Fear and loathing....

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday July 10, 2008 · 10:22 AM PDT

2008/07/10 · 10:22

The ferocity of attacks about to be unleashed on Barack Obama has many roots and many outlets. But I think a big part of it has to do with power, influence, control and the loss there of.

Those of us of a certain age both men and women have experienced that moment of envy when we see a young child or adolescent or young adult and realize: never again. It's a shattering thought because it not only reflects the longing for what we once were but also the fear of what ultimately awaits us.

And it is even more difficult when we see young people succeed us in our chosen professions or jobs. It's galling to realize that we we have become obsolete. That our days as the golden boys or gals are long past. To suddenly realize that we are now those old fogies we used to make fun of when we started out in life.

It is the loss of power and control that angers us the most. One of the most terrible things I ever had to do was take my mother's car keys from her. It was at that moment she realized her freedom and dominion over her own life had been lost forever.

But it is a truism for the ages: Things change. It is how we react to those changes whether we can come to terms with the unalterable fact or rage against it will determine whether we live out our days in bitterness or rejoice for what we had and did in life.

We are seeing that now on a much larger scale in the political life of our country. We are witnessing not the battle for the Ages but the battle of the ages. I think the vast majority of us are delighted and excited by the prospect of a young, charismatic, and vibrant president like Barack Obama. But just us the older generations of our youth resented the ascendancy of John F. Kennedy, so now too there are those who resent Obama's. The futility of the efforts of those opposed to a new younger leadership for America is lost amid the bitterness and anger over their own loss of power and diminishing importance and influence.

And they will do their worst to prevent that from happening. Their anger has blinded them to the winds of change that are blowing through the country. They deny the polls. They deny the pundits. They defy reality. But they can no more impede this movement then they can impede the passing of time.

This content was created by a Daily Kos Community member.

Make YOUR voice heard!

Comments are closed on this story.