Madeleine K. Albright spoke candidly about hard issues to an audience of nearly 1,600 people at the Arlington Theatre, Monday night.
Standing nearly stark still at a podium, Albright managed to preserve her calm composure and dignified reputation while discussing controversial issues such as America’s War on Terror. She spoke about the need for a bi-partisan approach to global issues, bridging the gap between the world’s haves and have-nots and the importance of religious education and tolerance.
Albright kicked off the night joking about the generation gap between today’s students and the time of her long-gone college days.
“Though I am the same, it seems that the students have grown younger and smarter,” she said. “That was a time when religion was kept as far away from foreign policy as possible. It was a time when global divisions were clearer.”
The audience was reminded of Albright’s accomplished career as the former, first-ever woman Secretary of State, the highest ranking position to be occupied by a woman in the history of the U.S. government, as she declared the true Axis of Evil as Poverty, Ignorance and Disease.
“We must be clear about who the enemy is in the War on Terror,” Albright said. “It is not the Nation of Islam or people who disagree with our religion, but people who try to kill us.”
She also expressed her belief that the solution to Foreign Policy issues lies in a bi-partisan approach to problem solving.
“We must remember that [Democrats and Republicans] don’t have a monopoly on wisdom,” Albright said. “Both Republicans and Democrats are wrong some time.”
The event, hosted by UCSB’s Arts & Lectures, is the second in the series this year. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell also appeared at the Arlington in February.
Though there was no all-out Bush bashing, Albright did state her disagreement with what she termed the Bush administration’s “ABC policy…anything but Clinton policy.”
She said that, “instead of picking up where Clinton left off, this administration is setting out to not attempt to do something simply because others have done it.”
She said that Bush dangerous belief that he possesses the absolute truth, arguing that such an ideology leaves no room for a back up if plan A fails.
In an hour, Albright managed to touch on key issues concerning America’s international reputation and identity, the threat of nuclear proliferation, as well as some of her regrets about not being able to prevent what she termed, the “volcanic genocide” in Rwanda. “More people are dying in Africa than anywhere else and we cannot let Africa be the forgotten continent.” “We also cannot remain an island of wealth in a sea of poverty,” she added.
She also expressed regrets about the Clinton administration’s failure to finish the job in the Middle East.
Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, who was in attendance, said, “it was good to hear from someone so smart and thoughtful about foreign policy.”
As crowds of people huddled in the aisle to exit, audience members discussed the privilege of viewing a high-profile speaker like Albright.
“I wish there were more Madeleine Albrights in the world,” said Ron Fox, an audience member.
