Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Obama's Victory Speech
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama spoke at a rally in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the race for the White House Tuesday night. The following is an exact transcript of his speech.
Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the presidency Tuesday night.
Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the presidency Tuesday night.
Obama:
Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. Video Watch Obama's speech in its entirety »
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.
Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.
Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.
To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.
It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.
And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.
Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
advertisement
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.
Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the presidency Tuesday night.
Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the presidency Tuesday night.
Obama:
Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. Video Watch Obama's speech in its entirety »
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.
Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.
Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.
To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.
It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.
This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.
It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.
Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.
And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.
Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
advertisement
This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Full transcript of retired General Colin Powell on Meet the Press, endorsing Barack Obama.
Full transcript of retired General Colin Powell on Meet the Press, endorsing Barack Obama.
General Colin Powell (Retired), Secretary of State 2001-2005, on Meet the Press:
Meet the Press: ...Senator McCain. You have met twice at least with Barack Obama. Are you prepared to make a public declaration of which of these two candidates you are prepared to support?
Powell (nodding): Uh, yes, but let me lead into it this way.
I know both of these individuals very well now. I've known John for 25 years as your set-up said, and I've gotten to know Mr. Obama quite well over the past two years. Both of them are distinguished Americans who are patriotic, dedicated to the welfare of our country. Either one of them, I think, would be a good president.
I have said to Mr. McCain that, um, I admire all he has done. I have some concerns about the direction that the Party has taken in recent years. It has moved more to the Right than I would like to see it, but that's a choice the Party makes.
And I've said to Mr. Obama, "You have to pass the test of, Do you have enough experience? Do you bring the judgment to the table that would give us confidence that you would be a good president?"
And I've watched them over the past two years, frankly, and I've had this conversation with them. I have especially watched over the last six or seven weeks as both of them have really taken a final exam with respect to this economic crisis that we are in, and coming out of the Conventions.
And I must say that, uh, I've gotten a good measure of both. In the case of Mr. McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as to how to deal with the economic problems that we're having. And almost every day there was a different approach to the problem and that concerned me. It's sensing that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had. And I was also concerned at the selection of Governor Palin. She's a very distinguished woman and she is to be admired. But at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be President of the United States, which is the job of the Vice President. And so, uh, that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made.
On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge, and an approach to looking at problems like this, picking a Vice President that I think is ready to be President on Day One. And also in – not just in jumping in and changing every day – but showing intellectual vigor, I think that he has a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well.
I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Uh, Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more conclusive, more reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines – ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values – not just small towns have values.
And I've also been disappointed, frankly, by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently – or his campaign has – on issues that are not really central to the problems that the American people are worried about. This Bill Ayers situation that's been going on for weeks became something of a central point of the campaign, but Mr. McCain says that he's a watchdog of terrorists. Then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have these robocalls going on around the country, trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate.
Now I understand what politics is all about. I know how you can go after one another. And that's good. But, I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for.
And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign and they trouble me. And the Party has moved even further to the Right. And Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift. I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain Administration.
I'm also troubled by – not what Senator McCain says – but what members of the Party say, and it is permitted to be said: such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is he is not a Muslim. He's a Christian; has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, "What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?" The answer's "No, that's not America." Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be President? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own Party drop the suggestion he's Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery. And she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards – Purple Heart, Bronze Star; showed that he died in Iraq; gave his date of birth, date of death. He was twenty years old. And then at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It had a crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Karim Rashad Sultan Kahn. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey, he was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11 and he waited until he could go serve his country and he gave his life.
Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourselves in this way. And John McCain is as non-discriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that within the Party we have these kinds of expressions.
So when I look at all of this and I think back to my army career, we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.
I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the ... onto the world stage and on the American stage and for that reason,
I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
General Colin Powell (Retired), Secretary of State 2001-2005, on Meet the Press:
Meet the Press: ...Senator McCain. You have met twice at least with Barack Obama. Are you prepared to make a public declaration of which of these two candidates you are prepared to support?
Powell (nodding): Uh, yes, but let me lead into it this way.
I know both of these individuals very well now. I've known John for 25 years as your set-up said, and I've gotten to know Mr. Obama quite well over the past two years. Both of them are distinguished Americans who are patriotic, dedicated to the welfare of our country. Either one of them, I think, would be a good president.
I have said to Mr. McCain that, um, I admire all he has done. I have some concerns about the direction that the Party has taken in recent years. It has moved more to the Right than I would like to see it, but that's a choice the Party makes.
And I've said to Mr. Obama, "You have to pass the test of, Do you have enough experience? Do you bring the judgment to the table that would give us confidence that you would be a good president?"
And I've watched them over the past two years, frankly, and I've had this conversation with them. I have especially watched over the last six or seven weeks as both of them have really taken a final exam with respect to this economic crisis that we are in, and coming out of the Conventions.
And I must say that, uh, I've gotten a good measure of both. In the case of Mr. McCain, I found that he was a little unsure as to how to deal with the economic problems that we're having. And almost every day there was a different approach to the problem and that concerned me. It's sensing that he didn't have a complete grasp of the economic problems that we had. And I was also concerned at the selection of Governor Palin. She's a very distinguished woman and she is to be admired. But at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be President of the United States, which is the job of the Vice President. And so, uh, that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Senator McCain made.
On the Obama side, I watched Mr. Obama and I watched him during this seven-week period. And he displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge, and an approach to looking at problems like this, picking a Vice President that I think is ready to be President on Day One. And also in – not just in jumping in and changing every day – but showing intellectual vigor, I think that he has a definitive way of doing business that would serve us well.
I also believe that on the Republican side over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower. Uh, Mr. Obama, at the same time, has given us a more conclusive, more reach into the needs and aspirations of our people. He's crossing lines – ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines. He's thinking about all villages have values, all towns have values – not just small towns have values.
