Thank you America

Thank you America! Thank you for not only electing the right person as President for your country, but also the right President that the world has asked for.

Let’s face it, the past 8 years have not been the best for a lot of people. When Bill Clinton left office in 2000 the world was a good place to be. America had won the ideological and philosophical cold war to come out as the lone superpower. The world was generally prosperous and did not witness any major conflicts.

When George W. Bush came into the presidency in 2001 he had most likely hoped that during his term, he would be able to ride this wave of affluence and be seen as a good president. However, things never played out that way as the September 11 attack changed everything – not only for America for the world.

Bush had the chance to be seen as a great president but he failed miserably with his responses - first the war on Afghanistan and then the war in Iraq whose reasons were questionable. These events conspired to smear America’s standing in the world as a just and honourable power (as they like to show in the movies). Adding the recent events such as the economic crisis which stemmed from America’s financial dealings and the environmental issues that have pervaded the world, there has been a sense of pessimism that enveloped the world.

This election gave America a chance to right those wrongs, to not only bring about change for its people, but also change for the world. In a word, this election could bring back HOPE!

With Barack Obama becoming president, I awoke with a sense of optimism, with hope, that the world’s ills could be righted.

Although I am an Australia, I knew this election would define the course of the world for a generation. I was passionate about this election, because from America, the world takes it leads.

In Obama, I saw a true leader, one who could inspire, one who is thinks about his responses. A person who seeks advice on topics he requires knowledge on. I believe we have found someone who is a thinker, who is eloquent and able to converse with whomever, no matter what their ideologies are.

Afterall, has any election garnered this much attention from the world? Has any Presidential result produced this much positiveness?

This was the result the world wanted! Nearly 75% of Australians wanted Barack Obama as president, and apparently his appeal to most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa were just as high.

Now the world has got they wanted. Now the pressure is on.

Can he deliver what he promised?

More importantly, can he be the leader that we have hoped for?

Yo Mama, Vote for Barack Obama

I really hope Barack Obama wins the American Democrats nomination and goes on to be elected president of the USA. He is the right person for the job.

America needs him and the world wants him as President.

Let me start by saying I am not anti-America. I like what America has brought us (except the overflow of reality TV C grade stars). I just have a sense of right and wrong and what I have seen over the past few years has not appeased me.

America’ reputation as the “good guy” of the world was, in my eyes, damaged by the actions of the current incompetent, I mean incumbent President. He redefined what “intelligence” was when he invaded Iraq based on them having Weapons of Mass Destruction only to find no such thing existed. I think we all saw that as a grab at oil which America and the world realise heavily upon.

But let us not look at the past but into the future.

Of the 3 candidates out there – the others being Hillary Clinton and John McCain, why do I believe that Obama is the right person?

Simply because he represents the future, not just of a country, but a world. These days, we are not just countries, we are a world wide social community. The world has become one giant FaceBook.

Hillary Clinton has history – she was the first lady not so long ago and that time is remembered with fondness. She was around at the death of major communist powers and when the iron Curtain was dismantled. She was around when the threat of a world war was begun. When freedom and expression was reigning through the world. When the world was at peace.

But I don’t trust her. She has changed her mind on a few issues so you wonder what type of leader she will be. I believe that she is one that bends to gain approval rather than one that will generally do the right thing.

(Take note that I am honest enough to know that no one will always do the right thing. There is no one like that in the world. But I hope for someone that who will have some form of moral compass).

Senator McCain is a good man but he is just too old. He will be too conservative at a time when conservatism will not be beneficial. He does not appease those young voters who want to see some sense of vibrancy with someone who will not look 4 years into the future but 10 or 20 years.

Obama is young so he can reach out the upcoming generation.

More importantly, the fact that he is not seen as a fat, rich white old man means he has immense appeal to the rest of the world, particularly Africa and Asia – up and coming areas that need guidance to ensure they function rightly.

Lastly, he may also appeal to the Muslim world. He does not seem as threatening as the other candidates and he is certainly an improvement on “Dubya”.

