Sonntag, 16. Juni 2013

President Obama: Stay where you are

The White House
Mr. President, after I heard Edward Snowden’s exposure of your colossal spy program against all peoples of the world, Pink Floyd’s song “Another Brick in the Wall” popped up in my mind. 

Definitely, the American people don’t need your “thought control” or the “dark sarcasm” of the political class in Washington, D. C. Mr. President, just leaves your folks alone. As a former professor of constitutional law, you must have been for years in the wrong movie. 

I can understand the greed of political leaders to symbols. But honestly, what do you want to tell the German people? Please, don’t give us one of your clichéd speeches with which you fob off your compatriots. You will speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin where President Ronald Reagan called on Mr. Gorbachev, to “open this gate” and “tear down this wall”! 

JFK said: “Ich bin ein Berliner”. 

Through which symbolic phrase should the German people keep your presidency in mind? As a “drone warrior” President with a personal “hit list” or a Nobel Peace Prize laureate? 

There would be a political gesture that would make you historically immortal and it would perfectly suit the genius loci: set Bradley Manning free or pardon him later; stop the persecution of Julian Assange and defend Edward Snowden from political prosecution. If you want to palm the German people off with the usual political hotchpotch, please spare us your political infestation.

First published here, here and here.