Hello, President Obama.
The events of my life over the past six months have shown me the incredible parallels between my personal world and that of your journey to the White House and the path the United States is on today. I have moved through a personal crisis where life as I once knew it was utterly destroyed and I have had to rebuild my life from the ground up. There were days when I didn't see how I would be able to cope and didn't see how my life could possibly recover from such a devastating loss and blow. But day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute I have picked myself and my children up out of this mud and we've moved on, inch by inch toward the light of a new dawn. Today I can see the hope of better and brighter future. But getting to this moment has taken an inner strength and faith that I truly didn't know existed within me.
Over the past year, I have had to relearn everything I thought I knew about life and people, most importantly myself. When days became more frightening than I could bear, I thought about you, your campaign, and the work my children and I did with this great community to see the day when you would become our President. Working on your campaign during the summer of 2008 kept me alive while a part of my personal life was collapsing. The energy and hope that you brought into my world kept the embers of who I am going long enough to see me through the darkest moments of my life. And for this, I am eternally grateful to you.
God bless you, President Obama and your family. Thank you for the work and sacrifices you have made and continue to make on behalf of this country and people like me. You have changed my life in more ways than you will ever know.
Dianne PereaColorado Springs, Colorado
As Barack Obama began the first words of his acceptance speech on November 4th, I was clapping my hands, jumping up and down for joy, and cheering for this man for whom I've been campaigning for so many months with all my heart and soul. But as he spoke, my wide smile began to fade and my thoughts wandered inward. The room was filled with cheering, celebrating supporters, but their faces and the sounds of their voices soon took on a dream-like state. What remained clear was the image of Barack Obama on the screen and his words, along now with my own inner dialogue.The words Barack Obama chose, "brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand" echoed in my soul, and made me fully understand the significance of what I was witnessing. The "history" that was being made this night was not so much about the first African-American president, but rather the courageous step our country took to let this man of vision lead our nation down the road to recovery. I thought about the young and the old, my grandmother and my young daughters. My eyes welled up with tears, tears of joy, disbelief, amazement, and the realization that what was happening was the citizens were reclaiming their country and its fate, and the rebuilding that will soon be done will happen by one and all.
As the tears streamed down my cheeks, I began to more fully understand that the full sense of ownership our country will now finally be restored, and as a result, give us a sense of pride that will be felt across the country by everyone. The hard work and sacrifices we are about to all make will make, and have already made, will remind us how strong we are when we clasp hands and work toward a common goal. This new great chapter in American history, "America Awakened" will begin recounting of Barack Obama handing over his "Olympic Gold" win to the people of this country, by saying "You are the reason for my victory." This gesture, an act so bold and noble, has already ignited the flames of non-partisan partnership, pride and a hope for a better future. Obama is clear that hard work is ahead for us all, but like an eager child wanting to help their parents with a project, we're genuinely looking forward being part of a team again.Our children will know this to be the norm as they grow up in this new social environment, and I will tell stories to my grandchildren about the time when we had simply forgotten about the original vision, unity and strength of this great nation. I will also tell them about the day a man named Barack Obama had the courage to wake us all up from a very bad dream so we could begin living in a wakened and clear-minded union once again.
Prince Charles and Lady Di.
I keep my views on political matters as open as possible. That’s the only real way I can learn anything. A good friend approached me the other day with some concerns she had about the passionate fervor many Obama supporters have combined with their relative inexperience with the political process. She was fearful, in the beginning, to have this conversation with me, for she knows I am one of those passionate Obama supporters, but I reassured her that there was nothing she could say about Obama or his supporters that would impact our friendship.
Well, what she had to say was pretty eye-opening, and while she was worried she had crossed lines throughout our conversation, I was reflecting on her every word and realizing how much truth there was to what she was saying. I thanked my friend for such an honest conversation, which she did with a great deal of respect and consideration towards me and my viewpoints. This is the way true and meaningful discussion is meant to be done.
Her concerns about Obama’s campaign and supporters can best be compared to the difference between planning a wedding versus being in a marriage. She was concerned that Obama supporters are too focused on preparing for “the big day” in November, and that they will run out of steam to carry out the responsibilities needed to make the four to eight year wedding a success. Her other very serious concern was that if this happens, Obama will be set up to fail, and, just like in a troubled marriage, he will be the one blamed for the problems, not the American people. I heard her say many times she didn’t want his supporters to unwittingly set Obama up for failure and leave him twisting in the wind after being sworn into office January 20, 2009.
