President Obama delivers commencement remarks at Notre Dame on Sunday. Photo by Jeff Haynes -- Pool/Getty ImagesBy Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
25 May 2009
Soeng Sophat is a graduate student of international peace studies at Notre Dame University. He watched carefully as President Barrack Obama spoke to his university earlier this month, in what has become a well-publicized appearance thanks to the abortion debate and interruptions of protesters.
Soeng Sophat spoke to VOA Khmer both before and after the speech.
“I think that what he raised is important for the application of democracy as well as conflict resolution,” Soeng Sophat said of Obama. “In general, parties have different views on certain issues. The important thing is to create the opportunity for discussion and dialogue so that we can find common ground.”
Before Obama’s speech to his graduating class, Soeng Sophat told VOA Khmer that Notre Dame represented a large Catholic community in the US, and therefore there would be a lot of opposition to a pro-abortion stance.
He explained the debate between pro-life, which favors the life of an unborn fetus, and pro-choice, which favors options for pregnant women, such as abortion.
“Pro-life is a fundamental moral principle of Catholics,” he said, citing a 2004 decision by Catholic bishops.
As a student, Soeng Sophat said he was interested in freedom of expression and the decentralization of government, such as the US’s federal, state and local authorities. He was also interested in the possibilities for conflict resolution within a democracy, he said.
“That’s what our country should learn,” he said. “We usually use violence to solve problems. In order to solve problems non-violently, first we need independent institutions acceptable to all parties, and we all must hold to the ideas that we can solve problems together non-violently. Obama’s appearance encourages debate about the differences, especially the abortion issue. I expect to learn how they deal with it.”
Obama’s Notre Dame appearance thrust the new president into the abortion debate. During the speech the president challenged notions of conflict resolution by saying that there may in fact be intractable differences between the two camps.
Following that speech, Soeng Sophat described the appearance of less than 50 demonstrators, including 38 people who sneaked onto campus and were arrested. A low-flying plane dropped anti-abortion banners before the university created a “no-fly” zone, he said.
“During his speech, there were interruptions from four people shouting out,” he said. “Someone shouted out, ‘Stop killing our children! How can problems be solved while you allow people to kill our children?’ Then students booed back and shouted out, ‘Yes, we can.’ His 30-minute speech focused on the disagreements over abortion, the identity of Notre Dame University, the American people’s beliefs, both Catholic and non-Catholic. He said that when we don’t agree on a particular issue, we need to seek common ground and start from there.”
To Soeng Sophat, the president raised important questions about the application of democracy and conflict resolution, saying that, in general, parties usually have different views on certain issues.
“I was lucky to be an eye-witness to United States president and to how he dealt with this issue,” Soeng Sophat said. “It was interesting to see the president’s reaction to those who opposed him. He said he agreed that they have their reasons to oppose. In this sense, I think they have a culture of debate. At the family, community and national levels, they have a tradition of discussion and debate based on reasoning, to solve complicated problems.
“Freedom of expression and debate has been rooted in their society for a long time,” he said. “I think in our country, we have not yet had a culture of non-violent solution to problems. We have not yet had the culture of debate and discussion based on reason, because everyone sticks to his views, and they sometimes use violence to oppose opponents without listening to their reasons and views. A culture of debate and non-violent conflict resolution can be created through an education system, which educates a younger generation to use non-violent solutions to problems.”
Soeng Sophat spoke to VOA Khmer both before and after the speech.
“I think that what he raised is important for the application of democracy as well as conflict resolution,” Soeng Sophat said of Obama. “In general, parties have different views on certain issues. The important thing is to create the opportunity for discussion and dialogue so that we can find common ground.”
Before Obama’s speech to his graduating class, Soeng Sophat told VOA Khmer that Notre Dame represented a large Catholic community in the US, and therefore there would be a lot of opposition to a pro-abortion stance.
He explained the debate between pro-life, which favors the life of an unborn fetus, and pro-choice, which favors options for pregnant women, such as abortion.
“Pro-life is a fundamental moral principle of Catholics,” he said, citing a 2004 decision by Catholic bishops.
As a student, Soeng Sophat said he was interested in freedom of expression and the decentralization of government, such as the US’s federal, state and local authorities. He was also interested in the possibilities for conflict resolution within a democracy, he said.
“That’s what our country should learn,” he said. “We usually use violence to solve problems. In order to solve problems non-violently, first we need independent institutions acceptable to all parties, and we all must hold to the ideas that we can solve problems together non-violently. Obama’s appearance encourages debate about the differences, especially the abortion issue. I expect to learn how they deal with it.”
Obama’s Notre Dame appearance thrust the new president into the abortion debate. During the speech the president challenged notions of conflict resolution by saying that there may in fact be intractable differences between the two camps.
Following that speech, Soeng Sophat described the appearance of less than 50 demonstrators, including 38 people who sneaked onto campus and were arrested. A low-flying plane dropped anti-abortion banners before the university created a “no-fly” zone, he said.
“During his speech, there were interruptions from four people shouting out,” he said. “Someone shouted out, ‘Stop killing our children! How can problems be solved while you allow people to kill our children?’ Then students booed back and shouted out, ‘Yes, we can.’ His 30-minute speech focused on the disagreements over abortion, the identity of Notre Dame University, the American people’s beliefs, both Catholic and non-Catholic. He said that when we don’t agree on a particular issue, we need to seek common ground and start from there.”
To Soeng Sophat, the president raised important questions about the application of democracy and conflict resolution, saying that, in general, parties usually have different views on certain issues.
“I was lucky to be an eye-witness to United States president and to how he dealt with this issue,” Soeng Sophat said. “It was interesting to see the president’s reaction to those who opposed him. He said he agreed that they have their reasons to oppose. In this sense, I think they have a culture of debate. At the family, community and national levels, they have a tradition of discussion and debate based on reasoning, to solve complicated problems.
“Freedom of expression and debate has been rooted in their society for a long time,” he said. “I think in our country, we have not yet had a culture of non-violent solution to problems. We have not yet had the culture of debate and discussion based on reason, because everyone sticks to his views, and they sometimes use violence to oppose opponents without listening to their reasons and views. A culture of debate and non-violent conflict resolution can be created through an education system, which educates a younger generation to use non-violent solutions to problems.”
5 comments:
I rrrreally loooove President Barak Obama!!! I'm his faithful fan of quite some time now since I'm have been campaining in the U.S. Although, I was voting for senator McCaine at that time, then later I realized I had made a huge mistake by voting for Repuclicans.
Long live President Obama of United the Staetes of America!!!
Your fellow American counterpart
It is quite obvious that we need to promote the culture of non-violence and dialogue in our Cambodia. There is a difference between debate and dialogue (for the details pls visit http://chanroeun.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/dialogue-vs-debate/).
Personally, I would prefer to have dialogue rather than debate because for the time being debate is not so suitable for Cambodian context. We need to cultivate the sense of active-listening, deep understanding and being understood to our fellow people at all ages.
i know, in college and higher education, they teach you how to debate and find resolution to all conflict. i think critical thinking is one of the most important subject matter for khmer students to study as well as any other subject. also code of professional ethics in all fields as well. sometimes people just need to be reminded. god bless cambodia.
KI media got it wrong by saying he is Cambodian-American. From “I think in our country, we have not yet....," it's clear that he's from Cambodia.
I won't take issue with that, but it often appears that overseas Cambodians tend to 'underestimate' the academic ability of young Cambodians from Cambodia.
I dont see why all of you motherfuckers praise this pompous nigger? so far, he doesnt change any shit, & shit keeps following down.
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