Barack Obama, First Things and Hope
We need a long view of history, David Blight writes
Obama's two figures—the young white southern woman, born well after the 60s and who, in her impoverished background, should have become a Republican resenting blacks in the South, and the old black man who could not vote until after 1965 in South Carolina—reverse Du Bois's earlier harrowing image of the old white man and old black woman. Obama shows us an alternative to the "children's children" of Du Bois's story. A new start? This election will test more than the changing metaphors of our racial condition. But "first things" are the stuff of real hope, and they can be grasped only through the long history that gives them meaning.
This election will severely test how much Americans grasp the past they are being asked to overcome. If we are ever to build a society where no one must play the role of political "stepchild," it will demand the informed courage of millions of Ashley Baias and her cousins of many hues. History is never over.
David W. Blight teaches American history at Yale University and is the author of A Slave No More.
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Barack Obama, a Uniter for Troubled Times
Republicans try to paint Barack Obama as someone to fear, someone not ready to lead. Yet respected Spiritual leaders from different faiths and persuasions have come together as a group to write a letter and endorse Barack Obama as a true leader for these tumultuous times."As spiritual leaders signing this letter we are stepping forward to say: "We can make a difference" As our spiritual practice empties, opens and strengthens us, we are naturally moved to engage in the world with compassion, equanimity, and the dedication to live our values. We know many of you are already both concerned and involved in this year's Presidential election. Yet, in the past weeks, many of us have heard friends in the spiritual community expressing ambivalence about voting. When asked why they wouldn't vote we heard things like: "It doesn't make any difference"; "I'm more interested in spiritual practice than politics".This election, we have an opportunity to create a paradigm shift in the nature of politics. Senator McCain has voted with President Bush over 90% of the time leading to policies that have increased violence the world, furthered environmental destruction, tried to force religious views on the country, and shown a staggering lack of compassion for those most in need.Play a role in bringing peace and justice back to the planet by voting for Barack Obama. If you allow yourself to envision the world as it could be rather than the world as it is, what would it look like? And more importantly, what would you be willing to do to help create that world?************************************************************
Deepak Chopra, Jack Kornfield, Lama Surya Das. Jean Houston, Jack Kornfield, Reggie Ray, Reb Zalman Shachter-Shalomi, Seane Corn, Cyndi Lee, Jack Canfield, Shiva Rea, Pema Chödrön, Marianne Williamson, Barbara De Angelis, Roshi Joan Halifax, Joan Borysenko, Krishna Das, Sharon Salzberg, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Stephan Rechtschaffen, Judith Ansara Gass, Robert Gass -- and more every day!http://www.yogisandmeditatorsforobam...Americans all accross this country realize we need fundamental change, radical change, if we are to survive and thrive as a country. Barack Obama has brought many people together, such as Republicans who have never voted for Democrats, Newspapers who usually endorse Republicans, Generals, world leaders and a whole host of people, yound and old, gay and straight, and of all racial persuasions who realize that we have an opportunity in this great leader to fundamentally bring about positive and holistic change, not jusst for America but the world. Barack Obama has shown us through his words, actions and deeds, that we do not have to run a campaign through lies, deceit and deceptions. That you do not have to tear an opponent down or dislike him because he disagrees with you. He has elevated this political areana and ourselves, that we can be better and do better. He offers hope and inspiration, something lacking in America.
OBAMA FIRSTS....
Mr, Obama will be the "first" in several areas as President.
1. He will be our first socialist president.
2. The first president to begin his political career in the living room/fund raiser of a America hating terrorist, who continues to spout his hate speech to college student and who remains proud of his terrorist activities. Obama even endorsed the terrorist's book.
3. Obama will be the first president who supports infanticide.
4. Obama will the first president who openly advocates redistribution of wealth programs.
5. He will the first president to work for an organization that supports socialist programs, non qualifying loans to minorities and voter fraud (ACORN).
6. He will be the first president to refer to small town folk as "angry white people, clinging to religion and guns".
7. We will have a First Lady who said that she has never been proud to be an American and referred to America as a "downright mean country" - Another first.
8. We will have our first president who attended an openly racist church for 21 years and called the raving, frothing at the mouth reverend his friend and mentor.
9. Obama will be the first president to have joked, on national television, about the horror of abortion - "Knowing when life begins is above my pay grade."
10. He will be the first president to have threatened to invade an allied country before or after he was elected (Pakistan).
11. He will be the first president to have built a Roman temple and a "shock and awe" show for his convention.
12. He will be the first president to have actually purchased the White House by spending more than any other and 3 times as much as his opponent (after promising not to).
Boy, ain't "Change" grand?
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