Last week
someone by the name of "Eriam" has posted an e-mail here on dehai
endorsing Barack Obama for a second term over Mitt Romney. It looks like this
"Eriam" has claimed to be a representative entity of the Eritrean-American
communities during last month’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) in
Charlotte, North Carolina and has acknowledge its support to President Barack
Obama in the November election. In its short report, this "Eriam"
slammed Mitt Romney as an "inward looking capitalist"
and proceeded to pre-judged him as a candidate who "lacks the understanding of
global issues, including those of Sub-Sahara African states,"
while at the same time it praised Barack Obama as "benevolent President with
demonstrated leadership record.”
We know
that anyone has the right to express his or her political views and also to
support whatever candidate he or she wishes, but when some entity comes out on
behalf of all the Eritrean-American communities in the Diaspora to endorse one
candidate over another, it is unacceptable and clearly against the wishes of
all of us.
In the
first place, Diaspora communities do not flatly endorse one candidate over
another without giving both candidates equal opportunity to address the
community and its concerns. Furthermore, a Diaspora community should not be
engaged in name-calling attacks on any candidate that may eventually become the
winner. If the "Eriam" has a different agenda, such as financial
benefits gains or other motives to gain by President Obama re-election, then
they need to say so and pledge their support as individuals and not on behalf
of the Eritrean-American communities in the Diaspora.
During the 2012 DNC in
Charlotte NC, Arab-Americans, Brazilian-Americans...Eritrean-Americans [Eriam),
and many other citizen groups, wrestled for the camera/editor’s attention to
acknowledge their support for President Barack Obama. It is self-evident that
the Charlotte 3-day event was more inclusive than that of the RNC in Tampa FL.
Candidate Mitt Romney is inward
looking capitalist. He is untested. He won’t be easy to educate on Sub Sahara
African issues to cite an example. If Mitt Romney is elected President of USA,
most likely, he would appoint experts and be surrounded by former President
Bushes’ officials who would look after their wealthy supporters at home and
abroad.
Barack Obama is benevolent
President with demonstrated leadership record. His policy is all inclusive. In
his second term, President Obama, most likely, will pursue his national
strategy wholeheartedly, while being forceful in his foreign policy, including
bestowing attention to Sub Sahara Africa dependency syndrome by revoking
charities and handouts and, probably demanding those Sub Saharan states to
promote economic self-reliance and transparent governance.
Eriam has been following both
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama campaigns with emphases on issues which concern
the State of Eritrea in general and, Eritrean American citizens in particular
and concludes that:
Obama has an ability to keep America and the world safe as compared to Mitt
Romney;
Romney lacks the understanding of global issues including those of Sub Saharan
African states;
Obama would make those Bush-era tax rates permanent for everyone except those
making more than $200,000 ($250,000 if married) which benefits the majority of
working Americans;
Obama can achieve the world’s strongest economy by empowering small to medium
scale business investments and by supporting start-up entrepreneurship and
individual innovations;
Unlike Romney, Obama can give every citizen a fair share of the American Dream;
For citizens including immigrants, Obama offers better educational
opportunities than Romney ;
Obama stands for all American citizens, while his opponent serves only special
interest groups;
Americans who depend on
assistance including Medicare, social security supplements and EBT are much
better off voting for Obama than his opponent.
Eriam endorses Barack Obama for a second term as President
of the Unite States of America because he fit the viewpoints of most Americans.
Accordingly, it urges readers to support Barack Osama’s re-election campaign
and volunteer by visiting his field office near you (www.barackobama.com)
.