And I've also been disappointed, frankly, by some of the approaches that Senator McCain has taken recently – or his campaign has – on issues that are not really central to the problems that the American people are worried about. This Bill Ayers situation that's been going on for weeks became something of a central point of the campaign, but Mr. McCain says that he's a watchdog of terrorists. Then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have these robocalls going on around the country, trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate.
Now I understand what politics is all about. I know how you can go after one another. And that's good. But, I think this goes too far. And I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for.
And I look at these kinds of approaches to the campaign and they trouble me. And the Party has moved even further to the Right. And Governor Palin has indicated a further rightward shift. I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain Administration.
I'm also troubled by – not what Senator McCain says – but what members of the Party say, and it is permitted to be said: such things as, "Well, you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is he is not a Muslim. He's a Christian; has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, "What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?" The answer's "No, that's not America." Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be President? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own Party drop the suggestion he's Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.
I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery. And she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards – Purple Heart, Bronze Star; showed that he died in Iraq; gave his date of birth, date of death. He was twenty years old. And then at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It had a crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Karim Rashad Sultan Kahn. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey, he was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11 and he waited until he could go serve his country and he gave his life.
Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourselves in this way. And John McCain is as non-discriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that within the Party we have these kinds of expressions.
So when I look at all of this and I think back to my army career, we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.
I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the ... onto the world stage and on the American stage and for that reason,
I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Bruce Onobrakpeya is the best print maker in Africa. His many accolades include an honorable mention at the Venice Biennale. He is both innovative and conservative: innovative because he has developed innovative techniques for etching more deeply into the plate and building on the surface of the plate, resulting in very dramatic “topographical” prints; conservative because he has dedicated his artistic life to depicting and, therefore, preserving the rich Nigerian culture.
Bruce Onobrakpeya is the best print maker in Africa. His many accolades include an honorable mention at the Venice Biennale. He is both innovative and conservative: innovative because he has developed innovative techniques for etching more deeply into the plate and building on the surface of the plate, resulting in very dramatic “topographical” prints; conservative because he has dedicated his artistic life to depicting and, therefore, preserving the rich Nigerian culture.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
True Change = Power to the People
Dear Senator Obama,
Congratulations on your recent victory in Iowa you have made Americans and Africans in the Diaspora Proud. Your past credentials and victories over the years has brought hope for a positive change to the future politics in Washington and this great country at large and the hope for a better life for the middle class is destined in your hands and in the hands of other people like you that have a sincere agenda for the future of this great country. You all cannot afford to fail.
I will like to contribute some solutions to help build a better future for our children and this great country.
“True leadership is not based on experience alone but rather on genuine constitutional principles with a sense of direction and consistency based on commitment to serve”.
Economy:
In the days of early depression in this country’s history, the economic strength of America was not built solely on what we have has a nation nor was it based on what we get from other nations but rather what America can do for itself and the world at large. America is a producing nation that is blessed with the brightest of minds in innovative ideas, science and technology. The middle class has always been the backbone of any strong economy. Unfortunately, the present politicians/stethoscope has taken the economic power from the American people and vested it in the hands of Washington lobbyist.
There is a great need to revive the hope embedded in the constitutional principles of our founding fathers (Abraham Lincoln & Thomas Jefferson), the dreams of our dynamic past leaders (Martin Luther King Jr. & J.F Kennedy) and the unity of the American people that make us one nation amity difficult times such as "September 11, 2001". These are the recipes for true positive changes that the average American looks forward to in the future.
“A hungry man is an angry man; an angry man is an irrational thinker; an irrational thinker is a danger to himself and the society”. As such, the economy of this great country comes first followed by quality education of its people, coupled with better and affordable health coverage and peace with an end to war and a drastic change in foreign policy of this nation.
War on Terror and current invasion/occupation of Iraq:
Any country or political entity that harbor terrorist or support/promote terrorist ideas is certainly not a friend of Americans or the free world at large. However, many people have always resented the presence of American troops in any country over the past decades. It is an invasion of their sovereign right, an imposition of undemocratic and unpopular leadership sponsored by cooperate America to protect there greedy interest in these countries and it is viewed as the new face of economic and social colonization even thought it is tagged globalization in Washington.
The problem of present-day Iraq is simply a struggle for leadership and control of its vast oil and land resources between the Sunni and the Shiite. This problem is beyond this current generation, it has been with Iraqis for hundreds of years and the only solution is solely in the hands of Iraqis themselves not America or Americans. (I will offer my solution to help Iraqis with there problems in future blogs.)
The continuous occupation of these countries will always be a recipe for fueling terror/disaster and ultimately war both at home and abroad.
United States of America must withdraw from Iraq immediately; there is no need to shed a single American blood in a war that was based on false intelligence (WMD). The current politicians and the leadership in the American army are not fighting for the interest of the American people but rather, protecting the greedy interest of cooperate America (Halliburton, Exxon Mobil, Private Military Companies/ Security contractor -Black Hawk, Lockheed martin etc.) that currently rules this great country at the expense of the American tax payers.
Americans are likeable people all around the world because they have championed the course of Liberty for decades but the current global American politics is resented and hated by the least of the developing nations.
We must respect the people's liberty, their religious believes, their culture, their values and their choice of political leadership and institutions. It took America over two hundred years to get to its current political standard, we don’t have to shove America political values down other country’s throat within two years, it is wrong and will simple not last.
I believe there is an institution called "UNITED NATIONS" with an organization constitution which America and many other sovereign nations are signatory. The organization’s constitution is not the same with that of the United States of America and America does not need to impose its social political values on the rest of the world. That is the essence of the concept of a “Free World”.
