RECENT POSTS
- Secretary Sebelius Celebrates the Tenth Anniversary of National Adoption Day
- Organizing for America Targets Sarah Palin
- Obama Administration Starts to Publicly Raise Issue of Detained US Citizen Xue Feng
- President Obama Gives Interview (of Sorts) to Dissident Cuban Blogger
- "You Guys Make a Pretty Good Photo Op," President Obama Jokes to Troops at Osan Air Base
- Did the Chinese Government Crack Down on an Obama Interview?
- Our Trip to the DMZ
- President Obama Greets U.S. Troops in South Korea, Wraps Up Week in Asia
- White House: We’re Not in the “Immediate Gratification Business”
- President Obama Announces Date of Special Envoy Visit to North Korea
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
In Ghana, President Obama Gives Tough Love
July 11, 2009 11:09 AM
Acknowledging "the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world," President Barack Obama told Africans Saturday that they needed to move beyond historical grievances about colonialism and exploitation by the West to move the continent into the 21st century.
"It is easy to point fingers and to pin the blame" for disease and conflict in Africa on others, the president told Ghanaian leaders at the Accra International Conference Center. "Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants."
The president made sure that his message of tough love was accompanied by an assertion of his credentials as a direct descendant of Africans.
"I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story," he said, detailing how his paternal grandfather, Hussein Onyongo Obama, a cook for the British in Kenya, was called "boy" for much of his life and was imprisoned briefly.
The president's father, Barack Obama Sr., illustrated a different lesson -- the promise and failure of Africa's renaissance in the 1950s and '60s. The former goat herder "came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa," and he traveled to the United States for an education.
But "tribalism and patronage" in Kenya "for a long stretch derailed his career," the president said. "And we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many."
While Kenya had a "per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born," Obama added, that has changed for the worse.
On "Good Morning America" this a.m., Ron Claiborne looked at enthusiasm here in Ghana for the president, and he and I chatted about the White House goals for the trip:
The scene outside the presidents' meeting at the presidential castle was one of enthusiasm and celebration. Every living past president of Ghana and hundreds of Ghanaians in colorful garb cheered as a song, "Barack Obama" by the reggae group "Blakk Rasta," blared.
"Barack, Barack, Barack Obama," went the song's refrain, with interesting stanzas such as "As you keep the fire burning, black president," and, "judgment will come with Barack for legalizing unnecessary abortions in Africa." The second track on the CD after "Barack Obama" is called "Cocaine in the Palace."
As the presidents arrived in the tent, an announcer attempted to pump up the crowd.
"The first black president of the United States!" he boomed. "History! History! History is being made today in Ghana, where democracy has become the watchword of all Ghanaian people. Africa meets one of its illustrious sons, Barack Obama."
You can read more about the visit HERE.
- jpt
July 11, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (24)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Why does he think he can give people Tough Love, as if he is their father or their superior? It's so patronizing. If his father had not been allowed to attend college in the US, Obama would be in the same situation as his African brethren.
He needs to fix the American economy. Remember Bill Clinton and his bridge to the 21st century? Man, I miss those days...
Posted by: bubbles | Jul 12, 2009 7:01:46 PM
Danita,
These are important historical sites representative of past atrocities - and as he was in those countries, the sites were visited and acknowledged out of respect.
------
Good point. However, he seemed not to have been interested in visiting some of the Gulags while he was in Russia.
Posted by: Terry | Jul 11, 2009 5:13:48 PM
Terry . ..
Same reason he visited the scenes of the imprisonment and the extermination of Jews in the second world war. It's done in part out of acknowledgement and respect.
These are important historical sites representative of past atrocities - and as he was in those countries, the sites were visited and acknowledged out of respect.
Posted by: danita | Jul 11, 2009 5:10:57 PM
Danita
I don't think any race is free of past ignorances and abuse.
------------------
Exactly my point. So why did he find it necessary to excoriate the British when there is ample material for blame in his own family tree?
Posted by: Terry | Jul 11, 2009 4:58:45 PM
Obama in all his arrogance always begins and ends with himself.
It's politics, too.
The more he makes his biography a vital part of the message he's giving, the more it has to be him that continues to work on that issue. The more he must be reelected.
We are supposed to believe only Obama can speak to the "Muslim world" directly because he has Muslim roots.
We are supposed to believe only Obama can speak "tough love" to Africa because he has African roots.
We are supposed to believe only Obama can give "tough love" to fathers because his own father deserted him.
It is all a way to create the illusion that Obama must be reelected, because it is only he who can bridge these divides.
