The Letter - IMADEC University
The Letter - IMADEC University
The Letter - IMADEC University
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<strong>The</strong> sensitivity of a woman could give<br />
Mexico a hope for change<br />
This is a letter sent to “La Opinion de Houston” by Dr. Habib Chamoun-<br />
Nicolás<br />
I am a Mexican who, like millions lives abroad. I live outside my country, not<br />
because of insecurity, but for lack of opportunities in my work area.<br />
My exodus abroad occurred about 25 years ago, when I decided to go to<br />
graduate school in order to make a difference in the business environment of<br />
my country upon my return. Shortly after getting my Doctor in Philosophy<br />
and in Engineering at the <strong>University</strong> of Austin, Texas. Specializing in the<br />
petroleum industry, I started a postdoctoral position with Elf Aquitaine, a<br />
world recognized French oil company.<br />
I was doing well, but I wanted to return to my home country, so I prepared<br />
my resume to send to Mexico from France by diplomatic courier. Soon<br />
thereafter I received a letter from the Presidency of Mexico, citing that I<br />
would soon be receiving correspondence from Pemex, the only petroleum<br />
company in Mexico. It was a memorable moment for both my wife, Marcela,<br />
also proudly Mexican, and myself.<br />
Indeed, I received a letter from my respected PEMEX, kindly stating that I<br />
was over-qualified for any office in Mexico. I warmly thanked the PEMEX<br />
representative who drafted that letter, as my career path took another turn.<br />
Since then I have devoted myself to understanding the art and science of<br />
negotiation, which I discovered is my vocation.<br />
I write to express the reason for my prolonged departure from my mother<br />
country: the need for a decent job to provide a better quality of life for my<br />
family.
I write because I'm sure 2012 is truly a year of faith and hope for Mexico. I<br />
have been blessed to learn the philosophy of life from two great female<br />
leaders: my grandmother, Mariam, and my mother, Maria Elena, to whom I<br />
owe what I am.<br />
And now I have the happiness of having a new generation of women leaders<br />
in my home, my wife, Marcela, and my daughter, Marcelle, who at age 12<br />
had the courage to send a handwritten protest letter to the Texas House of<br />
Representatives, concerning proposed cuts in state government for primary<br />
education. Marcelle's request was read on the floor of the House of<br />
Representatives in Austin and also resonated at the White House in<br />
Washington. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS5hCSl8U1U )<br />
I have also discovered the leadership of women when conducting research<br />
on the most famous negotiating culture in history, the Phoenicians. I was<br />
surprised to learn that one of the principles of that culture was the respect<br />
for women, along with equality, fairness, and integrity.<br />
To the Phoenicians, women played an important role, not only in the family,<br />
but also within society. Even a continent bears the name of a nymph and<br />
Phoenician princess, Europa, sister of the first teacher of history.<br />
It's amazing to realize that the founder of Carthage, the Princess Elisa or<br />
Dido, made history because she preferred to die in flames than lose her<br />
dignity. For the Phoenicians, dignity is not negotiable and always above each<br />
deal.<br />
I've always been a true believer that we should promote women for top<br />
positions regardless of political party. <strong>The</strong> rise of Josefina Vazquez Mota<br />
opens a huge range of possibilities for our country, if we place our faith,<br />
hope and support in her leadership. Just as the Phoenician Princess Dido<br />
founded a trading empire in Carthage from nothing, I trust Josefina will<br />
support the restructuring of the Mexican economy from households to large<br />
international corporations. What better leader to have than a woman who<br />
knows what it means to be committed to family and country!