The new face of terror is beyond the Middle East. However, the real enemies of America are those nations that are determined to secretly empower the terrorist. (Russia, China, France, North Korea). These nations resent the current American politics and economic colonization which they have enjoyed for centuries but now dominated by the current stethoscope that rules America and they are determined to rein this great nation indirectly via diplomacy.
Immigration:
I will like to state for the records that I am an immigrant in this country but I chosen not to come to this country illegally, this makes a lot of difference and it has been the secret to my success so far in this great land of opportunities.
For the safety of the America people and its economy to be strong, the nation need to review its out dated immigration policies and politician need to stop playing politics with the future of the middle class (tax payers) by ignoring its constitution and rewarding immigration crime through a program called amnesty.
Solutions:
The federal government can discourage illegal immigration with increase funding of security personnel and a secured boarder support for the boarder states.
Any immigrant (legal/illegal) that currently has an immediate family member enlisted in the U.S Military should be granted a presidential pardon and their residential statues legalized without delay.
Every illegal immigrant that has committed a crime in this country “MUST BE DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY” (over two millions).
Any company that violates the existing labor laws by hiring illegal immigrant workers is an enemy of the average American people and such company should be punished to the full lent of the law including publishing a public register of such company's name on a website so that Americans can know who their true enemies are at home; just like sex offenders.
All illegal immigrants currently in the country must step forward and be properly documented and apply for a “guest worker visa” from the closest boarder state of their country of origin.
This “guest worker visa” will allows immigrant to do certain jobs that are crucial the future of the economy of this country such as farming and construction. (Over three millions workers).
Any other illegal immigrants that fail to take advantage of this opportunity should be deported to their country of origin as they pose a source of constant treat to the internal security of this great nation and the well being of its people.
The law that makes a child an American citizen despite being born to illegal immigrants in an illegal circumstance is certainly not in favor of the future security of this country, it is a loophole that illegal immigrants have exploited for decades and this is also a perfect tool in the hands of terrorist.
Imposing a fine of $5,000 dollars, learning/speaking/writing English is not the right/moral solution, in-fact, most illegal immigrant pay as much as $10,000 to $20,000 dollars cash for illegal marriage to American citizens in other to legalize their stay in the United States of America.
The real issue is it is wrong and unfair to those that chooses to migrate the legal and right way. Two wrongs can never make a right.
Thank you and best of God’s favor in the challenges that lies ahead.
Yours Sincerely,
Ade Kukoyi
Aurora Colorado, USA
Congratulations on your recent victory in Iowa you have made Americans and Africans in the Diaspora Proud. Your past credentials and victories over the years has brought hope for a positive change to the future politics in Washington and this great country at large and the hope for a better life for the middle class is destined in your hands and in the hands of other people like you that have a sincere agenda for the future of this great country. You all cannot afford to fail.
I will like to contribute some solutions to help build a better future for our children and this great country.
“True leadership is not based on experience alone but rather on genuine constitutional principles with a sense of direction and consistency based on commitment to serve”.
Economy:
In the days of early depression in this country’s history, the economic strength of America was not built solely on what we have has a nation nor was it based on what we get from other nations but rather what America can do for itself and the world at large. America is a producing nation that is blessed with the brightest of minds in innovative ideas, science and technology. The middle class has always been the backbone of any strong economy. Unfortunately, the present politicians/stethoscope has taken the economic power from the American people and vested it in the hands of Washington lobbyist.
There is a great need to revive the hope embedded in the constitutional principles of our founding fathers (Abraham Lincoln & Thomas Jefferson), the dreams of our dynamic past leaders (Martin Luther King Jr. & J.F Kennedy) and the unity of the American people that make us one nation amity difficult times such as "September 11, 2001". These are the recipes for true positive changes that the average American looks forward to in the future.
“A hungry man is an angry man; an angry man is an irrational thinker; an irrational thinker is a danger to himself and the society”. As such, the economy of this great country comes first followed by quality education of its people, coupled with better and affordable health coverage and peace with an end to war and a drastic change in foreign policy of this nation.
War on Terror and current invasion/occupation of Iraq:
Any country or political entity that harbor terrorist or support/promote terrorist ideas is certainly not a friend of Americans or the free world at large. However, many people have always resented the presence of American troops in any country over the past decades. It is an invasion of their sovereign right, an imposition of undemocratic and unpopular leadership sponsored by cooperate America to protect there greedy interest in these countries and it is viewed as the new face of economic and social colonization even thought it is tagged globalization in Washington.
The problem of present-day Iraq is simply a struggle for leadership and control of its vast oil and land resources between the Sunni and the Shiite. This problem is beyond this current generation, it has been with Iraqis for hundreds of years and the only solution is solely in the hands of Iraqis themselves not America or Americans. (I will offer my solution to help Iraqis with there problems in future blogs.)
The continuous occupation of these countries will always be a recipe for fueling terror/disaster and ultimately war both at home and abroad.
United States of America must withdraw from Iraq immediately; there is no need to shed a single American blood in a war that was based on false intelligence (WMD). The current politicians and the leadership in the American army are not fighting for the interest of the American people but rather, protecting the greedy interest of cooperate America (Halliburton, Exxon Mobil, Private Military Companies/ Security contractor -Black Hawk, Lockheed martin etc.) that currently rules this great country at the expense of the American tax payers.
Americans are likeable people all around the world because they have championed the course of Liberty for decades but the current global American politics is resented and hated by the least of the developing nations.
We must respect the people's liberty, their religious believes, their culture, their values and their choice of political leadership and institutions. It took America over two hundred years to get to its current political standard, we don’t have to shove America political values down other country’s throat within two years, it is wrong and will simple not last.
I believe there is an institution called "UNITED NATIONS" with an organization constitution which America and many other sovereign nations are signatory. The organization’s constitution is not the same with that of the United States of America and America does not need to impose its social political values on the rest of the world. That is the essence of the concept of a “Free World”.
