17 May 2013
Forum
Log in
OBAMA
| Author | Message |
|---|---|
|
Written on: 15. 12. 2008 [13:53]
|
|
|
Charlene
English
Topic creator
registered since: 15.12.2008
Posts: 7
|
Well it took the US quite a long time to actually realise that OBAMA is not Black when reading the article in today newspaper I was so shock that everyone actually said that he was the first black president which in reality is not. I wonder what some people who thought out there that us not whites and non blacks had nothing really to achieve in life I mean some people whomn i personally know said we did not have any roots, no background I mean I personally am decended form white grandparents and greatparents felt that I don't know in which race class I belong. And look what our race class has achieved teh unthinkable. I believe in my heart those of us who is mixed white and black have NOW a purpose to achieve the unthinkable, we stand a chance in politics we can make a change for our people the multiracials or biracials. |
|
Written on: 23. 01. 2009 [16:38]
|
|
|
gjensen
Gerard Jensen
registered since: 02.01.2009
Posts: 39
|
Charlene wrote: I believe in my heart those of us who is mixed white and black have NOW a purpose to achieve the unthinkable, we stand a chance in politics we can make a change for our people the multiracials or biracials. All around the world, the question is asked by many newspapers: "what do you expect from Obama?" - and as can be expected, the number of answers as well as their scope varies widely. Wihtout doubt however, the greatest expectations come from Africa - just who would have thought not that long ago, that the son of an African emigrant would one day become president of the US? Project that "unlikelyness" on Africa: would anyone in his right mind at this time in history ever suggest that someone would ever lead an african country if he is *not* of "original" African heritage? Just to mention this idea probably provokes all sorts of emotional (yet not really rational) responses - and no, I wouldn't expect this to happen any time soon. After all, it took the US numerous generations to rethink their approach on the "Number one job in the country" - so obviously that change has come anything but easily, and the same will apply in Africa. But that was only one of a number of policy changes that will rip through the US from now on - another has already begun with Obamas race for presidency: open government suddenly gets a very personal face (and with Obama himself - a pretty charming one too, one should add...). As the Electronic Frontier Foundation reports, the new approach could easily become a milestone to which other countries (especially African countries that will without doubt in the near future move pretty much into the general focus of attention - at least that's what I'd expect from a president with African roots, and as far as I can see that's also what native Africans hope for) will be measured against: the new approach to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) "with a clear presumption: in the face of doubt, openness prevails." As I said, I do not expect African countries to jump the bandwagon qucikly and easily - after all, that's not what the US did in the last couple of centuries either, so it would be way too optimistic to expect this to happen in Africa. Then again, imagination does not have to be as limited as expectations - so just imagine what it would be like in Namibia. With a website of the Namibian government that would try to rival the new Whitehouse website, which in just these last couple of days has proven to be as agile and much more accurate in information than the national press. Imagine a pledge of our government right on its very frontpage: "grnnet.gov.na will be a central part of our President's pledge to make this the most transparent and accountable administration in Namibian history. " - look at the current sorry state of affairs on that (pretty looking but otherwise also pretty uselesss) website of the Namibian government right now, and that word "unthinkable" rings again in your head... I'd say, The Namibian would probably stand there with an open mouth, looking on in sheer awe. Just imagine that all they'd have to report on would be the normal going on's in the Namibian society or business world, having to seriously rethink its main marketing slogan, as they'd obviously no longer be the only ones "telling it like it is"... Does "unthinkable" strike your mind yet once again? Strange, isn't it. And that although the motto from Obamas presidential campaign has already been translated and used to coin efforts in all sorts of countries: "yes, we can!" Mind you: with his website at least (and with the first couple of proclamations within these few working days he had so far too of course), he actually amends that pure pledge considerably: "...and we *DO* as well!!" I was already amazed to see how Obama manages to not only reconcile his voters to help him come to power, but actually exhudes as sense of calm confidence in the people (have you noticed that he really uses "I" and much more frequently uses "we"?) that unleashes an ammount of support (especially financially) that has so far been unheard of - and I am even more impressed on how in these very first days in office he manages to impress most (and at the very least irritate the rest) with the speed with which he comes out in public. I mean, it's Friday - and just two days of pure office work, he's: - proclaimed a national day of renewal and reconcilliation - issued an executive order regarding ethic commitments by executive branch personell - issued an executive order to open all presidential records to activists on request - issued an executive order ensuring only lawfull interrogations take place - issued an executive order to review detention policy options - issued an executive order to review and disposition of individuals detained at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base and closure of detention facilities My inherrent sense of sarcasm would make me think that for this to happen in Namibia, he would have taken at least two legislative periods - not just two days... Take a look at the new US Whitehouse website - it takes exactly *one click* to find the politial agenda of the new government, cleanly sorted by the most interesting aspects of life in America. How long does it take you to find the same information for Namibia, say on Ethics? I sure would want to read in Namibian news, that our president (in an unprecedented *action* against nepotism and corruption - as opposed to plain declarations of intent) now forces all government officials to sign similar ethic commitments in Namibia. And I'm pretty sure, The Namibian would have a fair deal of a problem to find the biggest letters and brightest red to have such a sudden change of course published on its otherwise rathes small front page. You still think that's unthinkable? Well, perhaps we should all adopt a fair bit of "Obamanism" here and openly charge "yes, we can!" every now and then. Perhaps *then* we really get things moving - and government officials to realise that they are not Gods gift to Namibians but should actually be humbled by the amount of responsabilities their position forces upon them - just like Obama mentioned in his inaugurational speech that he would be. He is set to enter political center stage not jut in America - we will all witness that especially in Africa (with the hopes so high and the expectations so abundant regarding Obamas upcoming work) he will be the one that all other African leaders will suddenly find themselves being compared with, inch by inch, policy by policy and most importantly action by action. And *that* currently puts a really broad smile on my face. Keep up your work, Barack Hussein Obama II - I know I'll keenly follow your fast paced changes, and I am pretty sure, Ill not be the only one  And come what may - at the very least, we'll always be sharing our interest for the music of Miles Davis... ) (not that this would change much in this world - but for that to happen, you sure need *some* sort of common ground, so why not start with someone who's know to be a truly great improvisor...)
|
|
Written on: 30. 01. 2009 [12:17]
|
|
|
gjensen
Gerard Jensen
registered since: 02.01.2009
Posts: 39
|
I can't help but marvel at one of the memoranda written by Obama: A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants." In our democracy, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which encourages accountability through transparency, is the most prominent expression of a profound national commitment to ensuring an open Government. At the heart of that commitment is the idea that accountability is in the interest of the Government and the citizenry alike. The Freedom of Information Act should be administered with a clear presumption: In the face of doubt, openness prevails. The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears. Nondisclosure should never be based on an effort to protect the personal interests of Government officials at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. In responding to requests under the FOIA, executive branch agencies (agencies) should act promptly and in a spirit of cooperation, recognizing that such agencies are servants of the public. All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in a new era of open Government. The presumption of disclosure should be applied to all decisions involving FOIA. The presumption of disclosure also means that agencies should take affirmative steps to make information public. They should not wait for specific requests from the public. All agencies should use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government. Disclosure should be timely. (Partially quoted from: MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Act) And then that makes me think quite a bit: - We do not have a Freedom of Information Act in Namibia - why? - We do not have a president in Namibia that sternly reminds his staff to be open and transparent at *all* times - why? - We have government staff (most of which is senior staff) that instead proclaims "I#m not accountable to you" ("you" meaning "the Namibian public") - why? - When in doubt, the Namibian government rather assumes to withold instead of publish information - why? If it is possible for the president of the largest global economy to announce this (with all the implications this may have), I truly wonder why it would not be able to do the exact same for the comparatively puny economy of Namibia, where the desire to establish more "transparency" in government is actually placed pretty high on the political agenda - yet in reality proves to be not very much more than a lot of hot air. It really is more than just a bit annoying that everytime a political figure head in Namibia is grilled on some controversial decision he has made (which can be just about any trivial decision), then he usually first declares that he "is not accountable to the public" (yeah right - define "public servant" in detail please...) and declares that his haphazardly ececuted nonsense suddenly has become a matter of "national security" and that because of this he can't elaborate on the issue any further. While I can somewhat understand the motivation of that said official (why explain something if you can hide it?), what really strikes me is that nobody (including the president) tells him otherwise. Obama does, and he does so not only because he can, but because he wants an era of open government to be ushered in. Will we ever see something similar in Namibia? Gerard |
