This man is speaking of and to the theme of which we are all variations.
He is not selling bread, he's selling yeast!
He is not selling bread, he's selling yeast!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
HE … WE … IT HAPPENED!
Not since learning the Santa lie have I anticipated anything so much as looking forward to last evening. When he said, "… we have changed nothing tonight, we have won a chance to begin changing …" he affirmed my latest theory, belief lite so to speak, that Barack Obama gets it —— from all angles and as a whole —— as clearly as my newbie political interests can tell. He has definitely gotten me under his spell as witnessed by tears of joy I shared with the close-encounter-wondergaze-faces being panned in Grant Park during his speech last night.
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10 comments:
Big ol hugs to you Toddness!
I was born too late to experience many of our truly inspirational leaders, and I imagine that this is the closest that modern times has come to those intense movements of the past. I just hope that he doesn't end up a martyr like many of the ones before, victim to some backward idiot's gun.
I'm halfway through one of his books now, "audacity of hope" and I must say that I'm extremely impressed with his grasp of all angles of humanity and politics. Shit, above all of his other grass roots work, and his honors and being president of the Harvard law review, etc. He taught constitutional law and understands our founding father's ideals better than anyone I could name. He understands the triumphs and more importantly the failures of our past, and has solid ideas of how to steer people in a direction that works for all. The beliefs and ideas that he announced during his campaign are not just rhetoric that the party assigned him, but are consistent with the common sense focus that he displays in his book and in his life everyday as a servant of his family and nation. As you said Todd, "He gets it."
I'm extremely thrilled that this country stood up and spoke on his behalf. And spoke loudly. And I'm confident that each day, he is gaining more knowledge and experience that he will put to the best use possible. Today is the first day that he is allowed to sit in on all of the president's briefings, and he has already lined up choices for his cabinet. He is on the job. I don't envy his work load. We all know that he faces a mountain of steaming crap piled on his plate to work on. But I'm sure that he will do as well as any human can.
And of course there is the amazing international reaction and support of him. Hundreds of babies yesterday were named after him, holidays announced, people danced, cheered and sang on every continent, and whole movements began just with his call to act. That is what really moves me. His ability to inspire people to take responsibility for themselves. He has created a shift from the ideal of "take care of yourself" to "be your brother's keeper".
Our culture took a large leap forward towards recovering our identity as a nation that can reinvent itself in the name of progress. And Toddness, I'm happy to see that he has even brought some oxygen to maybe one of your last dying embers of belief in our western society, and human race. It feels pretty good doesn't it.
With love,
Amber
Thank you dear Amber.
You bring up a good point about restoration of any faith in western civilization being any part of my new found favor for Obama.
At first thought, probably not.
I think he has the wherewithal to begin a sense of kinship across the ENTIRE diversity of the US and restore respect world wide to the nation.
Whether he can translate the sense of god as an inclusive concept to the hard shell, onward Christian soldiers, marching off to war with god as their authority for exclusion of all else, as well as he has to me, I don't think he can change the capitalistic drive to own the world and the people in it. Who knows? I feel like I am stretching faith in the leap I have so willingly made this far, hoping for more is too much like praying or good behavior just before Christmas.
A friend like you and Obama too — Yahoo
Yes Toddness,
I agree and apologize if my enthusiasm led to presumption in my prose. I understand how you feel. And to imply that your view of western civilization might have improved because of this political progress probably went too far. I know that there is a lot more wrong with our civilization than politics alone, and shouldn't have summarized it that way. Although related, religion and capitalism are two large issues of their own.
In my defense, you'll note that I worded it lightly "he has even brought SOME oxygen to maybe ONE of your last dying embers of belief in our western society, and human race." I didn't claim that it rekindled a fire or justified anything for you, just that his surge of positivity maybe made an ember glow a little. :)
If you could also note, though, that although I mentioned western civilization, I didn't mention religion at all. Nor did I mention his race. Because although these are a part of the equation, and large issues to some people, I don't think that they are his issues. I don't think he ran for office to be the first black president, but to simply be an effective and positive president. And although I believe he is a man of faith, which is his right, he clearly understands the boundaries that religion oversteps in many areas, from war to education to acceptance of scientific facts, and sees the wisdom in corralling those religious efforts without denying freedoms. Its tricky stuff, but I have a gut feeling that he's a good dancer and will display grace while navigating these issues on the dance floor of his new position.
with love & respect,
amber
Ya know, a good man is a good man where-ever he may be.
Amber, you're last paragraph is very well said, and I am sure that Pres-Elect Obama would agree...he is one of those healthy folks that only concern themselves with that which they can actually have an effect for the betterment of, and recognize non-issues as what they are-non-issues.
i don't know how old you are Amber, but i was just old enough to watch the heady seeds that were planted in the 60's....I find it terribly fullfilling to see whats going on....and while I am a cynic like the Dood, its hard to stay that way with the message and "Theme" that we are being presented.
Hi 'Dood! Its a brand new world!
Cool to hear your reply bulletholes. Love this open format.
I was born in 72. And what's really uplifting about these recent events is that Obama and the positive energy that surrounds him reminds us that every day offers us a brand new world, if we choose to make it so.
A
Amber, I realize you didn't mention religion per se, but to me western civilization is merely a capitalist version of the crusades justified by the myth that god made existence for man to do with as he wishes.
Bulletholes, "brand new"??? It looks to me like a very littered parking lot with a clean up crew that just got a good pep talk.
Good point, Dood, but in 1968 "Recycle" and 'Green" and 'envirnmentally friendly" were not words associated with anything that could be identified as a growing concern.
At best, the world is only mildly interested these days, in stuff like that, but it is a hugely growing concern!
In some ways we haven't come real far since 'Silent Spring" but we are making steady progress...the same kind of progress that put Obama where he is.
i think i have good reason to be hopeful!
Hello, all!
i probably missed your point Dood, now that I've reread!
You are talkin' bout people being the litter, the way Kurtz talked about the Lt. being a Grocery clerk aren't you?
I gotta really put on my thinkin cap when I come over here.
Bulletholes,
I don't know from Kurtz or grocery clerks. The parking lot is the artificial man made order civilization is; the litter is the out of balance, Koyaniskatsi, the results of actions and products of civilization are with nature; and the clean up crew are the people who listened to and were inspired by Obama.
We agree!
A
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