The message of change that is sweeping the country and has to date, given many a reason for hope is not necessarily being embraced by all Americans. Over the last few postings and podcast we have focused on the one percent of those at the very top that would like the status quo to remain the status quo. But there is another one, maybe two percent that lie at the bottom of the pecking order that has their own version of the status quo they too would like to maintain. When these two entities find common ground, things generally don’t bode well for the rational majority in the middle.
Most would agree that Barack Obama has captured America’s imagination and perhaps reenergized a nation’s spirit. His story has given rise to optimism and a feeling that we as a united people can over come not only the immediate challenges before us, but also chip away at some of the nagging issues that have kept the country divided for too long. His is a story that many American parents as well as parents around the world tell their children everyday; if you are smart, you get a good education, work hard and do the right thing, anybody can be anything they want to be in America. Barack and Michelle Obama lived that story and have proven that America is the America we have always touted it to be.
But we can’t forget the unsavory elements at the polar opposite ends of the political and socioeconomic extremes. These extremes have a vested interest in keeping the masses in predefined stereotypes and caste-like positions. With Barack Obama becoming the Democratic nominee he symbolized a change in American attitudes, a turning of the page in American history and a note to the world that America is still a country where anything is possible. While this all sounds great, the complete story is; a significant percentage of the nation is going to be more than just disappointed on November 4th.
Those at the very top are doing all they can now to stop the Obama concept of change, but failing their all out efforts, they are likely to acquiesce initially, bidding their time while hatching covert plots to undermine any Obama successes. But the group and or groups at the bottom of the food chain will have little education, fewer options, with an excess of anger, rage and hostility. When mixing in idle time, cheap alcohol and access to firearms you have a recipe for an ugly situation.
Joe Biden was castigated for mentioning that a young president Barack Obama will be tested within the first six months of his administration by some manufactured international threat. We agree on two of those points. Barack Obama will very likely be tested and it is very likely it will come in the first six months of him taking office. But we think the threat to Barack Obama is just as likely to come from somebody named Lee Harvey, Billy Bobby, little Timmy or just any old Joe in the crowd.
Watching the McCain/Palin campaign should give one pause as their stump speeches began to draw some of the more fringe elements to the events. The closer we get to the 4th of November, the more red-faced anger is displayed in the audiences. A news reporter in the racially sensitive area of Florida queried vice presidential hopeful Joe Biden with a very noticeable tinge of hostility during the interview. She was visible incapable of holding her dislike for the Obama/Biden change concept below the surface of her professional objectivity.
If this is the type of resentment that can be felt on the air, just imagine what is percolating in private. The recent skinhead story of planned mass killings of African Americans and perhaps others of color, culminating with the assignation of Barack Obama and the story of the young woman in Pennsylvania falsely reporting she was viciously attacked by a Black man because of her McCain/Palin bumper sticker, are just the surface symptoms of a small but very dangerous mindset. These were the idiots among that element, and more easily rooted out, but more clever hard cases are out there somewhere simmering to a slow boil.
That being said, fortunately, we can point to the most encouraging sign of all that America has already spoken in the affirmative concerning race relations. A plurality of America has already voted for Barack Obama and his concept of change with their pocketbooks. We would venture to say, that nothing is more an honest barometer of support than a donation. While many Republicans will try to advance the false argument that the Democrats bought the election should Barack Obama win, we say the nation bought this election for him one small contribution at a time. And many of those nickels dimes quarters and dollars that were saved up, added up. And they came from every corner of every community of every county, of every state and region of the country.
Yes, there are those haters out there looking to conserve and maintain things as they were out of fear of change and progress, but the nation appears to be ready to transition to the next level of human interaction and development . We however must always be on guard for that one loner or group of outcast harboring a low self esteem and dwindling options. The rest of us are cool!
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