I apologize for the lateness of this post, but it was a busy weekend, and I was lazy. But, here I am now, and I wanted to talk about the Obama rally in Fort Worth last Thursday.
By now, anyone reading this probably recognizes who I'm supporting, and although I don't want this to be a completely partisan blog that turns off readers of different beliefs, I can't help but feel a strong excitement towards this candidate (more then I have ever felt for a candidate, and I've been a follower of politics for a long time). So, without further ado, we here at Retrospective Reflections would like to formally endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. For what it's worth.
Now let me see if I can explain why.
First of all, I am a Democrat, and have been my entire life. I consider myself liberal, and unlike some people, don't consider that a bad word. I believe in peace and freedom tfirst and foremost. I believe in equal rights for everyone, including and perhaps especially for homosexuals, the most discriminated group of our time. I believe that our government can and should help those in need, because our Country can only be as strong as our weakest citizens.
I am also a Christian, and I despise the fact that the conservative religious right have laid claim to that distinction and distorted it to something I don't recognize. Not to give to much of a bible lesson here, but the Jesus that I have heard tell of ate with and helped the most despised people (the lepers and the tax collectors, people who in those times were even less accepted then homosexuals today). He preached about the meek inheriting the earth, to help the poor, and while the systems that we have today might not be perfect, it seems much more Christian to me to keep them then to advocate getting rid of them completely.
The conservatives paint their positions as the morally correct one, but the bible tells us to judge not, lest we be judged, and that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. They seem to ignore these verses, however, in favor of the ones they believe show that homosexuality is a sin. If you claim to take the bible literally, and therefore will not be swayed on the point of homosexuality, then you should also know that it isn't your place to judge anyone on their sexuality and that anytime you wear a shirt that is half cotton half polyester you are committing a sin that is just as egregious, not to mention anytime you eat a piece of bacon.
George W. Bush ran for President touting his Christian status, saying that he believed God wanted him to run and win. At the same time, he was a Governor that put more people to death then anyone before him (including the mentally retarded), and he won in part because Christian people (not just the religious right) believed him. Part of why his approval is so low now is because many of them feel deceived by the completely un-Christian things he has done in office. I've gone a little off course here, but my original point was still reached. The reader now understands a little bit of where I come from.
Barack Obama is someone who came up not from a position of wealth and status (such as being the son of the President of the United States), but came up from a situation that very rarely leads to success in this, or any, country. He made a name for himself working for and with the people in the south side of Chicago, showing an ability and desire to bring people together that while George W. Bush promised never showed any of either.
At the rally, Barack Obama talked about how people have said that he should wait to run, it isn't his time yet. He hasn't been a part of the political system long enough. It is in a large part for these very reasons that I am supporting him. Many people voted for Bush for similar reasons, but despite his relative practical inexperience in politics, the fact is that he grew up in politics and showed no interest in changing the system that benefits the haves and ignores the have-nots. Barack Obama promises, and I believe him, a return to a Government of the people and for the people. It would be nice to have a say in the way that our country is run. After all, this is supposed to be a Democracy.
I arrived at the Fort Worth Convention Center at about 3:00pm, doors were supposed to open at about 6:00pm. The line was already stretching around the convention center, going for about 3 or 4 blocks, but I had friends saving me a spot only about a block away from the doors.
Thankfully they opened the doors earlier then they said they would, about 4:45ish. The crowd slowly filled in heading towards 7:00. Ultimately the entire convention center was packed, and having worked for the Fort Worth Brahmas for a year, it was interesting to see, because even though the Brahmas were good that year, minor league hockey in Texas doesn't have quite the draw that Barack Obama did on Thursday.
The makeup of the crowd was pretty interesting. A slight majority of the crowd was African American, probably about 60%, but there were plenty of non-blacks there as well. Every age was represented, from some fired up elementary students to some elderly people proudly wearing their Obama tee-shirts.
Although the first people to speak were a little hard to understand, prompting some sections of the audience to start chanting "We Can't Hear You", when Obama came on, that problem was solved, whether because they turned up the sound or just because the Senator from Illinois knows how to project his voice better I couldn't say.
Obama's speech was, as they always are, very inspiring. He has definitely got a way with words. He talked about how the media didn't understand the reception that Obama has been receiving more often reserved for rock stars then for politicians. He said he was asked if he felt that he was peaking too soon. These are clearly questions that those of us who have been swept up by this amazing man have trouble understanding. Politics are far more important then rock music, so it is fitting that someone who we believe can truly bring about the change we have long dreamed of receive rock star like attention. As for peaking too soon, I can't answer for everyone, but as an Obama supporter, I'm just getting started.
There is no question that we need change and I believe that Barack Obama is the best person to bring it about. He and I might not agree completely on everything, for instance he supports "civil unions" for homosexuals reserving the term marriage for a man and a woman, while I feel saying "civil union" isn't that different from saying "separate but equal", but he's definitely closer then any person I've ever voted for before. And I feel like if he were president, then the things that we don't agree upon are still going to be open for discussion, and that at least the views that I and many others share will be heard.
Thanks for letting me rant a little bit, and whatever you decide about this election, whether you agree with me or not, I hope that you vote, because this country is best served by everyone making their voice heard.
