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@Elguapo
It's really interesting and a tad frustrating not being home for all of this and hearing international points of view. I am and always will be unbelievably cynical and untrusting when it comes to politicians of any kind. But Barack Obama speaks about the future in a way that Americans have not heard for many years. I will never just blindly follow him but will judge him by his actions. I have to have faith in the promise that he sees for the future of the U.S.. Americans have been demorilized over the last 8 years at home and in the eyes of the world.
By no means do I think or believe the rhetoric that the U.S. is a beacon for good in the world. The whole idea of capitalism goes hand in hand with opression and tyrany. The U.S. is a capatalist monster and the the world suffers for it. I'm not holding my breath for an inspiring Social Democrat to come out of the woodworks and spread happiness around the country anytime soon.
I hate the word Patriotic and I am loath to go around spouting my pride in America. Because I think we are all living on the same planet and it's F'in tiny in the scheme of things. But now that I have lived outside the U.S. for almost 5 years now I sort of understand what people see and admire about America, funny thing is, it's the same thing that irritates me intensely about America. Americans have a confidence and
optomism that I think many people around the world aspire to. Added to that Americans live a life of indiviualism and opportunity that allows us to aspire to being great, succeed or fail we will always give it a try. The problem is that the confidence, optomism and drive for greatness has turned in to arrogance and greed. We have become so arrogant that we have become blinded by it. We have adopted a my way or the highway attitude towards the rest of the world. Therefore we have lost any admiration that had been directed our way from the world.
Added to all of this, After unbelievable and long fought struggle by african americans in the U.S.. We have an African American president. The U.S. have made a fundemental change in their thinking that no one thought would happen in their lifetime. It is history on the biggest scale! You still wont find me wearing American flag trousers or chanting USA!USA! anytime soon, I would sooner chop of a leg. But It is nice to think I might not have to make excuses and wont feel so ashamed about the place that is my home.