Expats in Phnom Penh celebrate Obama's victory.
Outside the FCC on Phnom Penh's waterfront.November 5, 2008
Elena Lesley
Huffington Post (USA)
PHNOM PENH -- As John McCain prepared to concede the 2008 Election, expats at the Foreign Correspondents' Club momentarily disappeared in a cloud of silly string and fake snow. But their shrieks and shouts didn't.
Chants of "Obama! Obama!" and "Yes we can!" echoed through the popular Phnom Penh restaurant, while a supporter sporting an Obama mask worked the crowd.
"The hopes of the whole world are on Obama," Roberta McLaughlin, a Democrats Abroad volunteer, told me as Americans and non-Americans alike celebrated the historic electoral win. And while, like McLaughlin, I worry that managing those global expectations may be one of Obama's great challenges, I tried to put aside those anxieties today.
I wanted to appreciate the spirit of unity that Obama's election had engendered. Much has been made of the staggeringly diverse and internationally widespread nature of Obama's support. Not only has he turned "red" states "blue;" he has truly captured the hearts and imaginations of people throughout the world. Even in far-flung Cambodia, I have seen this first-hand.
Energized by a particularly active chapter of Democrats Abroad, people of all nationalities have gathered at the FCC every weekend to watch replayed debates and speeches. Although it is generally believed McCain has strong support among Cambodians and Cambodian Americans (some think he has a better understanding of the region given his history here) I have certainly encountered numerous Cambodians who do not fit this stereotype. People I talk to every day -- from the girls who work at the newsstand I frequent, to the moto and tuk tuk drivers outside my apartment -- have been counting down the days to the U.S. election, hoping for an Obama win. A local university's mock U.S. election Tuesday resulted in a decisive victory for Obama; he garnered 292 votes next to McCain's 72.
"Obama's worldview is what we need for today," McLaughlin told me, as two of her local deaf students congratulated her in sign language on Obama's victory. "We need to change the way the rest of the world sees America, and the way we see the rest of the world."
Indeed, many Americans hope our country can begin to move away from the fear and suspicion of the outside world that has characterized the last eight years. Of course we have enemies. But America has many potential allies as well.
An Obama presidency will help mend some of the global relations that were severed in recent times, and begin to restore America's image abroad, Wayne Weightman, Cambodia chair for Democrats Abroad, told me.
"Before, I never advertised" being an American, Weightman said. "Today, I'm proud."
I can understand the sentiment. Having only traveled abroad after 2000, I'm used to revelation of my nationality eliciting groans and anti-Bush tirades from people of all nationalities.
Today, my citizenship inspired warm smiles and cheers of "Go Obama!"
As Obama works to heal the partisan divide in America, uniting the country for the challenges ahead, I hope he will remain engaged with the world at large as well. There are plenty of people in it ready to give America a chance.
Chants of "Obama! Obama!" and "Yes we can!" echoed through the popular Phnom Penh restaurant, while a supporter sporting an Obama mask worked the crowd.
"The hopes of the whole world are on Obama," Roberta McLaughlin, a Democrats Abroad volunteer, told me as Americans and non-Americans alike celebrated the historic electoral win. And while, like McLaughlin, I worry that managing those global expectations may be one of Obama's great challenges, I tried to put aside those anxieties today.
I wanted to appreciate the spirit of unity that Obama's election had engendered. Much has been made of the staggeringly diverse and internationally widespread nature of Obama's support. Not only has he turned "red" states "blue;" he has truly captured the hearts and imaginations of people throughout the world. Even in far-flung Cambodia, I have seen this first-hand.
Energized by a particularly active chapter of Democrats Abroad, people of all nationalities have gathered at the FCC every weekend to watch replayed debates and speeches. Although it is generally believed McCain has strong support among Cambodians and Cambodian Americans (some think he has a better understanding of the region given his history here) I have certainly encountered numerous Cambodians who do not fit this stereotype. People I talk to every day -- from the girls who work at the newsstand I frequent, to the moto and tuk tuk drivers outside my apartment -- have been counting down the days to the U.S. election, hoping for an Obama win. A local university's mock U.S. election Tuesday resulted in a decisive victory for Obama; he garnered 292 votes next to McCain's 72.
"Obama's worldview is what we need for today," McLaughlin told me, as two of her local deaf students congratulated her in sign language on Obama's victory. "We need to change the way the rest of the world sees America, and the way we see the rest of the world."