It may be possible that the euphoria being experienced by so many for Obama right now, a euphoria that feels so right and so good, could be the very reason Obama loses many of his most die-hard supporters later on down the road when the sleeves are rolled up for the hard work to begin. Perhaps a message Obama needs to carefully send to his supporters is “chill out a bit.” He will have to be very skillful with how he does this, for he doesn’t want to say that in a way that sounds as if he’s irritated, but instead in a way that sounds like a man who wants his relationship with the American people after he becomes President to be a long-term success in every way. He will have to talk to his support base about the long road ahead and to let them know that while all the enthusiasm being shown now is greatly appreciated, he doesn’t want to risk even one disenfranchised voter or supporter because he didn’t prepare us for the road ahead.
Obama might also craft a message that suggests he is concerned about the image of his supporters, explaining to them that he know how burnout feels and happens, and how he would hate to see even one of his supporters be branded as superficial because they just ran out of steam when it came time to do even more work after the election. Obama is a gifted orator and writer, so there is no doubt that if he decides to deliver this kind of message, he will do it brilliantly. The real point, however, is that I told my friend she was absolutely correct in her worries and fears, and that because of her, I was reflecting on my own Obama energy banks to be sure I didn’t use everything up too soon
As we talked, the children’s story, The Tortoise and the Hare, a classic tale about two competitors, a slow but steady turtle and an overconfident rabbit running a race, kept coming into my mind. Most might think I am saying McCain is the Tortoise and Obama is the Hare, but I am not. I am saying that McCain supporters are the Tortoise and Obama supporters are the Hare. We all know how this story ends and why, so it concerns me that we, Obama supporters, need to make sure we are not showing the Hare’s classic overconfidence because of our youth, energy, and ability to do more with less, because while team McCain may have a simpler and less glamorous strategy to their campaigning, it just may be because of that that they cross the finish line before Obama, and with plenty of energy left to spare.
Dianne PereaColorado Springs, ColoradoEl Paso County
I can't remember the last time I heard from our current president, George W. Bush, about the state of our economy and his concerns for us and how he plans to do what he can to help us. The last time I heard McCain talk was while he was standing in front of the bologna, ham and turkey section in a grocery store, when he afterwards did his weekly grocery shopping. And then we see and hear Senator Barack Obama in Berlin today speaking to a crowd of thousands, delivering an address that shook me to my core, again, with pride, amazement and awe.
We'll go through this election process, but it is clear in my mind who already has the mindset, courage and ability to lead this nation, and who already IS representing us proudly to the entire world. Our next president IS Senator Barack Obama in our hearts and minds right now. The election will only confirm what we already know to be true.
A friend recently asked me why I like to "torture myself" by listening to conservative talk shows on the radio. I sincerely told her I do this because this is how I stay informed and well-rounded on all sides of every political debate, for what purpose is served by choirs simply preaching to other choirs?
I respect anyone for having an opinion. Even if I don't agree with someone, just have an opinion. Apathy is what destroys relationships, marriages, families, nations, worlds. I love to hear someone speak passionately about what they believe in, especially when they can back up their fire about something with solid facts. Knowledge is power, and I believe everyone should pursue more knowledge about anything they can, whether it be about politics, parenting or pruning plants. I also don't mind when people change their minds on a topic, especially if it's because they got more facts about something and looked at it from a new perspective. This is not flip-flopping. This is using the old noodle and not being too proud to at least entertain another's viewpoint.
I have been listening to conservative talk show radio for decades now. I've come to know these radio personalities pretty well, and there are some who I genuinely like and deeply respect, despite our differences in opinion. Lately, however, there seems to be a distinct shift in their tone when they are talking about Barack Obama. I hear fear in their voices. This is odd to me because I don't understand why these educated people who are more than capable of defending themselves would sound this way. The fear in their voice sounds like when entertainers are losing a crowd and frantically start pulling every trick from their hat to keep them from leaving the building. It's as if they are worried they are running out of things to say. I visualize a kitchen with dozens of cooks frantically running around trying to concoct a Thanksgiving dinner out of a jar of mustard, three pickles, two olives, and some stale bread. It just can't be done, but by God, they're gonna try. Even their ace in the hole, John McCain, can't save them, for he's only got more stale bread to bring to the table.
