Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.  I can remember being a 10 year old watching bewildered, not sure what was going on, as people clambered onto the wall and chipped away at it with hammers.  I remember there being a sense of euphoria about it all.

Later in my life, as I began to explore the more modern aspects our nation’s history, I found President Regan’s speech demanding that the wall be torn down and even viewing it years after it actually happened I couldn’t help but be moved:

Given how integral the United States was in the Soviet regime falling, and how integral our President Ronald Reagan was in the fall of the Berlin Wall, there is no doubt that our country has a special place at the celebration of the 20th anniversary.

And there will be US officials at the event.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be in attendance.  But for a major celebration of an event of this magnitude shouldn’t the President be in attendance?

Barack Obama campaigned on strengthening our ties with the rest of the world.  Well, what better way to further that goal than to attend a commemoration of one of the most important gifts America has given the world?  Why not use the moment as an opportunity to remind the world of how much good we’ve done?  Obama has certainly spent a lot of time apologizing for the rest of the world for all the evils he perceives our country as being responsible for, and while you can agree or disagree with his perceptions, shouldn’t he also highlight the good we’ve done?

It is an absolute travesty that the American President won’t be in Berlin to celebrate this important anniversary with our European friends.. 

Shame on you, Mr. Obama.

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