SoonerBlue

Cue wingnuts to screech about TelePrompters, America-hating and birth certification.

And from what I’ve heard there hasn’t been a single apology. Once again the wingnuts have egg on their face....

Sit on it all you Neo-cons...the adults are in charge now. This is how you lead a country.

Seriously, I was very impressed by President Obama's Cairo speech this morning:

"I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.[..]"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/politics/04obama.text.html

A powerful speech that addressed some touchy issues head on. Most leaders would have avoided some of these uncomfortable issues, but he told his vast audience that he no longer wants to see these problems swept under the rug.

I have waited a long time to see a more even handed, neutral approach to issues in that part of the world...he gave a clear definition of America’s attitude toward the religion of Islam.

I loved his appeal for women's rights...but I thought he was too careful, just talking about hair covering and education and not anything to condemn rapes, beatings and killings.

Maybe that would be too in-your-face, and the reason he's president and I'm not...and I do understand that one person talking for an hour isn’t going to change the world...as he pointed out.

Also - while we rail against fundamentalist Islam for being misogynistic...we have to remember that fundamentalist Christianity is also misogynistic, just a little more toned down. But both are about controlling those women.

BTW, I was talking to an Iranian woman married to an American since the 70's...she said the women of Iraq wore Western clothes, drove cars and attended university before the US invaded.

Again - today’s speech wasn’t a magic fix for anything...but let's hope it opens the door for those in good faith to take the next step in that part of the world.

Obama’s handling of certain domestic issues has not made me happy lately...but this speech is one of the high points of his administration for me.

It's one of the reasons I voted for this man. But there are those who say it's all "just words." They fail to realize the importance of "just words" - powerful ideas expressed powerfully have an enormous impact.

He is the right president making the right speech at the right time in the right place. Hopefully it could be one that reaches a turning point in the Middle East...let’s all hope it does.