The most moving part of the Grant Park celebrations on election night last November was not the spectacle on the stage. It was the looks of inspiration that emanated from the eyes of the masses. A gleam had returned for many U.S. citizens on the night that Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States of America.
And even though that gleam was fueled largely by a renewed pride in one's country, the task ahead seemed daunting. Obama had been elected president, but the surreality of the moment had not yet lifted. Even now, three weeks into his presidency, I have to remind myself every morning that he actually is president, he does reside at the White House and he does make decisions in the Oval Office.
I may be building Obama into some sort of savior figure with my rhetoric so far, but I have been reassured at several key moments during his first few weeks in office. In addition, according to a new Gallup Poll, 68 percent of U.S. citizens support his initial actions.
The first move that struck me with a positive note was Obama's complete about-face within the Justice Department. New Attorney General Eric Holder has a tough task ahead of him. The Justice Department head made his beliefs clear during his confirmation hearing.
I never thought I would see the day when a Justice Department would claim that only the most extreme infliction of pain and physical abuse constitutes torture and that acts that are merely cruel, inhuman and degrading are consistent with United States law and policy, that the Supreme Court would have to order the President of the United States to treat detainees in accordance with the Geneva Convention, never thought that I would see that a president would act in direct defiance of federal law by authorizing warrantless NSA surveillance of American citizens. This disrespect for the rule of law is not only wrong, it is destructive in our struggle against terrorism.""
The new administration has already issued executive orders to shut down the CIA's secret-prison network and to shut down Guantanamo Bay within a year. Democrats and Republicans have both voiced concern over this decision, but the defined deadline will expedite the process. Independent legal reviews have already hailed the decision as efficient and just.
A new promise to adhere to the Geneva Convention's rules on detained prisoners has been issued, as well.
""We are not, as I said during the inauguration, going to continue with the false choice between our safety and our ideals,"" Obama stated.
Human-rights groups are hailing the move, and a group of 16 generals organized by Human Rights First released a statement supporting the decision, which will surely improve America's moral standing in the world.
Several other executive orders will allow for federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research and possibly limit oil exploration ventures in offshore areas and open country. These proactive choices only increase my respect for number 44.
The most interesting move, however, has to be Obama's decision to speak with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television network for his first formal interview as president. This move keeps up with the theme of Obama's ""outstretched hand"" when it comes to foreign policy. His responses were concise, intelligent and thoughtful.
When asked about peace negotiations under George Mitchell, Special Envoy to the Middle East and a battle-tested peace-broker, Obama reassured the host that he has instructed Mitchell to ""start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating.""
Tom Hart is a senior majoring in history. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
