Obama's president: What does the world think?

Tarik Sultan

New member
To all our international members:

What is the reaction in your country to this election's outcome? What does this mean to you and why?
 

Zurah

New member
Relief, mostly. Both at not having to live through another four years of Republicans in the House, and its implications for the rest of the world, and about the media frenzy about the elections ending. It's pretty much how everyone I've spoken with today feels as well.
 

KuteNurse

New member
As I posted on another thread. It will more than likely be years before we see some changes in the White House. These things take time and we may not see them while Obama is President. Sorry to break up the party, but he was not my choice for President and I just pray he has the knowledge and ability to deal with foreign affairs, mainly on terrorism. 911 will forever be in my mind with all the innocent lives that have been lost. I am however happy to see the first African/American man in the White House. Congratulations to the Obama family. It was definately a Historic election for the United States of America.
 

kayshier

New member
To be honest I'm just not enthusiatic as everybody else about this.
I mean for the african diaspora it is a great achievement given the history of race relations in america. it is a dream come true. it is something historic and it is something to be proud about.

but i don't know how many of you heard or read about Obama's AIPAC speech,
Obama's AIPAC speech. Text as prepared for delivery. - Lynn Sweet
but i'm weary of the language after reading that...

people are making obama out to be a great beacon of hope..that's a huge responsibility to thrust on someone, and even that people should be weary about. I hope for his sake he does not dissapoint.

In my country we have a saying..."when america gets a cold, trinidad sneezes" so there is much enthusiasm here over the win.
 

Tarik Sultan

New member
As I posted on another thread. It will more than likely be years before we see some changes in the White House. These things take time and we may not see them while Obama is President. Sorry to break up the party, but he was not my choice for President and I just pray he has the knowledge and ability to deal with foreign affairs, mainly on terrorism. 911 will forever be in my mind with all the innocent lives that have been lost. I am however happy to see the first African/American man in the White House. Congratulations to the Obama family. It was definately a Historic election for the United States of America.

Sorry to rant, as this was not the way I intended the conversation to go..... but what do you think the other candidate and his party could have done to protect us from terrorism? Where was their knowledge and ability when it came to dealing with the Middle East in the past? Its because of their foreign policies that we are in the mess we are in now. We lost a little over 2,000 people in 9/11. Do you have any idea the millions of innocent lives that have been lost in Iraq and Afghanistan? Do you have any idea the extent of suffering and deformities children are being born with in Iraq because of radiation from depleated uranium?

Had my mother not forgotten she had a union meeting in the towers that day, she may very well have been one of those killed that day and I have friends who were not as lucky as I was. What makes me think that our lives are any more precious than Iraqi lives. We who suffered the most on 9/11 were the first to protest retaliation because we didn't want innocent families to suffer as we did.

The best thing that could have been done to protect us from terrorism was not to start a war in Iraq based on deception and lies. There were no terrorist organizations in Iraq prior to the war, but you can sure bet there are now.

As for 9/11. I lived in Manhattan at the time, I could smell the smoke from the towers, they were in my back yard. Funny, but I think New Yorkers understood what happened much better than anyone else in the country. Had the United States not trained and armed the Taliban, there would have been no Afghanistan and there would have been no 9/11. The best way to protect us from terrorism is not through military aggression, but by wise and humane international policies. If the USA had not sent the CIA into Iran to destabilize the democratically elected government of President Musadek, (who was assassinated), just because he wanted to nationalize his country's resources, (oil), and replace him with the dictator Sha of Iran, there would have been no Islamic revolution in that country. Had there been no Islamic revolution in Iran, there would have been no Hezbollah, Taliban, Al Qaida etc. This is the legacy that this countries bigotry and racism has bequeathed
to us and our future generations. The only way to change this is to change the way we deal with other people, not by giving more money to the military industrial complex.

I don't believe Obama is going to work miracles, but at the least, perhaps he can turn us in a different direction.
 

Mosaic

Super Moderator
They had a poll here about what people think of Obama winning and there was around 37 thousand + for him and 2
thousand+ would have preffered McCain.

Most people here felt it was time for a change, they felt that Bush and his cronies has driven the US into 'poo street without a paddle' and a very deep dislike of America is very evident around the world.

