I was looking at this site and I was looking at the Barack Obama art and I saw this quote:
“It’s not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.“–Barack Obama
People would say that this is about small town America. It is. It is also about some people in the middle of America’s largest cities. I grew up with people who felt this way, right here in Cleveland. This sentiment is not exclusive to any race, region or economic bracket.
It is the outlook of someone devoid of hope.
When your schools are falling apart and every kid does not have a chance to explore his or her full potential, that erodes hope. When you work hard just to be less behind instead of moving to get ahead, that erodes hope. When you are denied rights of citizenship, such as voting, because of partisan bickering, that erodes hope. When you don’t get paid as much as an equally qualified coworker because of your gender, that erodes hope. When you don’t have the money or insurance for necessary medical procedures, that erodes hope. When you are compartmentalized by the color of your skin, country of origin or your chosen house of worship, that erodes hope. To some, hope is just that town Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee called home.
I have hope. Where did I get it?
My parents worked hard at some thankless jobs to keep my sister, brother and I fed, clothed and safe. Though they didn’t work out as a couple, they shared a hope that we would tap into our potential and make better lives for ourselves. They hoped for us to learn from them what to do and what not to do. That hope makes me want to give my son the same kind of hope. I hope to make myself better so that my son can see me trying and realize that, should he do the same, he can reach even higher.
There are a lot of people that are experiencing crises of hope. Some people clench their teeth and keep going while others let being without hope get to them. Barack was talking about those people not to deride them but to say “I haven’t forgotten about you as many have.”. It seems like he wants to create a situation where hope is possible for all of us, not just the privileged. Not to diss Warren Buffett (who also supports Obama) but hope is a little easier with considerable resources. Those that are denying others out of greed or apathy (we see them all of the time…banking, anyone?) are using questionable tactics and taking considerable risk with others’ money and now that it has resulted in a huge backfire, we are left with their mess.
Small-town America, I am a city guy. I have spent some time in small town America and I see more similarities than differences. Anyone you encounter can be a teacher and what people most often teach me is what really matters most in life. We are what matters. The way we live and interact are at the core of what life is about. It’s not money or race or religion. While I personally believe that God is at the core of who we are, how we worship (or if we worship) God should not prevent us from coexisting.
I was born and raised in Cleveland, just northeast of E. 79th and Woodland. My great-grandparents have called that neighborhood home for 65 years. My great-grandma — God bless her — is still there, enjoying her life and kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids. When she came to this earth, women couldn’t vote, black folks risked their lives to engage in the franchise and we were in the throes of the first World War. Now, in 2 days, she could see America elect an African-American biracial president.
That didn’t happen by accident…there was lots of hope involved. There is hope that we are bigger than the divisive factors that drive us apart. There is hope that tolerance, understanding and compromise can win over antipathy, fear and xenophobia. It’s not going to be quick or easy…
…but it’s worth it.
“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”–Barack Obama
We are worth more than dollars and cents. This is that time where we start to embrace something bigger and the way to do that is to embrace each other. I hope you think so too.
I happen to believe that Barack Obama becoming president will start this kind of journey.
November 2nd, 2008 | Tags: 2008 election, Barack Obama, hope, life, rural life | Category: plain talk | Leave a comment