Conservative talk radio sounds more and more like a group of people telling me all the reasons we shouldn't want to make turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing for Thanksgiving this year, and why we should rather be happy with mustard, pickle and olive sandwiches. No matter how they sell it, spin it, present it, or package it, we just don't want it. What we do want is to keep what is right with our country, and add some key ingredients that are only going to make it better.
I think I can sum up this whole situation with a quote from Hamlet: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Methinks I didn't know conservative radio was a she.
I always wondered what it was like to be alive when our country was in the midst of a great revolutionary change, whether it be political, industrial, or civil. Because of Barack Obama, I now know. I live for the day I can tell my grandchildren about this incredible time in our country's history, the time when our country changed directions, when we all pulled together, healed as a nation, moved away from the problems and towards our solutions. This is truly an extraordinary, once-in-a lifetime moment to be alive. It is even more exciting to be a part of this great revolution.
Mr. Barack Obama, you have stirred the barely flickering embers of a nation and rekindled the fires that burn within us once again. Thank you for waking us up. Thank you for reminding us of who we are, what we stand for, and all the good we are capable of doing. Thank you for your faith in us and believing in our faith in you. Thank YOU for everything, Mr. Obama. You have brought so many of us back to life.
The United States is the greatest nation on God's green Earth. Humans are the most loving beings on the planet. We regard every human life as sacred. The way we care for one another is astounding. We give until we have nothing left. When tragedy strikes others, we are right there to pick up the pieces and help others rebuild. When a life hangs in the balance, we run to catch their fall. When freedom is threatened, or faced with terror and tyranny, we are there with our flag in hand to restore peace and democracy. We give everything to save each other, to save our planet, to save the honeybees, to save animals from extinction, to save ourselves from diseases that kill us, to save our children, to save our future, to save all that is good and to rid all that is bad in this world.
So how is it that a nation that is so prone to good has suddenly become a nation that seems so divisive and polarized? How is it we are unable to come together in the political arena and string together a sentence without conflicts arising appear impossible to overcome? Are we really so shattered that we have lost our ability to find political common ground in a way that we can retain our individualism, yet still work in and harmony with each another? The answer is yes...and no.
No, because we do have the ability, but yes because we have not put this ability to full use for a long time. In our own lives and communities, we are all supporting worthy causes and people. These efforts are going on across the country, in big ways and in small, from one home to another, all of us doing what we can to be a part of some solution, any solution. If we use the analogy of a blanket, all these efforts are like little knitted circles of thread, independently created to be a part of one, massive blanket. Each unique circle will become its small, but critical contribution to something larger than itself. However, without the "glue" in between these individual circles, there can be no blanket. No connection between all these efforts means only millions of small pretty doilies that sit independently next to each other, but don't have that all-important thread binding them all together so the blanket can be held up for others to see in all its magnificent splendor and glory.
A good friend told me recently that he loved and respected my writing, but felt it didn't belong in the world of politics. Instead, he thought I should be writing for children, whose worlds were still pure and where fairy tales and happy endings still existed. He said my writing reflected my own hopes and dreams for the future and about people, which he said were too idealistic for the cruel and cut-throat world of politics. Maybe he is right. Then again, maybe he is wrong, and perhaps politics has become a dark and bleak world that desperately needs more writers like me to come into it. Perhaps more politicians like Barack Obama who talk about "hope" and "change" and "a brighter future" need to take a risk and also jump into the political ring.
Should we as a nation, in the year 2008, still be feuding over race, gender, religious preference or sexual orientation? After all our wars fought, and throughout all these decades...centuries...are we really still stuck on these matters? Have we not made enough progress that we cannot move onto the bigger things facing us, like terrorism, the freedom of our allies, nuclear war, the health of our planet, and the outlook for the future? Perhaps the cold, hard truth staring us in the face is that we have not fully dealt with these old issues and that until we do, they will rear their ugly head every time we face an issue that requires we come together and work as a nation.
American's don't give up easily. We are fierce in our commitments to ourselves, to each other, and to those in the world who need us. But as we do this, we need great leaders to help us, guide us, and inspire us along the way. Everyone wants and hopes for a good leader...not just kids. Like an orchestra's conductor, America wants that person we can look up to and trust to coordinate all the different parts of our country so that when we all come together the world hears nothing but our very best song. We are real people with real lives who have real problems and worries. We truly believe that we can solve our problems, but without a positive, strong, visionary leader guiding us from Washington D.C., we are becoming tired and morale is getting low.
