The World is Watching Appreciatively
For the past 8 years, when I have travelled outside of the US, people have treated me differently. I have gotten this feeling that they understand that it wasn’t me that put Bush in the White House, but nonetheless, how could that have happened? On some level, they got it. Germany certainly has had their share of bad decisions. France periodically has had a clunker of a President. And really, Mexico doesn’t have much room to talk.
But they also are not the sole remaining superpower. Our burden is greater. The expectations are higher.
I saw Queen Noor this morning on MSNBC. She made the point that the rest of the world is again marvelling at our ability to reinvent ourselves. They are watching us and wishing for us to succeed again. We have taken the first step in redeeming ourselves in the eyes of the world. They want us to lead.
They want us to lead the way in renewable energy. They want us to lead in environmental preservation. They want us to lead a new economic boom. They want us to lead in real freedom. They want us to lead by example.
The bar is set high, but if we can get past our need to waste as much as we want, be as negligent as we want, be as ignorant as we want and get past our fear of being attacked by others, we can and will lead again. And when America takes the lead, America thrives. Even in these dark days of economic turmoil, this is what gives me hope.
I find it exciting that the rest of the world is inspired by us. I hope we can help change things for the better!
But will they ever truly love us?
They have before. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but we certainly are a guiding light in a world of darkness.
Hmm, eight years from now we could be in the situation that the world loves us, but Republicans hate us.
I can live with that.
America always does the right thing, after first exhausting all the alternatives.
Read Geek’s post carefully, wingers… this is real American optimism, not the faux kind in vogue in the GOP.
A lot of oppressive regimes have brushed off our criticisms by correctly pointing out our past treatment of African Americans and their current socio-economic status.
But at one stroke the US has taken this excuse away from them, and now they will have to find new reasons to explain to their own people and their own minorities why they cannot enjoy the same freedoms as the US.
LG, we have had the same experience when we’ve traveled abroad. People seemed more tolerant before we elected him the second time.
When people would ask if we were Americans, one of the first things we said was, “We didn’t vote for Bush.” Wariness turned to smiles in a heartbeat.
My experience overseas, as well. LG has encapsulated my reasons for optimism perfectly. Amen, I say. Yes we can. Let’s get to work.
By what definition are we the “sole remaining superpower”?
Our power, which was once grounded in the strength of our ideals, has been shattered. The reckless use of our military has weakened it and exposed again how it can be stalemated by a determined insurgency. Our national economic power has been usurped by globalism.
What power does America have that other large economy countries don’t?
We need to move from idea that America is the “best” or “greatest” country towards becoming a partner in a sustainable world community of free nations. In some ways, we are great; in other ways, we are dismal. Our ability to lead and inspire will only be as strong as our freedom and democracy. Other nations are looking not at what we say, but what we do. And the respect that we have lost by what we have done and are doing will be hard to regain.
Let us look at some measures of freedom:
Free countries don’t imprison people without charges in secret prisons. Free countries don’t secretly wiretap their citizens. Free countries don’t have political prosecutions. Free countries don’t torture people. Free countries don’t execute people. Free countries strive for equal justice under the law and hold their leaders accountable for crimes. Free countries don’t have civil rights for some people, but not others. Free countries don’t stifle free speech. Free countries don’t commit unprovoked attacks on other countries. Free countries strive for free and fair elections, and don’t stop vote counts.
But in the last eight years, America has taken enormous steps towards totalitarianism, militarism, corporatism, and government lawlessness. This momentum will be hard to reverse. In reality, America cannot even pretend to be the land of the free with liberty and justice for all.
It was reported that after the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked, “What have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?” to which Franklin replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
We have not kept it.
I am glad that Obama gives you hope, LG. But his signal that he is not going to prosecute the Bush/Cheney crimes and his FISA support don’t allow me to share your optimism that we have reversed the loss of freedom in America.
We’ll see.