Mr. Obama, you could have been my son. Yes, you won the election. Some say because of Acorn, others say the left wing of our people and other say otherwise. With the help of Pelosi and Reid - this is maybe a plus today or a liability tomorrow.  Let everyone say what they want. For me, you won; it's a fact. The Republicans have lost; it's also a fact. The United States do not need another revolution or going it alone disregarding any other opinion. The United States need a president who unifies our nation and looks forward. Our nation needs a president, who cares about all of us. We don't need a new system or a new socialism, as others say, we saw how the Soviet Union lost with us.   We need to stick to the constitution which made America the beautiful, the strongest country on earth. Yes, there are other ways to reach this goal, absolutely, that's what the elections are for. But think what the aspirations of the entire nation are, and not only those of one party.

Please, Mr. President, don't follow the Europeans or the Russians, or the South Americans to teach the Americans anything.  All these states have made their experiences, their wars and they did not succeed.  They had centuries of wars and that's why they are all looking to America.  Some are jealous, yes, some try to learn from us, yes, and some became our friends and allies. These are also facts. You started very well, with speed and good intentions, but don't get excited. As you won quickly, you can lose strongly. Your friend today could be your enemy tomorrow.

If you feel that you are now the president of all Americans, let everyone feel it, let everyone believe in it, it is very important. You will discover a new and great potential in the American people, not only the Democrats or those who helped you, but many others, with experience, people who can create and perform not just in the government, but also in their daily lives.

As you want to be the President of all Americans, it would be smart to avoid creating an atmosphere of winners and losers. This situation will create the opposite of what you intend to create. I know that you are American like myself,but, let me tell you my small story, as you have not experienced any war.

When I was ten through twelve years old, the Germans conquered many countries, in Europe and in North Africa. They invaded Tunisia which was under French rule. I saw and I lived the war with its bad and with its good colors.

The bad color was the atrocity between human beings and, the good colors were the humanity and the generosity of other human beings.
I saw many American and other allied wounded and dead soldiers. I saw the generosity of the American soldiers who gave everything they had to help the civilian population, which was deprived of everything you can imagine.  We survived the hunger, the fear of the bombs, the tanks, the artillery, the machine guns, typhus and only after all of that, life became beautiful again, even without any food and  water.

I smelled  for the first time what the beauty of live is, and the beauty of being able to eat bread with a glass of water. I saw how life became wonderful after the war. I saw the friendship among the inhabitants of our town become real and honest.  Today and every day, I see how the people become suspicious of one another. We can talk about everything but not about politics. Is this the way you would like to transform America? It reminds me of Europe during the war. Is this your dream, or maybe your people do not dare tell you the truth.
 
I know, you were not even born at that time and because your parents are now departed, they cannot share with you such stories and experiences.

I know you want to succeed, but stop for a moment and think about everything you want to accomplish and ask yourself these questions:
Is this the reason why I am born in this world?
Is this the reason why I had to travel and to live in different countries and to receive various kinds of education and to accumulate the intelligence, the qualities, and the knowledge received from these continents, America, Africa, Asia, and from Christianity, from Islam, and maybe from my Jewish friends?

Yes, you won the election, but many do still not accept you, as their president. You will be accepted, but not by insulting or humiliating anyone. You don't need this, you are now the most powerful man in the world, but you also have to be the most generous, the most compassionate and noble man as the president of the United States. At the moment, we are not united.  Our nation is split, part of our people is unhappy. You see what I mean?. What you do today may create a precedence case  and may haunt you and your administration in the future.  Have you thought about it?

Let me tell you an episode, which happened during World War II.  It was towards the end of the war in our region. The Allied soldiers who fought the battle of Bizerte brought German prisoners to our town, as we were not far from that front line.  As a kid, with my friends, we brought water to give to the poor German prisoners. I was shocked when suddenly a guard took the water from our hand and poured it on the floor of the station.  As a child, I could not understand, why a human being could be so rude with another human being who lost the battle and became a prisoner; who lost not only the battle, but also his freedom, his dignity, and many other things.  As a Frenchman and a Jew I felt sorry for the German prisoners. Since then I became more compassionate for my fellow human beings.

Please, Mr. President if you want to become not only our president, but also a beloved president in history, take my humble advice, which in fact is my dad's advice. He was a shoemaker, fought in World War I  and World War II, and in the evening he was a community arbitrator for the town people, who were of various ethnicities, Arabs, French, Italians, Maltese, Spanish, and Jews. All his rulings made sure there were no winners and no losers.  If there are losers there would always be a feeling of revenge.  We don't need any vengeance. Do you want to create losers and winners? Or do you want to be the President of a nation of winners?
 
You remember Senator McCain's attitude towards you when he lost the election and how President Bush conducted himself with you during the last few day of his presidency. Finally, let me give you some words of wisdom.  Don't be arrogant, be yourself, and be the American President who listens to the people and not just to the people who agree with you in every aspect. As my father used to tell me, "take the words of those who make you cry and do not take the words of those who make you laugh".

Copyright: Emile Tubiana 2009