Citizens of the World

I recently took a course a writing course, and it has inspired me to start writing my blog again after an extended absence. Since my last posting, a number of events have transpired. I will more than likely review several of these events and give my opinions over the next few weeks. However, I want to discuss the current hot button item on the table which is Libya. As most people already know, we are in a battle with Libya’s leader, Moammar Ghadafi. A couple of weeks ago, several members of the media and certain Congressmen were criticizing the president for his nonaggressive stance on Libya. Now, certain members of the media and Congress criticize the president over his decision to multilaterally “invade” Libya. I, for one, happen to believe the president has made the correct decision regarding Libya, and I am no fan of war (I actually believe this president’s Afghanistan policy is wrong). However, I do believe there are times when military force is necessary. Not only did President Obama make the right decision, he also did it in a deliberate and methodical manner. Instead of lying to the American people (like his predecessor did about WMD’s), he simply negotiated behind the scenes to get all of the necessary components in place. In my opinion, this is the sign of a true leader. It is the kind of thoughtful decision that reminds me why he was elected president.

My only critique is that for all of his effectiveness as a leader privately, the president fails when it comes to selling his decisions and policies publicly. We continue to see the same pattern with this president. He takes on an issue, healthcare for example, and he makes the hard sell for it. His administration generally gets the work done, and for all intensive purposes usually delivers a “win” (duh! as Charlie sheen would say). The problem is that the American people are not usually fully behind the plan. Why aren’t we behind the president on many of his policies? The answer is he often fails to effectively communicate his reasons and thought process for making certain decisions or taking certain actions. It is unfortunate that the UN decision to establish a no fly zone occurred so close to his Latin America trip. Let me take a quick sidebar here. The president is in Latin America, among many things, developing relationships that could eventually lead to more jobs for Americans. The same jobs that many of Americans and his political opponents claimed they wanted to see in 2010. Now, I know this country got used to a certain level of incompetence under the previous administration. Therefore, it is hard for many of us to believe that our leader can walk ,talk ,and chew at the same time. However, this president can do more than one thing at a time. It is possible for him to be in Latin America, make a decision on Libya, and stay informed on Japan all at once. Many of us juggle a number of tasks on our jobs in one day so why is it impossible to believe that our commander in chief can do the same?

Moving forward, I believe that the president needs to have a primetime press conference when he gets back from his trip. He doesn’t need to go to the Congress, at least not first, to justify his decision (let’s be real, the first priority of this Congress needs to be passing a budget but that is another blog). He needs to go to the American people with a speech that explains the UN decision, America’s political, financial, and military role in the mission, and most importantly, the reason for our involvement. I have in mind a dream speech for this press conference, but for the sake of brevity, I will only give you the ending which pertains to the reason for US involvement. I believe it should go something like this:

I am proud to be American. We, as a collective people, are proud to be Americans. In our everyday lives as Americans, we don’t allow our next door neighbor to suffer an injustice without speaking out or taking action to stop it. We look out for one another. We have heart, and we are a compassionate people. I want you to remember 9/11, Katrina, the Arizona shooting, and a number of other tragedies. During these devastating events, we didn’t hesitate to help each other. Well, just as we are citizens of this country, we are also citizens of this world. When we see our fellow global neighbors under siege and attack, we should, no, we do care. We can no longer sit idly by and be ignorant of the slaughter of innocent people in this world. We have already let too many tragedies go unchecked. Now, we won’t always be able to be the world’s police, but when we can multilaterally exert change and save human lives, we should. Due to the delicate nature of many of these situations, I can’t always be transparent at the outset of an event, but be assured that the safety and welfare of the American people is always my first priority. I will not deliberately put American lives in jeopardy. However, we will not watch others be persecuted while they struggle to be more like us. Many in the world look up to us just as a little brother looks up to his big brother. We can’t afford to come across as heartless, nonchalant, and cold. Is this the image that you would want your little brother to see or emulate? More importantly, if your little brother were being bullied, would you not try to protect him? My fellow Americans, let me remind you that though we are facing extraordinarily difficult times here at home, we are an extremely blessed country. I don’t take those blessings for granted, and I know you don’t either. Therefore let me close with this statement for you to ponder, it is: to whom much is given, much is required. I want to thank you for your time and your faith in me as your president. As always, may God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Team U.S.A

Well, I have to admit that I officially have Winter Olympic fever. My roommate and I have been taping the Olympics via dvr everyday. Our recordings list has been taken over by Olympic programming. The bizarre thing is that I originally started taping the Olympics to keep up with the figure skating. However, I find myself watching just about any event cheering on team U.S.A (I mean who would have thought that snowboarding could be such a riveting sport). In the past, I wouldn't have given the Winter Olympics a second glance, but I am now anxious to get home to see check out the medal count. While I am prattling on about the Olympics, I must commend Vancouver on their excellent opening ceremonies. I was telling my friends that Vancouver's opening ceremony was the visual equivalent to China's technical masterpiece in August 2008. I also would be remiss if I didn't admonish the Vancouver Olympic officials for their poor handling of the luge incident. It appears to me (and anyone else with half a brain) that there was a design flaw in the track that caused the unfortunate death of the Georgian athlete (Nodar Kumaritashvili). The International Luge Federation (ILF) claimed the accident was due to athlete error yet made several changes to the track including lowering the men's start. At the end of the day, blaming the victim was in poor taste and beneath Vancouver Olympic officials and the ILF.

Moving on, I couldn't quite understand why I and millions of other Americans (the Winter Olympics is enjoying some of it's highest ratings ever) are so inexplicably drawn to these particular games. On the surface, it could be something as simple as the Olympic games are being held close to home (Vancouver is a stone's throw away from the U.S). However, as I pondered this interesting phenomenon, I began to wonder if the Olympics offer most Americans a break from the constant divisiveness that seems to plague our nation. When we watch the Olympics, we get to cheer for team U.S.A. We aren't cheering for a particular team from a certain state, or a political party, or a community, or a church or charitable organization. We collectively are pulling for our team representing the stars and stripes to bring home the gold. It is a refreshing change of pace from the continuous bickering that we see happening in Washington and around the country.

The Olympics are also a wonderful reminder that dreams do come true. As I watch the various athletes participating in the games fulfill their Olympic dreams, it gives me a little more hope that the problems that currently plague America can and will be fixed (I say this at the risk of sounding extremely bubble gum, sugar pop. Gag me now!). I am a die hard political junkie, and I enjoy the political differences and nuances that can make American politics so exciting. However, at the end of the day, I want to see our government getting things done so that my fellow citizens don't have to suffer from poor or no healthcare, lack of educational resources, unemployment, foreclosures, fear of terrorism, etc. Our politicians could learn something from the Olympics. Friendly competition is fine and fun to watch, but it is really the accomplishment at the end which can make all the difference in the world. Therefore, if making America better is the ultimate "gold", why are there members of Congress fighting so hard to keep "team U.S.A" off the podium?