He is Christian yet as the middle name “Hussein”, he grew up outside of American and spent a few years living in Indonesia, a predominantly Islamic State. He has been witness to other cultures and this has shaped him. His mind is not closed and pro one country.

I believe Barack Obama is the right person to lead America and help shape the world at a time when qualities of strong leadership and an understanding of how the world works are truly needed.

So America, when you vote, vote 1 Obama.

The world begs you.

13 February 2008 - A day Australia did the right thing and said SORRY

Imagine being taken away from your mum or dad, from people who had cared for you and loved you. From people who never did anything harmful to you.

Imagine when someone came to your home to take you away, your parents had to be held back, screaming your name, begging and pleading for these strangers to let you stay with them.

Imagine that your last memory of your mum was of her anguished face covered in tears.

Then you may understand what happened and why today was important.

Over a decade ago, a report came forth that determined that 1 out of 3 Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their communities and families between 1910 and 1970.

These children were known as the Stolen Generation.

However, there are some who feel that the intentions of this action were not bad, but good and just - take the children away from the poor families to give them a good education and therefore a good life.

But how could this be justified if these children never, ever saw their families again?

How could it be seen as positive if there is also evidence that some administrators had intentions that could be construed as genocide?

All that people wanted was a five letter word to be said by the government of Australia.

A word that would stop the nation to mark this historic moment.

It was a word that made me proud to be an Australian.

Proud that the Government that I had voted for has finally just done the right thing, but the morally correct thing.

I hope that they take some solace in this gesture. Just a word but symbolic and may not mean a whole lot to some, but to those that it did matter too I hope it meant a lot.

Until today, no one ever said "sorry" for this dark chapter in our history.

Australia prides itself on being a developed nation, a first class country where everyone is accepted. We may have our idealistic Jedi ways but there are aspects that could be considered Sith-like.

Yet, there are numbers of the indigenous community who still live in third world like conditions.
Now that the words have been said it is time to progress forwards and take the next steps to reconcile with the indigenous people.

It is time that we take steps to ensure that the indigenous community can consider themselves to be Australian first and foremost, because I get the feeling they do not see it this way.

We should never forget what was done but now we have to make sure that everyone gets a fair go. EVERYONE! Afterall, it is the Australia way isn’t it?

Burma

Sometimes we forgot how lucky we are. How we can enjoy the ability to express our displeasure at our leaders, how we can blog about things that affect us or how we can just speak freely. All these things we do without fear of retribution.

These days, there are not too many countries in the world where democracy is a dream rather than a way of live. Sadly, Burma is one of these countries, and the people live under one of the most corrupt military dictatorships in the world. The world has generally turned a blind eye to their plight. Burma is not blessed with an abundance of resources, nor are they considered a major power with weapons such as nuclear bombs that may threaten the freedom and lifestyles of the Western world.

The last time the world really focussed onto Burma was in the lates 1980’s, when Aung San Suu Kyi was elected as the Prime Minister of Burma, however she was not placed in power as the corrupt military nullified the election (they delusionally must have thought they would win).

The recent demonstrations by monks and nuns on the streets of Burma have brought the troubles of the country to the world’s attention. There are also significant differences in the politics of world these days. Gone is Cold War and even Communism is opening up as can be witnessed by the Chinese are accepting moderate, yet conservative Western values and trying to enter a somewhat free market trade with the world.

Sadly, if Burma had an abundance of oil under their soil, I am sure that something would have been done a lot sooner.

But now all of US, as human beings, need to keep our eyes focussed on this country and strongly encourage our respective governments that it is time for the dictators of Burma are thrown off their seats.

Nearly 20 years ago, the world awoke to the plight an imprisoned man in a South African prison. I remember the world uniting to help free this man from his unjust fate. Eventually, he was set free and went on to become South Africa’s first freely elected President. His name was Nelson Mandela.

So if the world could do it to South Africa then, then the world can unite to free Burma from the its current ills.