One couldn't help but notice how many people have been making the accusation/claim that President Obama is weak. This blog article looks beyond the arguments made after that claim. Rather it addresses the underlying assumption of what weakness is.
Fist up is the idea that George Bush was strong
I do ask myself how ironic it is that the strongest black man on the world stage today would be described as a weak man by his critics. But rather than denouncing the name-callers simply out of hand, I’m compelled to examine the meaning of this pronouncement and its intent. Are those critics correct in their assessment? What is weakness and what is strength? And who has it, and who doesn’t? What’s the measurement to arrive at such an adjective, one that is either a mean-spirited put-down or is the unfortunate truth? How do we judge?
In a society where George Bush was seen by many as forceful, strong and resolute for refusing to negotiate with his foes, and for treating his domestic opposition without respect or due conscience, I can understand why seeing the opposite behavior from the next President could be interpreted as mild, weak and caving. However, does that really make it true, or have we been conditioned to make such analysis without a full understanding of the seriousness of our indictment? What is true is that Mr. Bush and President Obama, although both have borne the title of President, are each as different from the other as night is to day.
Got to admit this is an excellent point. There is nothing but weakness shown when one bullies, refuses to admit mistakes and is unwilling to go beyond simplistic thinking.
The next point brought up by the author is the strengths that our President has repeatedly shown
Strength in character comes from the ability to prioritize what is truly important for the greater good, even when facing opposition from within or from with out. A man who truly cares and tends to his family, while loving his wife madly, is a man who loves strongly. A man who, against all odds, succeeds in obtaining the best education that this country can offer shows strength in determination. A man who rises from nowhere to the highest position in the modern era demonstrates a strength that is undeniable. And yes, a black man with a funny name who dares to win the Presidency of the United states must have both absolute courage and fearless audacity.
There is an excellent listing of various strengths of character and after reviewing them, the following conclusion is made
When reading the qualities that enumerate personal strength, I note that many are qualities easily seen in Barack Obama. As the President of the United States, the President's team is the American people. In this country, he is the leader who, while using his various strengths, acts as the head of our representative democracy. He is to appeal to us, and to offer up his solution to our societal issues. He is not supposed to tower over us while dictating loudly what we shall do. He is not our father, or a tyrant, and if he demonstrated such a capacity, it would not be the strength we seek. He is to negotiate the best position for as many of us as he can under circumstances that we can only imagine but oftentimes fail to appreciate. That is his job.
I think it's something to consider before making the next knee jerk comment about how weak President Obama is
http://democratsforprogress.com/...