The midterm election is over. The Republicans won control of the Senate. Now President Obama focuses on building his legacy to help shape how he will be remembered by history. He will be busy tackling many unfinished tasks in his last two years in office. He needs to close the Guantanamo prison, sign the Anti-Land Mines International Treaty, and much more.
But I’d like him to add one thing to his list: Visit the Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial ceremonies in August, 2015 or 2016. He would be the first President of the United States to do so.
President Obama made his great speech about Anti-Nuclear Weapons in Prague in April 2009 and shook the world! I cried when I saw it on TV. The same year he received the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s not a bad idea to conclude his presidency in those cities dedicated to Peace.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Barack-Obama-In-Prague-As-Delivered
Obama already left one great legacy with his magnificent bow to the Emperor. No previous American presidents ever bowed so respectfully. Look at the picture. The Empress was humbled enough to lower her knees for President Obama, which demonstrated great respect for him. Look at the Emperor’s smile and humble gesture. Bowing means mutual respect. It’s not a hierarchical greeting of submission that many Americans imagine it to be. Gathering his hands together, Obama bowed quite gracefully.
John Boehner couldn’t bow like that. Both liberals and conservatives in America told Obama not to bow to a former enemy….They don’t understand global culture. That has been a problem in America, a country founded and led by white men. President Obama needs to leave the legacy that none of the white Presidents could achieve. He should visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The people of Japan, one of America’s greatest allies and its second largest trading partner, would be forever grateful for that visit. It would be a strong expression of his desire for peace.
From a Japanese perspective, the second big action that would cement his legacy concerns his wife. First Lady Michelle Obama should finally join the President in Japan. She is the only First Lady in modern history who has never visited Japan. Where was she?
(Right: Students; Left: Teachers in training) Mrs. Obama needs to visit schools to observe their newly-reformed physical education classes. In 2012, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology launched a hip-hop dance exercise as a requirement for compulsory education. The Japanese philosophy of whole person education aims to integrate body and mind in exercises such as this. Each school invites visiting instructors from sports clubs that have hip-hop dance classes. Teachers also have to learn hip-hop moves. In Japan, elementary school teachers are also required to learn how to play keyboard or piano. The country’s diverse dance curriculum includes European and American folk dance as well.
In the past six years Mrs. Obama has repeatedly turned down Japanese invitations. According to Japan Times, Mrs. Obama’s spokesperson aid the First Lady’s absence is not a slight, and she has always chosen her trips on what’s best for her family. I believe Sasha and Malia would enjoy Japan, but if they can’t go, I think Mrs. Obama should go without them. They are big enough to stay home now.
Mr. and Mrs. Obama need to develop more human relationships especially in Japan. Mrs. Obama visited all six western nations of the G7 countries, skipping only Japan. Mr. and Mrs. Obama need to come to see local people outside Tokyo and especially Japanese children! They need to see Japan’s World Class Education system, complete with hip-hop dance classes!