During his campaign, President Obama took a lot of heat over his inaction regarding outrageous statements made by his old friend and mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Wright was busy damning America while Obama passively remained part of the congregation. The national feelings on the issue eventually forced candidate Obama to break his relationship with Wright. After that, one might expect the president to have learned a lesson about passivity – obviously, those who thought so were wrong.
At the recent Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the president was subjected to anti-U.S. tirades from two sworn enemies of the United States, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega. Unfortunately, all the president did was smile. While diplomatic niceties may prevent him from taking a poke at those who heap insults on the nation and people he represents, there is no requirement to glad-hand and backslap those doing the insulting.
There is no question that the majority of the electorate rejected George W. Bush’s bright line approach to foreign policy that went, “You’re either with us or against us.” However, I do not believe a most Americans voted for open season on the United States, its people or its history.
I’m not an Obama supporter and I doubt that I will ever be one, but I had no problem with his campaign position of talking to our enemies. We have talked to more dangerous enemies than these all the time in the past. We talked to the Soviet Union and we talked to North Vietnam during the height of that war, to name just two.
My concern is not that we talk to our enemies and detractors, but rather what we say to them and how we say it. In this case, president Obama left the distinct impression that we do not care what attacks or distortions of history others use. Although almost 70 million people voted for the president, almost 60 million voted for someone else and he is president of all of us. I don’t think it’s asking too much for him to refuse to be a doormat for those who would disparage us; how about telling Chavez and Ortega, simply and straightforwardly – but very publically – “You are wrong.”
Liberals are always complaining that Americans refuse to learn from other countries; well, maybe other countries have more than a few things to learn from us. The first of those are some manners and the second is some respect.
As usual, the Summit was mostly photo-op; it generated the same old buzzword press release from the White House and no measureable action plans. They left nothing out, they agreed to cooperate on the current financial crisis, strengthen efforts to reduce inequality, improve food security, promote health, and boost education, develop strategies to promote access to reliable, efficient, affordable and clean energy, especially for the poorest sectors and to promote environmental sustainability. They went on to commit, affirm, agree, strengthen and promote just about everything and above all everyone had a swell time.
Chavez and Ortega promoted Cuba, president Obama had his picture taken and it was agreed that many countries in the hemisphere are in terrible shape and most of them put the blame for their problems squarely on the USA. Meanwhile, the president of the United States of America had another Rev. Wright moment at a very bad time.
Marty Richman is a Hollister resident. His column runs Tuesdays. Reach him at [email protected].
