Beer Summit Politics

by WashDCDemocrat

It seemed like a distraction from such pressing issues like health care, the economy, and the wars in the Middle East: the President invited professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and his arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, to have a beer at the White House after the President commented on how the Cambridge Police "acted stupidly" in arresting Prof. Gates. Regardless of one's own personal opinions about the arrest, it's tough to argue against the fact that tensions have cooled off since then, and the story itself is starting to fade out of the papers.

Many in the media have noted that this is an example of underlying racial tensions. However, the "beer summit" itself points to one of the most effective tools in Obama's arsenal: diplomacy. Obama sought to correct his earlier statement about the Cambridge Police while, at the same time, reconcile differences between the professor and the officer to help cool racial tensions. In fact, the move has already led to another such meeting between a Toledo mayoral candidate and a heckler at one of his press conferences. Rather than talk about each other, we can accomplish more by talking with each other.

And this is the spirit of diplomacy. If it can work between individuals, why can't it work between nations? Heads of state should be able to come together and reconcile instead of split apart and plan for aggression. Anyone who says that it cannot work should probably have a talk with Henry Louis Gates or James Crowley - perhaps over a beer?