Obama gave a terrific speech (here’s the video from the White House site).   In the first ten minutes, he detailed the many connections between Islam and the United States (yes, Rep. Keith Ellison did take his oath of office using a Koran once owned by Thomas Jefferson).

The first condition for progress of any type is to plainly state where we are, and Obama’s speech did a great job of this.    Yes, our many misunderstandings, driven by irresponsible media frenzy, occlude plain facts, several of them highly embarrassing to the U.S.  For instance,

For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is in fact a tumultuous history between us.  In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government.

That, then, is how we can repair the damage: by establishing trust by stating the facts.   Only after speaking frankly can tone matter.   Obama’s tone was impressive, based on the many applause interruptions.

But good tone is nothing without admitting undeniable facts.  Only then can we move forward.   By traveling to Cairo to make his speech, Obama has made a dramatic statement that America is no longer framing its diplomatic strategies through the use of crude stereotypes.   I don’t know whether the audience entirely trusts America, but this was a huge step in the right direction.