My daughter and I have been debating the issues of the 2008 election. It has been fun and arduous. We have come to different conclusions. I think that is ok. She is a wonderful, intelligent human being who cares deeply about other people and lives compassionately. She believes like you do, like you say in this video, "I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper."
We have talked the issues to death. I'm not going to talk about issues anymore. Here, though, in my final words before this long awaited election, I thought that I'd tell you why I would like for you to be president of the United States. It kind of has to do with issues, but not completely.
The video that I have chosen is one that talks less about issues also, and more about you as a person. It talks about a man who is introspective and understands what it is like to search for who you are and what your purpose is here in this world. I spend a lot of time wondering about that. I don't find precise answers as I search, but I try to be true to that introspective work. I would like for you to be president because you are introspective.
I would like for you to be president because you are intelligent. You have revealed over the last two years an intelligence that knows how to communicate, not always simply, in sound bites, but with clarity and depth. And, thankfully, you use correct grammar and pronunciation.
I would like for you to be president because you have consistently shown a deep love and respect for your family, your wife, your children, your mother, your grandparents, and even your long absent father. The image of your sweet family may do more for the healing of our American culture than any of the legislative initiatives that you may ever be called upon to sign while president. Michelle says, that when you were first getting to know each other, you took her to a community organization meeting. That reminds me of one of my first dates with my husband, now of 33 years. There is nothing more attractive than a person who is able to care for others.
I would like for you to be president because you are willing to dialog without preconditions and with kindness. You have maintained such a calm temperament in the face of much animosity. Oh, how our world needs such calm.
I would like for you to be our president, because you have come, not from a family of wealth and prestige, but from one like mine, where work was not an option or a pastime, but a livelihood. This, I know, helps you to understand one of my great concerns. You talk about a living wage and you know what that means. These words, "living wage" are important and should, in my estimation be the guiding principle for dealing with poverty and the economy. It is a touchstone. If I could tell you one thing as you enter the presidency, if I could tell you to do one thing, to get one thing right, I would say . . . "A living wage, Mr. Obama, a living wage." And I feel certain that you would understand.
"One person's struggle is all of our struggle," you say in this video. So it is. You say of injustice that you realized that "if you don't fix it, nobody else is going to fix it." I like that. "Empathy," you say, "kindness, faith." These are things that make me say, I would like Barack Obama to be the president.
May your road to the White House, reach it.
With respect and high regard,
BRD
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2 comments:
Good post. I think it reveals some of the differences of the campaigns. I have been disappointed as Republicans have tried to hammer away at facts and have not spoken to the broader issues. I just wanted someone on the Republican side to really talk straight and speak to our hearts. Your post and Obama did that well. Although my heart vacillated from disbelief to revulsion at the underlying philosophies Obama espoused. But that is no matter. He does seem to truly care about people, even if his philisophies are misguided in my mind. ;)
I will say, one wonderful thing that would happen if he were elected is a racial healing that is really unbelievable. I have had the priviledge of developing a very close friendship with a black woman over the past three months, and I am amazed at what this milestone means to her, completely outside all of the issues themselves.
Thanks for this experience mom. It has been great!
This has been a great experience.
I have been struggling with some revulsion at the last minute fear-mongering from the Republican base. Sigh.
I can only hope that if McCain wins that he will return to his former sane self instead of this desperate candidate that he has become.
I vote that I won't have to worry about that "if".
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