The Speech

It's hard to know where to start in discussing Obama's race speech yesterday at the Constitution Center. The politics of it? (Brilliant) The responses to the speech? (Nary a negative word) The tone? Pitch perfect.

It's said that he wrote it himself. Up until 2 in the morning. And that is where I want to start.

But before that, if you have neither seen nor read the speech, here's the link: http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords. Because you should. Don't take my word for what was said, ignore the pundits -- this one, you should see.

I'm a great believer in words. In the power of words; both for good and bad. Despite my general inability with dates and times, I looked these up. My first poem was published 33 years ago. My first short story was published in 1976, first essay (and political piece) in 1978. My first public speech was in 1979. I know something about being up late struggling with just that right word. I stand in awe of his ability to write things difficult, simultaneously finding the words that resonated from his essence.

Most people who I've heard commenting talk about his views on race in America. How we must see things as dynamic, not static, and accept that by working together we can overcome the zero sum game. And I agree. And yes, I want an "I'm here for Ashley" tee shirt.

But even more importantly to me, speaking as one of Spiro Agnew's "effete intellectuals" (proudly, I might add), was the bravery it took of Barack Obama to believe that Americans can be smart. In a world of sound bites, Senator Obama took the tact that people could understand concepts, consider change for the better, and potentially embrace it.

Senator Obama spoke of his white grandmother and the part of her that is bigoted. There is likely not a person who has not heard someone they love say something which appalled their beliefs. And yes, you disavow the words, strong and painful as they may be, while still loving the person. He could have stopped there. But instead he took that amazing step forward and challenged us all to change for the better. To consider that we can change the most fundamental part of our beings: that is, our individual belief systems, and our culture of divisiveness and blame.

We are fighting wars on multiple fronts: the invasion of Iraq, the quagmire in Afghanistan, the crumbling of our economy (while the current administration does their best Nero fiddling group imitation), the lack of an educational system which can turn out people who think, not to mention master mathematics, science and engineering, able to compete in a changing world economy. To this, the Senator valiantly reminds us that the greatest war might well be within ourselves.

Will he be heard? I don't know. Most people don't read, don't really think, and live lives of one-foot-in-front-of-the-other. Will people understand that the Senator is right when he says that if we do NOT address the most fundamental concepts we will be distracted from what we SHOULD be doing: bringing our country back to greatness? Most importantly, will people take a few minutes and actually THINK about what it could mean if we functioned as a country working toward a common win-win devoid of the desire to assign culpability to SOMEONE for whatever goes on in an individual's life?

The choice itself is simple: embrace the politics of hate, or believe that we, as individuals, as members of families, as members of groups, religions, and corporate cultures, can change for the better, embrace the concept of hope, and then work for the paradigm shift.

For me, the choice is simple. I image joy.