This is an old story but with all the hype over Jesse Jackson's comments and the implications to Obama's campaign and the so-called problems with the net roots, I thought it important to post story I read in June on what the meaning of life means to Obama.
Obama was speaking at a town hall meeting in a town hall meeting in Kaukauna, Wisconsin on June 12, 2008 when a man asked him the meaning of life. It was obvious that Obama did not have a scripted reponse prepared to this question and it took him a second or two to give his response. Unfortunately, he started out by stuttering but once he got his thoughts together, his comments were insightful and inspirational.
Obama said:
"When I was your age, I thought life was all about me. And how do make my way in the world and how do I become successful and how do I get the things that I want. And right now life for me revolves around those two girls. And I think about what kind of a place am I leaving them.
Michelle and I have been incredibly blessed. As long as God's looking over, my girls are going to be OK. They go to "great schools, will be able to afford college, are in good health and will be well cared for if they ever get sick.
Obama then tied the meaning of life to the country and to the world. He said we can do better and deserve better
Are they living in a county where there’s a huge gap between a few who are wealthy and a whole bunch of people who are struggling every day? Are they living in a county that is still divided by race?
Are they living in a country where because they’re girls they don’t have as much opportunity as boys do?
Are they living in a country where we are hated around the world because we don’t cooperate with other countries as effectively as we should? Are they living in a country where they are threatened by terrorism and a nuclear explosion could happen in a major American city? Are they living in a country in which because of a lack of sensible energy we are not only ransoming our future, but we’re also threatening the very livelihood of the planet?
What life means to me is that every day I wake up trying to figure out how can I secure their futures and the futures of all children, ...How can I make sure that we are giving a planet and a country to them that is better than the one we got? And, you know ,so I guess what I’ve discovered is that life doesn’t count for much unless you’re somehow giving yourself to something larger to yourself. And that’s part of my Christian faith. It’s also part of the reason I am running for president of the United States."
For those who are still smarting over the FISA vote or his stand on abortion, faith-based iniatives, guns, and the death penalty, reflect on his comments above and ask yourself: Is this the man I want to be my President? Can American benefit from an Obama presidency?
YES WE CAN!