By now, anyone reading this probably recognizes who I'm supporting, and although I don't want this to be a completely partisan blog that turns off readers of different beliefs, I can't help but feel a strong excitement towards this candidate (more then I have ever felt for a candidate, and I've been a follower of politics for a long time). So, without further ado, we here at Retrospective Reflections would like to formally endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. For what it's worth.
Now let me see if I can explain why.
First of all, I am a Democrat, and have been my entire life. I consider myself liberal, and unlike some people, don't consider that a bad word. I believe in peace and freedom tfirst and foremost. I believe in equal rights for everyone, including and perhaps especially for homosexuals, the most discriminated group of our time. I believe that our government can and should help those in need, because our Country can only be as strong as our weakest citizens.
I am also a Christian, and I despise the fact that the conservative religious right have laid claim to that distinction and distorted it to something I don't recognize. Not to give to much of a bible lesson here, but the Jesus that I have heard tell of ate with and helped the most despised people (the lepers and the tax collectors, people who in those times were even less accepted then homosexuals today). He preached about the meek inheriting the earth, to help the poor, and while the systems that we have today might not be perfect, it seems much more Christian to me to keep them then to advocate getting rid of them completely.
The conservatives paint their positions as the morally correct one, but the bible tells us to judge not, lest we be judged, and that all sins are equal in the eyes of God. They seem to ignore these verses, however, in favor of the ones they believe show that homosexuality is a sin. If you claim to take the bible literally, and therefore will not be swayed on the point of homosexuality, then you should also know that it isn't your place to judge anyone on their sexuality and that anytime you wear a shirt that is half cotton half polyester you are committing a sin that is just as egregious, not to mention anytime you eat a piece of bacon.
George W. Bush ran for President touting his Christian status, saying that he believed God wanted him to run and win. At the same time, he was a Governor that put more people to death then anyone before him (including the mentally retarded), and he won in part because Christian people (not just the religious right) believed him. Part of why his approval is so low now is because many of them feel deceived by the completely un-Christian things he has done in office. I've gone a little off course here, but my original point was still reached. The reader now understands a little bit of where I come from.
Barack Obama is someone who came up not from a position of wealth and status (such as being the son of the President of the United States), but came up from a situation that very rarely leads to success in this, or any, country. He made a name for himself working for and with the people in the south side of Chicago, showing an ability and desire to bring people together that while George W. Bush promised never showed any of either.
At the rally, Barack Obama talked about how people have said that he should wait to run, it isn't his time yet. He hasn't been a part of the political system long enough. It is in a large part for these very reasons that I am supporting him. Many people voted for Bush for similar reasons, but despite his relative practical inexperience in politics, the fact is that he grew up in politics and showed no interest in changing the system that benefits the haves and ignores the have-nots. Barack Obama promises, and I believe him, a return to a Government of the people and for the people. It would be nice to have a say in the way that our country is run. After all, this is supposed to be a Democracy.
I arrived at the Fort Worth Convention Center at about 3:00pm, doors were supposed to open at about 6:00pm. The line was already stretching around the convention center, going for about 3 or 4 blocks, but I had friends saving me a spot only about a block away from the doors.
Thankfully they opened the doors earlier then they said they would, about 4:45ish. The crowd slowly filled in heading towards 7:00. Ultimately the entire convention center was packed, and having worked for the Fort Worth Brahmas for a year, it was interesting to see, because even though the Brahmas were good that year, minor league hockey in Texas doesn't have quite the draw that Barack Obama did on Thursday.
The makeup of the crowd was pretty interesting. A slight majority of the crowd was African American, probably about 60%, but there were plenty of non-blacks there as well. Every age was represented, from some fired up elementary students to some elderly people proudly wearing their Obama tee-shirts.
Although the first people to speak were a little hard to understand, prompting some sections of the audience to start chanting "We Can't Hear You", when Obama came on, that problem was solved, whether because they turned up the sound or just because the Senator from Illinois knows how to project his voice better I couldn't say.
Obama's speech was, as they always are, very inspiring. He has definitely got a way with words. He talked about how the media didn't understand the reception that Obama has been receiving more often reserved for rock stars then for politicians. He said he was asked if he felt that he was peaking too soon. These are clearly questions that those of us who have been swept up by this amazing man have trouble understanding. Politics are far more important then rock music, so it is fitting that someone who we believe can truly bring about the change we have long dreamed of receive rock star like attention. As for peaking too soon, I can't answer for everyone, but as an Obama supporter, I'm just getting started.
There is no question that we need change and I believe that Barack Obama is the best person to bring it about. He and I might not agree completely on everything, for instance he supports "civil unions" for homosexuals reserving the term marriage for a man and a woman, while I feel saying "civil union" isn't that different from saying "separate but equal", but he's definitely closer then any person I've ever voted for before. And I feel like if he were president, then the things that we don't agree upon are still going to be open for discussion, and that at least the views that I and many others share will be heard.
Thanks for letting me rant a little bit, and whatever you decide about this election, whether you agree with me or not, I hope that you vote, because this country is best served by everyone making their voice heard.
1 comment:
This is a great post. I agree with you on the thought that with Obama, there could be a return to a government by and for the people. It's about time!
About getting rock star-like attention...I'm not sure how I feel about that. I suppose I just want people to support him because of his positions and his leadership abilities, and not because some people have made some cool videos about him. I mean, it's exciting to see such excitement about him, and it certainly peps up the political scene, but people need to be in it for the right reasons, or they won't stay committed to working for change.
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