“I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen – a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world.” Barack Obama 7-24-08.
Is anyone else completely sick and tired of this “citizen of the world” garbage. Look, I’m in the world but I’m certainly not a citizen of the world. If I was I wouldn’t know who to root for in the Olympics next month.
Hey, at least he’s a citizen of this world. We’re still trying to figure out where Dennis Kucinich came from.
But I wonder if by declaring himself a citizen of the world is Obama therefore renouncing his American citizenship making him ineligible for the Presidency. I’m being half-serious here in that I wonder if he feels that an Obama Presidency (shudder) might be responsible more to the entire world than to America. Because when someone declares themselves a citizen of the world what they’re really saying is that they want to be liked by hoity-toity Europeans.
The job of the President is to protect and advance the best interests of the United Sates. Not be loved by beret wearing snobs who scoff at America’s bitter taste for guns and religion. And guess what Europeans don’t get to vote in our election. Only Americans.
But Obama seems to fit in well over there. Look, Europe has been marching under the banner of secularism for decades now, decimating religion wherever they discover it. America has not been far behind her European friends but there’s still a chance for this country to shun the European model of an anti-life, anti-religion, anti-freedom culture. The choice is clear.
Obama seemed to be making choices even yesterday. When faced with the proposition of visiting American troops (including the wounded) he cancelled at the last minute. I guess he’d rather pander to the Germanic masses in messianic verbiage than visit American troops.
Der Spiegel’s reported on Obama’s priorities:
++ Visit to US Military Bases Cancelled ++
1:42 p.m.: SPIEGEL ONLINE has learned that Obama has cancelled a planned short visit to the Rammstein and Landstuhl US military bases in the southwest German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The visits were planned for Friday. “Barack Obama will not be coming to us,” a spokesperson for the US military hospital in Landstuhl announced. “I don’t know why.” Shortly before the same spokeswoman had announced a planned visit by Obama.
And then to top it off Obama delivered an offhand comment to the press yesterday, according to Jake Tapper of ABC News:
Obama noted that in a break from his whirlwind schedule, “we’ve got some down time tonight. What are you guys gonna do in Berlin? Huh? Huh? You guys got any big plans? …I’ve never been to Berlin, so…I would love to tour around a little bit.”
So Obama decided to “tour around a little” and speak to Germans rather than visit American troops.
Citizen of the world, indeed. Well as far as I’m concerned the world can have him.
July 25, 2008 at 8:25 am
Okay, the Dennis Kucinich comment had me about falling off my chair laughing. This is good stuff.
And it doesn’t surprise me that Obama would cancel a visit to the troops in favor of some sightseeing. The only reason he bothered to visit Petraeus was to drive home the “Well, when *I’m* in charge…” point; a visit to ordinary members of the military isn’t going to give him any such opportunities.
Pathetic, really.
July 25, 2008 at 1:16 pm
The purported sophistication of Europeans is as shallow as the froth on a latte; they are always looking for a leader to kick them with the boots they then lick. Self-determination and standing upright seem alien to them.
— Mack
July 25, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I am annoyed but not surprised to find that troop visits aren’t at the top of Obama’s list. Too bad – many of them vote here, and Berlin restaurateurs do not.
July 25, 2008 at 2:48 pm
If he is now a citizen of the world, doesn’t that invalidate his citizenship? No dual-citizens for citizens of the world in my opinion.
He is molded just like John “Global Test” Kerry.
July 25, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Brilliant!
“What profits a man if he gains the whole world….”
He is welcome to this world, I’ll take the next one, thank you very much.
July 25, 2008 at 5:09 pm
What a rhetorical ideological lib. He’ll be placing the interest of our ‘allies’ above ours and there is certainly NO place for that.
July 25, 2008 at 7:35 pm
“as shallow as the froth on a latte”
ha ha.
I’ll remember that one!
July 25, 2008 at 8:47 pm
BREAKING: “Citizen of the World” used by Plethora of Past Presidents http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/25/11915/3761/506/556820
July 25, 2008 at 8:48 pm
were you aware that the Pentagon TOLD Obama not to visit the troops you idiots AT THE REQUEST OF MCCAINS PENTAGON BUDDIES! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/24/obama-cancels-military-ba_n_114804.html
July 25, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Anon,
No, Obama was not told he could’nt visit the troops, he was told he could not campaign there.
I suppose if he couldn’t turn into a campaign event, he wasn’t all that interested.
July 25, 2008 at 9:14 pm
my dear Patrick – the sad part is that you actually believe that DESPITE the facts, but at least you guys are consistent.
July 26, 2008 at 2:58 am
my dear Patrick – the sad part is that you actually believe that DESPITE the facts, but at least you guys are consistent.
The same could be said for liberals who fawn over Obama.
The guy is nothing but rhetoric in a nice suit.
Name one – one – of his accomplishments. A piece of legislation, a bill, anything that Obama has done.
Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
Unless, of course, we make it known to the world that Obama was a vocal opponent of the Born Alive Act (something Ted Kennedy didn’t even do) – if you want to share with the world that Obama stood in opposition to protecting infants who survived abortion, preferring instead to let them die like garbage.
