(NNPA)—As one of the first to defend President Obama’s selection for the Nobel Peace Prize, I also believe that his speech was much more than an adequate expression of the contradictions in which he found himself by being selected.

The first contradiction was created by the fact that Obama was selected by the Nobel Committee essentially because he presented to the world a new vision of American leadership in the global arena that rejected the failed policies of George Bush and that pointed the way to resuming collaboration with its allies for productive purposes.

George W. Bush’s term as president ended nearly a year ago but America is still feeling the effects of his presidency: an economic recession, two wars that drain both human and financial resources and a less than stellar reputation in the international community. Thanks to a recently released report, we can now count neglecting civil rights among the many injustices former President Bush and his administration inflicted upon this country.

The classical poet A.E. Housman wrote, “For nature, heartless, witless nature...” He might have said the same thing about history, which like nature is neither cruel nor kind, right or wrong; it is simply indifferent. It has, as they say, no dog in the fight.

If, however, one is looking back and telling history, it might then be said that one is right or wrong about history. One might say as much about Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who was wrong about history in his remarks accusing Republicans opposed to Democratic health care reform of using the same stalling tactics as the defenders of slavery and Jim Crow.

Dear Editor:

Another year has already gone by and with Kuhn’s decision to not locate its store in the Hill. It’s evident now that a full-service grocery store remains elusive for the Hill District. According to the Hill District Community Benefits Agreement, efforts to finalize a grocery store in the Hill District is fast approaching.

HOWARD SLAUGHTER

Don’t worry, remember Save-A-Lot, the national grocer that Landmarks Community Capital Corporation introduced to the Hill District last year? Well, the good news is they are still interested in locating in the Hill.