Of all the people on earth expressing exultation over Barack Obama’s impending Democratic Presidential nomination, Kenyans and Indonesians are particularly enthusiastic, given that in part, the junior senator from Illinois grew up in those two nations.
This editorial from Indonesia’s Jakarta Post captures the mood in that nation – the world’s most populous Muslim state. Acknowledging the downside for Obama politically of his ties to Indonesia, the editorial begins this way:
“Some U.S. voters regard his childhood experience during the 1960s in predominantly Muslim Indonesia as a dark side of his life. Nevertheless, many Indonesians are notably happy to see Barack Obama have a chance to become the first African-American president of the United States. Here, he’s everyone’s son or friend. … Highlighting his ties to the world’s most populous Muslim country could have negative repercussions for him, so in public Obama has tried to distance himself from Indonesia. But many Indonesians believe that his brief stay here with his mother and Indonesian stepfather played a crucial role in Obama’s character building.”
Then expressing the hope of the people of Indonesia, the editorial goes on:
“Indonesians are quite confident that Indonesia-American relations will warm considerably with Obama at the helm in the White House. They also believe that under Obama, the world will be much more peaceful and that it has under George W. Bush, and that the nightmare Bush brought will pass like a bitter history never to be repeated.”
EDITORIAL
June 5, 2008
Indonesia – The Jakarta Post – Home Page (English)
Some U.S. voters regard his childhood experience during the 1960s in predominantly Muslim Indonesia as a dark side of his life. Nevertheless, many Indonesians are notably happy to see Barack Obama have a chance to become the first African-American president of the United States. Here, he’s everyone’s son or friend.
Indonesians regard Obama as the son of our neighbors. All neighbors want to share the pride of having someone from next door with the chance to become the world’s most powerful person, even if they had little knowledge of the boy when he lived in their neighborhood.
Indonesians are quite confident that Indonesia-American relations will warm considerably with Obama at the helm in the White House. They also believe that under Obama, the world will be much more peaceful and that it has under George W. Bush, and that the nightmare Bush brought will pass like a bitter history never to be repeated.
Although Obama will do everything possible to protect American interests, just as he has as a U.S. senator (although who knows what he’ll be like as President) and his interests will likely run counter to Indonesia’s, Obama is still the best “son” of Indonesia. Many of us perhaps don’t realize that the Democratic Party is much more demanding on human rights, labor issues and trade issues than the Republican Party.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing foreign press coverage of Barack Obama’s victory and the U.S. election race.
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