Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

When an American asserts that everyone in the world "simply want to live
their lives and see their children live better lives" that is pretty
insulting.

No national aspirations? No willingness within society to make sacrifices
in order to serve the interests and goals of that society?

Is the entire world motivated solely by an interest in improving per capita
GNP?

This is nothing less than American cultural-value hegemony.

And it goes far beyond being insulting.

It is dangerous for policy makers to refuse to appreciate and understand the
very real cultural differences that exist in our world.

Serious businessmen learn all they can about cultural differences before
traveling overseas.

But it sounds like the White House policymakers make the dangerously lazy
simplifying assumption that everyone is the same.]
==========

From: David Axelrod, The White House
To: imra@netvision.net.il
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 7:02 PM
Subject: A New Beginning -- Watch the President's Speech

Hello -

As a Senior Advisor to the President, I'm here in Cairo, Egypt where I
watched President Obama deliver an unprecedented speech calling for a new
beginning for the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

We all know that there has been tension between the United States and some
Muslim communities. But, as the President said this morning, if all sides
face the sources of tension squarely and focus on mutual interests, we can
find a new way forward.

The President outlined some big goals for this new beginning in his
speech -- including disrupting, dismantling, and defeating violent
extremism. It was a historic speech, and since many Americans were asleep at
the time it was given we wanted to make sure you had a chance to see it:

Majority-Muslim countries around the world are filled with extraordinary
people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live
better lives, just as in America. Indeed, part of what makes America great
is having nearly seven million Muslim Americans living here today and
enriching our culture and communities.

We can extend that kind of relationship abroad. It won't always be easy, but
if we make an effort to bridge our differences rather than resigning
ourselves to animosity, we can move toward a more peaceful world over time.

Thank you,
David Axelrod
Senior Advisor to the President
The White House . 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW . Washington, DC 20500 .
202-456-1111