My thoughts on Barack Obama

The most powerful nation in the world has sworn in its new President. We probably have read his inaugural speech everywhere (even in the many Multiply, Friendster, Facebook, Blogspot, etc. accounts). We may also have lost count of the many news flashes, both international and local, featuring the ceremonies that happened at the US Capitol on January 20, five minutes past twelve noon. To those who watched the oath-taking itself, you may also have noticed that the wordings of the US Constitution was not followed. This you may probably do not know, a second oath was administered privately on January 21. Well, thanks Wikipedia for this last tidbit.

The installation of Obama as the 44th President of the United States was indeed monumental. Not just because he was the first African-American President of America or because he was the youngest ever, but because Obama has rekindled the dying hopes of the many Americans nowadays. Faced with the biggest economic crisis US has experienced so far, Obama has promised many reforms which can help America regain its status. Some political analysts have said that these reforms were quite idealistic and are not sure wins but these do not deter the many Obama supporters to uphold the same optimism emanating from him. To them, now is the time to realize that indeed, “Change has come to America”.

Obama promised to concentrate in ending the war in Iraq and reinstall peace in Afghanistan. This, I think is the noblest promise he have uttered so far. My point: there’s no way denying that America as a nation is very powerful, yet the fact that he is willing to give up these two countries for their people to start rebuilding new nations of peace is a greater potency. The many years of us seeing the US government leading these two Islam nations do not refute the birth of other insurgencies. I am not blaming the US government for the unstable state per se of these two nations because as per history, these countries have seen long stories of mutinies from way way back. But on the other hand, I am not freeing the US government from their lengthy suppression of freedom for the Iraqis and Afghans to stand on their own. Let’s face it, a help is yes a help ~ but in the end, the US government should have honored the fact that Iraq and Afghanistan are for its people. For sure the Iraqis and the Afghans will long be indebted to the US for all its aids for their betterment but the fact remains that only they, the Iraqis and the Afghans can heal their own nations. And gladly, the newest US President is seeing it as his advocacy ~ perhaps because he believes that wars are no longer fought by means of weapons and through warfare, but by strategic alliances with nations built through mutual trust and respect. Hail Obama!

I am a pure-blooded Filipino yet I am very much affected by this newest history in the United States. I am now becoming a fan of this Harvard Law School graduate. There is still an anxiety though since one time he said he will bring the outsourcing business back to onshore. Knowing that I work for an outsourcing firm whose client is US-based, I should be alarmed. I am hoping that he realize that the Philippines is still a good outsourcing haven to the many US firms. If he’s really serious in that statement, I just hope for something that’s not too painful for both parties. I have high hopes for Obama and his ideals, his vision, his leadership. I know that under his leadership, the US will again progress and the Philippines will also gain from it.

For now, I’ll say my “Hail Obama! God Bless America!". And yes, "God Bless the Philippines – the US’s Outsourcing Mecca!”