The new face of terror is beyond the Middle East. However, the real enemies of America are those nations that are determined to secretly empower the terrorist. (Russia, China, France, North Korea). These nations resent the current American politics and economic colonization which they have enjoyed for centuries but now dominated by the current stethoscope that rules America and they are determined to rein this great nation indirectly via diplomacy.
Immigration:
I will like to state for the records that I am an immigrant in this country but I chosen not to come to this country illegally, this makes a lot of difference and it has been the secret to my success so far in this great land of opportunities.
For the safety of the America people and its economy to be strong, the nation need to review its out dated immigration policies and politician need to stop playing politics with the future of the middle class (tax payers) by ignoring its constitution and rewarding immigration crime through a program called amnesty.
Solutions:
The federal government can discourage illegal immigration with increase funding of security personnel and a secured boarder support for the boarder states.
Any immigrant (legal/illegal) that currently has an immediate family member enlisted in the U.S Military should be granted a presidential pardon and their residential statues legalized without delay.
Every illegal immigrant that has committed a crime in this country “MUST BE DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY” (over two millions).
Any company that violates the existing labor laws by hiring illegal immigrant workers is an enemy of the average American people and such company should be punished to the full lent of the law including publishing a public register of such company's name on a website so that Americans can know who their true enemies are at home; just like sex offenders.
All illegal immigrants currently in the country must step forward and be properly documented and apply for a “guest worker visa” from the closest boarder state of their country of origin.
This “guest worker visa” will allows immigrant to do certain jobs that are crucial the future of the economy of this country such as farming and construction. (Over three millions workers).
Any other illegal immigrants that fail to take advantage of this opportunity should be deported to their country of origin as they pose a source of constant treat to the internal security of this great nation and the well being of its people.
The law that makes a child an American citizen despite being born to illegal immigrants in an illegal circumstance is certainly not in favor of the future security of this country, it is a loophole that illegal immigrants have exploited for decades and this is also a perfect tool in the hands of terrorist.
Imposing a fine of $5,000 dollars, learning/speaking/writing English is not the right/moral solution, in-fact, most illegal immigrant pay as much as $10,000 to $20,000 dollars cash for illegal marriage to American citizens in other to legalize their stay in the United States of America.
The real issue is it is wrong and unfair to those that chooses to migrate the legal and right way. Two wrongs can never make a right.
Thank you and best of God’s favor in the challenges that lies ahead.
Yours Sincerely,
Ade Kukoyi
Aurora Colorado, USA
Monday, July 02, 2007
The Flat World and my Chosen Career
Mushafau Ade Kukoyi
Harv Bishop
Introduction to Political Science
October 13, 2005
The Flat World and my Chosen Career
The concept of ‘the world is flat” by Thomas Friedman can best be understood with a proper understanding of the idea behind globalization, free trade and the power of computer technology in the twenty first century. This idea is made more clearly with the demise of the cold war era and other socio-political myth/ideas that impair free market economy, technology transfer and the integration of socio-political and economic ideas among nations across the globe. According to the author, “The triple convergence is not only going to affect how individuals prepare themselves for work, how companies compete, and how countries organize their economies and geopolitics. Over time, it is going to reshape political identities, recast political parties, and redefine who is a political actor.” (Pg.201).
Looking at the notion of a flat world in about fifty years ago might be perceived as a mirage if we take into consideration the socio-political might and economic achievements of the United States of America (economic/ political giant) compared with other nations over the past centuries, especially in the area of science and technological advancement. Consequently, this believe has been proven to be inaccurate especially with reference to the collapse of major economic and political blocks across the globe (e.g. Soviet Union Republic and Germany). Also the dynamic pursuit of technological advancement throughout the world especially in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Malaysia, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, South Korea etc. has made it possible to break new grounds and explore new opportunities for doing business with remote part of the world at a the most low-cost efficient market and sell in the most lucrative market.
According to the author, “In some of those buildings, in fosys employers are writing specific software programs for Americans and European countries; in others they are running the back rooms of major American and European based multinationals. Everything from computer maintenance to specific research projects to answering customer calls routed there from all over the world” (pg.5).
As a multimedia major, I perceive a career in multimedia/web design is expected to play a vital role in the future of the world economy. Considering the fact stated by the author, “when Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992, virtually no one outside of government and the academy had e-mail” (pg.10). In the year 2000, the world entered a new era dominated by rapid growth in Internet usage and e-commerce at the same time shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. It provides me the opportunity to compete globally and collaborate with other country, creating an opportunity for a bigger creative market in the advertising and media world. This is largely because multimedia is expected to be the vehicle through which creative and dynamic ideas will be conceived, communicated, shared and transported by great minds across the globe. This has been made possible and much easier due to the compatibility of most of the major computer software and operating system across the board.
According to the author, “the lever that is enabling individual and groups to go global so easily and so seamlessly is not horsepower, and not hardware, but software- all sorts of new applications- in conjunction with the creation of a global fiber-optic network that has made us all next-door neighbors” (pg.10).
Some of the anticipated problem to address in the future will be in the area of the value of the currency in different nations and how this various value will affect business transaction and inflation across the globe in world economy. But this issue has been receiving attention in some countries in Europe with the introduction of a single currency- Euro.
Another interesting issue is the fact that only Americans who are willing to diversify, migrate if necessary and integrate with other people from diverse cultural / geopolitical background will strive in an economy dictated by a flat world.
The challenges of the flat world demands major personal and corporate commitment of scientific and technical manpower, innovative ideas and personal human service skills to survive. According to the text, “When it comes to the challenges of the flat world there is no help line we can call. We have to dig into ourselves” (pg.278).