Barack Obama is giving people everywhere that single bit of light, that single gesture of encouragement, that single reminder of hope that we can work and solve together. Barack Obama is also reminding this nation and the world that when America comes together, there is nothing we can't solve, no obstacle too high, and no bridge we can't cross to come together. He is reminding us and the world that when America decides it's time to pull together, we are the mightiest and strongest body of people on the planet.
If supporting Barack Obama and his vision for America and our future is akin to a child who wants to hear her favorite book read to her, then I suppose I am nothing more than an 8-year-old girl looking to hear that story which reminds me of a time when all was peaceful and happy, and the future was nothing but an open and beautiful horizon of opportunity and adventure. The worst thing in the world is to watch a child's wonder and amazement in the impossible being possible fade away. My 10-year-old still believes in the tooth fairy because she wants it to be so, therefore she exists. I pray every day that she and the tooth fairy are always together, for this is the magic of the human spirit that turns any potential into reality, and uncovers the unseen joy this world can give us if we truly want it. I cultivate these qualities in my children, for I know they are the teachers of the future, the caretakers of my generation and the ones who will carry us into new realms of understanding and where endless possibilities do exist.
So, as I march forward, supporting whom I hope to be our next President, I'll be here in "fairy tale land", with my Barack Obama lapel pin on, hoping for change and a better and brighter tomorrow.
Dianne Perea
There are many wonderful things I could say about Barack Obama's nomination acceptance speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. However, I want to talk about a moment most people probably didn't even notice, an exchange between Barack and Michelle that was so quick, yet I believe to be the most important moment of Barack's entire time on the stage. Barack had just finished talking to the enthusiastic and happy crowd. Everyone was cheering wildly and he was waving and thanking everyone. Michelle then gracefully walked on stage to join Barack. Arm in arm, they both turned to the crowd with grateful waves. Then, Barack turned away from the crowd and looked right at Michelle. With a loving smile, Barack's lips said to her, "Thank you." He hugged her and then he pulled back and again said to her, "Thank you." They stood looking at each other with a eye-to-eye gaze that seemed to drown out everything around them, allowing them to be silently together for a few, final moments in a life they knew would never be again after this day. His eyes said to her, "Thank you for all you are sacrificing for me to serve our country. Thank you for being the strong woman you are so I am able to do this. Thank you for willing to sacrifice our normal marriage and family life for what I want to do for our great nation. Thank you for being the wonderful woman that you are." Her eyes said to him, "I love you, Barack. I am so proud of you. Your girls love you and are so proud of you. This will be hard for us, but we are ready for anything in order for the American people to have you as their president. Together, we can do this. Yes... we can." As I watched the crowd cheer for Obama, I realized that this was the moment he was being "taken" by the country to be elevated to position of Commander in Chief. And in a surreal and sad way, it was if Barack and Michelle were saying a kind of "good-bye" to one another in that very brief and fleeting moment on that stage together. This is when I truly understood something far deeper and more personal about the Obama family that brought me to tears, tears that streamed down my neck. This family is willing to sacrifice everything they have for the good of this nation. Barack has willingly made a decision that will make time with his small girls and his wife very hard to find, if not impossible at times. As a mother of two children the ages of Barack's, I can't imagine how difficult a decision this is for Michelle and Obama to make. Our girls need and want both of their parents on a daily basis. I can't imagine trying to raise my girls without my husband being home with us on a consistent basis, and yet this is how it will be for the Obama family now. There are many ways people are able to serve our great nation. Running for president is a deeply sacrificial act which demonstrates a great love and passion for this country. Barack and Michelle Obama will no doubt rise to all the challenges that face them as they continue down this path towards presidency, but I would like to ask the nation to pray for them as they do. It is important to always remember that Barack and Michelle are people just like us with kids just like ours. If elected president, Barack and his family will move into a completely new life that they have never known which will require a lot of adjustments. There is no doubt, however, that the strength and fortitude of their family will see them through it all in good stead. Barack, Michelle, we want thank you both for what you are doing for all of us, for this country, for the future of our children, and for the future of their children. God bless you both and your children every day. We know what you're sacrificing for us, which is why we are behind you, beside you every step of the way toward your journey to the White House.
Barack, thank you! Michelle, thank you! We wish you and your family abundant love and new adventures that will bring you all closer together in exciting and once-in-a-lifetime ways!
