like the rest of the country, ruskin and i were talking about obama today. he noted that while obama is our age (give or take), somehow he seems part of R and k's generation. what that means to me is that obama represents a new vision and hope for us and future generations. we have lived with dynasties, cowboys, and good ole boys who have led the US into wars, building empire, suspension of human rights, and other atrocities both big and small. the last decade has been one of the worst in my memory. power has been consolidated in the hands of the few who have operated with utter disregard for others here and abroad.
and perhaps in such a despairing time, we -- and i mean many people across race, gender, ethnicity, age, region, etc. -- have elected a charismatic, intelligent man whose vision and temperament promise something else. he represents hope not only because of his own biography and who he is, but because he is able to see and articulate transformations that would bring justice and community. I saw many first time voters in line yesterday and talked with students who feel like their votes and voices matter. Those who have been disenfranchised for so long, those who are seen as "anti-American" by others, came and demonstrated a different possibility. i have no illusions that barack obama is not a politician. he is. i have no illusions that we woke up to a unified country. we did not. i am not sure we want unity and only one opinion anyway. but obama promises something else to my son and daughter's generation -- hope and an ability to work across many lines of difference. last night he said
"i will listen to you, especially when we disagree" -- those are good words to stand by. i doubt r and k will remember much of this election, but i hope they will inherit obama's legacy and his transformation of the nation in one of its direst times.
No comments:
Post a Comment