It is seriously out-of-moment to talk about Mr Barack Obama now, considering that he has foundered, in his plans and popularity alike, more rapidly and deeply that even his worst detractors could have hoped for. But I had always wanted and in fact, vowed, to start my political blog with his auspices, and that had happened no later than the time of his crowing of the US Presidency. Since then several momentous occasions have passed: Health Care Reforms, the Peace Nobel Prize win in Dec 2009, his India visit in Nov 2010 etc when I almost penned down the story of my fascination with him. Perhaps it is felicitous that I am writing it now when he has been projected more as a show-pony that a doer everywhere, more so in his own country, having been inflicted with a terrible drubbing of his Democratic Party in the 2010 US Congress elections.
Why would an Indian, living proverbially seven-seas away from US, be in awe of this man? Is it just the influence of the rhetorical aura that he has/had created, which has likewise encapsulated many of my ilk? May be, yes. But may be, it is just the right kind of talk induced epiphany that is needed in this world. Have no doubts, he is not one of those bourgeois gentlemen, who just had to decide when they wanted power. He is you and me, and every youth, milling on the road, traveling in a bus, working in a company … He is the quintessential man, who started believing in the ideals as his life unfolded, and wanted to make a mark in this world. Not to mention the prevalent odds, read racism, ostracism, oddities etc that he had to trump to move forward. A veritable course-book story of human spirits soaring above the impediments underneath to kiss the sky. But there are thousand such stories, aren’t they, in every walk of life? In fact, every successful person wears these kind of legends.
But what is more influencing is the arena in which he has entered to take on the long- colluded insanities of the world? He became the President of the United States, arguably the strongest person of the world; he chose to talk about Black Rights; he wanted to mend ways with Muslims; he prioritized on nuclear disarmament; he took care of poor peoples’ health rights; he focused on climate change arrest; he fancied universal brotherhood? Who the heck, in Politics, base themselves on these values? For some, it is War Against Evil, for some it is Expanded Nationalism or Economic Might. No one wants to believe that he is a human first.
The first place where values of life are needed is Politics itself, as it has the widest scope amongst all disciplines, to shape a country in particular, and world and society in general. And hell to those, who think that mere internal chicanery or parochial diplomacy can carry along the realpolitik. Whatever the failings in US right now, sluggish economic growth, high unemployment, high religious discontent, general despondency etc is not because of the steps taken by Mr Obama. The reasons are varied, as are their remedies. And he is trying to provide those remedies through just means. Maybe he is inexperienced, but he is earnest. But above all, he is hopeful.
I start this blog, not to gloss over the Indian and World Politics, but to mirror the mired unideal Politics that is followed in this world today, and to reason why it is so. Also to put forward why we, supporters of justice, must be cognizant of Politics around us. Let’s not let anyone take us for a ride. Believe we must in values in Politics and make them too.
