I am feeling pretty frustrated. I won't write a GBCW because that would be as unproductive as the diaries that are frustrating me so much.
But I was re-reading Dreams from My Father earlier today. When I first read it three years ago, I really only knew Obama as a writer and I was thinking about what a lyrical and poetic and beautiful story it was.
But having followed this campaign for 17 months, I feel like I know Barack Obama the man, or at least, having become incredibly invested in this campaign, I feel like part of his journey. Anyway, on this read, this passage stuck out to me.
p. 49
'If you want to grow into a human being,’ she would say to me, ‘you’re going to need some values.
"’Honesty – Lolo should not have hidden the refrigerator in the storage room when the tax officials came, even if everyone else, including the tax officials, expected such things.
Fairness – the parents of wealthier students should not give television sets to the teachers during Ramadan, and their children could take no pride in the higher marks they might have received."
Straight talk – if you don’t like the shirt I bought you for your birthday, you should have just said so instead of keeping it wadded up at the bottom of the closet.
Independent judgment – just because the other children tease the poor boy about his haircut doesn’t mean you have to do it too."
Have I ever been dissapointed by Obama? Yes. But he's running to be President of the United States. The FULL United States, and that includes more than just our little universe. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it because he thinks it's right and we won't always agree with it. This will be true tomorrow and the next day and the next week after that.
But I don't have doubts about his character, or about the kind of president he would be.
He's a pragmatist. And he is trying to win this election. And I want him to win this election.
But most importantly, my support is not conditional on anything.
Because, this site is about electing Democrats. If we don't have Barack's back then WHO will?
What's at stake is bringing our troops home, finally having universal health care, taking global warming seriously, getting rid of those fucking Bush tax cuts and buying the country back from China and not going to war with Iran and earning respect back from the world. And we can do it!! We can get there!
It's. Not. That. Hard.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.
Work hard for Barack Obama if you don't want President John Mccain.