I have been giving lectures, courses, and consulting in international trade<br />
and negotiations for more than 15 years in more than 40 countries around<br />
the globe and have seen something we all have in common - we live in a<br />
deep crisis concerning core values.<br />
<strong>The</strong> core of the family is being attacked constantly. Indeed, it has been<br />
fractured, but we have no one to blame but ourselves as parents. We do not<br />
pay enough attention to our children.<br />
What psychologists call an authority gap is forming between the two most<br />
important actors in the family: mother and father. This authority gap is<br />
getting bigger every day and is becoming an abyss.<br />
Confused children take wrong paths instead of becoming a star. A sick family<br />
makes the economy sick. So, we need more than ever to have a woman<br />
leader take charge of our beloved Mexico. Remember the story of the three<br />
horses and a lion, in which three horses were very close, so close that<br />
nothing could not kill them for centuries. One day a lion came and began to<br />
whisper in the ear of the horses one by one. <strong>The</strong> lion’s goal was to put one<br />
against the other. After much manipulation and insistence, he succeeded in<br />
separating the horses. <strong>The</strong> lion could then attack and kill each horse easily.<br />
One by one they disappeared forever. I tell this parable, because we think<br />
that one horse represents the children, another horse represents the<br />
parents, and the third horse represents society. <strong>The</strong> lion represents the spirit<br />
of evil, envy, arrogance, ego, corruption, bribery, abuse of authority,<br />
negligence, lack of commitment, cynicism, disloyalty, etc. ... We live in a<br />
time when the lion is roaring everywhere. Watch out! <strong>The</strong> lion is roaring<br />
where we least expect it in order to devour us. Do not let that lion destroy<br />
our society. We need a different leader, a leader unlike one we’ve ever had.<br />
We need Josefina to lead us, who, with the help of all, will kill the lion.<br />
I have never before actively participated in politics or sought any political<br />
office. I have never in my life written publicly my thoughts and reflections on<br />
behalf of a candidate for President of the Republic of Mexico, but now I do,<br />
because I demand a real change.
I understand that change must start with me. That is why I am committing<br />
to my principles and disseminating a public opinion. If not now, when?<br />
Today is the time to act on our desire to have a better Mexico for us all!<br />
Dear Fellows Mexicans, this is the time to use our talents to serve others for<br />
the common good. As God has blessed us with talents not to bury, but to<br />
use. <strong>The</strong> more we have, the more responsibility we have to use them. Let's<br />
make history. Let’s vote for Josefina for President. She is committed. Her<br />
origins are like the Phoenicians, like the iron woman Margaret Thatcher. We<br />
have a strong woman with conviction and with great faith, as the Phoenician<br />
woman who negotiated with Jesus on behalf of her ailing daughter.<br />
Undoubtedly, we are blessed. We have woman candidates in the nation’s top<br />
offices. Let's make change a reality! Mexico needs us more than ever! Don’t<br />
let the evil spirit continue conquering our country! I leave you with a very<br />
old proverb of the sea, a philosophy of Phoenician women and men, “Amel<br />
Mnij ¨ w Bel Kepp Baher.” That means, "Do good and throw it into the sea".<br />
This proverb has four dimensions: 1) the sea is so vast that no one will see<br />
your good deeds, 2) the waves overshadow all that is seen and all that is<br />
good, 3) the vastness of the sea means we will never fill the sea with our<br />
good deeds, and finally, 4) the sea is dynamic, not static, thus the goodness<br />
you cast out will return to you. <strong>The</strong> sea can send back a tsunami of<br />
goodness, happiness, harmony, love, and spirituality.<br />
This is precisely what we should do! Do good for a better Mexico.<br />
Unexpectedly, we will get a return with a better community, with a better<br />
country. As in construction, with the help of lime, water, steel, and cement,<br />
we can build either bridges or walls. In the same way, we Mexicans with our<br />
own materials, hands, hearts, and minds, we can build a better Mexico or a<br />
wall to progress. Let us not give up; we can still recover the country.<br />
<strong>The</strong> decision is in our hands! Voting for Josefina to build a better future for<br />
our children is not only an alternative, is the only alternative. It is a duty<br />
and a responsibility towards the common good of our society.<br />
Houston/Texas, USA<br />
May 5, 2012.