I didn't know people had the option of "borrowing" money from themselves until I heard that Hillary Clinton is nearly $30 million in debt (on its way up to $50) , some of which she owes to... herself? Excuse me, but how exactly does that work? So, does this mean I can write checks to myself and cash them? I certainly don't want to use my credit cards, for they charge too much in interest, and they sick Joey Three Fingers on us if we're a month late on our payments. Sure, I'd LOVE to borrow from myself....someone just point me in the direction of how to start "The Bank of Me." I just got back from Las Vegas, and being the high roller I am, I gambled $20 on some slots. Of course, the machines took it all in minutes and it was up to me to either withdraw more money from the ATM or get outta there. In the real world, we have to "pay to play." We don't have the option of borrowinng from ourselves to stay in the game. This is how the real world works.
If Hillary ran our country anything like she has her campaign, it would be a financial bloodbath. We need a president who follows the same rules we do. We need a president who understands our realities and what our real options look like. Our homes, the one thing we could all pretty must count on being our most solid investment, are now depreciating. We don't even bother checking our 401k these days. The price of fuel is so high, some of us are contemplating having to spend even more dollars we don't have just so we can drive a more fuel-efficient car. Food costs an arm and a leg now, our medications and co-pays are costing some more per month than their house payments, and the rising costs of using credit cards are giving us fewer and fewer ways to find cash in cases of real emergencies. We can't save a dime for anything and yet the thought of racking up more debt is more than most of us can bear. The best leaders are those who set good examples. The debt game, by far, has to be one of Hillary's worst offenses. Debt has cost a lot of U.S. citizens more than some money. It's cost them their homes, their entire life savings and belongings, their relationships, and their sense of hope for their future or the future of their kids. We don't have "The Banks of Ourselves" to retreat to, and we certainly don't have millions of people donating us money so we can pay ourselves back. Mr. Obama, please talk to us about the American debt problem, debt as individuals and debt as a nation, and give us some real ideas about how we're going to solve this problem. These golden handcuffs have got to come off once and for all before this great nation can truly be feel completely free once again.
Dianne Perea Colorado Springs, CO
A good friend once told me, "No." is a complete sentence. They also told me just because someone asks you the same question over and over again, you don't have to come up with a differerent answer from your first one. I think of these wise words at this time when Barack and Michelle Obama are being asked, hounded, about the recent antics of Reverend Wright. I believe Barack made a wise choice to take time to deeply contemplate what his next words would be about this man who has been as much a part of their lives as a family member. Obama's words were straightforward, sincere, and clearly painful for him to say. He put down his "politician" hat and he talked to the American people as just Barack. It hurt to watch him have to address to the world about a situation that I'm sure he wished could have been dealt as a private, family matter. But going public with this was a decision Reverend Wright, sadly, made for them all. How unfortunate for everyone. But Obama knew he had to respond, and he did. When I think about the million other words Obama could have chosen, it is all I can do to supress tears when I realize how sensitive Obama actually was in the midst of his own pain and deep sense of betrayal.
Today, television reporters, journalists and talk show radio personalities are beating this already bludgened horse by saying Obama has much more to say about Reverened Wright, but I keep wondering, what else can he say? Has he not been perfectly clear about the fact that Wright's recent words and actions demonstrated to Obama that he does not know who Reverend Wright is anymore? In that sentence alone, a thousand words are spoken. What more can be said? Has Obama not been perfectly clear that more discussions about this man's actions are pointless, hurtful,and merely now a distraction from what the American people want Obama to talk about? What more can be said? Has Obama not done all he can to put this issue to rest, using firm and clear language that leaves no room for misunderstanding? What more can be said? It's a darned if he does, darned if he doesn't scenario: don't talk about it more, raise eyebrows. Talk about it more, and he risks more offenses and giving the media more opportunities to poke harder at this wound for different responses than the ones he's already given.
What I think people are forgetting is that in the midst of all the political dicussions, the Obama family is grieving over the loss of their friend, Jeremiah Wright. Has anyone even thought about the impact this is having on the Obama children? This is where I think people forget that politicians, as strong as they may appear on the campaign trail, are still human beings with tender feelings and real lives just like you and me.
Barack and Michelle Obama talk about wanting to "turn the page together" with the American people, leaving the page of Jeremiah Wright behind to turn to a new page that focuses on bringing the country together, solving problems, making real changes in how our government works, and creating the beginnings of a new future that will be the seeds of what our children and grandchildren enjoy in decades to come. But perhaps they want to also turn a page in their personal lives so they, too, can move forward from their own personal sadness and grief and move towards a brighter future.
