I remember the moment well, 40 years ago, when I became an ardent supporter of Robert Kennedy's candidacy in 1968. My wife at the time and I had been transfixed to watching TV news every night for weeks, trying to decide finally whether to support Eugene McCarthy (the first anti-war candidate to announce) or Robert Kennedy. One night we watched a clip of Bobby driving down a main street in Watts (LA, CA); where just a few years ago my wife and I had been stranded on a freeway overpass during the Watts riots in 1965. That's a long story I won't go into here, but lets just say Watts was etched deeply in our memory banks.
http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/10.Watts.htmThe scene of Robert Kennedy standing up in his convertible waving to and shaking hands of the adoring throngs who were pressing in from every direction to be closer to him. People were hanging out of windows, packed on balconies, streaming out of doorways. There was an amazing heart-connection between this man and the residents of Watts -- a place that represented the epic-center of Black rage -- that my wife and I immediately recognized. The depth of this connection was evidenced by the tears streaming down many of the faces, including Bobby's. We both knew our decision had been made for us by that clip.
We went to the Kennedy Campaign headquarters and said: "We're here for the duration, at your full-time service". There was much to do: a phone bank to set up, events to assist with advancing, driving the Kennedy entourage around, coordinating appearances. One thing led to another, and pretty soon I decided to pretty much drop most of my university classes and my wife quit her job, so we could give more to the campaign; and the campaign was paying us stipends to cover our rent and food. One day I was called over and introduced to Robert at the campaign office, and he personally thanked me for my work on the campaign, which he seemed to know in detail. I'll never forget the deep clarity of his blue eyes.
Kennedy narrowly lost Oregon. So it was "on to California", and my wife and I were asked to come along and help out which we gladly did. Kennedy won big in California's primary several weeks later. Within minutes of his "on to Chicago" victory speech, Bobby was cut down by and for the forces of hatred & corruption & greed. The rest is history.
That was 40 years ago. I worked for many of those 40 years doing community-based development, community organizing, and community-building in lower income neighborhoods. I loved that work, as it requires bringing people together to take concrete actions on their own behalf, and the community's behalf. Almost by accident, I learned that the founder of the whole concept of non-profit community-development was none other than ROBERT F. KENNEDY, in the Bedford-Stivison area of NY. He created a new form of non-profit 501(c3), designed to put real people-based pressure on the bankers, on the real estate barons, on City Hall to form win/win partnerships that materialized in the form of decent affordable-housing & neighborhood-owned/operated businesses.
To do community development work effectively, one must appeal to all the stakeholders' better angels to become "part of the solution", and must especially appeal to those "other" people who are currently "part of the problem".. to show them how it's really in THEIR best interests as well to work together for a more humane and equitable world, for safer & more prosperous communities. Having done this kind of organizing, I have experienced first-hand how this approach can break down the mightiest walls of resistance in "the powers that be", I've personally witnessed the hearts of many seemingly "unmovable" power-brokers dissolve in tears as they open their chakras and their check-books.
Make no mistake about this:
Obama's community development & organizing work has prepared him well to deliver on his promises. If anyone can heal this nation and lead us united to start cleaning up the multiple messes created by 7+ years of Bush/Cheney, it is Barak Obama. I've been waiting 40 years for this moment in history, for this candidate, for this man to become President.
One last note. I have no illusions that Barak's path to the White House is going to be an easy run. Obama is up against both the GOP and the Clinton machine, and these folks are not exactly known for "playing nice". So when this man, Barak Obama, is willing to risk SO much to wage his campaign on our behalf -- and on our nation's behalf -- how can I NOT support him?
BARAK!!! :yourock:
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