Wednesday, November 29, 2006
More 2004 Political Writing
originally seen in the first incarnation of No1ofConsequence
We live in dangerous times. Our current president and his administration have used national tragedy to push a religious right agenda. Faith based initiatives, abrogation of personal freedoms, legislative gay bashing are all things we have seen under this president. A concentrated attack on our personal liberties, intelligence services monitoring the reading habits of the citizenry, denying accused criminals due process, and the highest prison population, percentage wise, of any country on Earth are just a few of the things we have been forced to endure under George W Bush and his band of reknown. We need a change.
The country needs to be returned to the people. Freedom, the fundamental principle of America has become a muddled mess of misdirection and deceit. I have found it draining. I care about the country I live in. However, when pondering the immensity of the suffering of the people that live here I sometimes have to force myself to think about something else.
This week, my friends, we are forced to think about the state of our nation. We are forced to think about the future and we are forced to think about what will be best for America for the next four years. In the last two days we have been blessed with Some very inspiring speeches by the leaders of the Democratic Party.
In Barack Obama's (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040728/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_obama_text_1) speech last night there is a passage that is especially poignant:
"A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief — I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper — that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one."
That is an understanding of collective responsibility, an understanding of making the problems of a nation of individuals the problems of a nation unified, and an understanding that unless government begins to focus on making the lives of the people it means to rule better we are all lessened as citizens of a fading nation. Also, it means we are all lessened as human beings struggling to make our way in the world.
Teresa Heinz Kerry had a well written speech. (http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=159636)
Unfortunately she is not the world's greatest orator, but the ideas are what's important. This passage rings the bell for true freedom to be born again in our nation.
"That is why, as president, my husband will not fear disagreement or dissent. He believes that our voices—yours and mine—must be the voices of freedom. And if we do not speak, neither does she. In America, the true patriots are those who dare speak truth to power. The truth we must speak now is that America has responsibilities that it is time for us to accept again."
I forget who said it, but there is a quote about leadership that I think we should all take to heart. "Good leaders surround themselves with smart people, great leaders surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them." Listening to Teresa Heinz Kerry I am hopeful that President John Kerry will engage in and listen to spirited debate about issues before making a decision about the path of a nation. It makes me think President John Kerry will not be driven by his Christianity and personal agenda to the ill of all people in the world.
Here is the link to President Clinton's address to the convention. It is inspired, light at times as President Clinton makes fun of himself throughout, but with a serious, powerful message. Read the whole thing. It isn't very long. (http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=158734) Pay particular attention to the passage where he speaks about shared responsibility and shared opportunity. It was an arousing speech by one of the great orators of out time. More later...
No 1 of Consequence
originally seen in the first incarnation of No1ofConsequence
We live in dangerous times. Our current president and his administration have used national tragedy to push a religious right agenda. Faith based initiatives, abrogation of personal freedoms, legislative gay bashing are all things we have seen under this president. A concentrated attack on our personal liberties, intelligence services monitoring the reading habits of the citizenry, denying accused criminals due process, and the highest prison population, percentage wise, of any country on Earth are just a few of the things we have been forced to endure under George W Bush and his band of reknown. We need a change.
The country needs to be returned to the people. Freedom, the fundamental principle of America has become a muddled mess of misdirection and deceit. I have found it draining. I care about the country I live in. However, when pondering the immensity of the suffering of the people that live here I sometimes have to force myself to think about something else.
This week, my friends, we are forced to think about the state of our nation. We are forced to think about the future and we are forced to think about what will be best for America for the next four years. In the last two days we have been blessed with Some very inspiring speeches by the leaders of the Democratic Party.
In Barack Obama's (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040728/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_obama_text_1) speech last night there is a passage that is especially poignant:
"A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief — I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper — that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one."
That is an understanding of collective responsibility, an understanding of making the problems of a nation of individuals the problems of a nation unified, and an understanding that unless government begins to focus on making the lives of the people it means to rule better we are all lessened as citizens of a fading nation. Also, it means we are all lessened as human beings struggling to make our way in the world.
Teresa Heinz Kerry had a well written speech. (http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=159636)
Unfortunately she is not the world's greatest orator, but the ideas are what's important. This passage rings the bell for true freedom to be born again in our nation.
"That is why, as president, my husband will not fear disagreement or dissent. He believes that our voices—yours and mine—must be the voices of freedom. And if we do not speak, neither does she. In America, the true patriots are those who dare speak truth to power. The truth we must speak now is that America has responsibilities that it is time for us to accept again."
I forget who said it, but there is a quote about leadership that I think we should all take to heart. "Good leaders surround themselves with smart people, great leaders surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them." Listening to Teresa Heinz Kerry I am hopeful that President John Kerry will engage in and listen to spirited debate about issues before making a decision about the path of a nation. It makes me think President John Kerry will not be driven by his Christianity and personal agenda to the ill of all people in the world.
Here is the link to President Clinton's address to the convention. It is inspired, light at times as President Clinton makes fun of himself throughout, but with a serious, powerful message. Read the whole thing. It isn't very long. (http://www.dems2004.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=luI2LaPYG&b=130840&ct=158734) Pay particular attention to the passage where he speaks about shared responsibility and shared opportunity. It was an arousing speech by one of the great orators of out time. More later...
No 1 of Consequence
Labels: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, community collectivism, Democracy, Freedom, John Kerry
# posted by No1ofConsequence @ 2:21 PM 
