Imposing Our Views

I know I always say that it's difficult to keep up with posting, and I recently realized that I meant to post a comment regarding President Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize (I will post that one at a later date).  As I follow his first presidential trip to China, I able to find examples of how his approach to diplomacy might make him worthy of such a prize (though I am not sold on the fact that he should have received it).  In a recent (scripted) meeting with a group of Chinese students (who were specifically chosen by the Chinese government and all members of the Communist Party) Obama stated, that "freedoms of expression, and worship, of access to information and political participation — we believe they are universal rights. They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation."  He continued on by stating, "the United States did not seek to impose 'any system of government on any other nation [but] America will always speak out for its core principles around the world.'"  How does this tie into my trip to Africa (trying to make all of my posts relevant in some way)?  It brings me back to the conversation that I had with a South African friend who has a negative view of America as being a country of arrogant bullies.  

I agree with the Prez that there are certain universal rights that should be shared by everyone, and I like that he stated that his purpose was not to impose a certain type of governmental system.  The real quandry is whether these two statements can be mutually exclusive.  Despite providing these rights within their constitution, many Maoists and members of the CPC might argue that there must be a limitation on certain rights in order to have a truly functional socialist government.  Therefore, if we impose our views on how these rights should be carried out, are we also imposing our notion on the best types of governmental systems which everyone should have?  I am far from a Marxist, but I have become more conscious of the effects of Americans imposing their views onto others.  Do we have a right to dictate how one should run their country? 

Some countries could argue that our penal system is one of the most barbaric and severe in the world.  Our crime rate continues to increase and we have the highest documented incarceration rate in the world.  However, the U.S. stands by its use of the death penalty and still allows the use of the electric chair in some states.  Does any other world leader have a right to criticize our penal system?  If they did, would we respect their views and change it?  One may argue that having access to public information and dying by the electric chair is comparing apples to oranges, but does that really matter?  I recognize that everyone has a right to certain fundamental human rights (and some may argue that the death penalty is a human rights violation) but maybe we should think twice before imposing our views of how to govern a country onto others.