Overall Aussies welcome the change and feel that he will be a very hard working president. He has an extremely tough job & doubly so I think, with the eyes of the world upon him.

My husband said, I wonder how long it will take for his hair to turn white (something we notice tends to happen quite rapidly to US Presidents). I wish him well and sure hope he gathers very good advisors around him.

I understand what Kayshier is saying ... so much hype around him being an African American, yes it is wonderful he has broken a huge barrier, but it is the man's ability to be a good and strong leader that should be the focus, not the colour of his skin, and personally I think he can be just that "a good strong leader".
~Mosaic

PS: I didn't answer part of Tariks question - "What does it mean to me and why". For one I can get back to watching TV without the campaign being beamed at me constantly <smile ... joke>

Seriously, it really won't impact me personally, but I hope that overall and over time, damage done by the Bush Admin will be rectified, that America will not take on the unelected world spot of 'world police', that it won't willy-nilly just invade other sovereign countries, that it will look within its own borders and sort home problems out and sit at world round tables and discuss problems and be part of whatever decisions made, not the "if your not with us you are against us in your face attitude' anymore. A heads up America, the rest of the world really did/does resent the 'big brother' dictorship of the bush admin and want to see it gone. We are our own sovereign nations and really don't need the whitehouse ordering us around. Why did little Johnny Howard find himself out in the cold after our elections, because he was way too much in Bush's pocket!

So President Elect Obama, bring America into the world as part of the world, not the worlds unelected policeman.
 
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masrawy

New member
It's the U. S. policy ... stupid

As I posted on another thread. It will more than likely be years before we see some changes in the White House. These things take time and we may not see them while Obama is President. Sorry to break up the party, but he was not my choice for President and I just pray he has the knowledge and ability to deal with foreign affairs, mainly on terrorism. 911 will forever be in my mind with all the innocent lives that have been lost. I am however happy to see the first African/American man in the White House. Congratulations to the Obama family. It was definately a Historic election for the United States of America.

Hey hey ... KuteNurse if you have voted for McCain/Palin you are not cute anymore. ;)
As for the 9/11 actually, I could smell the burning ashes a week after the tragedy driving through the Brooklyn Bridge it never go away. I consider myself a New Yorker unfortunately, I have seen how these things have been developing through the years 60 to be exact. I hate to break it to you it's the US policy ..... don't believe the crap you hear from the Republican machine Muslims hate you because they hate your way of life ... they want to convert you ... to what ?? :rolleyes: It's the last thing that's 9/11 is about.

We do need people like Obama/Biden and Colin Powell who understand the world and could use common sense and diplomacy. We don't need another
loose
cowboy at the White House. :rolleyes: we need people who put their country first ...
 

Tarik Sultan

New member
Hey hey ... KuteNurse if you have voted for McCain/Palin you are not cute anymore. ;)
As for the 9/11 actually, I could smell the burning ashes a week after the tragedy driving through the Brooklyn Bridge it never go away. I consider myself a New Yorker unfortunately, I have seen how these things have been developing through the years 60 to be exact. I hate to break it to you it's the US policy ..... don't believe the crap you hear from the Republican machine Muslims hate you because they hate your way of life ... they want to convert you ... to what ?? :rolleyes: It's the last thing that's 9/11 is about.

We do need people like Obama/Biden and Colin Powell who understand the world and could use common sense and diplomacy. We don't need another
loose
cowboy at the White House. :rolleyes: we need people who put their country first ...

Exactly! I think part of the tragedy is how many people were kept in the dark when it came to America's foreign policies. One month after I moved here from Jamaica we were invaded by the USA? Why? Because our prim-minister actually had the nerve to suggest that we, not the IMF, should determine the course of our country's financial freedom. Because we thought that it was only natural that we had diplomatic relations with Cuba, who we can see on a clear day. Because he dared to suggest that we should try to build our own industries, and agriculture rather than being dependent on importing everything from the USA. For that thousands of people lost their lives, almost every industry was eventually sold to the US and the guts ripped out of our own agriculture, and a poor country now is even poorer. And this is only Jamaica. We won't even mention Mexico, Nicaragua, Columbia, Grenada, Haiti or all the countries in Africa and Asia. Its a miracle Americans can travel anywhere in the world and that there was only one 9/11. People don't try to blow up other countries just because they're jealous! Let alone the city with perhaps the second largest Middle Eastern community in the country.
 

