“Imagine if I had been doing this.” Barack Obama first approached Trump’s tariff war and recent cases of threats to freedom of expression in the US. “Maybe you need to do something” – and it’s not when it’s easy, it’s when it’s hard to fight for our principles.
In a conversation this Thursday at Hamilton College in New York, the former US President Barack Obama63 years old, he spoke for the first time about the tariff war that Donald Trump announced what the.
The Democrat, 44th President of the United States, began to say that the second part of his presidential memories was finished and addressed the issue of American laws of gun possession before speaking of his successor in the White House.
“I have Deep differences of opinion with my most immediate successor, who is now again president, ”he said.“ There are a number of policies that we could be discussing and about which I have strong opinions“He continued, noting that he believes that government’s commitment to strong principles” worn out. “
“When I see what is going on now, It doesn’t seem to me that what we just watched in terms of economic policy and tariffs are good For America, but this is a specific policy, ”he said.
“I worry more deeply a federal government that threatens universities if they do not denounce students who are exercising their right to freedom of expression“Continued Obama, father of two daughters.
“I worry more than the White House You can tell the law firms: ‘With represent parties that we don’t likeLet us remove all our business or prevent you from representing people effectively. ‘
Then made an observation, with Only eight words on these themes: “Imagine if I had done any of these things?”
“He would be unimaginable that the same parties who are now silent have a behavior like this”When Obama or his predecessors were in power, he added the former president, who occupied the White House between 2009 and 2017.
However, he stressed Barack Obama, “It is not up to one person to correct the current situation of the government. “It is up to us all to solve this. There will be no one to save us. The most important position in this democracy is the citizen, the ordinary person who says No, this is not correct“He accessed, pulling applause to the audience.
“I think one of the reasons for the erosion of our commitment to democratic ideals is the fact that In the terms made comfortable and complanted“Warned Obama.
“It has been easy, for most of our livesto say that whether it is progressive or in favor of social justice or freedom of expression and not having to have to pay a price for it“Obama said.
“But It is not enough to say that we are in favor of something. We are able to have to do somethingand possibly sacrificing something ”in defense of democratic principles, he warned.
“If we are a law enforcementmaybe we need to lose some business because Let’s defend a principle“Suggested Barack Obama.“ If we go a universityIf we have not done anything wrong, it may be necessary to defend what we believe. ”
“For example, we can Pay to investigators [que estão a ser despedidos por Trump] with the back of the university itself. Perhaps we have to postpone the construction of a new wing or a Catita gym – this can expect a couple of years. You know, Academic freedom is perhaps a little more important“.
“For almost the whole history of humanity, almost everywhere with the world, There was always a cost to face the powers Established – especially if they are abusing these powers, ”he noted.
“I noticed for example that Some wealthier peopleat the time of the George Floyd case, they were there, and They did this and that; a lot of companies talked about how much they worried about diversity, and they wanted to do this and that and they were all in favor of something“He recalled.
“They are all silent now. That tells me that It was good when I was fashionablebut When it’s not… eh, that’s not why“He lamented.” And that, it seems to me, is what each of us has to analyze in our hearts. “
“If we are in favor of equality, We have to fight for it. Not when it’s easy, but when it’s hard“Concluded Barack Obama.