Indeed, many Americans hope our country can begin to move away from the fear and suspicion of the outside world that has characterized the last eight years. Of course we have enemies. But America has many potential allies as well.
An Obama presidency will help mend some of the global relations that were severed in recent times, and begin to restore America's image abroad, Wayne Weightman, Cambodia chair for Democrats Abroad, told me.
"Before, I never advertised" being an American, Weightman said. "Today, I'm proud."
I can understand the sentiment. Having only traveled abroad after 2000, I'm used to revelation of my nationality eliciting groans and anti-Bush tirades from people of all nationalities.
Today, my citizenship inspired warm smiles and cheers of "Go Obama!"
As Obama works to heal the partisan divide in America, uniting the country for the challenges ahead, I hope he will remain engaged with the world at large as well. There are plenty of people in it ready to give America a chance.
3 comments:
I hope the Tuk Tuk driver is charging for the Obama sign. Publicity is not free.
Thanks for your votes my fellows American.
Ok now, see you in four years, I'll be needing your votes again.
Obama.
Let me congratulate the newly-elected US president-Barack Obama. Now you shine and this proves to others that they can achieve the same or contribute to this great deal of good that deserves the applause and encouragement from the countrymen. This is the spirit of people in America. Yeah I live in US for quite long however I just can’t forget the fact that I am Cambodian. Am I not proud to be Cambodians? You can tell me Cambodians and as far as I know I don’t think the same spirit that encourage the intellectuals and great minds to shine exist in Cambodia. I can say it because I lived long enough and became mature enough before emigrating to live in this blissful and inspiring country. Feeling the spirit and other blessing spirits in US, sometimes I feel extremely pitiful for my country, Cambodia for failing to adopt or establish such spirits that can enhance the system of thoughts and acts. I have heard about leaders committing crimes against own people: land grabbing, practicing bribery and corruption, injustice of the jurisdiction system and loads more as the system of governing leads to. In US, because we believe “the rights and great minds” move forward, we also condemn the “decisions and acts” of leaders that lead to calamities and instability of country and will insist that those responsible leaders “RESIGN” and be prosecuted. We American value a system for all individuals’ progress though it’s hard to accomplish yet we take zero tolerance for the leaders who abuse the power to serve just their associates and family. From this perspective, it is an undeniable tragedy of Cambodia embracing leaders with the least conscience, national pride and knowledge and vision to guide their leadership. I cry out loud at this point!!!
I try to bring back my spirit of optimisticism though, as I feel it’s the least I can do to lift the country out of grievance and this hopefully invites more miracles of intellectual forces, if not financially, to reshape the mindset of current leaders and empower them with the proper skills to lead the country to last.
In this spirit, I personally propose some remedies for Cambodians society:
- Allow the people with gift or talent or great mind to exercise their capacity and skills. Let them express or work to the extent their talent and ability permit in open and friendly atmosphere.
- Fight for a system for all. To achieve, start from individual’s achievement that can inspire the next. All together build up such system and say “ABSOLUTELY NO” to fake achievements that can only have negative side effects for the others. Think about corruption-individual’s achievement but with the great negative side effects that shape the mindsets of other individuals and the whole country to disaster.
- Equip the communities/society with analytical reasoning skills. This can be achieved only there is a proper formal education supported and financed by some sustainable organizations. The widespread of the true news also enables people to realize about the situations. The media, non-gov.t organizations and political activists with proper, regular training will set path for the long term success. Shape the mindset of people to agree with progress, development for their communities and “NO COMPROMISE” for devastation or fake development done by the ignorance, or mismanagement of the responsible leaders.
- Judge the quality of work but not the amount of work done. Quality of work will lead to more credentials rather than just the rubbish work that will lead to more and more complicated consequences. Think and plan, before act is the key to long-sustainable growth for the whole country. The leaders must be held with full responsibility and they must resign if ever something causing great loss ever happens!
- Shape the mindsets of people to value and embrace healthy growth: from mental to physical health. Start from the corner of your community, in your family and spread to the rest of the country. Power of the state is shared, influenced and reinforced by every individual inside and outside the country.
And there’re a lot more that my ignorance doesn’t seem to open my mind to realize yet I hope there’s miracle and a lot more Cambodians will join intellectual and financial forces to steer our beloved country to survive and last in this sometimes fiercely competitive world.
Long live the gifted, talent intellectuals and great minds!
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