World Peace

“…for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace.” – Ronald Reagan, 6/12/87, standing near the Berlin Wall, delivering his famous “Tear Down This Wall!” speech.

Mr. Obama has no idea how to claim and frame world events around him to mold perception of himself and US as the fortunate heroes we are. He should take a tip from the master, Reagan, who knew how to put smiles on American faces, flushed with pride. He really knew how to peddle hope and lift a country’s spirits. Mr. Obama is probably a nice person, but he is out of his league. I really believe he has no one capable around him to help him fulfill his role in history. I prefer to believe that scenario instead of Mr. Obama refusing to listen to the advice of any capable advisors.

He missed the opportunity on this one (to position us as the victor over tyranny and the deliverer of freedom in the Middle East) because I suspect he really does not see the situation as thus. But, I do – yes, I see big possibilities in small, routine news items (we have become so jaded to life around us.) The people of Egypt oust their dictator – oh, that’s nice. Gadhafi flies in mercenaries to mow his own people down when his generals refuse to – oh, that’s sad.

Wake up! See the opportunities and possibilities! Remember: Educated, free Muslim women do not VOTE for their sons to become suicide bombers. I think I can glimpse World Peace, in my lifetime.

And for the 10th time, when I look to Mr. Obama expecting to see leadership, something to get behind and rally us together, I see…nothing. And when I look around, at us? Bickering. Confusion. Nonchalance. Like usual. Remember the oil spill?

God, I miss Ronny. He would be having a heyday with World Peace within his grasp. Funny how Reagan will always be perceived as a hawk, while Obama got a Nobel Peace Prize, for being black, certainly not for assisting the populace push for Democracy in the Middle East, and thus ushering in human rights, education, TRUE progress. The very idea of that still makes me light-headed, even giddy. That’s real change, real hope. Why is Obama so cautious on this?

Because he has no idea who he is, who we are, or what he believes in. The rest of us don’t know, either! Will he be the guy who gave billions to unnecessary or nonexistent projects to stimulate the economy (don’t think that worked). Will he be the president that brought free-health-care-for-all, or that’s what was supposed to be in the 1000s-page bill no one read…(we’re still not clear on exactly how this will work or if it will be declared unconstitutional or blocked by states who can’t pay for it). He’s definitely the guy who, faced with the worst instance of environmental damage inflicted by industry, set up a commission of lawyers to negotiate for a fund for victims’ claims (and BP low-balled them on that monetary cap). Hmmm. I’m thinking here, I really am. What will be his legacy?

Oh. It’s as obvious as the nose on my face. He’s the black guy. Well, when we’re done having our token black, maybe we can get a president who really sees himself as The Leader of the Free World. He can be purple for all I care. But wouldn’t it be incredible if he was black? You know, with all those powerful concepts of Leader and Free thrown into the perception of him. That is who Obama COULD be. If only he could embrace it.

Well, I don’t think we’ll ever see him strut down a carrier deck in a pilot’s jumpsuit like “W” or Putin (with his, you know, “package” on display), but I can help him out with the speech (to replace that lame-ass one I heard on NPR explaining the scope of the U.N.’s resolution to us little people who will be paying for it with our taxes).

It should have been in the evening, televised, from the garden.

“Tonight, we stand. We stand at the beginning of a new world, one of peace and unprecedented cooperation between its inhabitants. We stand witness to the desire of the peoples of the Middle East and we hear their cries for freedom. We stand ready to help, by evening the playing field. And by doing so, we all stand a chance for harmony and happiness. It’s time for us to take a stand.”

And, that is how you take your place in history. Not by explaining that we have to go do this because the U.N. told us to.