Obama, Unity, and the Universal at the United Nations

Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges. Now, if we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility…I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our actions.

These are some of the words that President Obama spoke today in his remarks before the U.N. General Assembly. As he went on to list all of the challenges that we meet in the world today, I felt both hope and trepidation.

I felt hopeful by the very fact that he was at this podium reaffirming our renewed engagement with the United Nations and, in particular, the United States’ joining the Human Rights Council.

I felt hopeful as he talked about the closing of Guantanamo Bay and the fact that he prohibited the use of torture by the United States.

I felt hopeful as he declared a U.S. commitment to confronting climate change and investing in clean energy.

As he laid out his four pillars - "non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people” - I was hopeful because I was listening to our president speak in a way that reflected many of the values I hold dear.

I felt trepidation because as he talked about these challenges, I knew how hard facing them would be.

Obama listed challenges that our partners and allies confront everyday:

• Promoting a just peace in Darfur and ending the genocide
• Cultivating and supporting leadership of women in Iraq
• Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
• Ensuring the human right to water 

At UUSC, we and our members stand in solidarity with program partners around the world working to promote justice. As I listened to his speech, I saw the faces and replayed the stories of some of our partners. We share small and large victories; we share stories of sorrow and hardship; we share our hopes and dreams; we share a world.

The trepidation I feel comes from my sense of responsibility to confront these challenges. As a staff member of a human-rights organization rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I was heartened to hear Obama quote the Preamble to the U.N. Charter — “to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women."

I know that at times the challenge to help our world live up to this promise seems insurmountable. I also know that collective action that is based on justice, solidarity, and partnership is key to success.

To quote President Obama, “Speeches alone will not solve our problems — it will take persistent action.” I hope that all who hear this speech will reaffirm their commitment to share in this responsibility. I am hopeful that we will.