I was a cynic. I was a skeptic. I did not believe. I had no hope. I felt hopeless, empty inside. I said no, I can't.
I didn't have a "we." I didn't have a "he." I wanted to be saved.
I went to Barack's website, as instructed.
I saw the logo, that hypnotic little red white and blue sunrise sphere, and the flowing red and white - just like the parting of the Red Sea - and next to it the picture of Barack, heroic, his vista-view gaze, mouth agape, as if being called. Hear me Barack I want to be saved! And he heard me, and he answered, "I'm asking you to believe." And I started to believe. "I'm asking you to believe in you." And I started to believe in the belief in me. I believed I could change. I believed in change.
I wanted to get involved and sign up for updates. I wanted to Donate Now. I wanted to Make A Difference. I wanted to Find Events. I wanted to Make Calls.
I kept looking at the logo and thinking of the parting of the Red Sea.
I realized it wasn't about my "I." Baracking back from February 5th 2008, I heard: "We are the change we have been waiting for." Yes, it made perfect sense to me.
I wanted to be one of the 428, 113 as of February 13th at 3:57pm who had donated so far in 2008. I wanted to Donate Now.
I wanted to Know the Facts.
I saw that all the facts are attacks against Hillary Clinton. Game: "Rhetoric and Reality."
"REALITY: Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong"
"REALITY: Nuclear Industry Did Not Support Obama Bill -- Believed Congressional Action Was Unnecessary"
(And I believed)
"REALITY: Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong"
"REALITY: For The National Types To Claim That Obama’s Past Is Mostly Unknown Is Just A Total Crock."
(And I believed)
"REALITY: Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong"
"REALITY: Senator Clinton And Her Allies Have Run A Number Of False, Negative Ads Against Obama."
(And I believed)
"REALITY: Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong"
I saw that there are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pages of attacks against Hillary Clinton, while I learned that "Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong."
"RHETORIC: "Yet, like most democrats, Obama voted to keep funding the war until last year."
"REALITY: EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT HAS VOTED TO FUND THE WAR IN IRAQ."
"REALITY: Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong."
I wanted to "know the facts on Barack Obama's Patiotism."
I learned that "Obama said, 'My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2...During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing.'"
I wanted to put my hand over my heart. I wanted to sing. I wanted to sing "Obama Has Done Nothing Wrong." I wanted to sing I believed.
I learned that "Obama Had Not Worn A Flag Pin For Years, Said Patriotism Resided In The Heart And Not The Lapel." I learned that "Barack Obama Is A Patriot." I wanted to be a patriot like Barack Obama.
I wanted to "know the facts on Barack Obama's Religion."
I learned that "Barack Obama Is Not and Has Never Been a Muslim. Obama never prayed in a mosque. He has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a committed Christian who attends the United Church of Christ." I learned that "OBAMA IS A PRACTICING CHRISTIAN." I learned that "Obama Was Baptized And Attends Church Once a Week When He is Able." I learned that "Obama Reads The Bible, Finds Time to Pray On Campaign Trail." I learned that "OBAMA'S MIDDLE NAME IS NOT MOHAMMED."
And I believed.
I wanted to text HOPE to OBAMA (62262). I wanted to LOGIN and make friends.
I wanted to be a part of a text messaging social network. I had to text FOLLOW BARACKOBAMA to 40404.
I wanted to receive specific issue updates. I had to text:
HEALTH to OBAMA (62262)
EDUCATION to OBAMA (62262)
IRAQ to OBAMA (62262)
JOBS to OBAMA (62262)
REFORM to OBAMA (62262)
I wanted to watch some BarackTV.
I wanted to Donate Now. I wanted to "Make My Donation a Monthly Commitment." I acknowledged "that I am making a recurring donation and that the amount I have selected above will be charged to my credit card on the 13th of every month." I learned that my "contribution is not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes."
I wanted to be part of OBAMA PRIDE, with the hypnotic rainbow sunset sphere and the parting of the Red Sea. I wanted to "JOIN Obama Pride for Obama." I wanted to "SPREAD the Word about Barack."
I wanted to be welcomed to "Generation Obama," logo "GO," with Barack's face emerging from the center of the O, above the parting of the Red Sea. I wanted to "JOIN Generation Obama for Obama." I wanted to "SPREAD the Word about Barack."
I wanted to regress so I could be part of "Kids for Obama." I wanted to "Draw a picture of Senator Barack Obama as 'an expression of Democracy.'" I wanted to draw a picture of "the Senator sitting in the White House or working on Capitol Hill." I wanted to "Get friends to wear an official Obama for America T-Shirt to school." I wanted to "Host a Senator Barack Obama House Party or sleep-over."
I understood the meaning of "OBAMA EVERYWHERE."
Donate Now. Donate Now.
I wanted to be one of the 430,821 as of February 13th at 6:41pm who had donated so far in 2008.
I donated. I found hope when I found Barack. HOPE. CHANGE. "Change you can believe in." I believe. You can too. "Yes, we can."
I watched some more BarackTV.
OBAMA. OBAMA. OBAMA. Obama for Obama. SPREAD the Word about Barack.
"PAID FOR BY OBAMA FOR AMERICA"
"POWERED by HOPE and supporters like you"
(Everything here is an exact quotation from the website. Its that obvious.)