Waiting for a leader
Courtesy of The New York Times' always wonderful Frank Rich:
For eight years, we’ve been told by those in power that we are small, bigoted and stupid - easily divided and easily frightened. This was the toxic catechism of Bush-Rove politics. It was the soiled banner picked up by the sad McCain campaign, and it was often abetted by an amen corner in the dominant news media. We heard this slander of America so often that we all started to believe it, liberals most certainly included..."Waiting for a leader." That pretty much sums it up for me. My joy is unabated that in the transformational Barack Obama, we the people have finally found that individual.
The actual real America is everywhere. It is the America that has been in shell shock since the aftermath of 9/11, when our government wielded a brutal attack by terrorists as a club to ratchet up our fears, betray our deepest constitutional values and turn Americans against one another in the name of "patriotism." What we started to remember the morning after Election Day was what we had forgotten over the past eight years, as our abusive relationship with the Bush administration and its press enablers dragged on: That’s not who we are.
So even as we celebrated our first black president, we looked around and rediscovered the nation that had elected him. "We are the ones we've been waiting for," Obama said in February, and indeed millions of such Americans were here all along, waiting for a leader. This was the week that they reclaimed their country.
posted by Bob P @ 12:53 PM
5 Comments:
Bob,
I just wanted to sending you a note telling you that one, I love this quote (its hanging in my office)
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president... is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." --Theodore Roosevelt
And two, that I'm thrilled you posted that excerpt form that Frank Rich article.
Frank touched on the thing that has bothered me most about this country over the last eight years, and that's the divisiveness of both politics and the media. While the results of this election were thrilling and a fresh of breath air, the build up to it was disgusting.
Honestly, I feel that right now, this country as a whole needs to find a way to pull itself out from the toxic mess that's been created during this last election,
and the divisiveness it has forced upon us - and it's really up to each one of us to do something about it...
In fact, just this year, I completed a documentary to show that America might not be as divided as the pundits and politicians would have us believe; over 36 days, we drove 12,000 miles across America and interviewed 33 people at random from all walks of life, just to find out: if America is as divided a country as it's been portrayed to be -- then what exactly is it that still keeps us 'united'?
Originally, we had planned on selling the film - but as this
election got more and more divisive, we decided that spreading some message of unity would be much MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROFITS... so we ended up putting it up for free on the web for anyone to see; as a way to aid in healing this false divisiveness.
It just felt like it was the right thing to do.
(BTW, if you'd like to watch the film online, you can visit our website,
www.UnitedTheFilm.com .)
Anyway, thanks again for your thoughtful blog - and please keep up the great work!
Best,
-Adam
It's been a long eight years. I only hope Obama is the leader we've been waiting for. I don't think our country could have taken another Republican administration right now.
Love him? Hate him? How do YOU feel about our soon to be former President? Take part in a chance to immortalize your views in book form by visiting http://goodbyegeorgew.com/ and letting your opinion be read!
Check out the following article about http://goodbyegeorgew.com/:
NEW WEBSITE SEEKS CLOSURE TO 8-YEAR NIGHTMARE OF GEORGE W. BUSH
After eight long years of George Bush lying to the American People the Republican Party has been evicted from the White House. Don’t let Bush off the hook so easily. Visit http://www.goodbyegeorgew.com to send your message to George W. Bush by writing an honest letter to let him know what you really think of the job that he has done mis-leading the country.
This web site was created with the singular intention of launching a movement to take back America by promoting an honest expression of opinion on the nightmarish 8 years gone by with Bush and Cheney at the helm.
Although Bush is leaving the quagmire of devastation that he wrought remains. The economic depression is only in its opening days with 1 out of 10 Americans depending on food stamps to eat.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will continue to take the lives of U.S. soldiers for the foreseeable future. The number of people with a deep hatred for the United States with nothing to lose is the direct result of the Bush wars. A vast army of terrorists for coming generations appears to be the main output of the U.S. escapades in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Yes, it is time at least try to pick up the pieces. This will not be easy for the new Administration or for the American People. But it is time we had some closure.
The new website http://www.goodbyegeorgew.com was created to make that closure happen and in a small way to help restore a practice of democracy in which the American people have a voice. The main purpose of this website is for Americans and citizens throughout the world let their opinions be known to the departing President Bush.
The thousands of letters being written will be published as a book that sets the record straight on public opinion about the Bush Presidency that failed America and wreaked havoc around the globe.
With only weeks remaining before George W. hightails it out of D.C. and retreats to a life of hunting and fishing, untroubled by the mess he leaves behind, it is time to let him know what we honestly think.
Perhaps he can at least grow a conscience though alas there is little hope of justice. Justice could come by Barack Obama signing off on the International Court of Human Rights and offering up Bush and Cheney for fair trial.
That scenario is not likely to be coming soon. But at the very least we can go, everyone of us, to http://www.georgew.com and let George W. Bush know that the whole world has watched as he has brought shame and destruction down on humanity.
Hi Hue and Cry,
Please enjoy and share.
Daft Punk and Freeland take on Obama...
See for your self: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLni8Zl6TeM&fmt=18
Daft Punk vs. Freeland | Aer-Obama is the freshest evidence of the President-Elect's ability to make waves in politics and pop culture.
The following is a mixed-media stop motion music video and celebration commemorating the election and inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president of these United States. Audibly showcasing Adam Freeland's remix of Daft Punk's "Aerodynamic" and the imaginative stylings of forward thinking toy artists Dalek, Bill McMullen and Kubrick to name just a few. Independently animated and directed by the progressive minds of the directing team GOLD, the piece is a labor of love that invites everyone to join in or create their own celebration this coming Tuesday January the 20th.
How sad that there was so much hope for 'change' before the election. Never once did your eleoquint leader find the words to tell us just what change he intended to bring. Now we can see what he meant. We needed to pass all of the democrat pet projects for the special interest groups. Even by his own numbers, he doesnt plan on doing much about unemployment. 3.5 million new jobs? that will lower unemployment by about 1.5%. Nowhere near what Bush had us at after inheriting Clintons dot com bust.
Go ahead, revel in the fact that Bush is gone. just know that more people are unemployed, stock market will remain down and housing will not come back for a long time.
Now this is change we could have expected.
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