I did not find this a big deal.
If you want to say someone more superior than the ambassador and assistant secretary of state* (Kerry was in India for a previously scheduled event; Holder was in Paris for a security event but didn't go to the unity march) should have been there, fine. Wouldn't think you dead wrong or something. But, the harping on this (Laura Rozen, not a troll, was beating the drum over and over again on Twitter and on television too ... CNN's Fareed Zakaria found it "pathetic" to not be there for the reasons provided) was stupid. The critics almost wet their pants when the White House press secretary said it was "fair" to think that.
The arguments as to security and being a distraction made sense to me. Think it was a good idea for it to be an European and Middle Eastern (for clear reasons of unity) event in response to violence in France. It is not all about us in the U.S. It is also pretty obvious, I think, the U.S. is supportive** (if some place we were not friendly with or who didn't have powerful friends, a visit could be more important) and lest it be forgotten, free speech is sort of a thing in this country. It is a continual symbol of our support of satire. Russia's President might have to show up at a march to show solidarity given the usual practice there.
Finally, there was a few comments suggesting France might itself not have been too gung ho for the President to come. I might be wrong, but think the President et. al. reasonably took various things into consideration here. They do at times misjudge things, so who knows really, but I can see some combination of the above being the idea here. One article noted that Obama was not really informed -- oh please. He was aware of what was going on and wasn't merely out of the loop or something. As to sending Biden, other times, that would be deemed a token thing. Goofy Biden! Now, he's some big guy. The whole criticism seems overblown form over substance stuff.
It is a symbol in that respect of how not to worry about things.
---
* The meme was some more senior official should have been there -- as if these people were chopped liver. Perhaps, we should have been like Canada with Canadian Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney to represent Canada at the rally. When I first saw a reference to that, thought it was some sort of joke at Canada's offense. As is, might be a very Canada thing!
** Some sarcastically reminded people of those who opposed the French, including "freedom fries" etc., and the French has been a long subject of jokes and scorn for some people. Granting this, as a whole, we are generally friendly with Western Europe as a whole here. And, like those we might not like personally, when something like this happens, the normal practice is to pull back and respect what is really important. Some even noted that we do not get the same reaction after killings in Africa or something.
---
* The meme was some more senior official should have been there -- as if these people were chopped liver. Perhaps, we should have been like Canada with Canadian Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney to represent Canada at the rally. When I first saw a reference to that, thought it was some sort of joke at Canada's offense. As is, might be a very Canada thing!
** Some sarcastically reminded people of those who opposed the French, including "freedom fries" etc., and the French has been a long subject of jokes and scorn for some people. Granting this, as a whole, we are generally friendly with Western Europe as a whole here. And, like those we might not like personally, when something like this happens, the normal practice is to pull back and respect what is really important. Some even noted that we do not get the same reaction after killings in Africa or something.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your .02!