Pundits have been arguing the past few weeks about who should "get credit" for the death of bin Laden and which borders to use in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The neo-cons try to claim everything for Bush 43, as if there were no Presidents before him. If Obama says or does anything that is similar to Bush, then Obama must have accepted the "Bush Doctrine." (Of course, if they don't like what Obama recommends, he's a socialist-who-hates-America or worse.) This is all childish, schoolyard stuff – again.
Obama is not as "radical" as his opponents wish to claim. He is well within the mainstream of American principles and political thought. He is generally continuing some Executive Branch policies with which the Left disagrees (surveillance and secrecy for instance) and clearly stopping and disavowing some practices which the far-Right support (such as torture, including waterboarding.)
Last night, as I was drifting off, words came to me from over fifty years ago. They could have been said in Obama's speech at the State Department last Thursday.
[Whether] you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
They are the almost-forgotten words that conclude John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. While most of us remember the clear call to action which echoed through most of the text, this reference to history's judgment reminds us that even in this moment of celebration we humans have no way of knowing the results of what we sow.
In that spirit, I will assume that Bush did not realize his escapades would lead to a multi-trillion dollar debt and global economic melt-down. Accepting that it is not my place to judge his intentions, I extend to his beleaguered successor a great deal of faith in his ability to begin to turn us back toward energy, stability and community. . . which we have not experienced as a nation for almost fifty years.
Photo Information:
Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. Washington, D. C., 20 January 1961. (CWO Donald Mingfield, USA, U. S. Army Signal Corps photograph in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston)
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