Dianne PereaColorado Springs, Coloradowww.mybarackobama.com
Three Words:
Economic Stimulus Checks.
Keep the faith, my friends. This battle is far from over, but we must remain strong and not lose one ounce of hope. Band together and clasp those arms as tightly as ever before. The power of our circles. The power of the people. The power of hope.
Dianne
The fires that burn within the souls of people are not always positive and passionate ones. Rage is rising to our country's surface because for years it has been boiling under our feet. War, conflict, worry, death, abandonment, loss, fear...ideas about all of these have been with us all in a quietly masked way. The idea that all of these issues might be released from our list of burdens soon has already begun another kind of realease. Kids are letting their anger be seen, their darkness into the light, their fears and rage open for public viewing. The hope that Barack Obama is instilling into our nation leads most of us down a path of relief, joy, and optimism. But for others, I believe it is the catalyst to "let go" of years and years of undealt anger, bitterness, fear, rage, and cynisism. Being angry can become habit forming, so much so, that the thought of letting go of it for some is simpy terrifying. This is the only condition they have ever known. Building a nation that works together, in a spirit of harmony, is not only a foriegn concept to some, it's frightening. I believe some people don't believe they have the skills to live in this new environment, so their rage is what we see. It is an undefined rage, animalistic behavior that is aimlessly directed because they don't even know where to point it at.
What is the solution? First, we need to take a whole lot of responsibility for what is happening. Go to Blockbuster sometime and check out the selection: you'll see a plethora of movies that are are repulsive and show nothing but gratuitous violence and disturbing subject matters and behavior. Video games are no better. Television is garbage and the internet is hardly safe for anyone anymore. Garbage in, garbage out. We also need to say out loud, "We are at war," a fact that is not lost on our children and teens and probably a subject many of us have not discussed with them lately, if at all. Let them vent. Let them be angry. Let them be afraid. They have a right to be all these things. A little damage control in our private homes might prevent a lot of public damage and scenes of disturbing acts of violence. If nothing else, this can be a start.
Folks, please wake up. Some are, but there are more to be awakened. We have a potential United States Presidential candidate talking to us...I mean really talking to us. Obama is having a candid, discussion with the American people and he is keenly listening for our feedback. He knows who we are, yet he wants to understand us even better. He understands our needs, he feels our fears, and he isn't afraid to show his own vulnerability. Question is, are we responding in kind to him?
If we don't take this chance to have an honest and meaningful dialogue with Barack Obama, a man who genuinely wants to hear from us, every race, color, age, religious background, socio-economic status, a man who could be our next President, we will have missed an opportunity of a lifetime.
Barack Obama's youth, his experiences as a husband and father, combined with his God-given gifts for listening, oration, the ability to make sound decisions with the council of those whom he trusts, and serving in our government for over 20 years is why we cannot let this dialogue stop with us.
Have you ever started a conversation with someone who just sat there, said nothing in response, or worse yet, answered your questions in conversation-killer "yes", "no" answers? At some point, you just give up, because a conversation just can't go one way forever. We don't want Obama, or anyone else considering running our country to give up talking to us, listening to us, because we just sat silent.
Whatever your opinions are, let them be heard. Start a free blog ( www.blogger.com),write an article, hold conversation groups at your house, do whatever it takes to keep the conversation going. Don't be afraid when everyone does not agree...that's the point. Have a conversation and be open to new ideas that you may not have considered before.
Be Open. Learn. Do Something.
www.mybarackobama.com
"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” Confucius quotes (China's most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC) Let us not be pulled into the political mudpit . Obama is about hope...and integrity. If we can't do it in our own homes, we can''t do it as a counry.
Thank you for letting me join in your discussion.
Regarding: SHRILLARY and other comments like this:
Narrow and Wide Gates "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Friends and fellow Obama supporters, are we or are we not on the narrow road?
The instinct to know oneself is a force so strong, it transcends our human thinking. - Dianne Perea
I never knew my biological father. He and my mother went their separate ways when I was barely 2 and my brother had just been born. My mom remarried soon after my brother's birth and had two more children with the man who is my father today. Like Barack Obama, I know what it's like to feel half of you is a total mystery, and how this pulls at your soul every day. You want to reach out and discover this missing side of you so badly, it hurts.