As a multimedia expert, the major advantage that the flat world offers me will be in the flexibility of time and accessibility to universal location at any given time. I can pretty much carry out business from any part of the world, at any time of the day and with any individual or corporate institution across the globe without much barrier, as long as I am creative, flexible, and dynamic with innovative ideas. It is important to note that globalization and free market in a flat world has increase the purchasing power of individuals, small businesses and also increasing the chances of a bigger market for the production of goods and services across the globe.
Another special feature that a flat world offers me as a multimedia artist is that the over-head cost and production turnover in multimedia production is not as high compared to some industries such as engineering and medicine. I believe this will ultimately lead to new potential market, horizontal collaboration, connection over vertical command and control and a more creative pool of ideas from diverse socio-geopolitical background around the world.
On the other hand, I strongly believe that Friedman’s compassionate flatism and other solutions can help sustain the American people and its economy from the fear and potential pitfall of the Flat World. This is because the great American spirit that encourages victory amidst adversity has always been the strength of the American society. The need to meet the challenges of flatism will require a comprehensive, energetic, and focused a response from individual and government institutions similar to the challenges of the communism. According to the author, “it requires our own version of the new frontier and great society adapted to the age of flatism” (pg.277).
In conclusion, I am of the strong opinion that the unfortunate event of September 11 was a by-product of “the flat world” which has made every country even the United States of America vulnerable to socio-political and economic attacks by any nation or group of individuals. However, one must not overlook the strength and unity of purpose of the American people, which was re-awakened after this unfortunate tragedy. This is very similar to the clarion call made by the late President J F Kennedy during the cold war era wherein he called for “urgent national needs”. In recent times most Americans are willing to compromise their personal freedom for the sake of the nation’s security, which is a welcome decision.
Harv Bishop
Introduction to Political Science
October 13, 2005
The Flat World and my Chosen Career
The concept of ‘the world is flat” by Thomas Friedman can best be understood with a proper understanding of the idea behind globalization, free trade and the power of computer technology in the twenty first century. This idea is made more clearly with the demise of the cold war era and other socio-political myth/ideas that impair free market economy, technology transfer and the integration of socio-political and economic ideas among nations across the globe. According to the author, “The triple convergence is not only going to affect how individuals prepare themselves for work, how companies compete, and how countries organize their economies and geopolitics. Over time, it is going to reshape political identities, recast political parties, and redefine who is a political actor.” (Pg.201).
Looking at the notion of a flat world in about fifty years ago might be perceived as a mirage if we take into consideration the socio-political might and economic achievements of the United States of America (economic/ political giant) compared with other nations over the past centuries, especially in the area of science and technological advancement. Consequently, this believe has been proven to be inaccurate especially with reference to the collapse of major economic and political blocks across the globe (e.g. Soviet Union Republic and Germany). Also the dynamic pursuit of technological advancement throughout the world especially in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Malaysia, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, South Korea etc. has made it possible to break new grounds and explore new opportunities for doing business with remote part of the world at a the most low-cost efficient market and sell in the most lucrative market.
According to the author, “In some of those buildings, in fosys employers are writing specific software programs for Americans and European countries; in others they are running the back rooms of major American and European based multinationals. Everything from computer maintenance to specific research projects to answering customer calls routed there from all over the world” (pg.5).
As a multimedia major, I perceive a career in multimedia/web design is expected to play a vital role in the future of the world economy. Considering the fact stated by the author, “when Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992, virtually no one outside of government and the academy had e-mail” (pg.10). In the year 2000, the world entered a new era dominated by rapid growth in Internet usage and e-commerce at the same time shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. It provides me the opportunity to compete globally and collaborate with other country, creating an opportunity for a bigger creative market in the advertising and media world. This is largely because multimedia is expected to be the vehicle through which creative and dynamic ideas will be conceived, communicated, shared and transported by great minds across the globe. This has been made possible and much easier due to the compatibility of most of the major computer software and operating system across the board.
According to the author, “the lever that is enabling individual and groups to go global so easily and so seamlessly is not horsepower, and not hardware, but software- all sorts of new applications- in conjunction with the creation of a global fiber-optic network that has made us all next-door neighbors” (pg.10).
Some of the anticipated problem to address in the future will be in the area of the value of the currency in different nations and how this various value will affect business transaction and inflation across the globe in world economy. But this issue has been receiving attention in some countries in Europe with the introduction of a single currency- Euro.
Another interesting issue is the fact that only Americans who are willing to diversify, migrate if necessary and integrate with other people from diverse cultural / geopolitical background will strive in an economy dictated by a flat world.
The challenges of the flat world demands major personal and corporate commitment of scientific and technical manpower, innovative ideas and personal human service skills to survive. According to the text, “When it comes to the challenges of the flat world there is no help line we can call. We have to dig into ourselves” (pg.278).
As a multimedia expert, the major advantage that the flat world offers me will be in the flexibility of time and accessibility to universal location at any given time. I can pretty much carry out business from any part of the world, at any time of the day and with any individual or corporate institution across the globe without much barrier, as long as I am creative, flexible, and dynamic with innovative ideas. It is important to note that globalization and free market in a flat world has increase the purchasing power of individuals, small businesses and also increasing the chances of a bigger market for the production of goods and services across the globe.
Another special feature that a flat world offers me as a multimedia artist is that the over-head cost and production turnover in multimedia production is not as high compared to some industries such as engineering and medicine. I believe this will ultimately lead to new potential market, horizontal collaboration, connection over vertical command and control and a more creative pool of ideas from diverse socio-geopolitical background around the world.
On the other hand, I strongly believe that Friedman’s compassionate flatism and other solutions can help sustain the American people and its economy from the fear and potential pitfall of the Flat World. This is because the great American spirit that encourages victory amidst adversity has always been the strength of the American society. The need to meet the challenges of flatism will require a comprehensive, energetic, and focused a response from individual and government institutions similar to the challenges of the communism. According to the author, “it requires our own version of the new frontier and great society adapted to the age of flatism” (pg.277).
