Monday, February 25, 2008

Why He's Winning


Barack Obama is catching some flak (and will likely be catching more as the general election approaches) regarding his lack of experience and specific policy plans. As Hillary Clinton struggles to gain any sort of traction against her opponent, it is beginning to look like desperation. The point that many political insiders cannot see is that Obama represents the best of young America, the next generation. Our generation is too young to remember JFK and the sense of optimism he brought with his election. Our generation barely remembers Watergate and Vietnam. Gen X grew up in the 80s. Ronald Reagan, Van Halen, Topgun, Michael Jackson, Back to the Future. These are the memories of our childhoods. We are also more cognisant, thanks to the Internet, of the United States of America being one voice in a chorus of many. We may shout louder and take more than our share, but we are beginning to think globally instead of locally. The days of "You are either with us or against us." are over. Our generation is looking for solution, not conflict and argument. Our generation is looking for tolerance, not hatred. Our generation would like to see our government take an active role in providing quality education for future generations and basic health care for all Americans, not a system where the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. After growing up watching the failures of the last twenty years of American politics, we want change. No matter what Hillary Clinton or John McCain try to pull from their bag of tricks, they will not be able to deliver on what Obama represents to my generation and to future generations of Americans.

Obama also represents who we are as a nation, simply by being who he is. A biracial son of an African immigrant father and a white mother from Kansas. A intelligent man who graduated at the top of his class from Harvard Law yet freely admits to experimenting with drugs in his younger years. A good looking man with a strong intelligent wife and two lovely daughters. He allows us to believe that we are capable of greater things, that we can put aside our differences and move forward and get things accomplished. Neither of the other two candidates in the race bring forth any of those kinds of emotions. When I look at him, I see the best that our country has produced and continues to produce. It seems sappy, but he does give people hope. Americans are more willing to put their money on hope this year than they are on wanting policy plans, flow charts, and diagrams. Everyone wants to feel a little bit better and with Obama, we do.

Cuidate.

2 Comments:

At 11:41 AM, Blogger PearlciumGuy said...

I'm a 56 year old African American man who understands this perfectly. You've nailed it. Hillary and Bill don't get it; McCain certainly doesn't get it!

You can't even begin to understand how proud it makes African Americans, particularly those of my generation and older, feel to see this young man, who truly represents the best we have to offer, move forward.

And the best part of all of this is, it really doesn't have anything to do with his ethnicity!

As for Hillary, what she is not understanding is this; as she continues to sling mud and thinly veiled racially divisive language and innuendo, it continues to diminish her stature.

At this point, she doesn't deserve to be the first female U.S. President.

Ty (with my 2 cents worth)

 
At 3:46 PM, Blogger SilentBob said...

Thanks for the comment Tyrone.

You are right, I can only imagine what it is like for African Americans see Senator Obama in this race. From my perspective, his election would do so much more than any discussion of race in this country will ever be able to do. Americans would no longer be giving lip service to the arguments that everyone has equal opportunity in this country. They would be putting their money where their mouths are and electing the best person in this presidential race hands down.

 

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