Eric P. Metze » Barack Obama

In Support of Obama’s Worldview

Eric P. Metze — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:57:36 +0000

I often get accused of being an Obama worshiper, usually by people that don’t know me. They base that belief purely on me supporting anything he says. Somehow, the fact that I’ve always had a soft spot for the environment means that I can’t agree with the president without appearing to be bowing down at the man’s feet. They think that the president should represent their views, and if he doesn’t represent them perfectly then he isn’t doing a good job.

The reality is that America is a nation of the world and it is our duty to consider the entire planet when we make certain decisions. We have most of the world’s wealth, an over-abundance of resources, many of the most intelligent and powerful people on the planet, and a military complex unlike any in history. Our behavior affects almost every corner of the world. As the self-proclaimed greatest nation on Earth, it’s our duty to act like it. Our local officials will take care of local issues, our state officials will take care of state issues, our federal officials will take care of federal issues, but our president represents us in the world stage. In order to succeed in the 21st century we have to recognize that we are part of a larger effort. No matter how much we try to isolate ourselves or alienate others, we are inextricably linked to the entire web of life.

We may not (as individuals) like everything that Barack Obama does. There are many things that he has promised that he has yet to deliver. But that’s not entirely his fault. Change comes slowly, especially when there are so many people resistant to it. The fact that he’s doing things I don’t agree with just shows that he’s not simply catering to his base. That’s because he recognizes he is the leader the entire United States, which is a diverse and complex collection of individuals. If all you do is please your political base, then you become as effective a world leader as George W. Bush was.

The Americans that aren’t comfortable with Obama’s inclusive behavior (e.g., speaking in Arabic to Muslims, pronouncing country names in a native dialect, offering to sit down to speak with our rivals) are an increasing minority in our nation. Their xenophobia consistently proves unwarranted and unproductive. Regardless of their protestations, our world continues to progress, our technology reaches almost everyone on the planet, our wars (and peace) spread to other nations, our behavior directly affects the environment, and we are beginning to recognize the interconnectedness of all life on Earth. Like it or not, this nation represents the world.

Obama clearly understands all of these things and has consistently worked towards making these ideals into reality. Though people will fight him every step of the way (and though he may not be able to achieve all of his goals), the important thing is that he continues to aggressively work toward world coherence. As the president of the United States, Obama represents the people of our nation. But as a citizen of the world, Obama represents every person on the planet. One doesn’t have to support the man, but I don’t see how one could not support the message. After all, the message is: peace through cooperation leads to progress. No sane individual could disagree with that.

Q: What has Obama done to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

Eric P. Metze — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:41:52 +0000

Q: What has Obama done to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?
Barack Obama is the fourth president to win the Nobel Peace Prize behind Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jimmy Carter. Tell us why YOU think President Obama won this prestigious award.

A: http://www.splicd.com/GMJuEOaF84o/152/660

Dear Islam: Let’s be friends. (VIDEO)

Eric P. Metze — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:55:33 +0000

Is change necessary?

Eric P. Metze — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:30:35 +0000

President Obama [giggle], during his campaign associated himself with the idea of change. Given the previous eight years, changing the way Americans did things was an obvious choice. I mean, whether or not you agree with how Bush handled the government and the economy, it was clear that something needed to change. Now that change has come to America, there are still some people who claim that change isn’t necessary.

I couldn’t agree more.

No one has claimed that change is always necessary or never necessary. Life isn’t that simple. All things need varying amounts of change.

Here’s a simple analogy…

You’re driving a car on the highway. The passenger suddenly starts yelling that the road ahead will eventually turn into a cliff. Is change necessary?

Here’s another…

You’re driving a car on the highway. Suddenly you realize the road ahead is gone and you’re rapidly approaching a cliff. Is change necessary?

And one more…

You’re driving a car that has gone off a cliff. Everyone in the car is yelling. Is change necessary?

Yes We Did!

Eric P. Metze — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:58:56 +0000

I wish I had something more interesting to say, but I’m still a little too excited to make thinky speak. I did notice one thing, though. When Obama gave his soon-to-be historic speech, it was after midnight on the east coast. Think about that for a second.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November…