gypsy8522

New member
To be honest I'm just not enthusiatic as everybody else about this.
I mean for the african diaspora it is a great achievement given the history of race relations in america. it is a dream come true. it is something historic and it is something to be proud about.

but i don't know how many of you heard or read about Obama's AIPAC speech,
Obama's AIPAC speech. Text as prepared for delivery. - Lynn Sweet
but i'm weary of the language after reading that...

people are making obama out to be a great beacon of hope..that's a huge responsibility to thrust on someone, and even that people should be weary about. I hope for his sake he does not dissapoint.

In my country we have a saying..."when america gets a cold, trinidad sneezes" so there is much enthusiasm here over the win.

Didn't you know that AIPAC and the 'Israel lobby' are the core lobby influence in Congress and US foreign policy? All American politicians cater to AIPAC. Why do you think that presidential candidates did the 'pilgrimage' to Israel during thier campaign? That's one of the main prerequisites to entering the White House.

That speech was disappointing :(. However, keep in mind that he was just trying to win. People see Obama as the great beacon of hope because the world is tired of Republicans and their holy wars. There is also hope that Obama will fix the economic crisis mess which the other idiot left behind. No one said he was going to bring peace to the Middle East or give the Palestinians their land back.
 

HananSamar

New member
Hello everybody,
here in Germany most people are very satisfied with the vote. At least 89 % of the German people would have voted for Obama.
We here have the hope that the relationship between Europe and USA will get better now. That Obama will will show more cooperation with "old Europe" in questions of Kyoto papers, war, globalization, worldwide trade etc.

We'll see what he will work. Here in Germany we are used to the fact that politicians often do not realize their promises. I think it's the same everywhere. But he's better than Bush, no question.

Regards Hanan
 

Kashmir

New member
I would like to think most NZers would be Obama supporters - if for no other reason than on the whole we support liberal social policies (ie several terms for the Labour government - even if it is more central than left). We also stood out of the war with Iraq and only have limited support for the war against Afghanistan.

On a related topic, someone on the radio was saying that as Blacks in the States only got the vote in 1960s, she has seen sufferage to president within her lifetime. Now, I know how they stopped women voting pre 1900s - sex is on your birth certificate - but does anyone know the practicalities of how they stopped Blacks voting? Was it done on looks? Did all voters have to provide information on ancestry? What about black people who emigrated - say from Jamaica or Egypt - were they allowed to vote?
 

Phoebedances

New member
I would like to think most NZers would be Obama supporters - if for no other reason than on the whole we support liberal social policies (ie several terms for the Labour government - even if it is more central than left). We also stood out of the war with Iraq and only have limited support for the war against Afghanistan.

On a related topic, someone on the radio was saying that as Blacks in the States only got the vote in 1960s, she has seen sufferage to president within her lifetime. Now, I know how they stopped women voting pre 1900s - sex is on your birth certificate - but does anyone know the practicalities of how they stopped Blacks voting? Was it done on looks? Did all voters have to provide information on ancestry? What about black people who emigrated - say from Jamaica or Egypt - were they allowed to vote?

African Americans actually got the right to vote in 1870, not long after the US Civil War. However, the powers that were in the South came up with all sorts of conditions that had to be met to be able to vote - such as passing a test proving literacy or paying certain poll taxes, basically anything, including intimidation to keep them from voting.

Of course, in the days of slavery, teaching a slave to read was illegal, so few of the newly freed African Americans could pass such a test and most were far too poor to afford to be able to pay to vote.

It wasn't until the 1960's and the civil rights movement that these 'Jim Crow' laws were done away with.
 

Pirika Repun

New member
I would like to think most NZers would be Obama supporters - if for no other reason than on the whole we support liberal social policies (ie several terms for the Labour government - even if it is more central than left). We also stood out of the war with Iraq and only have limited support for the war against Afghanistan.

