Reporting from London — If history records a sudden surge in carbon emissions on Wednesday, it may be due to the collective exhalation of relief and joy by the hundreds of millions — perhaps billions — of people around the globe who watched, waited and prayed for Barack Obama to be elected president of the United States.
In country after country, elation over Obama’s victory was palpable, the hunger for a change of American leadership as strong outside the U.S. as in it. And there was wonderment that, in the world’s most powerful democracy, a man with African roots and the middle name Hussein, an upstart fighter who took on political heavyweights, could capture the highest office in the land.
I hate to be cynical, but ask me if I care what the Europeans or anyone else thinks about our election. Sen. Obama was elected president of the United States – if he gets along with other heads of state, that’s great so long as it’s not at the expense of the security of our country. Other than that, after listening to them berate Pres. Bush for the past seven years, I really don’t have much respect for what they think about our politicians.
(I also posted this on another thread as well.)
No. 1 – Agreed. Thx.
Then fools’ approval stings, and honour stains.
From wrong to wrong the exasperated spirit
Proceeds, unless restored by that refining fire
Where you must move in measure, like a dancer.
– T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding
If Anmericans imagine the world will love them now, they are the most amnesiac of people. Check out the price of oil and Iran’s slide into chaos. 2009 will be a horrible year.
I don’t usually comment on US political issues [particularly before elections] but I met a lady from my church recently out of hospital yesterday. I can’t tell you how excited she was by the fact that it was possible for someone with Obama’s background to be elected as a US president. She told me she was buying a newspaper for her collection of important events that had happened in her lifetime.
The rest of the world does take an interest in and take a lead from what happens in the US, so for us in England to talk about what has been happening is not necessarily meant in an unfriendly or interfering manner.
People feel better when they sense that someone is listening to them. This is what Obama brings to the table here. It is huge, and in my estimation will go a long way to restoring our international diplomacy.
Here in London I have heard many a snide and silly comment about the U. S. However, I also see widespread adoption of U. S. culture: our kids rap, near where I live a vast mall has just opened, we flock to see U. S. films. U. S. influence is felt in religion too – witness, for example, church planting bringing new life to moribund congregations, a technique learned, I believe, from Fuller Seminary. So it is only natural that people over here should be interested in, and even emotionally involved in, the U. S. election. You influence us. And yes, believe it or not, we influence you. We share the same world, and for those of us who are Christian, we are members of the Body of Christ. I lament the ill-informed comments I have heard about the U. S. but come to think of it I have occasionally heard the same in the U. S. about Europe. (In fact sometimes I hardly recognize the Europe they are talking about.) But the fact that we comment on one another is evidence that we are important to one another and interested in one another and significant to one another. Which is better than mutual ignorance and contempt, which would be neither Christian nor generally ethical.
I’m glad they feel good. Warms my heart. The cost to the USA of their good feelings: unfettered abortion, cut-backs in the defense budget causing more lost jobs, increased non-productive employment in the public sector causing increased taxes to pay for those jobs, increased taxation of small business causing more unemployment, and support of same sex marriage. I think we will see four years of economic and social disaster, followed by a shift back to conservative values in 2012. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
With increasing globalization, it is important that we care what the international community thinks about America. I’m glad the world is rejoicing with us!! Now, Americans abroad don’t have to hide or feel ashamed of their nationality.
The only thing I ask is that Obama lives up to the expectations!
Vincent
I’m not so sure protectionism is going to make the world swoon in the coming months, Vince.
I don’t know if Kendall and his Merrie Elves will let me get away with this. However, what follows was originally e-mailed by me to my U. S. friends yesterday. Someone had sent me a spoof U. K. royal decree revoking US independence. I began to wonder how it would look the other way round and came up with the following. I had such fun doing it and hope that you enjoy the read.
A PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
From the Oval Office, Washington, January 2009. With immediate effect, by order of President Barack Obama
In response to many requests from the citizens of the United Kingdom, given the sad state of your nation, we accede forthwith to your request that you should become the fifty-first state of the United States. In return the citizens of the United States expect the following by way of compliance:
1. You must stop referring to your national sport as football. Henceforth it is to be known as soccer.
2. You must cease setting off fireworks on November 5th. The correct date is July 4th.
3. Michelle is the First Lady, so there is no need for a Queen. The office of monarch is abolished.
4. You must be nicer to those Mormon missionaries we keep sending over.
5. The BBC must accept advertisements and the licence fee is abolished. The very idea of a television licence is anathema to a free people.
6. The United States will graciously allow you to continue to use electric kettles, and may even import a few.
7. You must stop queuing and must stand in line instead.
8. Similarly you must accept that there is no such thing as a fortnight. You can, if you wish, wait two weeks.
9. We know that Americans are bad at irony, but irony is for losers.
10. There is no longer any need for the House of Lords. There are cheaper ways to generate methane gas. Besides, it does nothing the Senate cannot do.
11. Now that we are one nation we cannot force you to take back David and Victoria Beckham. But would you please consider it?
12. You must tell us, what is a loo?
13. You will replace cricket with baseball. Even many Brits find cricket as interesting as watching paint dry and as arcane as the IRS regulations. Ask the Scots.
14. There shall be separation of Church and State. However, this is postponed until my inauguration service at Westminster Abbey. You Brits are always telling us how good you are at pageantry!
Thanks for the laugh Terry Tee
Yea–they applauded, particularly Iran, Russia, Syria, and others who knew they could and will bully BHO.
As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!!!”
bl
“I can’t tell you how excited she was by the fact that it was possible for someone with Obama’s background to be elected as a US president.”
I don’t want to presume, but I do wonder if Brits and Europeans believe American blacks are all sharecroppers picking cotton. Obama had a very typical background for US presidents: middle class upbringing, exclusive prep school, college at Columbia, and law at Harvard.
World to U.S.: we won’t be completely happy until you are as irrelevant as we are in the international stage.
Everybody around the world is jubilant and saying we are cool again. Proud to be American again. Keep fiddling while Rome is burning. Need to re-read C S Lewis essay on the Same Old Thing. Enjoy! Eat, drink and be merry, tomorrow your world will be crumbling. I sincerely hope I am wrong, but you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. The Dem’s are coming to get your money and grow a big, socialist government. Nothing can stop them now.
#16 CandB, To do all the things that Obama promises may require a Congressional 2/3 majority vote to get passed. The newspaper I read indicates that the latest count of Democratic seats in the House or Senate is high but not as high as 66 1/3%. Let us also not overlook there is a certain amount of aisle crossing by both parties; conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans.