I talked to an American–a serious Republican–who works here in Brussels. And he says: “I won’t vote for Obama, and I disagree with him 100%, but I am rooting for him all the way.”
He says that he works constantly with senior European business and political officials. All of them believe that America doesn’t have it in themselves to elect a black man. None of them believe that Obama can win, and he says that the work that Obama’s continued electoral success does for America’s image in Europe is incredible. “They admit that they underestimated Americans,” he says. “We are a lot more tolerant and open than they gave us credit for being.”
I’ve said this before, but living abroad has made me realize: many people in the world views America as a closed, stupid, and intolerant society. (There aren’t any senior European political leaders, NB, that are minorities.) I strongly believe this is not true. If Obama is elected, it will verify what is true about America in many ways, and America’s soft power around the world will explode. Imagine the young man in Pakistan or Iraq who is being trained to hate America, yet sees a man who looks kind of like him named Barack Hussein Obama running the country. Imagine the Kenyan in the middle of civil war looking at the American President trying to broker a peace deal. And imagine the European who expects the worst out of America having all stereotypes shattered.
ERB
March 15, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Well it looks like America’s fears are crawling out of the closet with the Rev. Wright “affair.” Resistance to change and a new approach, or another approach or other approaches to making changes. Most presidents have had as little experience as both democratic candidates. So that is a non-point. Mc Cain is a nice man but not bold enough to make change.
The point is: do we want change? Do we want same old same old? 4 More years of the Clinton family? Why not Chelsey after that? We already had years and years of the Bush family. Are Americans yearning for ruling families? No. Washington is corrupt and run by rich whites. Rev. Jeremiah Wright was right about that. Let us change it.
And while we are at it, why not separate church and state? and not be examining 20 years of sermons in Trinity church to try and prevent change? Do you think everybody has to believe what the Pope says if he is a Catholic? Did you ever hear all the sermons Martin Luther King Jr. gave in his fight for change? No.
And then let us not forget freedom of speech. When Martin Luther King was assassinated, what was preached in churches on that Sunday? Do you have recordings? maybe they might have dared to be angry and express things we whites don’t like to hear. So what?
Shall we turn candidates into robots, computerized never to say anything but politically correct pre-agreed on phrases and have all the people on the campaign be equally bland? To change things Americans have to have some passion, be whistle blowers, lead marches, fight town hall and say things some people don’t like to hear. Let them. Don’t join in with the lynch mobs. Stand up and fight for your rights as Americans to express beliefs and passions and let others do so.
We are letting the TV senders set the tone of a three ringed frenzy- they must spend weeks digging for something which will boost ratings for a few days. Maybe they will even find an old politically incorrect “objectionable” speech from one of our heros and have his national holiday taken away.
Susan