Today the promise of change took place at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My generation has witnessed many historical events such as landing on the moon to the fall of the Berlin Wall to ………the current shift of the most powerful position of the world to an African American man “whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant”.
Today is already marked as another milestone in the history of the United States and the world, because what happens in the USA directly can effect every person and the living thing on our planet!
Today “Barack Hussein Obama” said so much but in so little words. His historical speech should closely be read by everyone and not only listened to or watched.
Today once again I was “proud to be an” Iranian-American. As realistic as I always have tried to be, but I too always ” have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord” .
…and Today if nothing else and no one else ! we proved to ourselves that “yes we can“.
Beyond that I am not going to add much more to the wide coverage and the on-going analysis by all the world media. I already had said much of what I had to say during the Obama Campaign and now is time for “action” and to “hope” that the “promises” of “change” can gradually transformed to the realities of our lifetime.
Having said that, I am going to set aside some of the most meaningful parts of Obama’s speech !… and only highlight the scripts that addressed the US policies towards the world:
“….As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. …….. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. “
