Obama warns against “crude nationalism”

Published on Nov 15, 2016 by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (56 second video clip)

“I do believe, separate and apart from any particular election or movement, that we are going to have to guard against a rise in a crude sort of nationalism or ethnic identity or tribalism that is built around an “us” and a “them.”  And I will never apologize for saying that the future of humanity and the future of the world is going to be defined by what we have in common as opposed to those things that separate us and ultimately lead us into conflict.”

Transcript of remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece in Joint Press Conference on November 15th, 2016 Athens, Greece

“Take Europe.  We know what happens when Europeans start dividing themselves up, and emphasizing their differences, and seeing a competition between various countries in a zero-sum way.  The 20th century was a bloodbath.  And for all the frustrations and failures of the project to unify Europe, the last five decades have been periods of unprecedented peace, growth and prosperity in Europe.

In the United States, we know what happens when we start dividing ourselves along lines of race or religion or ethnicity.  It’s dangerous.”