Obama's Approach to 'Change' Inspiring

LOS ANGELES President Obama continues to make good on his campaign promise of "change". He has reached out to the opposition party --- the Republicans --- in a way that has never occurred before; appointed Republicans to key posts within administration; closed the gap of political indifference between America and Third World nations like Cuba and Venezuela, and now will address the Muslim world from Egypt, in a major political address, June 4.

In just over 100 days in office, this 44th American president, and the nation's first African American commander-in-chief, has made some remarkable unprecedented steps, not to mention the enormous problems he inherited with respect to the nation's deteriorating economy. Now. Obama will make his promised speech to the Muslim world from a Muslim capital within the first few months of taking office, afterwhich he will follow his Egypt address in a June diplomatic mission to Normandy, France, for the anniversary of D-Day, and to the Buchenwald concentration camp and Dresden, Germany. What a remarkable display of leadership for the young president, with the promise of greater things to come as his experience level increases during the course of his presidency.

Obama, who will meet with Egyptian President, Hosni MubarakHosni Mubarak, later this month, already has displayed a new tone to some world leaders who harbored a strong dislike for President George W. BushPresident George W. Bush and his administration's policies. Both Fidel CastroFidel Castro, and his brother, new Cuban president Raul CastroRaul Castro; and Venezuelan head of state Hugo ChavezHugo Chavez, have expressed admiration for Obama.

The same admiration was expressed for Obana during his campaign from nations around the world, including Japan, Germany, France and Great Britain, and that wasn't restricted to the leaders of those nations --- but from the peoples of those countries, as well.

The hope and change that Obama spoke about seemed to resonate with global community. With wars and skirmishes flaring up worldwide, and with more rumors of war echoing from global region to global region, Obama's vision rang widely with a message that his leadership in the most influential nation on Earth, could usher in positive change for the world.

It is ironic that the majority of Obama's detractors are in the U.S., itself, the so-called freest democracy on Earth. The angst of his critics originates not from his brand of politics, but is rooted in their own bigotry, something that America cultivated with deft aplomb throughout its first two centuries, specifically during slavery, which didn't end until 1836, and the Jim Crow years of the American south from the 1930s through the 1960s.

In 2008, America showed tremendous maturity in so many electing to vote for an African American. That meant, far more white Americans voted for Obama than black Americans. But the nation still has a ways to go --- too many voted against Obama because of the color of his skin.

But thankfully, the world is bigger than just America, and hopefully through President Obama's tenure in office, and his continuing outreach to other nations with differing political ideologies than our own, the appreciation for his leadership will entice his detractors in America to find it in their hearts as well, to embrace a fellow American, who appears to sincerely wants the best for us all.