In reality, it is against everything our country is supposed to stand for, to believe that only a person of a certain race/religion/background can do or say certain things.
Posted by: MayBee | Jul 11, 2009 4:56:27 PM
"Go back and read or watch ANY speech that Bush gave when visiting a foreign nation... one thing Bush NEVER did that Obama ALWAYS does is weave his own life-story narrative into every single speech he makes as if he is the center of the universe, and everything begins and ends with him!"
This is the very thing one British reporter noticed long ago. Obama in all his arrogance always begins and ends with himself.
Posted by: tx281 | Jul 11, 2009 4:34:07 PM
Terry . ..
I don't think any race is free of past ignorances and abuse. The great thing about this is the celebration of the way we emancipate ourselves from ignorance generation by generation.
A descendant of American slaves is now the first lady of the United States.
Amazing and inspiring.
Posted by: danita | Jul 11, 2009 4:15:58 PM
He went back to his grandfather to illustrate the injustices the British, but if he had gone back a couple of generations further, he might have found that his Arabic roots were heavily involved in the slave trade. Oops.
Posted by: Terry | Jul 11, 2009 3:34:08 PM
This could explain Obama animosity toward the British and his -somewhat- acceptance, of certain terrorists and violent foreign leaders. I often suspected that Obama's father involvement with the terrorist MauMaus were responsible for Obama's seeming animosity towards the Brits and the Royal family exhibited during diplomatic meetings with the British government and Queen and this speech gives more evidence of the fact. Having said that, the speech was good and mostly Obama's ideas for Africa are spot-on.
Posted by: Ed | Jul 11, 2009 3:18:12 PM
Ghana, you can keep it.
Posted by: Falz | Jul 11, 2009 3:15:35 PM
This is very cool indeed. Another exceptional message planted in the world.
Americans were smart and made the right choice during the last election and this continues to have strong, positive effects.
In very tough economic times, messages of positive change can still have resonating impact.
Congratulations to America.
Posted by: danita | Jul 11, 2009 3:07:16 PM
Forget global warming... we need to stop Obama's enormous ego before it engulfs the entire planet!
Go back and read or watch ANY speech that Bush gave when visiting a foreign nation... one thing Bush NEVER did that Obama ALWAYS does is weave his own life-story narrative into every single speech he makes as if he is the center of the universe, and everything begins and ends with him!
He has no humility at all... everything is about him, and when challenged, he usually comes up with some highly thoughtful and intellectual answer such as, "I won!"
You guys on the left still think the adults are in charge in Washington now?!?
Posted by: C-Dawg | Jul 11, 2009 2:48:37 PM
This is very cool indeed. Another exceptional message planted in the world.
Americans were smart and made the right choice during the last election and this continues to have strong, positive effects.
In very tough economic times, messages of positive change can still have resonating impact.
Congratulations to America.
Posted by: danita | Jul 11, 2009 2:20:09 PM
I think the message was good, and perhaps Obama was really the one to give it, but why is it necessary for him to weave himself or his life story into every damn speech he makes? It's nauseating self-indulgence.
Posted by: John | Jul 11, 2009 1:57:49 PM
The former goat herder "came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa," and he traveled to the United States for an education.
Sure would be nice to know what happened to the AMERICAN that lost his opportunity so Barry's pappy could get educated in America.
Posted by: not buying it | Jul 11, 2009 1:43:32 PM
Don't blame colonialism for your woes? Tribalism and patronage are fundamentally corrupt? Apparently, Obama's Cairo speech is now inoperative.
Posted by: JM Hanes | Jul 11, 2009 1:31:08 PM
Isn't Obama tough?
He criticizes Ghana but couldn't muster the courage to dare challenge Iran.
The man has no guts.
Hillary should dump him and prepare for 2012.
Posted by: nick | Jul 11, 2009 1:25:54 PM
Ah back to the adoring crowds that shout his name and treat him like a god.
Ghana will do until Obama can return to the home crowd in America that still believe he is their savior.
By now Obama has managed to block out the cold response from Russians. He is a legend in his own mind.
Thanks Russia for deflating Obama's huge ego. His arrogance is destroying our country.
Posted by: max | Jul 11, 2009 1:20:27 PM
How come he can fight tyranny here, but supports the dictator in Honduras
Posted by: Mark S | Jul 11, 2009 1:02:36 PM
Ghana?
He criticizes.....Ghana?
Yet ignores North Korea, Iran, etc etc....
Pathetic.
Posted by: milton friedman | Jul 11, 2009 12:48:59 PM
Post a comment
