Obama and We The People
It's difficult not to continue
to follow and comment upon Barack Obama's remarkable rise to the top of
the Democratic Presidential nomination process. As I watched his speech
last night in Houston, Texas following his victory in Wisconsin, making
it 9 in a row, I was simultaneously captivated by both his delivery and
the crowd's response.
It goes without saying that Obama has what it takes in the charisma department. He has presence, passion and is gifted in the art of delivery. He is speaking the language of the present to the hearts of the many. He uses the words "change" and "hope" in ways that are credible.
But we must stay alert, because he is using those words, and others, in a way that also satisfies a deep hunger within us, and hunger can run so deep and be so pervasive as to consume good judgment.
It's not my intention to say that he is disingenuous or manipulative when, by his words, he rallies us to believe in the best of ourselves and our country. Words are powerful fuel and fuel is needed to drive the engine of change. My caution is not around his words but rather around our hunger. Because if I hear him correctly, his is not just a condemnation of the way things have been, nor a panacea that he alone possesses that will change the present, but a call to ongoing commitment by each of us to change the future by changing the way we prioritize, and the thereby live, our lives.
It is incumbent upon Obama to fully mean the words he speaks and equally incumbent upon us to fully listen to all of those words, not just the one's that temporarily alleviate our hunger. For the hunger runs deep and a snack will not cure it. The long-term solution requires dedication, hard work and perseverance in remembering that we are each responsible for self-nourishment. And while, in times of lesser abundance, a helping hand can make the difference between survival and extinction, it is but a temporary bridge to the place where our reality is the product of how successfully we live our truth and how fully we take on the responsibility to nourish and care first for ourselves and then for those who for whatever reason, are truly unable to care for themselves.
Barack Obama cannot save us. He can, if he is authentic, leads us in the path of righteousness as some before him have done...although rarely have they been politicians. But there is nothing wrong with rarity and a fisherman or a shepherd were no more likely candidates.
My job, and yours, is the more important one. We must listen to our hearts and not our stomachs. We must discern for ourselves, without being swept up in the crowd's momentum, whether this man...who aspires to be the bearer of a profound and transformative message...understands the gravity of his task and whether we,over time, are willing to carry the majority of the weight of it for it is surely too heavy for any one man.
Coming from a place of truth with an intention to prevail through both word and deed, there is nothing we cannot do together.
P.S. Remember to click here to get my FREE e-book download "TOO MANY SECRETS"
It goes without saying that Obama has what it takes in the charisma department. He has presence, passion and is gifted in the art of delivery. He is speaking the language of the present to the hearts of the many. He uses the words "change" and "hope" in ways that are credible.
But we must stay alert, because he is using those words, and others, in a way that also satisfies a deep hunger within us, and hunger can run so deep and be so pervasive as to consume good judgment.
It's not my intention to say that he is disingenuous or manipulative when, by his words, he rallies us to believe in the best of ourselves and our country. Words are powerful fuel and fuel is needed to drive the engine of change. My caution is not around his words but rather around our hunger. Because if I hear him correctly, his is not just a condemnation of the way things have been, nor a panacea that he alone possesses that will change the present, but a call to ongoing commitment by each of us to change the future by changing the way we prioritize, and the thereby live, our lives.
It is incumbent upon Obama to fully mean the words he speaks and equally incumbent upon us to fully listen to all of those words, not just the one's that temporarily alleviate our hunger. For the hunger runs deep and a snack will not cure it. The long-term solution requires dedication, hard work and perseverance in remembering that we are each responsible for self-nourishment. And while, in times of lesser abundance, a helping hand can make the difference between survival and extinction, it is but a temporary bridge to the place where our reality is the product of how successfully we live our truth and how fully we take on the responsibility to nourish and care first for ourselves and then for those who for whatever reason, are truly unable to care for themselves.
Barack Obama cannot save us. He can, if he is authentic, leads us in the path of righteousness as some before him have done...although rarely have they been politicians. But there is nothing wrong with rarity and a fisherman or a shepherd were no more likely candidates.
My job, and yours, is the more important one. We must listen to our hearts and not our stomachs. We must discern for ourselves, without being swept up in the crowd's momentum, whether this man...who aspires to be the bearer of a profound and transformative message...understands the gravity of his task and whether we,over time, are willing to carry the majority of the weight of it for it is surely too heavy for any one man.
Coming from a place of truth with an intention to prevail through both word and deed, there is nothing we cannot do together.
P.S. Remember to click here to get my FREE e-book download "TOO MANY SECRETS"
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28 Feb 2008, 7:26 AM
I'm A Pundit Too wrote:
Welcome to the February 24, 2008 edition of carnival of political punditry. Jackson Kern presents Sustainable Development on the Stump: Environmental Policies of Obama, Clinton, and McCain posted at Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Causes...
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