Barack Obama is a global hero - Commentary

Huma Sheikh
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Commentary
PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1 Barack Hussein Obama has become a global superhero. His supporters' enthusiasm reflects the growing desire among the people for change in the US. But does it make any difference to the world? It indeed does; after all America is the super power and its government policies have an impact on world politics.

Barack Obama has been a populous global figure, unlike many Presidential candidates in the history of the US. His sizeable lead in the polls and unimaginable global support show the long-standing desire of the world to see an American leader who can be honored as a great global leader.

If globalization means anything, it means that election in the US has a global role. What happens at home doesn't necessarily stay at home. The current financial crisis that began with the collapse of financial institutions in the US has triggered market instability worldwide after stock prices plummeted, says Vannarith Chheang, a Cambodian doing Asia Pacific Leadership Program at the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii.

Change is important to prevent uncertainties like the US economy crunch in the interdependent world. The world needs effective leaders to tackle complexities with potential global risks and I believe Barack Obama has the potential to make the world a better place.

APLP fellow Phatry Derek Pan says Cambodian-American refugees and other new Southeast Asians struggled when they first immigrated in the early 80s. But prosperity trickled in with Bill Clinton's policies in the 90s that favored minorities and the middle class. On a personal level, he received more financial assistance when he began his college education.

He says people like myself oppose war, because the truth is, his family never wanted to leave their country. So when George Bush decided to invade Iraq, it simply reminded them of our plight here and the struggle we endured.

Another APLP fellow Shawn P Hall, who is African-American, doesn't want to be classified unfairly on the basis of his vote to Obama who is also an African-American. ''For most of the people they feel it is automatic that I would support Obama since we are both African-American, nothing could be further from the truth! I shun anyone from voting based solely on race. For me it is about which candidate has the best vision for the country, and which candidate shares my hopes and views. The quality and efficiency Obama has shown in managing his campaign and his effectiveness in delivering message of change was remarkable.

Nevertheless, he is a little skeptical about what "Change" will encompass. There is a saying he once heard, "do not change for change's sake alone''. In this phrase is the understanding that we can change but possibly change into a worse condition. However, looking at the current state of affairs, I doubt there is much worse we can change into. With this said, he is willing to take a chance with Senator Obama, and cast his vote for Obama instead of Senator McCain, who historically has sided with President Bush over 90 per cent of the time. Sen. Obama's rhetoric addresses my concerns, however I would be less than honest if I didn't say I wish I had more time to examine him, or had some other choices. McCain and Obama are the only choices, he believes, so a relatively unknown and untested Obama seems the better of the two choices, says Shawn.

(Huma Sheikh is an Asia Pacific Leadership Program fellow at the East-West Center)