At long last, eloquence and intelligence
Jan 21
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 the 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.
From Barack Obama’s inauguration speech.
(Now, cast your mind back …)
Feb 07, 2009 @ 20:51:52
For me the most groundbreaking part of his speech was this:
“We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and nonbelievers.”
Feb 07, 2009 @ 22:31:43
I agree wholeheartedly. For an American president to even acknowledge the presence of ‘nonbelievers’ in the USA is an amazing thing in religion-crazed America – ironically, since secularism was one of the principles their ‘founding fathers’ built the nation on.