On a related topic, someone on the radio was saying that as Blacks in the States only got the vote in 1960s, she has seen sufferage to president within her lifetime. Now, I know how they stopped women voting pre 1900s - sex is on your birth certificate - but does anyone know the practicalities of how they stopped Blacks voting? Was it done on looks? Did all voters have to provide information on ancestry? What about black people who emigrated - say from Jamaica or Egypt - were they allowed to vote?

I'm pretty sure Tarik will answer to your question much clear later. However, in the US we had (and maybe still?) "One drop rule" that if you have 1/16 or 1/100 or whatever you have black ancestry in your family, you are black. You will surprised that how they trace back to find this one drop.

I don't remember exactly because I read this book for long time ago, but if you are interested in "White by Definition: Social Classification in Creole Louisiana" by Virginia R. Dominguez will tell you how they find "White" not by skin color.

Right to vote. You have to be born in the US or become citizen by taking test after you have green card for at least 5 years. (I think) So, if you are just have green card (means legal arian in the US) can't have right to vote. You have to be US citizen to be vote. I became US citizen in 2005 after I got Green card for 13 years. After Bush got second term, I decide to become citizen to get right to vote, and I did! When you become US citizen, you have to take exam, and US gov. file all regal document about you, so US gov. know who you are and where you from and all other info.
 

Pirika Repun

New member
As I posted on another thread. It will more than likely be years before we see some changes in the White House. These things take time and we may not see them while Obama is President. Sorry to break up the party, but he was not my choice for President and I just pray he has the knowledge and ability to deal with foreign affairs, mainly on terrorism. 911 will forever be in my mind with all the innocent lives that have been lost. I am however happy to see the first African/American man in the White House. Congratulations to the Obama family. It was definately a Historic election for the United States of America.

As an eye witness of the 911 (I was in front of WTC when second air plain was hit to the tower) I never forget what happened that day, and many people STILL suffer by that incident. However, WHO made this mess? Do you think terrorist just attacked any countries without any reason(s)? Have you ever think about if it was NOT Bush who was elected as president, it never had happened? Who made them to attack WTC? Not only him, but started by his father in early 90s at Gulf War. The best thing is the person never be back as president.

Sorry to say, but Bush made Republican look bad, and that's why many people even Republicans vote for Obama. It wasn't his skin color made him president, but many people want Democratic to change this country, because we see enough mess from president now.
 
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Aniseteph

New member
... However, in the US we had (and maybe still?) "One drop rule" that if you have 1/16 or 1/100 or whatever you have black ancestry in your family, you are black. You will surprised that how they trace back to find this one drop.

Nope, I just can't get my brain round the point of that attitude at all, unless it's just for one side to raise up a drawbridge and shut "them" out. (that'll be it then...). So in any area where there has been a mixed population everyone is black after a few generations, which makes it mean diddlysquit. Cultures matter, genes matter (medically at least), but a meaningless label... ?

Ah well, back to topic... YAY! at least we don't have to listen to Ms. Palin on our news anymore, that woman scares me.
 

kayshier

New member
Didn't you know that AIPAC and the 'Israel lobby' are the core lobby influence in Congress and US foreign policy? All American politicians cater to AIPAC. Why do you think that presidential candidates did the 'pilgrimage' to Israel during thier campaign? That's one of the main prerequisites to entering the White House.

That speech was disappointing :(. However, keep in mind that he was just trying to win. People see Obama as the great beacon of hope because the world is tired of Republicans and their holy wars. There is also hope that Obama will fix the economic crisis mess which the other idiot left behind. No one said he was going to bring peace to the Middle East or give the Palestinians their land back.

My point is the speech is an indication of "more of the same" to me.
Trinidad's Ambassador to the US was asked to comment on the election result. He diplomatically stated that even though Obama wanted to make changes, it is very unlikely that it will happen overnight because of the system under which he operates.

Its a point i've been trying to make to many people over the past few days, and I've been cussed out for saying it.

To be honest if Obama's administration does anything to improve the image of the US to the international community then that would be something major for me. I don't expect the palestinans to get their land back, or instant peace in the middle east, but at least not the window dressing that has been going on for quite a while.

