A new dawn

—Cajetan Peter D’Souza

Mumbai

Anticipating change

• Barack Obama’s victory signifies that liberal and democratic forces are reaffirming their beliefs following eight years of neo-conservative and interventionist policies. What remains to be seen is whether the much talked about ‘change’ remains symbolic or Obama is able to translate his ideals into global economic and political order.

—Amit Pradhan

Baroda

Lessons for us

• The glass ceiling has been broken. American society has come to realise that all its citizens, whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and others are equal in status. Education, ability and leadership were the qualities that brought Obama to the forefront. Obama is a great orator capable of generating passions and aspirations among the American public. This explains the country’s high turnout in voting. India has a few lessons to learn from this; politicians need to look beyond traditional prejudice and unite people.

—K.Venkataraman

Mumbai

Beyond colour

• Barack Obama’s election as the President of America is not only important but also historic for more other reasons. It is a lesson that L.K. Advani has to learn. The white, cross-racial vote has been momentous: L.K. Advani, who always raises Sonia’s foreign origin, must learn a lesson or two from Americans. India is the only country where the majority is afraid of minority.

—M.H. Nayak

Mumbai

An end to terror

• Use of violence in any form to get one’s demands accepted by the powers- that-be or to wreak vengeance is condemnable. Innocent lives are snuffed out in seconds, hundreds maimed and countless families deprived of their sole breadwinners. This form of terrorism is prevalent everywhere and the left-liberal argument that all of this is because of socio-economic deprivation and discrimination, although partly true, is not entirely so. After Islamist terror, we now have Hindu extremism in India. While we make every effort to pull people out of deprivation, there is a greater political and ideological battle to be fought to defang Terror of all kinds.

... contd.