I just wanted to pay tribute to Barack Obama and repost my endorsement I made just after his speech on race on April 3rd.
I came into this election cycle a major Clarkie. General Clark's testimony to congress in the run up to the Iraq war inspired me to the draft Clark movement. I was disappointed he decided not to attempt a second run. I was left with no real connection to the committed candidates. So I just sat on the side lines for a while.
Being from the Chicago suburbs with all Republican relatives and in-laws I have spent over a decade defending President Clinton. I did it proudly with no regret.I have always referred to the Clinton-Gore Administration as the "salad days". My husband and I made our way in the nineties with our young family after the Regan years had forced my husband to join the military to find work. If it wasn't for those "salad days" we would not be where we are today. I hope my children had the same opportunity. So I have a soft spot for the Clinton's and the Gore family. I was able to see the Clinton Library in '04 and left in tears at how much they accomplished and how much the current resident destroyed.
Well I had heard a bit about Obama being my State Senator and then my new Senator, loved the speech at the convention. Appreciated the speech before the war, but other than that I didn't know too much. I never payed to much attention to local politics coming from moving about as an Army wife. Then Wes Clark endorsed Hillary so I figured that's where I would concentrate my attention. I studied her positions and accomplishments and admire her for being so tough. I decided to commit to advocating for her as our nominee. This put me on the defensive 95% of the time. I felt it was really unfair. I would just mention her and people would immediately have a negative reaction. Republican and Democrat alike. "Why..what is your reason for feeling this way?" I would ask. The majority of the time there would be no substantial reason. Most of it had to do with Bill and the clenis if I was speaking to a Republican and Democrats and those in between really had no good reason for the negativity. I thought Hillary was getting a really bad rap for no reason. Frustrating....she didn't deserve it.
I am a huge fan of Senator Durbin. He really is the best. He is a true public servant. He has personally helped my husband and I in a battle with the military which had my husband career and freedom at stake (long crazy story). We had contacted all our elected officials and Senator Durbin was not only the only one to respond but personally saw through the whole matter till it was quickly resolved. So when Senator Durbin has something to say he has my attention. I listened to what he had to say about Senator Obama. I didn't realize Senator Durbin was instrumental in convincing Barak to run until I saw this:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/sen-durb...Here was one of the most liberal politicians and a much loved political hero, how could I not listen. Then I was floored to hear that one of our most popular Republican State Senators, Kirk Dillard, was being raked over the right wing coals for endorsing Obama in the primaries and even appearing in spots for Obama in Iowa:
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinois...Being so sick and tired of the blinding divisions in our country this peaked my interest. While still defending Hillary and trying to be true to my other hero, General Clark, I started to listen to the message of Barak Obama.
My family and in-laws are from the south side of Chicago. I was raised in a racially charged environment. My relatives migrated here from Norway and Sweden, in-laws are Eastern Europe and england by way of Kansas. Many settled in the Roseland community on the South Side. The civil rights movement found deepening divisions in Chicago and politicians answer to these divides made things worse. The expansion of Caprini Green on the westside and other "projects" on the south side cemented the anger and bitterness for generations. My relatives began the "white flight" south suburb migration as the housing towers went up, the business closed and the grass disappeared. The blame was misplaced. The loss of community was wrongly blamed on the black families forced into these concrete prisons that where anything but "green". Then to compound these issues for the next generation and cement the divisions and bad feelings between the communities, politicians decided to force desegregation by mandatory busing. There was no building understanding between the two worlds. Hearts and minds were not opened...just slammed shut. My relatives felt communities they built again, the brand new high school they just opened up would all be taken over again by poverty, crime and concrete. It was wrong to feel that way but that's all they knew, it happened before. That is why they are Republicans. Racism makes them republicans. No communication and no understanding makes them republicans. Fear makes them republicans.
I've given up on some and some I just pity. My mother-in-law sits in her south suburban kitchen and counts the increasing number of black people who walk by. Her husband just retired and with the fixed income refuses her requests to move from the house they have long paid off. The fear she holds onto is deep seeded from her parents who moved her from Roseland. The fear is not a result from the problem but one of the root causes.
And in the bigger picture of what our beloved country has become under republican rule is the fear and bigotry. This country can never prosper again until it heals. This country can never address the atrocities perpetrated by these republicans with any credibility until we address the fear and bigotry that divides us on our own soil. Whether it's race, gender or social or religious, until the people of the United States of America can stop seeing the world through this divided prism of bigotry, hate, and fear, we will destroy ourselves from within. I feel the next generation is ready. I am ready.
But how did it all go so wrong, so fast? Bush could not have done it alone. Dividing the country for them was easy because of the fear and bigotry had already been there and as bad as Bush has been for ALL of us, it has not been a cure for republican rule. People in this country will continue to vote against their best interest because of fear and bigotry. You can see it all around us. I feel as though the time is right to unite but we need that communication. We need a new message to pass on to the next generation. The current political climate must change.
I listened to Senator Clinton as she spoke of horrible policies of the Bush administration and the need for change. That is a message we democrats are way past waiting for. It feels like forever. I think she could help our image in the world community because of the regard for Bill Clinton. Though, I have to ask myself how long that would last if we don't address the issues of division, discrimination,9006y7 and fear that keep the republicans in power.
The reality is the Clintons are divisive and polarizing and I am saddened by this because I don't believe it to be all their fault. I defended them. I really feel the attacks on her (and Bill) in the past were disgusting. But it is what it is. Then her message changed and I knew it had to be. She was behind and had to attack on whatever weak points her campaign perceived. But the politics used to win were those of division and fear, the 3:00 am call, cozying up to McCain, "as far as I know" comment, white hard working vote, ect..and in the desperation to be seen as experienced, the Bosnia embellishments. Well it was then I knew the inspiration I was looking for to unite us was not going to come from her.
Then Reverend Wright. What a true lesson that was for me. Senator Obama's speech addressed the very issue that I felt was one of the core issues facing this country. The fear and bigotry I grew up with. The reasons that reasonable people would act so unreasonable as to vote in fear against their best interest. Communication and leadership is what we crave. Inspiration to see things from both sides. I can understand where Reverend Wright is coming from but we have to move beyond. I can understand where my mother-in-law is coming from but we have to move beyond. Senator Obama said this so eloquently. I was inspired. Can my liberal Senator Dick Durbin and my Republican State Senator Kirk Dillard be right? Can a President Obama inspire us to move beyond the fear and bigotry and unite as a country again? How can I not be inspired to hope!
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