After two weeks at my new job, with Predictify, I'm once again experiencing the thrill of the entrepreneurial spirit. This feels to me like a raw version of true Americanism.
Except for our resilient natives, we are all the children of immigrants here. Today, I spoke with a man from India, visiting his son and family for two months. He and I had just watched our girls (my daughter and his granddaughter) play their final game for SF United, the coed soccer team that henceforth will split into a boys team and a girls team.
He told me he is so excited to be here witnessing Barack Obama's candidacy. I've heard similar sentiments from visitors from many countries from around the world. I told him what I believe very deeply, that the best thing about this society is our diversity. We are well on our way to becoming the most diverse society on earth.
He nodded and said that Obama is the "face" of that diversity. All American voters would be well-advised to consider the way this man feels. We have an opportunity to inspire people around the world by demonstrating that this truly is a democracy; that any child can indeed become president -- not just white men who look like me. (I say that because I've actually been mistaken for Bill Clinton, which I do not feel is a compliment. His hair is far whiter than mine, for one thing.)
Anyway, what a blessing this is, after a President who sells democracy only by pointing our guns at Iraqis, Afghans, Koreans, Iranians -- anyone who he perceives as unappreciative of our supposed superiority -- that we have a candidate who could actually improve America's standing in the world.
The irony is that none of those societies Bush invades and / or threatens have established an enduring ability to tolerate diversity, but all of them are capable of fiercely resisting our foolish military opportunism. Therefore, in this post-modern moment, Obama represents our golden chance to undo Bush's damage.
Think about it.
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3 comments:
David,
Looking again at the demographics of America, it occurs to me that we have long since become the most diverse society in human history; long past becoming.
Last night I read an article which I located on Bnet, of all places – my search through Google took me there to find information on Percy Green of St. Louis, Mo. Rummaging around remembrances, his name came to mind with a flood of memories from 1970 – 72 when I lived in downtown St. Louis. My first recollection of Percy was his portrayal of “Black Santa”, parading through the department store where I was working during the Christmas Season. It was just another of his in-your-face ingenious programs to confront racial issues of the moment. The lengthy article by Clarence Lang was so well written and insightful I had to read it in its entirety.
Mr. Lang's effort in this article was to demonstrate the flow of history between civil rights of the '50s and early '60s and black power of the '60s through the '70s, as opposed to the tendency of many historians to view these periods in isolation. What struck me most was the success of local movements such as ACTION and the many leaders, like Percy, who were doggedly determined to effect change. While changes in federal law and the focus on our constitutional commitments were the bedrock upon which change was being compelled, it was only through such local activists that real change actually occurred and through which it slowly, haltingly continued to become institutionalized. You may choose to look at this change in many ways, but it seems to me that America began with stated, far sighted principals so far beyond what most would then have believed even remotely possible and has provided the path toward what no other people on earth have done. After 2-1/2 centuries, we have a way to go, but we have come very far on that path.
I would welcome a Barack-like face in our highest office, but not Obama's... many of us are so enamored of the ideal we too quickly brush aside the realities; the Democrat Party has lured itself to false prophets again, and they will continue to reveal themselves in the weeks ahead. Even Percy Green, I suppose, would tell you that changing appearances will not equate to changing hearts and souls, where the roots of bigotry reside.
I cannot comprehend what you have against Obama, Dan. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "Justice too long delayed is justice denied."
Even if you view Obama as somehow flawed, which is only possible if you believe the racist conspiracy theorists currently trying to discredit him, how can you argue that he is any more flawed than a hypocrite like McCain, not to mention an idiot like Shrub.
I'll take a young, flawed black man any day over these cruel old white men described so brilliantly by Bob Dylan as the "Masters of War."
It matters not. Their day is done. They are dead white guys. Obama is our next President. So get used to it. And this country will be much, much better for it.
More importantly, so will the world
I have no wish to further offend your sensitivities to Barack, and what I “have against” him is not the issue really. My view is simply that this politician has little substance and has been foisted, by the wrong people, upon many who look to the government for the wrong answers, for the wrong reasons.
There are so many Americans of diverse backgrounds who would represent far better choices for this candidacy; people of great personal strength with unshakable personal convictions and a true belief in the promise of this great nation. I believe that we are witnessing the result, this year, of unprecedented corruption within both of our major parties – not simply criminal corruption, but more, the perversion of moral values not before seen in our democratic republic. I believe many of us, regardless our personal persuasions on issues, will be very much disappointed as we witness these events unfold.
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