Listening to the radio this afternoon, an editorial commentator talked about how the majority of both Democrats and Republicans want their candidates to compromise with the other party, to not be so black and white -- how the majority want unity. That rang very true to me. With all the divisions we hear about overseas, with daily news reports of Serbia vs. Kosovo, Sunni vs. Shiite, and Chad vs. Kenya, it is no wonder that the majority of Americans crave for our home to be different. We want to feel unified, in the face of a world that at times seems determined to keep its historical tribal patterns.
But not only as a reaction to today's events, it is so very American for us to want this unity, to work together. It's codified in our name -- the United States of America. Look at the preamble to the Constitution which we memorized as children
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Perfect union, domestic tranquility, common defense, general welfare -- these are the words of a people looking for unity.
And just a little further along in our history, there's the Civil War, the War Between the States, the War of Northern Aggression -- whatever name you want to call it. Bottom line, though, the Southern states wanted to secede from the United States, and the United States government went to war to prevent it. If you look at the years running up to that war, there were all kinds of wheeling and dealing just to try to keep the unity between the two sides. Check out the Missouri Compromise.
As a nation, it's a recurring theme, and in the context of the world today, it's a mandate, a domestic twist on the national security concern. We the people are telling our government to "get over it" and work together.
I've seen this people's mandate here in California as well. When Schwarzenegger tried to come to the people to get around the legislature a few years back, the people didn't buy it, effectively telling him to go back and work it out.
Is the California legislature still struggling over issues? Sure. Do we as individuals have our own sticking points where we don't want compromise? Of course we do. But it doesn't surprise me that as a nation, we want unifying leadership. And it's wonderful that we have a candidate who can be that leader.
There's a part of me that still believes that the United States is supposed to be a beacon to the rest of the world. Yes, I know that going too far in that view is dangerous foreign policy. But I still want my country to lift up a light, as the Statue of Liberty personifies, to show a better way for the world.
Let's elect Obama. For real unity that isn't just lip service, but is really hard work. That takes careful listening, and even more careful legislation.
Obama in 2008
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