Now that’s change we can believe in…
July 26, 2008 at 3:38 pm
As the farmers of the Whiskey Rebellion discovered back during the administration of President Washington, as soon as someone can claim you as a citizen, taxing you on that basis will never be far behind.
July 26, 2008 at 3:40 pm
“But I wonder if by declaring himself a citizen of the world is Obama therefore renouncing his American citizenship making him ineligible for the Presidency. I’m being half-serious here in that I wonder if he feels that an Obama Presidency (shudder) might be responsible more to the entire world than to America.”
That would be an unfair statement. Considering the changing nature of global politics, there is such a thing as being a ‘citizen,’ a political participant, in the world. That does not have to exclude one’s loyalty at home. In fact, by being such a participant you might be in a better situation to ‘bring home the bacon,’ as U.S. Senators put it, WITHOUT the need for threats, violence, and bullyism.
I don’t like Obama’s policy, but the rhetoric which is used against him includes so many fallacies that I don’t know where to start. When can we stop this democratic mob rule nonsense, on both sides, and move on to “a government of laws and not of men” (John Adams). I, for one, refuse to participate in such discouragement and fear-mongering.
July 26, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I agree with Clayton, and would note that John Adams deplored the idea of direct democracy, as did other (though not all) founders of this country. He knew that such a system combined with universal suffrage inevitably leads to a tyranny of mob rule lead by an elite demagogue (Obama). He also opposed unchecked power of an aristocracy. That is why we have the checks and balances of the electoral system written into the Constitution. But the founders were worried about what would happen if people with no financial stake in society got to vote. They were really quite prescient. Sounds so politically incorrect these days, doesn’t it? But what you get is “American Idol” goes to Washington, financed by a liberal elite with an agenda that would horrify most of us. I do not get pleasure from personally attacking Obama, but his philosophies and policies would be ruinous to the country were he to be elected. That should be enough said. His character, fortunately, should not even have to enter in to it. Kit.
July 27, 2008 at 2:01 am
Anonymous,
If you are in fact named “kit,” I apologize for depriving you of your name. Thank you for making my point more clear. I do not support Obama, but I ALSO do not support a system which creates two creatures of partisan vote-grabbing like Obama and McCain. McCain plays on our fears, Obama on our desire to assuage our fears by artificial means. Both of them are, like you said, “American Idol goes to Washington.” The problem is that the founders came up with a great Electoral system, but the first party (the Democratic-Republicans) couldn’t stand their infallibility being put to consideration by the minority. It would be nice if we had tried it more than three times.
It is clear that the concept of “citizen of the world” was as much a part of the rationalist ideal of the founding fathers as it is in current politics. In fact, the movement towards a liberal republic is one which stands in direct contrast to the former idea of the single nation-state, namely that laws which conform to “nature and Nature’s God” are applicable to ALL people and not simply the nation which promulgates them. We do not owe our rights to a country, but to God whose Providence extends over all of Creation. I am not a rationalist, but this is an insight of that time which is pretty darn important to accept.
It follows, then, that we are, as we move towards becoming, as John Adams also stated, an “honest and enlightened people,” the more we are required by our example and prudence, first, to aid others in so doing, and second, in participating selflessly in deliberative counsel with other nations to find the course of action most conducive to the common good. Without fulfilling these two criteria, we can neither call ourselves honest nor enlightened.
In other words, being a “citizen of the world” is not some kind of lack of patriotism. It is real patriotism to the vision of liberty which our forefathers desired.
July 27, 2008 at 2:12 am
Nota bene: the idea of the republic is one which assumes “that laws which conform to “nature and Nature’s God” are applicable to ALL people and not simply the nation which promulgates them.” My sentence structure gets confused when I think by typing.
July 27, 2008 at 4:06 am
My name is actually Catherine, but I don’t feel deprived by being called “Anonymous.” Some of the world’s greatest music and writing are attributed to “Anonymous”. I am in complete agreement with Clayton that there is a natural law which supercedes all nationalities and that our forefathers did recognize that. That belief is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence as our primary reason for being and it is up to us to hold to the primacy of that moral law always. Re Mr. Obama: The fact that he claims to be a citizen of the world doesn’t mean much to me. I don’t think it actually means much to him either, though I can’t read his mind. Somehow it comes across as “I’m going to make Jimmy Carter look like Winston Churchill.” Thanks for an interesting discussion. Kit.
July 27, 2008 at 4:51 am
Anon –
my dear Patrick – the sad part is that you actually believe that DESPITE the facts, but at least you guys are consistent.
You can believe huffingtonpost if that makes you feel better.. but I believe my husband – who happens to be stationed there.
Obama wanted to use the troops for campaign purposes – otherwise he would have made a humanitarian gesture and visited the troops.
It just goes to show that he’s not as smart as you think. The media would have added another halo to his head for visiting the wounded soldiers out of compassion… rather than political gain.
Fortunately it caused him a lot of bad “press” in the new media and with veterans.