Why criticize America?

There have been barrage of criticisms unleashed by some Liberians against the United States of America after the U.S. Embassy near Monrovia issued a statement here last week on the political stalemate in the country, urging the expeditious conduct of disputes and litigation in an expeditious manner to permit the timely conclusion of Liberia’s electoral process and a peaceful transition.

Immediately following the statement, some segments of the Liberian public call on the United States to stay clear out of Liberian politics, stressing that the current challenges and legal battle against the October 10, 2017 President and Representative Elections are purely Liberian affairs.
Some even undiplomatically question the authority of the U.S. Embassy here to meddle in the internal politics of Liberia with uncouth words. The condemnations came from people in our society who ought to have known better the historic bond that exists between Liberia and the United States of America which dates far back to the 18th century beyond mere diplomatic ties.
We are taken aback by the expressions and the emotional atmosphere under which they were delivered without any remorse whatsoever for the enormous sacrifices in human, financial and material kinds that the Government and people of America have made and continue to make even up to this minute, not only for the peaceful existence of Liberia, but the growth and development of the country and its citizens.
Fundamentally, we believe there is nothing wrong with the statement from the U.S. Embassy as some of our fellow compatriots would think and are reacting in such cruel dictions with emotional venoms without any second thought.
Here are the facts: The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia says it was inspired by 1.5 million Liberians who expressed their commitment to and faith in democracy by voting in the October 10 elections, and underscores the importance of peaceful transfer of power to a new democratically-elected president in January, as reflected in the Constitution of Liberia.
The statement expresses confidence in the integrity of the October elections and notes that no accredited Liberian, regional, or international observation group suggested that the cumulative anomalies observed reflect systemic issues sufficient to undermine the fundamental integrity of the electoral process, while urging the National Elections Commission (NEC) to undertake corrective actions before, during, and after the runoff election.
“We appreciate that parties are availing themselves of the legal right to dispute resolution. We note, however, that with rights come responsibilities. Disputes and litigation should be initiated and conducted in good faith by the claimants, the NEC, and if needed, the Supreme Court, in an expeditious manner to permit the timely conclusion of Liberia’s electoral process and a peaceful transition”, the U.S. Embassy says and cautions that efforts by any actors to impede the expressed will of the Liberian people for personal ambition could risk goodwill and future investments in Liberia by international partners.
We read the entire press statement upside down and find nowhere in this document where the U.S. is dictating to Liberians to elect a particularly candidate or vote a specific political party against their will, as some citizens seem to insinuate.
While we totally respect the right of every Liberian to express his or view on matters of state, mainly on comments coming from outside, particularly from our traditional friends and international partners, such reactions should be based on sober thought and deep reflection of the facts rather than emotionally charged sentiments that one could regret later.