The idea behind modern democratic movement is that all human beings are "created" equal and thus have the "divine" right to decide who constitute the government that run their affairs in public (internally - locally, and externally -foreign), which shape that government takes. To be fair, no single country in the world yet fully imbibe the principles behind this idea, but the United States of America has consistently (despite its storied history and imperfect present) provided the most basic model of that idea.
For generations, particularly in the years after the second world war, the United States has advanced the idea of Capitalist-Secular-Democracy in regions across the globe, albeit unevenly and imperfectly. In many instances during the cold war (1945 - 1991), the US often leaned more towards Capitalism (even if at the expense of Secularism - Saudi Arabia and the Middle East; and or at the expense of Democracy - much of the world) and since 2001 (after the World Trade Center attacks in New York) the bias was towards Secularism (at least in predominantly Muslim states).
With the election of Barack Obama in 2008, the world was put on notice that America's age of Democracy is alight. American Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush have long preached the ideals of democracy both locally and abroad, but no other time has the images of democracy shone from America to the far reaches of the world as when the people of America rose in near unison to hand a mixed raced (and self identified minority mutt) the mantle of national leadership. Americans went to the polls in drove in a near record turn-out and handed Barack Hussein Obama a near record electoral-college landslide to become the nations first "openly minority" President - and alas the American age of Democracy seems to have arrived. The optics (to use the words of MSNBC host, Chris Matthews) of democracy where clear - self determination. And the people, the youths, of the world got it. It is possible to determine who your leader is. Even in America, the game may not be so rigged.
The Tea Party led political uprising (despite its underlying duplicity) of 2010 re-affirmed America's commitment to "government of the people, for the people, by the people". Indeed much of the youths of the world were sold on the idea and it was a matter of time before the tinder box of discontent in much of the world is ignited.
Just barely six months after Obama was sworn in, Iranians took to the street, in one of the nation's largest uprising since 1979, to push for the reversal of a rigged Presidential election that returned firebrand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President for another 5 year term. The streets of Tehran erupted in their quest for political and economic freedom (the oft promised dividend of democracy) - but the people of Messopotamia watched as the American government of Barack Obama shyly avoided direct support, even if morally, in their drive for an American styled (if at least) democracy. But the American lack of courage (at least in public) did not deter others across the region who also noted that the US was not working against their quest for freedom, even covertly. America seems to be steering, albeit flat-footedly, towards inclusive system of governments as American diplomats ratcheted up their call for more participation, more freedom even in the governments of American "allies" including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
So it was not much of a surprise to witness the events of the last few weeks across North Africa and the middle East. Indeed, it is not much of a surprise to hear many African leaders quietly promising not to perpetuate their stay in power. In Tunisia and Egypt, age-long despots were deposed. In Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, Bharain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan, governments are making overtures to demonstrate they feel the people's pain. In Nigeria, an a President running for re-election is promising not to run again in the future, limiting himself to one partial term (his current term started after the death of his previous boss) and a full term (if he is elected to one in May). And China increases its crackdown on its people, while Mahmoud Ahmadinejad missed the irony of his call for tolerance to Gulf Coast leaders!
Across the globe, people are paying attention to what has happened in Tunisia and Egypt and what is happening in Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Yes, people are paying attention to the massacre taking place in Libya. And people are paying attention to Iran and China too, and to some extent to Myanmar.
It is true that the oppressors still seem to have the upper hand, but their hold on the people of their countries are weakening. Iranians can hear the hypocrisy spewing from manic Ahmadinejad and his followers calling for the death of political opponents - they can get to hear their illegitimate President sound like the crazed butcher of Libya. And Chinese, many more than the government will ever know are learning of their Animal Farm society.
Democracy! A beautiful idea is on the march across the globe. Sure, the reason for the middle-eastern uprising is not just a simple set of facts but a complex amalgamation of events and actions. But the reality of the optics is clear - long-feared despots are no more powerful than the ire of the people. Indeed, Libya may ultimately sate the freedom appetite of people all over, like the events of the Tienanmen square 22 years ago did to the Chinese. But the middle east will not be the same again, and the people will advance towards self determination, even if slowly.
