Many Americans really are bitter

Editor:

Just as Barack Obama did with his remarkable speech about racism in the United States, a speech that noted a taboo subject for politicians, he did the same with his analysis of "bitter" Americans.

Yes, millions are "bitter" as economic forces and consequences of an unplanned and dog-eat-dog system batter them, so they turn at least to one of the four directions Obama noted. Sometimes they turn to all of them.

- Guns. Obama did not decry guns or hunting; instead, he spoke of gun worship, which is a sadly comforting response to those economic forces - an activity that at best offers a temporary salve from job loss or poor health care.

- Religion. Obama did not decry religion; he gently pointed out that moving unquestionably to some religions (especially fundamental ones) is another response to those little-understood economic pressures.

- Xenophobia. Here, Obama is less sympathetic than with the inclination to guns and religion. Many countries have hard-pressed citizens, and the United States is no exception, who blame foreigners and newcomers when times are hard and confusing. We in Deep South Texas have experienced a dose of xenophobia as much of country wants The Wall.

- Global economics. For better or worse, the world is getting smaller, and countries going it alone are rare. Obama wants Americans to know that blindly hating all forms of free trade is foolish, though he knows protections are needed for all countries, not like the hastily enacted NAFTA.

Obama is asking the United States to wake up, while explaining the understandable bitterness that he sees, and, hopes to alleviate.

Thanks again, Barack Obama, for another liberal arts lesson. Give us some more. You can be my teacher, and inspiration, anytime! And while instructing, tell us more about the $3 trillion that the current wars are projected to cost, and what better services those funds could promote.

Eugene "Gene" Novogrodsky

Brownsville

Via the Internet