President Obama was speaking in Cairo at 6 am EDT this morning, so I didn't watch the speech live. I was still asleep. By the time I was sipping my first cup of coffee at around 7:30 am though, the speech was over and the President's crack communications team had posted it on the internet in several places and translated it into a dozen languages.I could tell watching videos and TV talking heads, as I let caffeine revive my sleep- soaked brain, that Obama had knocked it out of the park once again. It was another home run for my President. Thank God we have a man like this at the helm right now.
This was more than a great speech. It was a rhetorical tour de force that will be remembered and talked about for generations. Where it stacks up for the rest of the world, I don't know, but for me, as an American, it ranks right up there with the Gettysburg Address or JFK's innaugural speech or MLK's" I have a dream speech
This was a speech that really moved people. It did not mince words or prevaricate or minimize very real, perhaps insoluable, political problems. It defined a moment in time with honesty, passion, and an intelligent understanding of the issues confronting both the West and the Muslim world. It did not patronize or threaten. It simply stated what is. A speech isn't going to solve all the problems. But this speech totally changed the nature of the engagement. It was a tipping point. Now we will at least talk to each other instead of shouting at one another and swaggering about Texas style.
The really important thing that Obama did in this speech was what he, as a multicultural person who has so often felt ouside the mainstream personally, does so well. He emphasized the humanity we all share, the similarity of what we all desire for ourselves and our children, the common roots our religions have and the respect we owe one another. Bravo Obama.
Sometimes the pen really is mighter than the sword and this morning was definitely one of those times.
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5 comments:
Great piece! If anyone can bring people together, it's President Obama.
Oh. honey. Sorry to hear you were unfriended over this piece. I hate being unfriended.
You may have guessed, I am conservative, but I always appreciate a well-balanced, open minded discussion. I lost 10 friends on stumble and about 15 regular readers on my blog because of my gay marriage posts that I stumbled.
A republican that supports gay marriage right? Pashaw!
Personally, my thought are if I want less government that means less government for everybody including staying out of people's lives and right of marriage and to be happy.
So that said, it always sucks to be unfriended. Worse is when you get a liberal and conservative using your post to be disrespectful to each other in comments. You like them both and they want you to pick a side...grrr...I am already a mother to three. Sigh. That's happened more than once.
I like respectful disagreement. So perhaps your unfriends knew they couldn't articulate their positions respectfully so chose to unfriend?
Maybe it's a good thing?
That's what I tried to convince myself of, as well as do you/I really only want a fair-weathered friend and yes man?
Not me.
No worries here. I may not always agree or "up" but I do read with an open mind. The only time I unfriend is if they constantly demand reviews or spam me to death with Noni juice or hotels in far flung places or SEO software.
I know, I know. Such a pushover. Me? Scout. It happens.
I sometimes like keeping the peace.
As for Obama, it's so hard for me to think a speech will undo my military friends deaths in Iraq or all the innocent lives lost on 9/11. It's hard to let go. I wish I had your optimism and I hope you and our president proves me wrong that diplomacy will work to wipe out terrorism and hatred.
Thanks for being you, my friend. :)
Why Scout-- what a lovely comment and though I am a liberal and you a conservative we are so much on the same page in so many ways that I think we could have some very interesting discussions.
I don't actually worry too much about being de-friended. I usually don't actually know the reason and have never gotten a blistering letter accusing me of being the anti-Christ or anything. Live and let live I say. Life is too short to worry-- Like you I like discussion and dislike demagogues from either the left or the right.
It's no fun only talking to people who share your view of life. I learn more often from people who don't. I listen to the talking political heads on both MSNBC and FOX-- keeps life interesting.
I thank you for making me smile every day with your wonderful blogposts. Keep on keeping on:-)
BO just couldn't seem to fit a visit to Israel in his busy sight-seeing schedule, could he? What's THAT say to the Muslim world?
If you will remember, he already visited Israel on his last trip.
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