Comments on: American People Make History, Can We Sri Lankans Ever?

By: Lucky W

Lucky W — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:33:15 +0000

I wished the title was “American People Made History, Can We Sri Lankans Repeat?”
Didn’t Sri Lanka have the first woman Prime Minister in the world twice over? Didn’t all Sri Lankans, regardless of gender, ethnicity and race get voting rights unlike in the US? Wasn’t the TULF, a minority party, the main opposition in Parliament not long ago? Wasn’t Lakshman Kadirgamar, a minority, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka before his assassination?

Yes, we all should celebrate the first American President who happens to be Black.

The author compared but failed to contrast the situations. Let’s ask these questions. Would Obama be the President if Dr. Martin Luther King had abandoned the path of non violence? Would the likes of Malcolm X ever be elected? Would Americans elect a clansman who has committed atrocities against them?

Hope the day will come soon to Sri Lanka to elect a “Tamil-Obama” who would carry the aspirations, hopes and dreams of all Sri Lankans. How about we start with a Cricket Captain?

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:16:00 +0000

barack obama march 2008 interview…

I found your post interesting and share most of your views, but just dont get your second point….

By: DPoovanis

DPoovanis — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:49:59 +0000

Bobby Jindal is the governor of the state of Louisiana and won by 70% of the vote. A mostly white southern state eleted a dark-skinned Punjab Indian as its governer–their representative–and it went without any cheers. One India columnists dared to call Americans racist for the vote, actually complaining that had Jindal been Hindu instead of Christian he never would have won! America, it seems, can never win in the eyes of many. We have spent so much time accusing Americans of racism that we have ignored our own sins. And, as usual, while the world buried its head feeling content that things are "much worse in the USA" as leaders around the world have told us, it was Americans who elected a black man as their representative. Really, though, this is no surprise. Harder to ignore this time, maybe now the world will be more self-reflective and less resumptious about what life is like in the world's largest melting pot.

Thank you to my friend for sending me this link to this I liked reading the article!

By: DPoovanis

DPoovanis — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:49:11 +0000

When it comes to the United States, people see what they want, even Americans do this as the American World Bank worker Muttukrishna spoke with in Colombia proved. Why would he believe Americans not ready for a black or female president? Although it took Obama's win to somewhat shatter this stereotype of the racist American, long before him Americans had already entered crossed the color barrier, at least more than most countries. For nearly 20 years black women have been winning Miss American contests, multiple times. This is not frivilous. That black women were being chosen to represent all of America, a nation that is mostly white, is quite astounding. Yet it mostly went unheralded, and America continued to be described by European elites and American elites alike as the world's most racist society. On top of this, for years in America half the 10 most influential people in America have been black Americans. Oprah Winfrey comes to mind, who is the most wealthy woman in America and has a mostly white following on her TV show. Will Smith is currenlty the number one box office draw in America. The list goes on, and it's more tha just in entertainment.

By: V.J.

V.J. — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:22:28 +0000

The Left antiAmericans have created an entire industry protraying the United States as this backward, racist, fascist, oppressive state, despite blatant facts pointing to the contrary. It took the election of a black man to the White House to get even the radical Left Wing antiAmericans to take a step back. But it won't end. As I said, antiAmericanism is an industry, and despite the fact that Americans are light years ahead of the world in race relations, the radical Left, mostly those in western Europe, will continue to protray the USA as a racist fascist state, even when in their own backyards are some of the most violent hardcore racists on the planet. When my mother left Sri Lanka she nearly went to Britain. I think God she did not and instead came to the USA where I was born. Most Europeans don't even know that 70% of Louisiana voters voted a Punjab Indian as their governor last year. That's 70% of the votes in a mostly white state! Americans can see past skin color, and instead see people for their ideas. Not all, but most, more than in the rest of the world at least.

By: TPiriyan

TPiriyan — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:46:30 +0000

While the writer’s numbers in his scholarly table line up, the context does not. Obama is a product of a State run by laws, separation of powers are defended to the hilt by the intellengtia powered by legal luminaries driven by Maslowian instinct, “congress shall pass no laws respecting on establishment of religion, or free exercise thereof; or abridging right to speech, or of the free press,” is written into the constitution; supreme court judges represent the cream of the society, vetted by Congress, and people; What about Sri Lanka? Does the climate in Sri Lanka merit comparison? How can an Obama arise in a State that bombs its citizens from the air, while the 85% roots on…The researcher, while presenting scholarly credential weirs off mark, into the opinionated gossipy land; Hope he learns a point or two while in D.C.

By: davidson panabokke

davidson panabokke — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:49:24 +0000

Sixty-year structural violence and ethnic outbidding post-independence, series of state-aided pogroms, satyagahis crushed, conciliatory pacts torn, draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, mass graves, endless series of Commissions appointed to ward off sanctions by the UN for decades with nothing coming out of them, politicised armed services, politicised judiciary, government service transfer system under politicians’ thumbs, disgusting level of corruption and executive power of the President, repressed journalism, peace activists ridiculed …. comparable to all this is a lady in South London?

By: reka perera

reka perera — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:43:58 +0000

sinthamani
well said.

By: reka perera

reka perera — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:52:31 +0000

A ”researcher” is saying that someone living in London is steering the course of this country. What are the 101 ministers doing? Constitutional Council, APRC and CoI blocked by her? White vans and Drive-by shootings in their hundreds for years arranged by her? ….. Consensus between UNP and SLFP blocked by her? Southern Consensus muffled by her? What Sri Lanka need is unbiased ”reserchers”.

By: Sinthaamani

Sinthaamani — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:36:40 +0000

Romantic musings of Obama comparisons not withstanding, the writer loses credibililty with the following statement: “…the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)…sent their children to Europe (England & Ireland)…for higher education.” This assertion is the usual refrain of media gossip. The “Researcher” has left his guards slide.

By: DD

DD — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:17:48 +0000

Sri Lanka can. Unfortunately most of our great leaders, and the greatest Tamil leaders have all being assassinated by the LTTE.
Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam who was assassinated in 1999 amongst many brings me the biggest angst and sorrow.