Yes We Can
Feb 11th, 2008 by Q
Probably you’ve seen the above video or had it emailed to you a few times already. I was a bit slow on the uptake and only saw it for the first time on Super Tuesday.
Up until somewhat recently I was unenthusiastic about Obama, though I always preferred him over Hilary Clinton. I saw him as similar to Bill Clinton – very charismatic and inspiring, but basically a moderate Democrat in policy and action. I rather liked Kucinich and Feingold, who always stood against the Iraq War, insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and other destructive corporate interests. But I think I was wrong to be cynical about Obama.
It may be naive, but I was really moved by this video. I’m very cynical about politics and often pretty negative about the world in general (though I like to think of myself as a positive person). Since the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq (though of course before that as well), countless atrocities have been committed in our name. Tens of thousands of civilians have died as a direct result of the war. (Probably more like hundreds of thousands if undocumented deaths are included.) I couldn’t really feel much more negatively about my country’s actions abroad.
But Obama’s words move me, give me hope. I think I could reconcile with my country if he were leading it, shaping the language of public discourse. Maybe we could start to repair the damage we’ve done. I don’t know if we can ever atone for the murder and torture we’ve wrought overseas, but we can at least stop. If we could start to bridge the divide of thought and culture that separates working Americans all suffering under the same oppression of the rich elite, there is no limit to what we could do.
The original text and video of Obama’s speech are available here.
This is incredibly well put. I’ve felt similarly about Obama’s campaign (and was sad to see Kucinich have to bow out again). It’s hard to actually allow yourself to feel hopeful when you’ve already accepted the limitations of mainstream politics, but Obama’s eloquence is just so damn exciting. Let’s hope we get to find out whether it can be translated into practice, eh?
Thanks. Yes, hopefully we’ll have the opportunity next year to see if your hope was well-founded.
Chimed in a while back in a Kucinich fervor…politics…ugghh!
From what I have gathered you are a fellow cheesehead…hence the Feingold plug…remember feeling a similar type of hope with his message with virtually no name recognition and made it out of the 92′ democratic primary beating out two deep pocketed Milwaukee area heavyweight candidates whose mud seemed to only stick to each other! It was truly awesome!
Feingold for VP if Obama gets nomination! What do you say? Both uber populists…I competed in public schools sports in the same neck of the woods as Feingold’s home base of Middleton…so it spoke volumes that he wanted to keep his campaign deeply rooted in Wisconsin.
Brad,
I went to high school in Middleton and walked past Feingold’s house regularly. My mom was a friend of his and volunteered with his campaign in ’92. I remember that election as you describe it. Back when I was doing a lot of student activism at UW, Feingold would often come to protests that we invited him to and give a short speech. He was the only local politician who would do that. I would die and go to heaven if Feingold was tapped for VP. But somehow I doubt that he has the national name recognition necessary this time around…
no kidding!? I grew up in Stoughton. My bro and sis both graduated from UW-Madison. I went to one of those small liberal arts colleges in NE Wisconsin…the one in Appleton. The son of one of Feingold’s opponents in that ’92 primary was my college 後輩. Thank god Feingold prevailed! Still remember putting up, “Stop the Bomb, Stop Kasten!” stickers on my dorm room door…and having people tear it down and putting up another…and another.
Don’t you think there are more than just progressive midwesterners willing to listen to what Feingold has to say in the present polical climate?