A mystery called Obama

Wild, rambling, free association of thoughts on a mystery called Barak Obama

BO fascinates me, not because he is the President. (Figures of authority never awe me, especially if they are mediocre). He captures my imagination, not because his full names contain my first name twice. He holds me in thrall simply because of his sensitivity. He has reminded me time and again that to gain respect from others, I must first show respect. Respect has to be earned, not demanded---as some simpletons absurdly insist.

Obama bows because he is sensitive and he is smart, not because he is obsequious.
Here's a man who expressed a desire to become the President when he was still in kindergarten. He studied Political Science and Law. He was smart enough to be chosen the editor of Harvard Law Review. We must deduce that he was proud of his accomplishments. We must guess that he is a proud man, but he bows to monarchs because he is smart and sensitive. He knows what the others think. (I also fancy that I know what others think, but I usually don't give a damn. I am too much of an egotist. I am socially and emotionally retarded. I "do things my way", to borrow a juvenile parlance being bandied around lately).

However, he didn't bow to greed. He didn't go for highly-paid jobs that a person with his resume' could command. He became a community organizer. He had vision.

I always wondered how a freshman Senator could capture the hearts and minds of many of his colleagues so they would support him when he decided to run for the Presidency. There must be something in the way he interacted with them, something I sorely lack.

Any lingering doubt of mine about Obama's intelligence vanished when he offered Hillary Clinton the plum job of Secretary of State. It was a stroke of genius and spoke volumes about the man.
Watching the man speaking on TV while he was campaigning. I could discern the mind and the personality behind the words he chose and the delivery of those words. He came across poised, thoughtful, and respecful of others. I was impressed. Michelle must have been also since she married him although he was younger than her.

Some right wing commentators are going nuts over Obama's penchant for bowing. They opined that as a representative of the American people, Obama should not bow to anybody since Americans don't bow. Those right wingers must have a short memory. American people, like most people, bow to greed, hypocrisy (lecturing others about human rights, but violating rights of minorities and the poor in the past, and rights of detainees in the present), and dishonor (betrayal of one-time allies such as Diem, Noriega, and Saddam).

I hope Obama will bow to reality, to justice, and to American interests. I hope Obama will vigorously help Vietnam in the upcoming confrontattiom between Vietnam and China in the East Sea.

wissai
nov. 16, 2009