers, specialists, academics, researchers, and politicians alike, he sufficed with introducing my lecture, and commenting on it.
This man of great resource, knowledge, and political status, showed humility and respect, in an attempt to lead in a new generation of researchers and intellectuals.
Likewise, Dr Kamel Abu Jaber, another foreign minister and intellectual, also introduced a lecture of mind at Shoman some three years ago, on ISIS and their rise.
Such men of stature are examples to how we should work, pride aside, towards building a select lot of Jordanian leaders and politicians.
Those are all examples on responsibility and humility that we all need to learn from; the noble Jordanians.
They are our beacon in the mess of our reality today, with all the rivalry and exploitation, not to mention the profiteering.
In the midst of this mess, there are those dedicated to building a better future for Jordan in the ways they can, by working with the youth, instead of smudging them and side-lining them.
Some of our officials must learn from those, most of them actually. A lesson in patriotic responsibility and morality, as we wonder why so many Jordanians are disaffected and disenfranchised, disinterested in the spheres of intellect and politics.
This article is an edited translation of the Arabic version, published by AlGhad.
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