Sleepless for Obama

I probably wont be able to discuss all of my views about the speech, but I just wanted to at least touch on it a bit since I did feel strongly about it.

So, after posting my first blog last night I set my alarm to wake me up at 6am for the President's speech in Cairo. It wasn't until a few hours later that I glanced at my clock and saw that it was 5am! So, although I wanted sleep, waking up after an hour seemed really... unrealistic. I'm the kind of person that will sleep through an alarm if their mind decides to. Staying up was my best option and an hour later, morning dew shining on the grass and new sunlight beaming through the curtains, I sat down to watch Obama's speech in Cairo.

The world had it's eyes on Cairo this morning and criticism about the event will probably be flowing through newsstands for weeks to come. I spent some time looking over what people were saying about the speech, but I think I'll be sticking with my own opinions on this one. I thought, and still think, that the decision to travel East so soon in his Presidency has made Obama stand out to all of Islam. It was a brave move on his part, and a very smart one for America. Yeah, it was just a speech, and that's what a lot of the negative criticism is focusing on. It didn't instate any new policies or immediately bring about change. What it did do though was make America's view of the world more concrete to others. It discussed our common interests, religious beliefs, and morals. It may have been just words, but it's words and ideas that change the world. (At least that's what Dead Poets Society taught me.) All I'm saying is that he touched on everything that needed to be discussed and I as an American appreciate the open dialogue that it will create around the world.

The audience there reacted phenomenally to Obama... a BIG change from when his predecessor had a shoe thrown at him the last time he was making a similar presentation. It's not just a new President that's changing the world's view of America either, it's America itself. I'll always be somewhat of an ex-pat for a lot of reasons, but I am beginning to see the change that is happening in this country. We came together for change in the fall of 2008 and we'll come together for change as a nation and globally. That speech not only spoke about what has to happen in concern to Middle Eastern conflict, but has begun what I hope to be a new era for the world. One of global interest for unity, peace, and ultimately all people's happiness.

K