"Now, let me be clear..."

Hey, LISTEN to Pres. Obama's Cairo speech here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=104891406&m=104925022

Ok now AFTER and ONLY after that, pick up all the newspapers, log on to the Internet and shuffle through the "analysis" of the speech. But be warned: bullshit may be ahead. What I advise is listening to the speech (notice i didn't say watch) before you tune in to CNN, MSNBC, FOX (shudder) and come to think of it, if i was at the Daily Texan right now, i could tune in to that good ol' Al Jazeera. Analyze it for yourself. Ask questions out loud. Notice discrepancies. Notice strengths. Notice what the audience responds to....and what they don't. Bounce this speech off of your own knowledge. And if you feel like you don't have a good understanding of....anything. Read. Read now. Read everything. Rewind the recording. Listen to parts again. Listen for emotional terms. Wait for tangible goals.

Most importantly, ask "How".

Yes, democracy is important. Yes, Obama said he is looking forward to a NO NUCLEAR WORLD. But, God! How are we gonna do that?

Here are the issues he addresses:
1.) Extremist violence
2.) Israeli/Palestinian conflict
3.) nuclear power/WMD
4.) democracy
5.) religious freedom
6.) women's rights
7.) economic development and opportunity

I do admit that Pres. Obama was good and showing different sides of the problem. That it lies within us and previous mistakes/choices, but ALSO with others around the world. As the Arab/Islamic world is not a superficial stereotype, neither are we. Perception is on both sides.......

Overall, it was very......diplomatic. Presidential. No doubt, did Pres. Obama list program ideas, ideals, etc. He ended by describing a "perfect" world where "all God's children are respected." I am all for that. (And he actually spoke to us- young people - saying we have the ability to change this world)

But it always leaves me wondering.....how?


I guess it's never as clear as we would like it to be, huh?