Citizenship Redefined
Brandon Sun, February 7, 2009 - David McConkey
“My fellow citizens,” begins the new U.S. President, Barack Obama. His
inaugural address marks not only his new job, but also a new level of
discourse about – in his words – “the price and promise of
citizenship.”
Barack Obama’s ascendancy has been called “transformational.” Racial,
of course, as well as generational. And technological – he is the first
President to embrace the Internet.
His style embodies the new paradigm of what has been called the “we” or
“net” generation: open, empowering, and participatory. Obama is
energizing the “mass collaboration” ethic of the Internet to re-make
political life – from the bottom up.
In both the United States and Canada, we had been heading down a
dangerous slope of declining public discussion and involvement.
In the last Canadian federal election, the main platform of the
Conservatives was simply pooh-poohing Liberal leader Stéphane Dion. Our
voter turnout was an all-time low. The number of votes cast for every
party (except the Greens) was lower than the election before.
But Obama changes everything by challenging everyone, especially young
people, to get involved. Think, participate, vote. U.S. voter turnout
was higher than any election since the 1960s.
Obama invites Americans to go beyond the “petty grievances and false
promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long
have strangled our politics.”
If he thinks the U.S. is bad, he should visit our House of Commons!
“The stale political arguments,” says Obama, “no longer apply.” He
certainly has a point: the old right- and left-wing divide makes less
and less sense in dealing with today’s global issues.
“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or
too small, but whether it works.”
While Obama outlines a positive role for government, he also vividly
describes a role for each ordinary citizen.
“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a
recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to
ourselves, our nation and the world.”
Obama says, for example, that the “greed and irresponsibility” of a few
movers and shakers are only partly to blame for the current economic
crisis. All share responsibility, in “our collective failure to make
hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”
Obama requests Americans, as well as those of us in countries like
Canada, to recognize the impact of our consumption in a world of
poverty and environmental degradation.
“To those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can
no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can
we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect.”
In calling for a new understanding of citizenship, Obama recommends
traditional values to the young generation, and relates time-honoured
ideals to the demands of the 21st century.
“Hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity,
loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true.”
As we Canadians reflect on Obama’s presidency, however, let’s remember
how greatly the two countries differ. Not to be too smug, but Canada
has a more developed civil society than the U.S. Even our
“conservative” political parties are more “liberal” than Obama’s
Democrats.
Many Obama goals have been largely achieved in Canada: like focusing on
Afghanistan instead of Iraq, implementing a national Medicare program,
stabilizing financial systems, making old age social security
sustainable, and reducing restrictions on access to abortion.
And Canada is more progressive than Obama could ever dare to be. We
have already banned many guns, ended the death penalty, and legalized
gay marriage.
But the two countries are diverging in the quality of leadership and
sense of citizenship. As U.S. President, Barack Obama is inspiring the
citizenry to take more responsibility. Do not rest on the laurels of
past accomplishment, but engage as active citizens in meeting the
challenges of today and tomorrow.
Could we have that kind of leadership in Canada?
“For the world has changed and we must change with it.”
See also:
Religion and Values in the Public Square
Canadian History Boring? Not if You Know a Little
A More Thoughtful Approach to Racial Issues is Required
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