Barack Obama embarrassed America during his speech in Berlin

"Pro ~ Essentially, what you are arguing in your first contention is that somehow ignorance of an insult changes whether or not it is an insult. I work in an office and if the secretary began speaking negative things about me behind my back and I wasn't aware of it, the damage it could do to my image still exists. Whether or not I know it, I have been embarrassed. Just because many Americans are either ignorant or feeding off of the commentary of political pundits on CNN doesn't change the fact that the Character and integrity of this country was challenge in a negative way by one of our own representatives speaking in a foreign country." Even if said insult is an insult, it is not an embarrassment. Embarrass is defined by the good men at Merriam-Webster as "to place in doubt, perplexity, or difficulties." Obama's statements did not place me or the majority of Americans in doubt, perplexity, or difficulties. Therefore, he didn't embarrass us. "Secondly, America's government isn't some secondary establishment that operates apart from the people. We have a representative government. The founders of this great nation said this government would be "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Our government is made up of citizens who represent the people. So when people talk about our government in a negative light and in general our country (Obama made no distinguishment between our government and our people, read the transcript from the speech) they are speaking about Americans. In my travels to foreign countries the attitudes exhibited by citizens of other nations is reflectant of their view of our government. Obama, being the grandson of a Kenyan goat herder out to know that. The only contact some foreigners will ever have with America is a soldier, an extension of our executive branch." Few accuracy checks, it was Lincoln, not our founding fathers that said that the government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." (Gettysburg Address) and Obama's grandfather happened to be a mission cook, not a goat herder. And anyways, why should Obama have anything to do with a country he never lived in? Obama implied that it was the government, therefore he was not blaming the people of America. Even al-Qaida has said that it hates the government, not necessarily the people. "Thirdly, Obama did absolutely nothing to help America's image. You know what helps Americas image is doing, not talking about, the right thing. Taking responsibility for our problems has so much more to do with what we act on, a decision that Barack Obama at this point and time, has no say over aside of his senatorial position. Who decided that Barack Obama should be the spokes person for the great US public relations campaign anyway? He is campaigning for president but last time I checked people in Germany don't vote in the United States. So really their opinion about whether or not Barack Obama should be president matter about as much as whether or not I like the president of Germany or the prime minister of Britain." Barack Obama IS helping our image, as he is bringing light to issues that need talking about, such as our image abroad. I don't want to live in a country that is internationally despised, and Obama is helping us be less despised. Obama will likely be our next president (unfortunately) and he does need to win support from the international community if he is to be successful in foreign policy. In fact most president's do this, although they usually wait untilafter election day. "If you were to read up on the politics of France, Germany, the Netherlands, and even Great Britain you would see that European politics are undergoing a shift to more conservative values. It seems like an odd time for this to happen, but when you consider the security concerns that have surface in the last 7 years it makes sense. Barack Obama, like many liberal democrats, is out of touch with the fact that the people are not looking for a more globalized world (which Obama was promoting and criticizing the US for not embracing) people want to know that the borders, language and culture of their country is protected." I disagree with your analysis. Barack Obama seems to be very in touch with the political environment of today, that's why he's 3% more popular than McCain. Europe is very favorable to globalization, they started the EU, and are leading many other globalization efforts. "Barack Obama has the right to say whatever he wants to say but I have the right to say what he said was wrong and offensive." I believe though that you are a minority there. "But what about France, the Netherlands, Spain, oh thats right, none of them have contributed a whole lot to the war effort either. It seems to me that if we are going to be seeking approval from countries like great Britain, Poland, South Korea, who represent the majority of allied forces other than the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, none of the major European countries aside of the UK is represented in Iraq. Thank you Barack Obama for crawling to the other nations who have not helped us, who have not acted like allies, and telling them we were wrong. This is an embarrassment to the soldiers who needed the help but never got it, and to the pride of the United States which remains only in the hearts of a few. Now do you have any facts to support that Obama's speech helped improve people's view of America, or was that just speculation?" And why should they care, Iraq was not a threat to the US, or Europe, they had no reason to help us out. However, they did help out in Afghanistan, excluding France, and that just shows that if the US is ever REALLY in dire need of assistance, we will get it, assuming we don't alienate the world first. And you asked me for facts that he improved the world's view of the US, and while I cannot present them, I would like to point out that you are speculating just as much as I am, so if you want everything to be supported by facts you lose, because you won't find any facts supporting that.