Paranormal Politics and the Perspicacious President
Robert J. Kempainen
Issue date: 12/10/09 Section: News
Amidst growing concerns of an overreaching empire, the world watched as a united coalition of democrats, republicans and independents of all races voted to change what had become of Washington and its image around the globe. We came together behind an intellectual who inspired us to seek thought beyond the realms of ourselves; behind a community organizer who created an organization that became much bigger than anyone could have imagined; behind a father who demanded that education must start in the household; behind a professor who mastered the founding documents of our nation; behind a philosopher who brought millions together behind a common creed; behind the spirit of a man that didn’t let the color of his skin or the characters of his name define his destiny. But above all, we came together behind Barack Obama for what Dr. King called “the fierce urgency of now.”
Our country faces many hurdles in the months and years ahead, and so too does the world. In spite of this, it has never been so urgent for America to heal the divisions that threaten our security, both at home and abroad. In the last eight years, anti-Americanism has popped up in every corner of the globe. This is not new by any means, though contrary to common belief, this hatred did not originate from a dislike of democracy or from the wealth of our people, it originated from an imposition of policies not compatible within the cultures it was forced upon. The CIA’s placement of the Shaw in Iran after their first ever democratic election is just one example of a hypocritical foreign policy mistake. When the Iranians finally revolted in 1979, they used this philosophy of anti-western imposition for political gain. For the sake of exposing these factions for what they really are, we elected a president who has put an end to these coercive policies of the past, making their politicians anti-American argument irrelevant.
Since being sworn in, the 44th president has traveled to multiple countries, held town halls with students of foreign universities, and met with leaders from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and most importantly the Middle East, to discuss matters that are threatening the world’s stability. One featured stop was in the country of Egypt, at Cairo University, where Barack Obama addressed the Muslim world directly, a monumental step toward a coalition of cultures, but a speech nonetheless to address the myths associated with America’s presence in the world. In this speech, he explained that we must stand taller than the negative stereotypes designed to sooth hate. He went on to say that, “Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire,” a myth that grew in popularity largely due to George W. Bush. In the latter part of the speech, Obama declared that the history and tension between the United States and Iran was real. He publicly admitted that America played a role in overthrowing a democratically elected Iranian government during the middle of the cold war. This was old news, but was not known by many and had never been spoken of in a speech of this scale. He went on to call out Iran for its role in hostage taking and acts of violence against U.S. troops. By acknowledging mistakes that have been made in the past by both countries, our President has taken the moral high ground. “Rather than remaining trapped in the past,” our president has recognized that grievance (in both the public and private sphere) gives way for reflection, which paves the way for progress to be made.
Every crisis America faces, the world also faces. From the ideological wars we wage, to the ever so volatile economic spectacle, to the dreams of self sustaining planet- we face humongous hurtles in the months and years to come. Unless we are united in combating these pervasive problems head on, our future looks dreary. Politicians were not elected to fight for their political organization; they were elected to fight for the people they represent. If we continue to blunder our way through bloody political campaigns of deception and character killing, then America will lose its standing in the world faster than you can say Palin!
On Dec. 1, 2009, President Barack Obama laid out his new strategy for Afghanistan and his plan to bring this war to an end. His highly controversial decision to add 30,000 troops to get the job done came with a statement to those who would benefit from the myth of an American Empire. “For unlike the powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for- what we will continue to fight for-is a better future for our children and grandchildren.” If we fail to repair the problems (some argue) we have created, then not only will we have failed our country, but we will have failed the world.
A new age of American leadership is at the forefront. The challenges we face will not be easy and the actions we must take together will not be popular. The world has yearned for a perspicacious American president who understands the complexities of the world. When Barack Obama was elected, even Iran (for the first time in 30 years) sent a letter of congratulations. We must not be deceived though, nor tricked into a short term mentality of thinking. That mentality breeds greed, a curse this country needs to leave behind for posterity’s sake. Our problems may be fierce, but they will only get worse if we choose not to act, or if we let small thinking get in the way of long term goals.
In his closing remarks at West Point, the President said, “This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue—nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership, nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time, if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times, poisoned our national discourse.”
Our country faces many hurdles in the months and years ahead, and so too does the world. In spite of this, it has never been so urgent for America to heal the divisions that threaten our security, both at home and abroad. In the last eight years, anti-Americanism has popped up in every corner of the globe. This is not new by any means, though contrary to common belief, this hatred did not originate from a dislike of democracy or from the wealth of our people, it originated from an imposition of policies not compatible within the cultures it was forced upon. The CIA’s placement of the Shaw in Iran after their first ever democratic election is just one example of a hypocritical foreign policy mistake. When the Iranians finally revolted in 1979, they used this philosophy of anti-western imposition for political gain. For the sake of exposing these factions for what they really are, we elected a president who has put an end to these coercive policies of the past, making their politicians anti-American argument irrelevant.
Since being sworn in, the 44th president has traveled to multiple countries, held town halls with students of foreign universities, and met with leaders from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and most importantly the Middle East, to discuss matters that are threatening the world’s stability. One featured stop was in the country of Egypt, at Cairo University, where Barack Obama addressed the Muslim world directly, a monumental step toward a coalition of cultures, but a speech nonetheless to address the myths associated with America’s presence in the world. In this speech, he explained that we must stand taller than the negative stereotypes designed to sooth hate. He went on to say that, “Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire,” a myth that grew in popularity largely due to George W. Bush. In the latter part of the speech, Obama declared that the history and tension between the United States and Iran was real. He publicly admitted that America played a role in overthrowing a democratically elected Iranian government during the middle of the cold war. This was old news, but was not known by many and had never been spoken of in a speech of this scale. He went on to call out Iran for its role in hostage taking and acts of violence against U.S. troops. By acknowledging mistakes that have been made in the past by both countries, our President has taken the moral high ground. “Rather than remaining trapped in the past,” our president has recognized that grievance (in both the public and private sphere) gives way for reflection, which paves the way for progress to be made.
Every crisis America faces, the world also faces. From the ideological wars we wage, to the ever so volatile economic spectacle, to the dreams of self sustaining planet- we face humongous hurtles in the months and years to come. Unless we are united in combating these pervasive problems head on, our future looks dreary. Politicians were not elected to fight for their political organization; they were elected to fight for the people they represent. If we continue to blunder our way through bloody political campaigns of deception and character killing, then America will lose its standing in the world faster than you can say Palin!
On Dec. 1, 2009, President Barack Obama laid out his new strategy for Afghanistan and his plan to bring this war to an end. His highly controversial decision to add 30,000 troops to get the job done came with a statement to those who would benefit from the myth of an American Empire. “For unlike the powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for- what we will continue to fight for-is a better future for our children and grandchildren.” If we fail to repair the problems (some argue) we have created, then not only will we have failed our country, but we will have failed the world.
A new age of American leadership is at the forefront. The challenges we face will not be easy and the actions we must take together will not be popular. The world has yearned for a perspicacious American president who understands the complexities of the world. When Barack Obama was elected, even Iran (for the first time in 30 years) sent a letter of congratulations. We must not be deceived though, nor tricked into a short term mentality of thinking. That mentality breeds greed, a curse this country needs to leave behind for posterity’s sake. Our problems may be fierce, but they will only get worse if we choose not to act, or if we let small thinking get in the way of long term goals.
In his closing remarks at West Point, the President said, “This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue—nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership, nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time, if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times, poisoned our national discourse.”
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