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Indonesian Historian Says Obama Is an Icon 'Like Che Guevara'
Kinanti Pinta Karana | December 14, 2009

A statue of President Barack Obama, at the age of 10, in Taman Menteng. (Photo: Adek Berry, AFP) A statue of President Barack Obama, at the age of 10, in Taman Menteng. (Photo: Adek Berry, AFP)
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Valkyrie
6:51pm Dec 15, 2009

YP's trying to lead us all up the garden path. He's LOST!

Simon P
2:12pm Dec 15, 2009

What?? Come again YP? You lost me after "Oh my".

yully.purwono
1:15pm Dec 15, 2009

Oh my, do I shoot the creator of the statue? none of my paragraph below contains that. I shoot the government as the creator of public policy, as a leader that chosen by people. But that's good question about nationalistic sentiment, we should have the same definition about that. And that could be most of the argument come from. Well then, neighbours grass is always greener like some people said.

aditya_pratama
12:39pm Dec 15, 2009

I think the creator's purpose is to inspire people to aim high, that nothing is impossible if you're willing to work hard.

Barack Obama is an african american and he does not come from a wealthy family. In US politics, the odds are stacked against him. But did he gave up his dreams? No. He work hard to pursue it, and now he is the Commander in Chief of the USA.

That is the moral of the story. Anything is possible. Don't confuse it with some petty nationalistic sentiment.

yully.purwono
11:55am Dec 15, 2009

I have my respect for Obama itself, he's a great person for America, maybe for some country too. But again, this is Indonesia, if you are Indonesian, you could find houndreds statue of people that more suitable put in Jakarta's public area.

So it's not that we don't respect for that called Obama, but to put in Jakarta, it's a shame for me as Indonesian, that we especially government always look people from abroad in the higher position. The mentality that being civilized. Looking for good perform by creating imaginary appearance.

That's my two cents for the Mayor of Central Jakarta, to put things on its place. To give acknowledge who deserved, and to prioritized the urgency.


Barack Obama is an inspiring pop culture icon like Che Guevara and the statue of the US President erected in a Central Jakarta park should stay despite public opposition, a historian from the University of Indonesia said on Monday.

Historian JJ Rizal said Obama’s rise to power was a phenomenon that had inspired people the world over, including in Indonesia.

“Obama’s rise to the White House was really moving. [His rise] is not only the reflection of American democracy, but he’s become a pop culture icon like Che Guevara,” Rizal said.

Guevara was a major figure in the Cuban Revolution and now his image embelishes items from t-shirts to bikinis as a symbol of youthful rebellion.

Rizal said that people who are opposed to the Obama statue, erected in Taman Menteng and officially unvelied last Thursday, should read the history books first.

“Our first president, Sukarno, once said that Indonesian’s nationalism was an ideology which grew in the midst of internationalism. I doubt if they [the people opposing the Obama statue] know that. Little Obama is a symbol of our pride and hope that someday we will have an inspiring figure like Obama in our country,” he said.

Rizal acknowledged that Obama had not yet done any good for Indonesia, but he asked Indonesians to remember that the American president always referred to Indonesia as the place where he first learned about pluralism.

“Obama always says his experience of living in Indonesia taught him a lot about pluralism. He is proud that he had spent part of his life here and he never forgets his childhood including his favorite foods like nasi goreng (fried rice) or bakso (meatballs),” he added.

Rizal labeled those who opposed the Obama statue as chauvinistic. He said he believed Obama’s statue should stay because it showed the international side of Indonesia and strengthened Jakarta’s image as a global melting pot.

However, Rizal admitted that Indonesia had national figures who have done bigger things for the country than the US president.

“But do they inspire people? Obama inspires us. The strength of an icon lies on how much he can give inspiration to other people,” he said.




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