Kasparov urges Obama: now's the time for decisive action
05.11.2008 – Part of the success in yesterday's US election can be attributed to the simple fact that Barack Obama isn't George W. Bush, that bouquet of classic American stereotypes that are so easy to hate. But now that we have the change that we can believe in it is time to back up inspiring rhetoric with decisive action. More in Garry Kasparov's editorial piece.
Yes, we know there are people out there who are allergic to Kasparov, who break
out in a rash at the mention of his name. And that there are readers who firmly
believe that every news report on our pages must contain a set percentage of
short algebraic notation to justify its publication. But in view of the milestone
events in the US election we thought that it might be appropriate to hear the
views of a legendary chess player, one who is more widely read and heard in
the international media scene than all other chess players put together.
Today, hours after the election of Barack Obama as the next President of the
USA, Garry Kasparov has published an editorial piece in the LA Times Syndicate,
one that is and will be running in many papers around the world, and in many
different languages. We take the text from one of the first places Google delivers,
The
Australian.
Lynch mob lies
By Garry Kasparov
There is no doubt Barack Obama's election as the next president of
the US would have an impact on how many in the rest of the world think about
the sole superpower. Obama represents a new generation of leadership, and he
sounds and looks very different from his predecessors.
Here in Russia, as in most places I have visited recently, Obama's appearance
– he would be the first black leader of any world power – is getting
the most attention. His victory would mark the end of the view of the US still
promoted by many in Russia, a line used by the Soviets to counter accusations
of repression: "Ah, but in the US they lynch negroes." It is practically
conventional wisdom, and not just in Russia, that in the US the rich WASPs and
Jews exploit the poor blacks and Latinos. If Obama wins, it will be as if suddenly
everyone can see the world is undeniably round.
Unfortunately, most would rather talk about what this is likely to mean for
race relations in the US instead of confronting the racism and xenophobia in
our own nations. But the only thing that will matter, and surprisingly soon,
is whether Obama acts differently. The window of opportunity for Obama to take
advantage of the world's curiosity and goodwill will be small. The crises we
face are too big; the next US president will not enjoy much of a grace period.
Obama would be halfway there simply by virtue of not being George W. Bush
who, rightly in some cases and wrongly in others, has come to symbolise every
problem anyone has ever had with the US, Americans and US power abroad.
Bush is practically a bouquet of the classic American stereotypes, the ones
so easy to hate: rich, inarticulate, uninterested in the world, stridently religious
and hasty to act. (And the images of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina seemingly
exemplified the stereotype of Americans as racists and were viewed largely without
surprise abroad. Of course they wouldn't rescue poor black people.) Obama would
explode these stereotypes. But the world's multitude of grievances against the
Bush administration quickly would be laid on Obama's doorstep if he were to
fail to back up his inspiring rhetoric with decisive action.
He could get off to a good start by making it clear he does not consider the
people of Russia to be the enemy of the US. As in most authoritarian states,
the Putin regime does not represent most of its citizens. Kremlin propaganda
works hard to present the US as Russia's adversary. Obama could strike a blow
against that image by speaking out against dictatorial leaders in Russia and
across the world.
Then those words must be quickly followed up with deeds.
- Garry Kasparov, a leader of The
Other Russia coalition (theotherrussia.org), is a former world chess champion
and lives in Moscow and St Petersburg.
|