I wrote a posts a while ago about my thoughts of Senator Obama's Transformational Leadership Style. It is very awesome to see a person of History such as Powell mention similar observations and even more powerful, endorsing Senator Obama for his strong leadership style... Please, Vote Early, Vote by Mail and help anyone who needs help getting to the polls, GOD Speed.
-JM
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General Colin Powell (Retired), Secretary of State 2001-2005, on Meet the Press:
So when I look at all of this and I think back to my army career, we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the ... onto the world stage and on the American stage and for that reason, I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
Evidence of this conclusion, was embedded in my mind while reading The Audacity of Hope and solidified in the words of his speech delivered March 18, 2008, in Philadelphia at the Constitution Center. The complexity of the subject has been compounded by hundreds of years of neglected dialog of historical proportions, where the challenge that exists is to create equilibrium when discussing perspectives of deep-rooted emotions. Perhaps, this challenge has been the reason of the missing dialog on the highest level as such as Presidential leadership. I do not profess to know the answer to why the discussion of race has yet to be discussed as a “real issue” which has more commonalities than differences from our Presidential leaders in efforts to bring dialog that does not consume us in our differences but rather uplifts us into our commonalities as human beings. However, I do offer my contribution and humble opinion of why I truly believe in my heart and mind that Senator Obama is a Master of Emotional Intelligence.
From the very beginning of Senator Obama’s speech, my mind began to open in such a way that let me weigh the words of a balanced perspective equally to that of the black text and white background canvas, which focused on the computer screen in front of me.
"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union ... — 221 years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars, statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.”
From this point, I started to think of the people from which the above words would invoke in spirit and of historical context. I also knew that the guidance of this speech would be that of a much broader scope than that of the recent thirty-second renditions of Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s painful words of frustration filled with cries of pain and damnation. This speech, in essence, I felt was the beginning of an effort to manage a mass perception of emotions, which the best formulation of words could not even begin to articulate the true desires of the hearts joy and pain in relation to the subject of Race in America. After this thought, I kept reading…
"The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least 20 more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.”
Wow, two questions come to mind, are we this “future generation” to take the quantum leap in race relations that came before us and surpass the small scoped thoughts of our racial differences in order to focus on our human relations and our commonalities? The second question was rather or not if I could at this point in reading this speech determine any biases or clues into the ethnic/racial/genetic background of the author? I do not think I could answer either of these questions after only reading two paragraphs of the speech, so I proceeded to read with my consciousness widely awake and at full attention.
After reading a few more paragraphs, it is evident that Senator Obama has the gift of placing his finger on the pulse of America, unlike anyone in this presidential race and few presidential leaders in history. I say this because of the listing of monumental moments mentioned in his speech such as the dissolution of the institution of slavery, the division of our nation during a civil war and the desire to fight for equal civil rights of every man and woman in this country. These thoughts of these moments in history would bring anyone’s heart and mind into context of what the evolution of our country has meant to all Americans from all perspectives of religion, gender, race and generations. And to think, I thought this speech was going to be what the media has hyped it up to be as a statement to conservative America, which many have never before been exposed to the content and realities of America’s afterbirth from one example of an African American perspective. In particular the controversial comments made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright, which the media has demonized into a hate preaching pastor spitting fire on the congregation. For the record, I’ve heard worse come from the pulpit of America’s religious leaders, but at the same time I disagree with the perspectives of the “YouTube Samples” that have wrongfully summarized a mans life work in thirty-seconds.
The transition of the speech into a personal affirmation of coming into being by Senator Obama reveals the first sense of who he is and from which perspectives he formulates his words. I start to think to myself that this speech will undoubtedly, be studied for years to come as a testimony of an American opening up to his fellow fellow citizens and women in a way that could define not only his self, but also his hope for becoming a transformation Presidential leader of the United States of America. As he begins, “I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas,” I cannot help but to think how it must feel to bare ones soul to the world. A world that has the potential to twist, manipulate and spin words into a confusion of sound bites and quotes that can ultimately redefine a person’s image. However, with the steadfastness of a true survivor and leader, Senator Obama testifies that his story “is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts — that out of many, we are truly one.”
I trust this point in my reflection to be a perfect place to end in part. Mostly, because Senator Obama’s speech turns to the most commented issues and examples placed on the American plate by mainstream media. I am not a journalist, just an average American that wishes to express an opinion, which I believe I have in the words written from my mind and heart, inspired by the speech on “race” from Senator Barack Obama. In a way, this situation reminds me of a person who can take a grate disadvantage and turn it into a powerful catalyst to unite as appose to divide the issues, which are in front of us at this time in one of the most historic presidential elections of our time and perhaps of all living peoples time.
I am excited about the whole Barack Obama Campaign in relation to the unique way it has managed to garner support and create a grass roots movement. Since, March 2007 I have been receiving email messages from a Mr. David Plouffe, which seams to be Senator Obama's Campaign Manager and in my humble opinion is doing a good job. There seams to be refreshing events that are keeping people active and interactive within their place of domicile and local communities.
Such events like community walks, neighborhood canvassing, house gatherings, internet presentation viewing parties, barbecues and so on... All of these events are creating a wonderful atmosphere of pride, togetherness and most important ACTION. This strikes me as intriguing because history has always proven when "The People" take action there is usually some sort of revolution / progress which follows. For example, Dr. Martin Luther King was masterful when it came to help organize people and move towards action. We know that the civil rights followed the steadfastness of the collective ACTION.
These are just my personal thoughts and I do not wish to project any events or scenarios for the future. However, after reading and reflecting on the messages sent from Senator Obama's campaign. I can't help but wonder what is really going on here? I ask and write these words just to see them out of my head and don't really expect to have an answer, if there is one or some. In fact, I don't really expect anyone to read these posts outside of myself and the one or two people on the friend lists....
Oh, yeah, the real question, which I alluded to above, is in relation to what is really going on here in regards to the Obama Campaign, the keywords "Change and Action" and the fact that this campaign feels different from any other I have ever read about in history?
The fact is, if the grass roots efforts which have been fruitful thus far can move the American people to take faith and action to create events prior to the polling dates in their own respected communities. What happens after Senator Obama becomes President Obama? Is this genuine feeling of change, action, community and togetherness going to fade or is this going to permeate throughout the country and thus the world?
Does this feeling continue to extend to all communities, peoples, and nations throughout the world? Idealistic, sure, but also was the idea of this campaign before the idea was put to faith and action...
Just a question to get this blog started in a direction that others will not entertain:
Question for discussion:
Is Bush the Anti-Christ and Obama the Messiah?
