It was about 10:15 or so, while watching the webcast from CBS News, after an hour of trying to switch back and forth between them and the Fox webcast, that Katie Couric proclaimed "This is a CBS News breaking story. With victories in California, Oregon and Washington State, CBS is now projecting Illinois Senator Barack Obama as the winner of the 2008 Presidential Election...." and the tears started to fall.
Bridget was crying too, but I remember the feeling of elation that came over me. I spent so much time working for and debating for the Obama campaign, that it almost felt like a close relative had won, or that I had won.
In a way, I had. We all have. Now I'm not going to jade myself into taking every bit of Obama's campaign promises at face value, but it's not about the promise of free health care, tax cuts, or the end of a war that I've vehemently been against.
It's about the message. The reminder that America is a country by the people as much as it is for the people and it takes all of the people to make it all work.
I think too many of us have become dependent on the government sponsored free ride and have turned a blind eye to the fact that we are slowly being enslaved.
The message is that together, we can make the American Dream that our founders foresaw a reality. By paying attention to each other, by taking care of the little things and by not allowing ourselves to be ruled by fear and oppression, we can be that America that we all dream of, but few have realized.
Barack Obama, to me, is inspiration, like I saw in film clips of John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and others that were able to have people hang on their every word.
From the first word that comes out of his mouth, I am paying attention.
Will the United States be some Utopian society in four years? I doubt it. There will still be countries that hate us, and some that adore us. There will still be people that are homeless and impoverished. There will still be debt. But above all of that, I believe that there will be hope. And hope is it takes to make anything happen.
I remember the Clinton years, when people made less money, but had more. I remember that there was a general good feeling about life in general and I miss that so much, that I will do whatever I need to see that come back. I have been inspired by Yes, We Can, and am committed to turn that into, Yes! I Will!
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5 comments:
Nice post, Hip! I hope the whole population takes on the "Yes, I will" attitude.
You know, no one is begrudging your interest in finding a job and providing for your family. However, you've done this pity party thing so many times that everyone is at a loss as to how to help you help yourself. You don't want to hear how others can relate to your struggle because no one's is as bad as yours.
You berate anyone who doesn't feed your misery. The mother of your children won't work. You guys won't do LINK, WIC or any of the other programs that were presented to you as options 8 months ago.
It's old and tired and worn out and you need to come to the realization that you must spend just as much time actively fixing your problem (walking to a burger joint and flipping burgers, tending bar up the street, busing tables down the road) as you do bitching about how miserable your life is.
It's the same story we've heard from you since the day anyone here in cyberland met you.
You don't get any sympathy anymore because you were give sympathy, assistance, support and advice at least 3 or 4 times this year and you threw it in the faces of those who would help you.
You know, you hit a few pertinent points in here, including the mother who won't work, who wouldn't go to WIC, etc. LINK wasn't an option while I was working and/or getting unemployment, we tried.
But no one gave me any REAL suggestions. I came right out and said, a lot of people go on there and many HAVE good jobs, or know people that are offering GOOD jobs, or are business owners and ONE can hook a mother-fucker up. I never asked for hand outs, just a lead to a GOOD job.
But then, you had to ruin it by being a big pussy and creating an account, JUST so you could post anonymously....
No one gave you "real" suggestions? Whatever. How much more real do the suggestions need to be beyond telling you where to find assistance? You want someone to hold your hand? Off you a job?
Sorry, given your track record, do you really think anyone who's been privy to your sob story is going to stick their neck out and offer you a job? You take NO responsibility for the situation you're in. Lost your license...but it's not your fault. Lost your house....not your fault. Lost your job...not your fault.
You just don't get it.
And yes, I'm posting anonymously because on top of it all, you're mean and vindictive and if anyone were to use his real name, you'd blame the criticism on their political party or better yet you'd spread nasty rumors and/or air their dirty laundry all over.
Oh, then please enlighten me, oh wise-one, on how it was my fault that ONE single cop, who decided that the guy in the black Bravada, waiting to make a left hand turn when the light changed to green, needed to be pulled over for nothing, and then again so every time he saw me.
And I guess it's MY fault that I was at Uno's for MsGem's birthday party, when my boss walked in all over another woman, saw me, and fired me out of fear I'd tell his wife at work. Yep, that would definitely be my fault. Both are, because I dared to leave the house, right?
I guess it's my fault that I'm from NY, that I'm male, that I was born on the 60's and I KNOW it's my fault that I actually walk and talk, too, right?
As for getting evicted, no that IS my fault. My fault for not putting my foot down when I should have, and this conversation is not leaving this blog, so your fear excuse for not using your real name, is YOUR hang-up.
How many people do you think are reading this other than you and me? Comments on a month old blog post? Hell, even Bridget doesn't know.
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