Gorbachev's visit not universally praised
Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev visited Midland last night as a part of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. I didn't attend the event (I have watched the video, here -- or at least the first 41 minutes, which is all that is provided), but about 5,000 other people did, and based on what I'm reading in the media, he's next in line for sainthood.
I guess I'm in the minority when I say that I'm less than impressed and pleased with some of his remarks. Hugo Chavez's recent rantings at the U.N. provided a lifetime's quota of lectures from socialist outsiders, and while Gorbachev isn't insane, he still doesn't have the credentials to waltz in here and tell us how to run our country, especially with respect to how we deal with our own security.
For example, according to this report, Gorbachev thinks we're mishandling Iraq, and "...recommended using the Soviet Union's approach to its withdrawal from Afghanistan." OK, correct me if I'm wrong here, but wasn't the Soviet Union's "approach to withdrawal" more like the scattered retreat that comes after you've been handed your rear end by your adversary?
He also tried to compare our efforts to secure our southern border against illegal immigration with the Berlin Wall. "Now the United States seems to be building almost the Wall of China between itself and this other nation with which it has been associated for many decades and has had cooperation and interaction with."
Someone should remind Mr. President that the Berlin Wall was designed to stop all intermingling of the citizens of a single nation that was arbitrarily torn asunder by an outside aggressor. Our country's efforts are designed to enforce the types of laws that are routinely enacted by civilized sovereign nations with respect to one another; legal immigration, trade, cultural and social interaction are not the targets.
I don't deny that there's value in hearing firsthand from a significant player from a signficant period of world history, but I hope listeners will exercise a little discernment about what they hear. Just because someone "important" is paid to visit the relative backwaters of west Texas (and no disrespect is intended; this is my home, and I'm proud of it) shouldn't grant them automatic standing to have every utterance swallowed without close inspection.
Good observations as always Eric.
Posted by: Rachel at October 18, 2006 06:47 PMi agree with gorbachev
Posted by: Ctac at October 18, 2006 06:53 PMI agree with Gorbachev too. Mexico is a country "with which [the US] has been associated for many decades and has had cooperation and interaction with." Mexico is also a very corrupt country and seems to have forgotten the concept of Rule of Law.
It's interesting that he went to Midland, President Bush's hometown, to make those remarks.
Mr. Gorbachev, get a clue!
Posted by: Denise at October 18, 2006 09:23 PMDenise, are you just messin' with my head, or should there be a dis in front of agree?
Posted by: Eric at October 18, 2006 09:33 PMUm...not messing with your head, just trying unsuccessfully to be funny. Allow me to clarify by making minor edits that reveal the funny:
"I agree with Gorbachev too. Mexico is a country 'with which [the US] has been associated for many decades...' Mexico is also a very corrupt country and seems to have forgotten the concept of Rule of Law.
"It's probably not by chance that Gorbachev went to Midland, President Bush's hometown, to make those remarks.
"Mr. Gorbachev, get a clue!"
See the funny? It's in there somewhere. ;)
Posted by: Denise at October 18, 2006 10:14 PMDon't you just hate having to explain your jokes to the dummies in the audience?
Posted by: Eric at October 18, 2006 10:16 PMI attended the event and I was also less than impressed though he did have some interesting remarks...99% of them involving his relations with Ronaldus Maximus.
He did say we should use the soviet method of leaving affganistan...where I promtly turned to the people I went with and asked if I heard right and if he has read the same history we have.
He also said he didn't approve of the 2003 Iraq invasion...at which point about 25% of the audiance broke into applause.
I did find it somewhat difficult to get used to the interpretre at the start but it worked out.
Good questions were asked but the ansers were very political.
However, he's a pretty funny guy...we just shouldn't look to him for foreign policy advice.
Posted by: Reagan at October 19, 2006 06:55 PMReagan, I think your last comment pretty well summed up Gorbachev's value as a speaker: entertainment, historical perspective, but no longer a player...if he ever was.
Posted by: Eric at October 19, 2006 10:05 PMDouble Amen to your observations, Eric!
Posted by: Jen P at October 20, 2006 10:04 PMAbout the publisher
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Posted by: Robert at October 18, 2006 04:01 PM