A ‘Surprising New America’
February 28th, 2008
By WILLIAM KERN
As WORLDMEETS.US regularly demonstrates, the U.S. election race is dazzling the rest of the planet. The U.S. correspondent for Portugal’s Jornal de Negocios finds America’s capacity to remake itself after the ‘reactionary’ George W. Bush to be ‘remarkable.’ Leonel Moura writes in part, ‘Just as in the person of George Bush, America has given us one of the most reactionary presidents ever; it now electrifies the planet with the possibility of electing a woman or a Black … For those familiar with American society - which is very advanced technologically and rather backward in terms of moralism - nothing could be more revolutionary than seeing a Black man in the White House - a house that has always belonged to the White man.’ He goes on to observe, ‘this society, rather savage in its pursuit of capitalism, also has the capacity for absolutely remarkable regeneration.’
By Leonel Moura
Translated By Brandi Miller
February 27, 2008
Portugal - Jornal de Negocios - Original Article (Portuguese)
Just as in the person of George Bush, America has given us one of the most reactionary presidents ever; it now electrifies the planet with the possibility of electing a woman or a Black. A fact that just about everyone would have labeled a subversive fantasy just a few years ago is now a matter of great excitement in the world at large and in the United States, where there is talk of nothing else.
This is not to be taken lightly. For those familiar with American society - which is very advanced technologically and rather backward in terms of moralism - nothing could be more revolutionary than seeing a Black man in the White House - a house that has always belonged to the White man. And yet they are increasingly supportive of this scenario.
Obama’s spectrum of support reaches into the left and the right, although these are concepts of only relative effectiveness in the U.S. In other words, Obama garners surprising support from conservative sectors. In particular with economic elites - which is to say the least - unusual.This is due, in part, to the depression brought about by the ineptitude of Bush, who has failed to resolve a single problem for the country or the world, and who has worsened practically all of them. Aside from losing wars and obtaining a generalized disrepute, he has even managed to lead American into an economic recession. And this more than anything else is at the root of American life.
The feeling that the country is in a profound crisis and that it’s beginning to be overtaken by China and even Europe exists in many conversations with cultured Americans. The majority already have Euro-envy, looking at the formerly-sacrosanct dollar - once the measure and compass of the universe - with dismay. And in fact, to go to a fine restaurant in New York, for example Balthazar (one of my favorites), already costs as much as going to an average restaurant here in Lisbon.
As for others, those that must work hard for a living, they are above all afraid. Very afraid. Of unemployment, disease, terrorists, the police, and even killer bees. It’s a scene that the media often transforms into a real scare machine, especially for children but also for adults. Perhaps it’s only natural then, that out of the crop of current candidates, a woman, a Black man and an old man have emerged. And also in this sense, we highlight the case of Obama, since Hillary and McCain each in their own way represent continuity and the system.
As for how important this is to the world, it’s evident that the election of a woman as President of the United States would have an enormous impact. Despite the growing presence of women in social and public life, in the vast majority of countries - the persecution, discrimination and brutality against women goes on uninterrupted - and has even worsened in recent years. In particular, various fundamentalist ideas feed a particular hatred against women, of which the medieval burka is the most eloquent symbol.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated coverage of the U.S. election from the rest of the world.
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