Winds of Change

I've been reading around and it seems the idea that President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize is because he is not George W. Bush is predominant. That, in fact, might not be too far off the mark but I think it goes a little deeper.

I might not have been surprised if he had received it a little later in his presidency but I think a lot of people fail to realize that much, if not most, of the world looked upon the reign of "W" as a very dark time in American history. In spite of the constant railings by the wingnuttia, the rest of the world saw the Bush presidency for what it truly was, a time when the greatest power on earth was the cause of a global destabilization and in many ways a maverick nation that actually bordered on lawlessness. It was a scary time for many people around the world and a scary time for many of us as well.

Regardless of the hyperbolic attacks that are virtually unending from the right and in spite of the fears of some of us supporters that we haven't gotten the 'change' we need and want, Obama is beginning to change the way it works. While I will be the first to say that I am not happy with the hesitant and sometimes imperfect start to this presidency, President Obama has started turning the American state in a different direction. I think possibly that we have been so numbed by the last 8 years of American history that we are having trouble seeing any change in the wind. I believe what the Nobel committee is saying is that while what may seem like a meager start from an American perspective is actually a profound change in the way American fits into its role as the most powerful nation in the world and that they are immensely encouraged and relieved that we have found our path again. While we are far from out of the woods we at least have a compass and a direction.

The damage done to our country over the last 8 years is apparent everywhere you look and the efforts to rectify all the myriad ills inflicted upon us and the world in the name of a "New American Century" and "compassionate conservatism" are massively difficult. Let's hope the Nobel committee's faith in our new leader and direction he leads us in justified.