For generations, particularly in the years after the second world war, the United States has advanced the idea of Capitalist-Secular-Democracy in regions across the globe, albeit unevenly and imperfectly. In many instances during the cold war (1945 - 1991), the US often leaned more towards Capitalism (even if at the expense of Secularism - Saudi Arabia and the Middle East; and or at the expense of Democracy - much of the world) and since 2001 (after the World Trade Center attacks in New York) the bias was towards Secularism (at least in predominantly Muslim states).
With the election of Barack Obama in 2008, the world was put on notice that America's age of Democracy is alight. American Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush have long preached the ideals of democracy both locally and abroad, but no other time has the images of democracy shone from America to the far reaches of the world as when the people of America rose in near unison to hand a mixed raced (and self identified minority mutt) the mantle of national leadership. Americans went to the polls in drove in a near record turn-out and handed Barack Hussein Obama a near record electoral-college landslide to become the nations first "openly minority" President - and alas the American age of Democracy seems to have arrived. The optics (to use the words of MSNBC host, Chris Matthews) of democracy where clear - self determination. And the people, the youths, of the world got it. It is possible to determine who your leader is. Even in America, the game may not be so rigged.
The Tea Party led political uprising (despite its underlying duplicity) of 2010 re-affirmed America's commitment to "government of the people, for the people, by the people". Indeed much of the youths of the world were sold on the idea and it was a matter of time before the tinder box of discontent in much of the world is ignited.
Just barely six months after Obama was sworn in, Iranians took to the street, in one of the nation's largest uprising since 1979, to push for the reversal of a rigged Presidential election that returned firebrand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President for another 5 year term. The streets of Tehran erupted in their quest for political and economic freedom (the oft promised dividend of democracy) - but the people of Messopotamia watched as the American government of Barack Obama shyly avoided direct support, even if morally, in their drive for an American styled (if at least) democracy. But the American lack of courage (at least in public) did not deter others across the region who also noted that the US was not working against their quest for freedom, even covertly. America seems to be steering, albeit flat-footedly, towards inclusive system of governments as American diplomats ratcheted up their call for more participation, more freedom even in the governments of American "allies" including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
So it was not much of a surprise to witness the events of the last few weeks across North Africa and the middle East. Indeed, it is not much of a surprise to hear many African leaders quietly promising not to perpetuate their stay in power. In Tunisia and Egypt, age-long despots were deposed. In Algeria, Morocco, Yemen, Bharain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan, governments are making overtures to demonstrate they feel the people's pain. In Nigeria, an a President running for re-election is promising not to run again in the future, limiting himself to one partial term (his current term started after the death of his previous boss) and a full term (if he is elected to one in May). And China increases its crackdown on its people, while Mahmoud Ahmadinejad missed the irony of his call for tolerance to Gulf Coast leaders!
Across the globe, people are paying attention to what has happened in Tunisia and Egypt and what is happening in Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Yes, people are paying attention to the massacre taking place in Libya. And people are paying attention to Iran and China too, and to some extent to Myanmar.
It is true that the oppressors still seem to have the upper hand, but their hold on the people of their countries are weakening. Iranians can hear the hypocrisy spewing from manic Ahmadinejad and his followers calling for the death of political opponents - they can get to hear their illegitimate President sound like the crazed butcher of Libya. And Chinese, many more than the government will ever know are learning of their Animal Farm society.
Democracy! A beautiful idea is on the march across the globe. Sure, the reason for the middle-eastern uprising is not just a simple set of facts but a complex amalgamation of events and actions. But the reality of the optics is clear - long-feared despots are no more powerful than the ire of the people. Indeed, Libya may ultimately sate the freedom appetite of people all over, like the events of the Tienanmen square 22 years ago did to the Chinese. But the middle east will not be the same again, and the people will advance towards self determination, even if slowly.
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