It’s praying time, America. Here we are at another crossroads in our turbulent history. It is time for us all to stand up and be counted, to make our voices heard, to stop being apathetic to politics, to register and vote! I believe, Senator Barack Obama is that needed unifier our potentially great nation so desperately craves. He is the singular person capable of bridging this colossal divide, created over these last 7 years.
The respect our nation once garnered was not simply given to us, but earned by previous leaders of vision. President Lincoln saved the union, when we were faced with civil war, FDR instituted the New Deal to counter the great depression, President Kennedy widened our imagination by exploring the universe and sending the first man to the moon, President Reagan is credited for tearing down a dividing wall in Berlin, Germany and ending an ideology that was communism, and President Hurry S. Truman recognized our oneness in addressing the need for civil rights and human rights for all Americans. During these times, it was our unity as a nation that carried us through.
America, we are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. The Lord has fashioned it that way. The American heritage is a nation of immigrants, who built this nation. Before we were Republicans or Democrats, we were the United States of America. Before we were liberal, conservative, or centrist, we were the United States of America. Some of us may be called Native American, African American, Caucasian American, Asian American, or Latino American, but at our core, we are still, simply the United States of America. We are One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.
My wife and I got married on September 13, 2001. Jackie and I were so thoroughly embraced by our shared oneness, in our reliance on each other. Our love and unity mirrored the love—yes, I say love—that filled the nation after the attack on 9-11, two days before our wedding. Ironically, that brutal act, conceived and carried out in utter contempt, brought us together as a nation—and yet that unity barely lasted 2 weeks. Where is our collective memory? Can we only stand together as one people for such a short time, before we retreat to our respective camps? This “10-day syndrome” must be cured if we are truly the land of the free, home of the brave. We say we are the united, but it is too often more merely verbal than practice. We must realize that our possible greatness is grounded in our commonality, not our differences.
Mr. Obama’s campaign calls on us to realize that our greatness is ahead of us, and not in our rear view. I have been asked if Senator Obama is black enough or if America is ready for a black president? I say he sees only one America with the different shades being red, white, and blue. His campaign reminds us of what it means to be Americans; we are more alike than different, from each other. We have been lulled to sleep by divisive politics for far too long, America. We are a wonderfully unique nation with incredibly awesome people who stand up when called upon. Well, America, Sen. Obama is sounding the alarm. It’s standing up time once again.
The richness of this nation is its people. We have at our disposal the means to solve any problem our nation may face, if we choose to make it a priority, yet 46 million people, find themselves with no health insurance. And close to 10 million of those uninsured are our children; the very ones “we” say are the future. We profess we are a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, yet often times, the needs of those very people are not addressed or met. We must reconnect and reengage with our government. It’s an awesome concept, this democracy, but one that’s broken and in ill repair. Our ability and freedom to vote must not be taken as a luxury, rather, we must all take an active role in our democracy, as that will facilitate its continued growth.
Let us not diminish by our apathy those who came before us, our great great grandmothers and fathers, who never had the opportunities we now take for granted, those who struggled for us, so we might achieve for them, that which they could and did not, those who sacrificed for us. Those who were not granted the right to vote, because of color or sex. So I implore you to stand up for those who will surely follow you. Let their burden be lighter than ours, for in the end, our walk is to better those who follow our steps. The baton has been passed to this brighter generation. Rest assured, the day will come when we’ll make our grand exit from this life, and I’m confident we want to leave this place better for future generations. Our evolution requires that we respond when the time for change arrives. Well America, that time is now. Let our love of country collide with our unity and so become one. Senator Obama is that true and needed change, that America and the world is seeking. Let us embrace him, and let us be what we profess to be, united, for we are indeed our brother’ and sister’ keeper.
In closing, a verse from the Bible comes to mind, ‘When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me’. And now these three remain; Faith, Hope and Love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.”—1 Corinthians 13:11,13
There are many reasons, I suspect, that one would run for the presidency of these United States. I suppose love of ones country would be one of them. I have no doubt then, that all the candidates running are patriots. The question is which one of them, man or woman, can unite and inspire a tattered nation and the world?? I believe Senator Barack Obama is that singular candidate. It’s hard to convey when your hopes and dreams collide, but this campaign has given hope to those who’ve lost hope, hope to those who’ve become afraid of and in their own country, hope to those who’ve been marginalized. Sen. Obama has given hope to countless numbers of Americans, who’ve become cynical and pessimistic in the greatest country in the world.
There comes a time in everyone’s life when we take a stand. Not a race or gender stand, but a stand as Americans. It is painfully apparent that the issue of race and gender, though we’re steeped in the 21st century, will perpetually hound America, so long as we pretend it does not exist. However, America has always been a hopeful nation, a nation that inspired a King to dream. This was not a race or gender dream, the hope and dream was simply that, “one day we would live in a nation where we will not be judge my the color of our skin, but by the content of ones character.” Then, on August 4th, 1961 America gave birth to one Barack Obama, an ambassador of hope. He may not have come in the color some would have preferred, he might not have come at a time that was convenient for some. But time is neutral and Sen. Barack Obama is here. He’s here to put aside petty politics, antiquated beliefs along with divisive governing, and bring us together.
America and the world is seeking a leader who has shown good judgment and who has the ability to negotiate with others, his campaign reminds us of what it means to be Americans; we are more alike than different, from each other. We have been lulled to sleep by divisive politics for far too long. We are a wonderfully unique nation with incredibly awesome people who stand up when called upon. Well, America, Sen. Obama is sounding the alarm. It’s standing up time once again.
Obamas’ Experience We Need….Right Now!!
I have come to realize that maybe, just maybe, the reason so many otherwise decent, Americans do not get into politics is, in part, the character assassination aspect of it all. People have family and friends whose lives get damaged and or destroyed because their loved ones decided to stand up for the masses.
There are many reasons, I suspect, that one would run for the presidency of these United States. I suppose love of ones country would be one of them. I have no doubt then, that all the candidates running are patriots. The question is which one of them can unite and inspire a tattered nation and the world?? I believe Senator Barack Obama is that singular candidate, and I’m a testament to that assertion. Having read both his books, Dreams from My Father, in ‘04, (memoirs, which is quite transparent) and The Audacity of Hope (’06, which have resuscitated my hopes in America!) I met him and his lovely wife, Michelle. I also had the honor and humble privilege of introducing him at a Brooklyn, NY fundraiser. At the time, I was a doorman at a New York City hotel.
Senator and Mrs. Obama are both real and down to earth people and my having or not having health insurance is genuinely a concern of theirs. All children having access to the best education in the richest country in the world is a concern of his. You having hopes and dreams for a better and brighter tomorrow is a concern of his. Your dad and mom paying additional taxes on their retirement for which they paid for before they were lucky enough to retire in moderate comfort, is of stark concern to him.
Our young people being apathetic towards politics is a concern of his, for if in fact our kids are the future, they must take part in their present. Sen. Obama is the singular candidate, bar none, that has young and old alike excited again about their beloved country and world. The early states, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina are all drawing record numbers of people, just wanting to volunteer. There is an old adage, “action speaks louder than words”. Senator Obamas’ life experience is the right experience America and the world is seeking. In the final analysis, “Walking the walk” is what matters, not “talking the talk”. It is nice to reminisce, we just cannot reminisce about the future. ~~He’s Ready, we can’t Wait, Obama ‘08~~