|
Written on: 19. 03. 2009 [14:11]
|
|
|
Sammy
Selly
registered since: 19.03.2009
Posts: 6
|
Charlene wrote: Well it took the US quite a long time to actually realise that OBAMA is not Black when reading the article in today newspaper I was so shock that everyone actually said that he was the first black president which in reality is not. I wonder what some people who thought out there that us not whites and non blacks had nothing really to achieve in life I mean some people whomn i personally know said we did not have any roots, no background I mean I personally am decended form white grandparents and greatparents felt that I don't know in which race class I belong. And look what our race class has achieved teh unthinkable. I believe in my heart those of us who is mixed white and black have NOW a purpose to achieve the unthinkable, we stand a chance in politics we can make a change for our people the multiracials or biracials. All countries are different and so is the USA, in our country we have so many racial backgrounds and cannot compare ours with the USA, for example, America only has Black and white and than the different ppl from different countries. There is no such thing as black, white, coloured, nama, damara etc only Black and White, so what is so wrong to consider Obama not to be black. Its the way things are in their country, if you are mixed, from a black and white country, in the USA u r black, in Namibia u r coloured, but if u call someone a coloured in the USA, its considered to be an offense and something bad. Yes Obama is black and thats just the way things are. |
|
Written on: 19. 03. 2009 [14:37]
|
|
|
Charlene
English
Topic creator
registered since: 15.12.2008
Posts: 7
|
Even tough things work different in th states they are not that ignorant, they precieve those that are mixexd the way they want to be precieved I think as a person who is not a racial person that the aprroaite term would have been that OBAMA is the first non white President of the USA. Even tough you might think that the term coloured is offensive or bad it all depends on who says it to you, If anyone the states would call me a balck I would find it very, very offense because I am not I don't have the skin colour either i don't wanna be called white either so why not coloured. AND OBAMA IS NOT BLACK AND THE SOONER AFRICA REALISES THAT AND THE WORLD TEH BETTER. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT US BIRACIALS FINALLY HAVE A MARK IN THIS WORLD. |
|
Written on: 19. 03. 2009 [16:04]
|
|
|
Sammy
Selly
registered since: 19.03.2009
Posts: 6
|
Charlene wrote: Even tough things work different in th states they are not that ignorant, they precieve those that are mixexd the way they want to be precieved I think as a person who is not a racial person that the aprroaite term would have been that OBAMA is the first non white President of the USA. Even tough you might think that the term coloured is offensive or bad it all depends on who says it to you, If anyone the states would call me a balck I would find it very, very offense because I am not I don't have the skin colour either i don't wanna be called white either so why not coloured. AND OBAMA IS NOT BLACK AND THE SOONER AFRICA REALISES THAT AND THE WORLD TEH BETTER. BUT WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT US BIRACIALS FINALLY HAVE A MARK IN THIS WORLD. OBAMA, the first black American president |
|
Written on: 19. 03. 2009 [16:29]
|
|
|
Charlene
English
Topic creator
registered since: 15.12.2008
Posts: 7
|
AS THE SAYING GOES IGONRANCE IS BLISS 
|
|
Written on: 20. 03. 2009 [10:15]
|
|
|
Sammy
Selly
registered since: 19.03.2009
Posts: 6
|
and so will the saying continue
|
|
Written on: 20. 03. 2009 [16:11]
|
|
|
gjensen
Gerard Jensen
registered since: 02.01.2009
Posts: 39
|
Sammy wrote: OBAMA, the first black American president Incorrect. He's the first African American president. More important than that, however, he's apparently got more brain in his fingernail than Bush had in it's entire Administration. Plus he's the only president witty enough to make it through Jay Leno's Tonigh Show without making a complete fool of himself. Just for reasons of comparison: Bush never even needed Jay Leno to make a complete fool of himself... It's less a difference between "black" and "white" but more one of "day" and "night"
|
|
Written on: 20. 03. 2009 [23:15]
|
|
|
Frostbit
Jim
registered since: 20.03.2009
Posts: 2
|
The term "colored" to someone from the US is a dated term from the 1950's used for a non-white (mostly African Americans). It is generally not considered "politically correct" for use at present. |
