Friedman's article is about the Arab world's amazement about America's openness to minorities, and he seems to endorse Obama for that very reason. But in doing this, Friedman shows that he doesn't understand a key point about America. We really ARE that open. A person's race does not matter that much. This is also supposed to be Obama's key point too, that he transcends race (of course, he does anything but that.)
So if we really are that open, why do we have to prove it to the rest of the world, becoming a positive mirror for them of their negative societies?
And for that matter, why do we (as a nation) have to prove it to ourselves, domestically? This what pro-Obama nuts are doing when they pump him up for being black. He ran for the Democratic nomination, he got it, we proved we are not racist. Now can we talk about whether or not he will destoy America? If we can't, and we get stuck on his color, we certainly are racists.
So the argument goes backwards. If we elect him to show the rest of the world we are not as prejudiced and closed minded as they are, we end up becoming just that.
What is needed is to set our sights on our highest principles as a nation, and to forget the juvenile popularity contest among the rest of the world. If the prettiest girl in high school also has the nicest sweaters, does it help anyone if she lets the less fortunate envious ones rip her clothes off her back?
Topic: The Muslim world is thrilled over Obama candidacy (Read 4031 times)