World is watching America's response to hate speech

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia, continue to reverberate, but are seen as a domestic political issue. How do we reconcile Americans' right to assemble and to engage in free speech when that speech and the ideas espoused are regarded by the larger society as repugnant?

However, the impact of those terrible events and the subsequent rhetoric from our political, business and community leaders do not stop at the water's edge, particularly in an age of round-the-clock media - both traditional and social.

We must understand that because the United States is a creedal country, it is unique in the world. If one embraces America's founding creed - that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain inalienable rights - then one can be an American. Citizenship is not dependent on race, on religion, on language or origin of birth.

That is why so many people from around the world look to the United States to stand for the highest ideals and are inspired by America's journey as they try to move their own societies toward a future that is more free and more just.

Knitting together a country with every race and religion and a wide spectrum of beliefs is not easy. Some might argue it is impossible. America has never fully succeeded in creating the "more perfect union" set forth in our Constitution. However, if we believe in our founders' vision, then we must continue to try every day.

When images of torch-lit processions by white supremacists and neo-Nazis carrying banners with swastikas through America's streets are flashed around the world, the damage to our image is profound, and that damage must be reversed by an unstinting dedication to our founding principles in word and deed.

Remember that the vast majority of the world's population is not white and of European origin. And America's enemies in the world will always be prepared to exploit our failures to live up to our ideals. Think of how the Soviet Union's propagandists constantly highlighted the treatment of African Americans during the struggle for civil rights, particularly in Africa where the Cold War struggle for hearts and minds was particularly intense.

If our political leaders do not defend our ideals and do not do their utmost to bring our diverse country together, then the consequences will be far reaching. From a purely economic point of view, there will be fewer tourists, fewer foreign students enrolling in our universities, fewer business deals when foreign business leaders cannot be seen standing with American companies.

However, this is about much, much more than dollars. This is about America's moral leadership or what Joseph Nye called "soft power" - the ability to gather allies and support through attraction as opposed to coercion.

Recent polling in 37 countries, many of them key allies, has found that faith that the American administration will do the right thing has plummeted from 68 percent at the end of the Obama presidency to 29 percent currently. The mixed and confused - and, yes, disturbing - messaging in the wake of Charlottesville will do nothing to improve those numbers.

This month we will mark the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech on the national mall. King, in that address, said he dreamed that one day our nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. For that to happen, our political, business and academic leaders must speak out in a unified manner and appeal to our highest ideals.

Failure to do so will do lasting damage to America's standing in the world.

Keith Peterson is a retired Foreign Service Officer who served as a U.S. Embassy press spokesman in seven countries during a 29-year career.