November 2008
Barack Obama, the newly elected first black President of the United States was never, given his colour and his humble beginnings, going to be 'the likeliest candidate for this office'. But his brilliantly fought campaign inspired all sections of American society, mobilised millions of new voters particularly young people and gave hope to so many across the world. It was as some called it a ' Mandela moment' with so many queuing patiently for hours to exercise their democratic right to vote. In renewing our faith in democracy he deserved to win.
I have just received an email from old friends Pat and Bob White, in North Carolina who had campaigned all day in their rural community and were now celebrating 'with lots of noise and tears of jubilation…for a joyful day. Midst all the trash of the past 8 years, this moment of success…sets us right again'.
For me there was a key passage in Barack Obama's victory speech which helped explain his success and gave clues as to how he will truly be the 'change' everyone desires. He said, 'tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.'
I have never hidden my views on the need for our country and the United States to take a lead in urging global action to tackle our serious global problems. And for that reason I opposed the aggressive foreign policies of George W Bush in invading Iraq and avoiding the collective strategies of the UN, to aim at all times at conflict resolution by peaceful means, if at all possible.
The election of Barack Obama brings hope now for such a new beginning: 'to those who seek peace and security: we support you' are the words which were welcomed inside and outside the US.
My friends Paul and Marilyn Robeson on their recent visit to our locality spoke warmly of the integrity of Barack Obama and predicted over a year ago that he was likely to be either a Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate. They spoke that the US, given its deeply divided racial past and its present day unpopularity throughout the world, needed a 'change' and he would be that change. The past few days since his election have witnessed for the first time evidence of a country 'at ease with itself,' recognising its multi-racial and multi-cultural origins as a strength, to be proud of and to be celebrated.
I have great hope that we now have a US President, in the words of our Prime Minister Gordon Brown who is 'a serious politician for serious times,' who shares our progressive values and who believes that 'government can act to help people fairly through these difficult times facing the global economy'. The global challenges before us are as grave as at any time since the 1930s. Then a new President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt led his country and the world out of depression and war. It is no coincidence that Barack Obama draws inspiration from FDR, and such other great American emancipators as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King.
And his first act, to show that 'change' was happening immediately, should be to close down the inhuman and illegal prison at Guantanamo Bay.