When I was 29, after the birth of my first child, I decided it was time to send a letter to my biological father. I had known his whereabouts for many years, but never had the courage to write him. It was a simple letter with a few photos of me, my husband, my new daughter Emily and my brother. It wasn't an easy letter to write, although I had written a thousand in my head over the years. I had thought by then he would have tried to reach me. I also worried about the repercussions this contact might have on my mother and beloved stepfather, the only father I ever knew. With a lick and a stamp, I put the letter in the mail. Then the waiting and the questioning began. Would he write back? Would he board a plane and show up on my doorstep? Or perhaps would I hear nothing at all.
About two weeks later, a response letter came in my mailbox. I remember the day so vividly. It was a cold day in January. I couldn't get back inside from the mailbox fast enough. My husband was home at the time and we ceremoniously read the letter together. My hands were trembling. After the first three warm and inviting sentences, I was so encouraged. But nothing could prepare me for what I was about to read next.
"Dianne, honey, this is your grandmother and grandfather. Your Dad died 3 years ago. He was 46." The rest was a blur. I scanned the rest of the letter with tears streaming down my face until finally my husband took the letter from my hands and read the rest out loud. The last words I remember hearing my husband read was that my letter was written on the anniversary of his death, an eerie, yet comforting coincidence.
When there are just too many words to say, silence is sometimes the best place to start. I put on my boots, called for my dog and walked into the chilly, gray, January hillsides outside my home. For hours I walked, pondered,and cried. Gone were all the hopes and dreams I had of one day meeting my father face to face and him meeting me. Meeting my father consumed me like a raging fire. I desperately wanted to dive into those flames, rescue whatever I could from this all-consuming, beastly blaze so we could all walk away from the wounds of the past and move forward towards resolution and healing. I did allthose things, except without my father.
Barack Obama is facing head on one of our nation's most devastating fires: race in America. It took tremendous courage for Obama to say what he did March 18. He risked it all and he knew it. Afterwards, television journalists kept asking, "But did he go far enough?" In my opinion, that's like asking the decathlon winner, "Did you go far enough?" Where else could he have gone? What else could he have said? How much better could he have explained himself?
This whole thing reminds me how the Pharisees always tried to "A-HA!" Jesus by asking him problems that He had no winning answers to. Either way, they thought, whirling their scheming hands, Jesus was trapped. But every time, Jesus would give an answer that avoided their trap, answers that elevated the entire disucssion to a higher ground, ground the Pharisees could not see because they were stuck in the mud.
Am I saying Barack is like Jesus? No. I am making the point that since the time of Jesus and before, groups of powerful leaders don't like individuals "bucking the system" or saying things that make people uncomfortable, especially when it's cutting too close to home.
Back to my father. My stepfather, my living father, is my hero. He picked up the embers of my mother's life, a mother with two small children with no hope, no promise of a bright future, and brought us all out of a different kind of fire. He dusted us off, took us under his wing, and overnight, he went from bachelorhood to fatherhood. He stood by my mother and raised me and my brother as if we were his own flesh and blood. Shortly after they were married, he and my mother had two children together. We were a handsome foursome, my siblings and I, but as we grew up, obvious physical differences between me and my brother and my sisters appeared. Enter the elephant in the room. I discovered that my dad was not my "real" dad at the tender age of 13. That's when my world collapsed, and one of my lives ended, and a new one began.
Did my father ever say or do things that made me uncomfortable growing up? Yes. Did he mean to? No. Did he ever mean to hurt me? No. My father and my mother did their best to compensate in a difficult situation. Now, if I were somehow to produce a video of my father interacting with me at a young age where I am visibly upset by him, would I then be asked to denounce my father? I know what the comeback is to this ... you can't choose your family, but you can choose where you worship. Well, sorry, I don't see the difference. My father and my mother made me the person I am today. We all weathered some pretty rough times, but the point is ... we stuck it out and stuck together.
My bumper sticker supporting Barack would be off my car if Barack denounced his pastor, the man who helped form who Barack is today. Barack's speech was not just about race. His speech was about commitment, honesty, bravery, courage and integrity, bridging the gaps that exist everywhere, but most of all, not throwing any human being under the bus for any reason. That's not what Barack does, and that's not what Americans do.
I am a white woman, but I know what it feels like to not quite belong. This is Barack's point. We've all experienced this feeling in some form or another, so the burning question was, is, and shall remain, "How can we all get along?" We had to ask that question in my family 40 years ago and we found an answer. If my family can do it, so can America.