In conclusion, I am of the strong opinion that the unfortunate event of September 11 was a by-product of “the flat world” which has made every country even the United States of America vulnerable to socio-political and economic attacks by any nation or group of individuals. However, one must not overlook the strength and unity of purpose of the American people, which was re-awakened after this unfortunate tragedy. This is very similar to the clarion call made by the late President J F Kennedy during the cold war era wherein he called for “urgent national needs”. In recent times most Americans are willing to compromise their personal freedom for the sake of the nation’s security, which is a welcome decision.
Gender Role And Childhood Socialization
Childhood socialization can be defined as the process of children learning the shared meaning of the groups in which they are reared from birth to adolescence.
Thus, early childhood socialization can be said to be greatly responsible for shaping and reinforcing traditional gender roles in the lives of children within the society.
These gender roles are depicted in our society through historical, cultural and political activities and these development starts from the period of childbirth to adolescence. For example, in a typical African society, the expectations of a boy child are different from that of a girl child and these roles have been neatly woven into the culture, history and political lives of the people.
The boys are taught to be tough, strong, masculine and courageous and if possible go to farm and hunt for wild animals with their father; while girls are expected to be tender, gentle, feminine, caring, loving and supportive, these girls are expected to spend more time with their mother in the kitchen learn to cook and keeping home in good shape.
In considering development through childhood, it will be interesting to analysis the three primary agents of socialization: family, peers, school and how they help to reinforce traditional gender roles among children within the society.
Family:
The family is the first source of contact that a child has to interact with within the society and with the help of a well-developed sensory organ, (eyes, nose, ears, mouth and skin) a child can express their feelings and emotion to others within the same environment. According to the book- social psychology, by H. Andrew Michener, John D. Delamater, Daniel J. Myers “The adult learns how to care effectively for the infant, and the infant forms a strong emotional attachment to the caregiver” (pg. 55). However, in other to provide a solid foundation of the infant’s sense of self, it is crucial that an intimate emotional relationship between infant and caregiver (mostly father and mother) be established in other to encourage a healthy personal physical and emotional development. During this developmental stage, a child learns to trust the caregiver and response to touch and emotions. For example children are drawn more to their father when they need to play horse ride or rough-and-tumble play and they rely more on their mother for food when they are hungry.
Peers:
Having developed the first sense of self with the help of the family and immediate caregiver, a child begins to rely more on his or her peers as an important socializing agent in life. This second agent (peers) is viewed from a different perspective from the first (family). According to the book, “the family consists of persons who differ in status or power, whereas the peer group is composed of status equals” (pg. 59). The peer group offers a child the first experience in express authority over personal belongings such as toys and choice over others that they relate to. For example my little 2-year-old boy (Gideon) will like to tell his peers that certain toys belong to him by emphasizing the word “My Toy” and he is willing to share it with certain people he refers as “My friend”.
Peers are very important to childhood socialization because children always want to be recognized and accepted by their peer group. Thus boys play football (soccer) together and girls play with their dolls together. In this setting it is important that you follows the rules within your group otherwise you could be ridiculed and treated as outcast.
School:
The school setting as an agent of childhood socialization is intentionally designed to socialize children. In this setting there is a shape distinction difference between the teacher and the students. According to the book, “school is the child’s first experience with formal and public evaluation of performance” (pg. 61). In this setting each child’s work and behavior is evaluated by the teacher using the same standards with the judgment made public to the other members of the class and their respective parents alike thus, helping to socialize the students. Furthermore, each child can judge his or her performance relative to others, this socialization agent confirms what is right and what is wrong behavior for a child within the society. For example, student that fail to do their home work are tagged as lazy student while those that did their home works are rewarded with good grades.
Thus, early childhood socialization can be said to be greatly responsible for shaping and reinforcing traditional gender roles in the lives of children within the society.
These gender roles are depicted in our society through historical, cultural and political activities and these development starts from the period of childbirth to adolescence. For example, in a typical African society, the expectations of a boy child are different from that of a girl child and these roles have been neatly woven into the culture, history and political lives of the people.
The boys are taught to be tough, strong, masculine and courageous and if possible go to farm and hunt for wild animals with their father; while girls are expected to be tender, gentle, feminine, caring, loving and supportive, these girls are expected to spend more time with their mother in the kitchen learn to cook and keeping home in good shape.
In considering development through childhood, it will be interesting to analysis the three primary agents of socialization: family, peers, school and how they help to reinforce traditional gender roles among children within the society.
Family:
The family is the first source of contact that a child has to interact with within the society and with the help of a well-developed sensory organ, (eyes, nose, ears, mouth and skin) a child can express their feelings and emotion to others within the same environment. According to the book- social psychology, by H. Andrew Michener, John D. Delamater, Daniel J. Myers “The adult learns how to care effectively for the infant, and the infant forms a strong emotional attachment to the caregiver” (pg. 55). However, in other to provide a solid foundation of the infant’s sense of self, it is crucial that an intimate emotional relationship between infant and caregiver (mostly father and mother) be established in other to encourage a healthy personal physical and emotional development. During this developmental stage, a child learns to trust the caregiver and response to touch and emotions. For example children are drawn more to their father when they need to play horse ride or rough-and-tumble play and they rely more on their mother for food when they are hungry.
Peers:
Having developed the first sense of self with the help of the family and immediate caregiver, a child begins to rely more on his or her peers as an important socializing agent in life. This second agent (peers) is viewed from a different perspective from the first (family). According to the book, “the family consists of persons who differ in status or power, whereas the peer group is composed of status equals” (pg. 59). The peer group offers a child the first experience in express authority over personal belongings such as toys and choice over others that they relate to. For example my little 2-year-old boy (Gideon) will like to tell his peers that certain toys belong to him by emphasizing the word “My Toy” and he is willing to share it with certain people he refers as “My friend”.
