The President gave an excellent speech today in New York in front of the UN general assembly. It's hard to argue with anything he said but I do take issue with one point:
"True democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe, and businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. It depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear; on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people."
"True democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe, and businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. It depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear; on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people."
I hope he realises the hypocrisy of that statement given the treatment of those during the Occupy and G20 protests, and the abject failure to prosecute any of the criminals on Wall Street. Let's hope that over the next four years his words are more than mere rhetoric, because the last four have been decidedly underwhelming in that regard. The honeymoon is over Mr. President, the world wants results. Will the real Barack Obama please stand up?
Watch the full thirty minute speech below. A transcript is available here.