I am also wondering about Cuba, and by extension latin american relations. Politically latin america has shifted left, and this has strained relations somewhat with the US over recent years.. Leaders such as Chavez and Morales and even Fidel Castro issused statements that seemed somewhat hopeful because of this administration change. But i am also wary about US strategy with Cuba especially, to imposed "US styled democracy" on them.
To me the only reason why the embargo against Cuba exists is because of the strong lobby of cuban americans combined with a cuban leadership that has consistently and successfully resisted all attempts at subterfuge.

I suppose Obma's first defining moment on international relations will be at the Summit of the Americas in April of next year (to be held in Trinidad and Tobago).
 

lizaj

New member
What I liked on BBC TV last night was the comment of a young black British rapper and hip hop artist.
"Hey he's of mxed race so he's a symbol of unity, in't he?"
It's a sign of how impressive Obama is that he should get elected by citizens of all different colour and religion etc etc....
In the UK, he received a hero's welcome so you can well imagine the headlines in our papers.
So what else please me, apart from the fact it is brilliant to see how far the US has moved on in 40 years from a situation when drinking fountains , park benches etc were designated to guy with a very large dollop of African blood becoming president...is that the man seems to be very intelligent...what a change from the Bush dynasty and Ronnie "colouring book" Reagan.
I think many Europeans see him not only as a symbol of hope for you Americans but for the rest of the world.
 

Tarik Sultan

New member
On a related topic, someone on the radio was saying that as Blacks in the States only got the vote in 1960s, she has seen sufferage to president within her lifetime. Now, I know how they stopped women voting pre 1900s - sex is on your birth certificate - but does anyone know the practicalities of how they stopped Blacks voting? Was it done on looks? Did all voters have to provide information on ancestry? What about black people who emigrated - say from Jamaica or Egypt - were they allowed to vote?

As someone else already mentioned the restrictions to voting were greatest in the South. It was never that people couldn't vote, because it was part of the constitution. What they did was place hurdles in the way that made it impossible for most blacks to vote. The poll tax and literacy tests for example. It should be noted that if these criteria were place on many whites in the south, they would not have been unable to vote either. If you were wealthy enough to pay the tax and educated enough to pass the literacy test, then they would try to get you by making you take a citizenship test where they asked you all kinds of questions the average person would not be able to answer. If that failed, then they would resort to all out terrorism.

To answer the second part of your question, it was not based on looks. Black is really a misnomer because most black people in the Us and Caribbean are really not 100% pure blooded Africans. The average Afro American is in fact genetically anywhere from 35 to 90% European. Some communities like the Creols have a very high degree of mixture with at least 2 or more races. The way they knew who was who is because a person's ancestry would be known by the community they lived in and you have to vote in your community. The only way to get around that is if your family was light enough that there was no visible trace of African characteristics in them. In that case, people just picked up and moved somewhere where no one knew who they were. They pretended to be white. Many times they didn't even tell their children. In the case where the whole family was not able to or willing to pass for white, a family member would simply disappear, not tell their family where they were going and no one would hear from them again. Many families, including my own have stories like this about relatives who were never heard from again.

As for other peoples, like Jamaicans and Egyptians..... That's complicated. Most immigrants migrated to the industrial centers of the North, New York, Chicago, Boston and so were not subjected to the daily prejudices in the South. However, once we did go south, we were treated just like any Afro American.

With regards to Egyptians... this is where it gets crazy. Egypt is a melting pot between Africa and the Asian continents and the population is in fact a mixed one made up of East African, South West Asian and Mediterranean. So like many African Americans, they are a racial mix. If we applied the rule in America of the one drop of African blood = 100% African, then Egyptians regardless of their physical appearance would be black. However, on paper, because they are considered a part of the Middle East and are Arabs, they are technically classifies as White. So this guy is considered white.... at least on paper:

Damn. Gatta do this the hard way..... be back.......
 

da Sage

New member
My point is the speech is an indication of "more of the same" to me.
Trinidad's Ambassador to the US was asked to comment on the election result. He diplomatically stated that even though Obama wanted to make changes, it is very unlikely that it will happen overnight because of the system under which he operates.

In my mind, the policy differences in Obama's presidency vs. McCain's presidency will be the equivalent of putting on the brakes or switching to another track vs. full speed ahead.

I constantly remind myself to rein back my hopes. But I can't help being more hopeful now...and a certain amount of bravado actually helps get things done.
 
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