Peers are very important to childhood socialization because children always want to be recognized and accepted by their peer group. Thus boys play football (soccer) together and girls play with their dolls together. In this setting it is important that you follows the rules within your group otherwise you could be ridiculed and treated as outcast.
School:
The school setting as an agent of childhood socialization is intentionally designed to socialize children. In this setting there is a shape distinction difference between the teacher and the students. According to the book, “school is the child’s first experience with formal and public evaluation of performance” (pg. 61). In this setting each child’s work and behavior is evaluated by the teacher using the same standards with the judgment made public to the other members of the class and their respective parents alike thus, helping to socialize the students. Furthermore, each child can judge his or her performance relative to others, this socialization agent confirms what is right and what is wrong behavior for a child within the society. For example, student that fail to do their home work are tagged as lazy student while those that did their home works are rewarded with good grades.
The Rwandan genocide
Mushafau Ade Kukoyi
History 1382
Professor Sundberg
02-15-06
The Rwandan genocide
History has confirmed that the original inhabitant of the Rwanda lived in harmony amongst themselves before the arrival of the Europeans in 1894. According to the account of Linda Melvern - the author of the book “A People Betrayed, The Role of the West in Rwanda’s Genocide”, the kingdom of Rwanda had been entirely shut off from the world, and even the African world, until 4th May, 1894 when the first European, a German- Gustav Adolf von Gotzen, was received at court by a king called Rwabugiri, who claimed that his dynasty stretched back hundreds of years (pg. 7).
Since then the definition of "Hutu" and "Tutsi" has changed over time. Mostly it has rather been a term created to distinguish between those in commanding and subordinate social positions. However, the Belgian government continued to rely on the Tutsi power structure for administering the country and also consistently favored the Tutsis especially where education was concerned, leading to a situation where many Tutsis were literate, while the majority of Hutus were not. Belgians educated the Tutsis mainly in Catholic schools, which widened the ethnic rift between Hutu and Tutsi.
Some scholars argue that the Belgians did much to create the enmity between Hutu and Tutsi through their policies of indirect rule. As mentioned earlier, Hutus and Tutsis lived together as neighbors before the colonial period. However, Belgian rule solidified the racial divide. The Belgians then gave political power to the Tutsis. Due to the eugenics movement in Europe and the United States, the colonial government became concerned with the differences between Hutu and Tutsi. Scientists arrived to measure skull and thus, they believed, brain size.
Tutsi's skulls were bigger, they were taller, and their skin was lighter. As a result of this, Europeans came to believe that Tutsis had caucasian ancestry, and were thus "superior" to Hutus. Each citizen was issued a racial identification card, which defined one as legally Hutu or Tutsi. The Belgians gave the majority of political control to the Tutsis. Tutsis began to believe the myth of their superior racial status, and exploited their power over the Hutu majority. Current academic thought is that the European emphasis on racial division led to many of the difficulties between Hutu and Tutsi in the latter part of the 20th century.
However, there came a major change in the 1950s, when the Belgians grew uncomfortable observing the sad plight of the Hutus, and began to suppress and then eventually came to outlaw the Ubuhake and to redistribute cattle. Even though the majority of pastured lands remained under the control of the Tutsi, a situation arose where the Hutus began to feel yet a deeper sense of liberation from Tutsi rule; the Tutsis no longer seemed to be in control of cattle- the long-standing measure of a person's wealth and social position.
In addition, the Hutus began to develop a group consciousness as the Belgians instituted ethnic identity cards. Yet a further step was Belgium's system of electoral representation for Rwandans. At first, the Tutsis retained total control, and then Belgium decided to make the electoral process function by means of secret ballots. Therefore, Hutus made enormous gains within the country.
Also, the Catholic Church began to make changes. Suddenly they too were opposed to Tutsi mistreatment of Hutus, and began promoting Hutu equality. Tutsis were about to be removed from their traditional role as masters in Rwanda.
During the 1995 revolt and its aftermath, more than 160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries. These Hutus knew that because of the small numbers of the Tutsi opposition, they had the advantage: both in terms of how the state would function if it adopted a purely democratic system, and in terms of the probable outcome of any violent conflict between the two unequally sized groups. This revolution of 1959 marked a major change in political life in Rwanda. Some 150,000 Tutsis were exiled to neighboring countries. What's more, those Tutsis that remained in Rwanda were excluded from having any political power in a state becoming more and more centralized under Hutu power.
Under President Kayibanda, a system of quotas was also established. Henceforth, the Tutsis would be allowed only ten percent of school and university seats. The quotas also extended to the civil service. In these posts too, the Tutsis would only be allotted a 10% take.
At the time, employment was bad, and competition for the available seats only exacerbated ethnic tensions. The Kayibanda government also continued the government policy of labeling people with ethnic identity cards, a practice first begun by the Belgian colonial government, and using this practice to attack mixed marriages.
Another bout of violence followed in 1964, and for years a system of inequality was instituted. In fact, a Hutu could freely murder a Tutsi and would never be prosecuted. The other political parties UNAR and RADER were banned and their Tutsi members executed. Tutsi were described as cockroaches. Hundreds of thousands fled as refugees into neighboring countries.
Although no one really knew the exact moment when the conspirators first conceived the genocide, it was noted that the Hutu power regime used every accounting trick in the book to get enough money to pay for weapons. In fact, an experts who studied the paper trail conclude that to arm and equip the people of Rwanda cost $112 million dollars.
On April 6, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, the President of Burundi was shot down as it prepared to land at Kigali. Both presidents were killed when the plane crashed. As though the shooting down was a signal, military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis they could capture as well as political moderates irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. Large numbers of opposition politicians were also murdered. Many nations evacuated all their nationals from Kigali and closed their embassies as violence escalated.
