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The Obama revolution
Related to country: United States

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It was, more than ever, the world's election. It certainly felt like one. The buzz was in the air for a long time.

The change Barack Obama mentioned as "a long time comin'" signified not only a dramatic shift of power from an largely abused one to one with fresh hope, but also a revolutionary change in the fabric of America -- the country in which anything, good and bad, is possible, even in the extreme. Americans have again proven that they are capable of rising to the occasion, proven that democracy is the only valid response to the abuse of power, major misjudgments, erratic decisions, lies, secrecy and injustice.

Defying once again the clichés and suspicion about them, Americans -- whose naïve and optimistic stance on the world is often misunderstood -- have overcome themselves, as it were, to choose an African-American in a clear landmark election, marking a loud but peaceful revolution.

It is hard not to feel emotional when faced with the magnificent symbolism of it. It can only be compared to the foundation of the country or the abolition of slavery. As you were unable to escape tears when Mandela was released two decades ago, the only sensation was to share the joy of Jesse Jackson and others, who have been waiting, maybe losing faith, for the miracle to happen.

It is a miracle that impressed not only Jackson and millions of blacks, whose memory is deeply scarred by racism, but also John McCain, who accepted defeat gracefully and conveyed a message filled with wisdom that showed a lucid grasp of the meaning of the election.

Well, as they say, only in America. It is these moments of people's magic that make you believe it. I remember times during Bush's tenure when the ugliness of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, the misery of Katrina, etc., caused concern, and I used to say, "Americans will correct that, just watch." They did, correcting a major mistake that led to Bush's re-election four years ago.

The Obama revolution is a promising opening. Domestically, it will boost the "normalization" of race relations, challenge social and economic injustices, and pave the way for reforms on health and education. It will give a taste of the European left, the "third way," to Americans, showing the shattered middle class that it is also possible in their country without terrible risks.

Internationally, the global perception is also about to change about the US. That a nation, having reached a point of "enough is enough," chooses a half-African with origins from "outside" with a Muslim middle name sends a message to the world. The world will hopefully feel that it is the good America that wants to fix what went wrong. An America that respects the pain of the suppressed, victims of injustice; an America that will be more convincing when it talks about a world of democracy, of free word and will.

Given, of course, that Obama manages to do the right things with focus, wisdom and compassion.

He has to understand very clearly why people around the world demonstrated with joy, why there was a sigh of relief in the world markets, why he raised the expectations so high. He has to act like the elected president of the world to be seen as one.

Starting today, enormous tasks await him and the team he will form. It will require, in many areas, the cooperation of the world democracies. He will have to listen and tell them about the vision of "change" that he said was "a long time comin'."

One cannot but note a disturbing element in the euphoria. There is remarkable hesitation in Ankara's initial reaction. While the international scene is singing a melody, Ankara murmurs, whining about Obama forgetting what he promised while campaigning. Ankara, which lives in fear and paranoia, naturally manages to minimize the entire record of Turkish-American relations to issues that only expose its ethnocentricity. This, of course, shows us that it misses the whole point: that the Obama revolution has the potential to make the world, including Turkey a different -- a better -- place.


todayszaman


06 November 2008

November 6, 2008 | 8:24 AM Comments  0 comments

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