I previously sent the American Prayer video trying to share my sense of hope for an Obama presidency - I didn't get a response. I suspect it may have fed into the meme I'm sure she's heard about Obama feeling himself to be annointed, with all the overtones of religiousity that have fed outraged indignation in some circles. I don't rightly know. But I do want to share my optimism about tomorrow and all our collective tomorrows with my family member.
My letter to her follows the American Prayer video:
My Dear Loved One:
I know there has been a lot of praise for Senator Obama which sounds over the top. I know it is very popular to demonize how that looks excessive, and I know the way it has been presented is enormously scary to those hearing the message that he seeks to be worshipped.
As the election arrives, there are millions of people who have been encouraged to fear this man who may well be our next president, and I'm very concerned about this. I don't want you to be scared, times are bad, but if he is elected this does not mean we have arrived at the end of times.
Perhaps you can see a bit through my eyes and it can help to take the pressure down a notch or two...
* * *
I won't take time to argue that Senator Obama is NOT on the extreme left of the spectrum - he really isn't - he's actually a bit centrist for my taste, seriously.
Senator Obama's popularity as shown on TV is people responding to his offering the idea of hope, that we as individual Americans, and as an American society, can do better to support ourselves and each other than we have been doing. A huge number of people are suffering, and Senator Obama is telling us we can do better - people respond to that. In droves.
I know that people screaming "socialism" is quite scary. Seriously? It's the Republicans who have been bigger socialists this year - they've kept profits for corporations private while socializing the losses. The Democratic leadership has been on board with that (thanks, guys). We didn't get appropriate guidelines attached to the funds, and the banks have been rewarding themselves and hoarding funds to entich the banks rather than get credit flowing. (Honestly, there's some corporate law reform which is necessary - right now, the LEGAL obligation for companies is to enrich their stock holders, not to produce quality products/services or to tell the truth about what they do... I sure hope we have an opportunity to get some better balance in those laws soon.)
It has been interesting has been to listen to Governor Palin say that Senator Obama is socialist - she's actually sent money in the other direction and done more single-handedly to redistribute wealth to the masses (ok, Alaska's population isn't exactly, um, massive) than just about anyone in the country. She's taxed the energy companies that pull resources out of the ground in Alaska so that she can give money to every man, woman and child in her state. I don't object to what she's doing, necessarily (I think public resources probably should be bought from the public), but I do resent her calling Obama a socialist when SHE is redistributing wealth in her state.
There's been all kinds of wealth redistribution in the last few years in this country - it's been taking from the middle class and poor and giving to the rich. Working class people pay MUCH larger percentages of their income in sales tax where that happens (I realize you're in a state that does things differently). But this bailout to the banks and their CEOs will be paid off by your children and grandchildren (mine too, if I ever find a way to come up with any... lol).
There is some level of socialism in any society; roads, schools, police protection, having a military are ALL arguably socialist activities because they are funded by all of us together for the benefit of all of us. Having programs paid for by all of us for the benefit of all of us doesn't really have anything to do with whether we practice capitalism in our markets.
It used to be that when we thought of 'opportunity' in this country we meant that everyone had a shot at success if they worked hard enough. The reality is that it doesn't work that way very much now - the rich have gotten enormously richer and the middle class has been shrinking. (Already established companies can easily crush any new ones coming along - even new ones with improvements - that sorta undermines the whole competition thang we tout.) Economically, we look a lot more like the stratification of South American countries (with extreme wealth and extreme poverty and not much in between) then we ever have before in our history - I don't think anyone wants that course to continue. We're not that bad yet, but a heck of a lot of people are losing their houses just now, and it's a scary time for all of us. This is a country that believes in and depends upon its middle class - we need to ensure that opportunities exist for future generations.
I thought you might appreciate reading this message from someone fighting in Afganistan on what he feels about this election. To him, this is about his children and grandchildren having real opportunity in their future, something he and his elders acted as if they had and never quite experienced, he's talking about more than just finances, but it's a powerful piece:
I Can Finally Stop Lying To My Children
(Hat tip, Sin City Expat for your eloquence...)
I don't think this story made it into the mainstream press very much because he works to keep his family life private, but Senator Obama took off Friday afternoon so that he could be with Malia and Sasha to take them out to trick-or-treat. He has phoned his girls every single night and lets them talk as long as they need. He also took a couple of days at a very critical time in the campaign to be with his grandmother who raised him (I appreciated your prayers for her)... Senator Obama has real family values - he makes time to be with his family no matter what demands there are on his time on the road just now.
Since I know that there has been a lot spoken to increase the idea of Obama as scary, as someone who is not like us, and since today it looks like there's a strong chance that That One (as Senator McCain called him during one of the debates) may end up the victor in the contest tomorrow, I wanted to do my best to reassure you that he is not the villian he has been portrayed to be. He is someone who inspires hope in people - someone who encourages people to believe life can be better and to strive for that... I think he is appealing to that which is most American in all of us: in taking care of our brothers and sisters we care for ourselves better. I think of that as a Christian notion...
(Oh, forgot that landmine - Obama's paternal grandfather was of the Muslim faith, but the senator never met him. And his stepfather was from a Muslim country, as well, and Obama attended school in Indonesia for a very short time as a small child, but he was never introduced to the faith and never practiced it - actually, I've read it's a spiritual crime in that faith to hide or disavow belief, so the notion of being a secret Muslim is contrary to that religion.)
Hopefully, the politicking will all be over in a day or so. Hopefully, there will be an orderly transfer of power as we have seen previously in this country.
I realize you may not share this belief at this time, but here's what I believe as we go into this election:
*I believe that we will have a record number of people voting because they see that voting matters in a democracy, and that it's important to speak up and be counted - this is how our system works. (For this, I am deeply, deeply grateful - to see this right and responsibility exercised by much more of our population is gratifying.)
*I believe that we will make history tomorrow, for the first time electing to lead this country a man of African decent on this father's side - a man who was born and raised in America, whose mother's roots come from the very heartland of this nation. This underscores my feeling that we are ONE NATION where opportunity exists.
*I believe that this country can achieve healing, both of our own people who are struggling increasingly, and in our position in the world. We were once viewed as visionary in our world leadership - now we're seen as compulsively self-interested and violently domineering. I believe healing is possible and that Senator Obama is likely to help bring about healing on both levels.
I had mixed feelings about the Clinton presidency, but in addition to being nostalgic for where he left the country financially, I do firmly believe something he said: There is nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed with what's right with America. I believe that to the bottom of my heart, and I look forward to a re-energized and restored country.
I realize that you may be disappointed in the outcome of the election, but I hope that in time you feel that the campaign promises Senator Obama made weren't just empty rhetoric, that he is prepared to act on his words and that he will achieve many of his goals and that we will all prosper as a result, financially, emotionally, and, yes, spiritually.
Senator Obama has run an extremely effective campaign - one thing he specified from the start was that there was no room for drama. In my observation, that has made his organization particularly efficient and thorough. I think that is a mark of true leadership and honest strength. He says that there is no Red America or Blue America, just one United States of America. I trust that at the end of his terms in office that you'll look back and feel he has done right by this nation and helped us to stand tall together. That's my prayer.
I'm going to be a pollworker tomorrow for the first time - thought it would be the best way to spend the nervous energy I'll be feeling.
Love you,
MsGrin