The prime minister and her ten Belgian bodyguards were among the first victims. The killing swiftly spread from Kigali to all corners of the country; between April 6 and the beginning of July, a genocide of unprecedented swiftness officially left 937,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead at the hands of organized bands of militia. Even ordinary citizens were called on by local officials and government-sponsored radio to kill their neighbors. This event accounted for the most horrible genocide ever recorded in the history of Africa.
History 1382
Professor Sundberg
02-15-06
The Rwandan genocide
History has confirmed that the original inhabitant of the Rwanda lived in harmony amongst themselves before the arrival of the Europeans in 1894. According to the account of Linda Melvern - the author of the book “A People Betrayed, The Role of the West in Rwanda’s Genocide”, the kingdom of Rwanda had been entirely shut off from the world, and even the African world, until 4th May, 1894 when the first European, a German- Gustav Adolf von Gotzen, was received at court by a king called Rwabugiri, who claimed that his dynasty stretched back hundreds of years (pg. 7).
Since then the definition of "Hutu" and "Tutsi" has changed over time. Mostly it has rather been a term created to distinguish between those in commanding and subordinate social positions. However, the Belgian government continued to rely on the Tutsi power structure for administering the country and also consistently favored the Tutsis especially where education was concerned, leading to a situation where many Tutsis were literate, while the majority of Hutus were not. Belgians educated the Tutsis mainly in Catholic schools, which widened the ethnic rift between Hutu and Tutsi.
Some scholars argue that the Belgians did much to create the enmity between Hutu and Tutsi through their policies of indirect rule. As mentioned earlier, Hutus and Tutsis lived together as neighbors before the colonial period. However, Belgian rule solidified the racial divide. The Belgians then gave political power to the Tutsis. Due to the eugenics movement in Europe and the United States, the colonial government became concerned with the differences between Hutu and Tutsi. Scientists arrived to measure skull and thus, they believed, brain size.
Tutsi's skulls were bigger, they were taller, and their skin was lighter. As a result of this, Europeans came to believe that Tutsis had caucasian ancestry, and were thus "superior" to Hutus. Each citizen was issued a racial identification card, which defined one as legally Hutu or Tutsi. The Belgians gave the majority of political control to the Tutsis. Tutsis began to believe the myth of their superior racial status, and exploited their power over the Hutu majority. Current academic thought is that the European emphasis on racial division led to many of the difficulties between Hutu and Tutsi in the latter part of the 20th century.
However, there came a major change in the 1950s, when the Belgians grew uncomfortable observing the sad plight of the Hutus, and began to suppress and then eventually came to outlaw the Ubuhake and to redistribute cattle. Even though the majority of pastured lands remained under the control of the Tutsi, a situation arose where the Hutus began to feel yet a deeper sense of liberation from Tutsi rule; the Tutsis no longer seemed to be in control of cattle- the long-standing measure of a person's wealth and social position.
In addition, the Hutus began to develop a group consciousness as the Belgians instituted ethnic identity cards. Yet a further step was Belgium's system of electoral representation for Rwandans. At first, the Tutsis retained total control, and then Belgium decided to make the electoral process function by means of secret ballots. Therefore, Hutus made enormous gains within the country.
Also, the Catholic Church began to make changes. Suddenly they too were opposed to Tutsi mistreatment of Hutus, and began promoting Hutu equality. Tutsis were about to be removed from their traditional role as masters in Rwanda.
During the 1995 revolt and its aftermath, more than 160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries. These Hutus knew that because of the small numbers of the Tutsi opposition, they had the advantage: both in terms of how the state would function if it adopted a purely democratic system, and in terms of the probable outcome of any violent conflict between the two unequally sized groups. This revolution of 1959 marked a major change in political life in Rwanda. Some 150,000 Tutsis were exiled to neighboring countries. What's more, those Tutsis that remained in Rwanda were excluded from having any political power in a state becoming more and more centralized under Hutu power.
Under President Kayibanda, a system of quotas was also established. Henceforth, the Tutsis would be allowed only ten percent of school and university seats. The quotas also extended to the civil service. In these posts too, the Tutsis would only be allotted a 10% take.
At the time, employment was bad, and competition for the available seats only exacerbated ethnic tensions. The Kayibanda government also continued the government policy of labeling people with ethnic identity cards, a practice first begun by the Belgian colonial government, and using this practice to attack mixed marriages.
Another bout of violence followed in 1964, and for years a system of inequality was instituted. In fact, a Hutu could freely murder a Tutsi and would never be prosecuted. The other political parties UNAR and RADER were banned and their Tutsi members executed. Tutsi were described as cockroaches. Hundreds of thousands fled as refugees into neighboring countries.
Although no one really knew the exact moment when the conspirators first conceived the genocide, it was noted that the Hutu power regime used every accounting trick in the book to get enough money to pay for weapons. In fact, an experts who studied the paper trail conclude that to arm and equip the people of Rwanda cost $112 million dollars.
On April 6, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, the President of Burundi was shot down as it prepared to land at Kigali. Both presidents were killed when the plane crashed. As though the shooting down was a signal, military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis they could capture as well as political moderates irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. Large numbers of opposition politicians were also murdered. Many nations evacuated all their nationals from Kigali and closed their embassies as violence escalated.
The prime minister and her ten Belgian bodyguards were among the first victims. The killing swiftly spread from Kigali to all corners of the country; between April 6 and the beginning of July, a genocide of unprecedented swiftness officially left 937,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead at the hands of organized bands of militia. Even ordinary citizens were called on by local officials and government-sponsored radio to kill their neighbors. This event accounted for the most horrible genocide ever recorded in the history of Africa.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
