"Dear Mr. President"

Dear Mr. Barack Obama,

Congratulations on making it through year one; personally, I think you've done a pretty good job, all things considered. You entered office at a time when the American people were looking for change, looking for hope, after eight years of disappointment. The economy was in a state of disarray, and we were in the midst of unpopular wars. Our relations with other countries were dropping like flies; America was incredibly unpopular around the world. But you, Mr. Obama, you were the one in whom citizens of other nations believed, as well.

You stopped the economy from plummeting further, and even though it's certainly not back up as strong as it could be, stability has to come before growth. You also shifted focus from Iraq back to Afghanistan, our original endeavor that, under former President Bush, seemed to fall by the wayside. You found compromise in not instantaneously removing all the troops from Iraq and leaving them with nothing after we invaded their country, but have given a timeline for us to, hopefully, leave them in a state of stability. You also gave a speech to the Islamic world to state that we are not at war against Islam. You told them in Turkey:

"I know there have been difficulties these last few years. ... So let me say this as clearly as I can: The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam. ...

"I also want to be clear that America's relationship with the Muslim community, the Muslim world, cannot, and will not, just be based upon opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstandings, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country. The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country — I know, because I am one of them."

I hope, Mr. Obama, that you stand by that. I also have to say, though, that I am disappointed in some things that you have yet to accomplish. You promised to end the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, and you've mentioned it various times since your campaign, but it is still there. Mr. Obama, I know you understand this policy is not fair, but you need to do something about it. There are so many people ill-affected by this policy who have to hide so much about their lives because of something they cannot help. It's not about whether people agree with it or not, it's the fact that by law people being denied the opportunity to be themselves, which is a violation of one's freedom of expression, if nothing else. This also goes along with another promise you made but, according to PolitiFact, broke: Urge states to treat same-sex couple with full equality in family and adoption laws. Mr. President, these are people in your own country who are being discriminated against. Please, please fix it. Problems here need to be fixed before we can hope to do so elsewhere, even if it is difficult to recognize problems in oneself.

I believe that by the end of your term, you can establish a nation of which everyone is proud to be a part. It will take a lot of hard work, but you and your administration are up for the task.

Sincerely,
Kelsey



P.S. Here is a list of all the promises you made during your campaign and how your actions so far stand up against them.