In Which I Finally Get It
Sometime around February, I became an Obama supporter. And by that I mean that I decided to take him at his word and seriously consider the implications of doing politics HIS way. Mind you, I am used to being on the losing end of presidential politics but I am not resigned to it by any means. I spent so much energy in a rage over George Bush and the war in Iraq that I think that rage is partially responsible for the terminal cancer I have developed. Being angry for a very long time KILLS a person. And I was angry. I wanted a Presidential candidate who would be an avenging angel, who would smite the godless republicans, who would punish them for their evil deeds, who would fearlessly force them to back down like the pack of snarling dogs they are.
But then, my teenage son, an Obama supporter since early 2007, started to seriously talk with me about politics and he opened my eyes to a few things.
1. He, and many other first time voters his age are truly sick and tired of the rage and the passion and the futility of what passes for politics in this country. He did not then, and does not now, see Obama's refusal to play tit for tat as a sign of weakness. Where many people see John McCain hitting and Obama not hitting back, others see Obama not getting all caught up in the bullshit, not losing focus, not playing the same tired game, the same tired way. And they are refreshed and renewed.
2. The current Obama coalition includes many people like me who are still hurt, and still angry, and still itching for a fight. Unless we can get over ourselves, Obama is going to break our hearts.
3. My son, a man of a mere 18 years, once asked me to choose what matters to me more, kicking Republican ass or solving problems? And if fixing the country means NOT kicking ass or taking names, would I be willing to do that?
And you know what? This year, I am not listening to the pundits or even my fellow bloggers all that much. I am listening mostly to eighteen and nineteen year olds who just want to cut the crap and finally see something get accomplished in politics. Because I am beginning to understand that they are wiser than I am. And their wisdom comes from looking into tough future we parents have created for them with our heedlessness and our stupid culture wars and our tolerance for the trivial in public life. They know that living with the consequences of OUR actions is going to be pretty tough and they are hoping that someone calm, cool, and seemingly unflappable like Barack Obama, someone who tells them it isn't too late to fix what WE broke will lead in a positive direction. And if he doesn't lead, he may at least get the hell out of the way and let THEM lead.
Two weeks ago, I stopped treatments and entered a hospice program. I am a testimony to the fact that stress and anger can kill a person. But if I can do only one important thing before I'm out of here permanently, I am going to live long enough to cast my vote for Barack Obama. I'm leaving my vote as an offering of atonement to my kids and as a gift of my hope for the future. Hope is all I have LEFT of the future.
And to answer my son's question, the answer is yes. If the only way to end this god forsaken war in Iraq, the only way to get universal health care, the only way to fully fund education for every child from K - B.A. is to forgive every Republican sin, then I will gladly do it. I would kiss Dick Cheney on the mouth if it would get the troops home from Iraq even one day sooner. And if any of you can honestly say you wouldn't, then you are every bit as full of shit as most people under the age of 25 think you are.
If anybody needs to change, it isn't Barack Obama. It's the rest of us. We need to stop being distracted by things that just don't matter and FOCUS on what we want, rather than what we don't want.
That is the end my rant for today. Thanks for reading.
But then, my teenage son, an Obama supporter since early 2007, started to seriously talk with me about politics and he opened my eyes to a few things.
1. He, and many other first time voters his age are truly sick and tired of the rage and the passion and the futility of what passes for politics in this country. He did not then, and does not now, see Obama's refusal to play tit for tat as a sign of weakness. Where many people see John McCain hitting and Obama not hitting back, others see Obama not getting all caught up in the bullshit, not losing focus, not playing the same tired game, the same tired way. And they are refreshed and renewed.
2. The current Obama coalition includes many people like me who are still hurt, and still angry, and still itching for a fight. Unless we can get over ourselves, Obama is going to break our hearts.
3. My son, a man of a mere 18 years, once asked me to choose what matters to me more, kicking Republican ass or solving problems? And if fixing the country means NOT kicking ass or taking names, would I be willing to do that?
And you know what? This year, I am not listening to the pundits or even my fellow bloggers all that much. I am listening mostly to eighteen and nineteen year olds who just want to cut the crap and finally see something get accomplished in politics. Because I am beginning to understand that they are wiser than I am. And their wisdom comes from looking into tough future we parents have created for them with our heedlessness and our stupid culture wars and our tolerance for the trivial in public life. They know that living with the consequences of OUR actions is going to be pretty tough and they are hoping that someone calm, cool, and seemingly unflappable like Barack Obama, someone who tells them it isn't too late to fix what WE broke will lead in a positive direction. And if he doesn't lead, he may at least get the hell out of the way and let THEM lead.
Two weeks ago, I stopped treatments and entered a hospice program. I am a testimony to the fact that stress and anger can kill a person. But if I can do only one important thing before I'm out of here permanently, I am going to live long enough to cast my vote for Barack Obama. I'm leaving my vote as an offering of atonement to my kids and as a gift of my hope for the future. Hope is all I have LEFT of the future.
And to answer my son's question, the answer is yes. If the only way to end this god forsaken war in Iraq, the only way to get universal health care, the only way to fully fund education for every child from K - B.A. is to forgive every Republican sin, then I will gladly do it. I would kiss Dick Cheney on the mouth if it would get the troops home from Iraq even one day sooner. And if any of you can honestly say you wouldn't, then you are every bit as full of shit as most people under the age of 25 think you are.
If anybody needs to change, it isn't Barack Obama. It's the rest of us. We need to stop being distracted by things that just don't matter and FOCUS on what we want, rather than what we don't want.
That is the end my rant for today. Thanks for reading.
