As has been stated by people funnier than I, comedians are sure going to miss W. Under the Freedom of Information Act, I have unearthed this gem...
President George W. Bush: “The War on Spinach” Speech, Delivered September 2006 to a national corporate farm lobby group
"My fellow Americans, and Democrats. . . We're facing an enemy the likes of which we never seen before. It's green, it's leafy, and it's bitter. It travels in bunches with other like-minded greenery, destined to poison the tummies of freedom-loving people everywhere. It lives among us, this evil enemy, often concealing its true identity in unusual dressing and claiming to be triple-washed prior to bagging.
I'm taking, of course, about spinach. In my time as president, I have witnessed the devastating impact spinach can have on salads, ruining the delicious taste of innocent and more American ingredients, like bacon, hard-boiled eggs and cheddar cheese. Along with spinach, we have identified the arrogant arugula (uh-ROO-guh-luh) and radical radicchio (ruh-DICKEY-o), with their intellectual appeal to wine-drinking liberals, as part of an axis of evil greens.
I know a little somethin’ about evil greens. My Daddy hates broccoli. Ya see, that’s green, too. I know what it’s like to be tormented by distasteful vegetables. So all you Freudian psycholumnists (sigh-COLL-um-nists) out there, yes, I am trying to prove myself to Daddy, to finish the job he was too cautious to attempt: to uproot the evil greens.
[go slightly off-mic, lean to the side for this part] Though I gotta admit, I’m a bit jealous of broccoli—it has crowns, like I should have. [wait for laughter; if none comes, continue] Get it? Like I’m the king. [wait for laughter again; if still none, then explain] You see, broccoli has crowns; that’s the part that looks like the top of a tree. It’s a joke, people. Ya know, like people think I wanna be king or somethin’, which would be kinda weird cause we fought against a king named George to become the United States in the first place. What, you don’t think I watch Schoolhouse Rock?
Now where was I? Oh yeah, spinach. Our war is a war on a specific form of greenery: the primitive, destructive, distasteful ideology of Spinacho (rhymes with 'macho')-arugo-radico-fascism (FASH-izm) [for emphasis, do that lean-forward-as-if-head-butting move like that guy who got kicked out of the 2006 World Cup].
We must be careful, however, not to think all greens are evil or that they all threaten our way of life—the Romaine-ians, for example, are an ally in the War on Spinach. . .the Islandic Endives are a good greenfolk. . .the Swiss Chard, well they're neutral. . .and my Jewish friends, the Icebergs, well lemme say to them, we support you, even if it is so we can get all ya'll over to the Promised Land so we can get moving on this whole apocalyptic fire thing that'll precede the second coming.
I say to all the heads of lettuce around the world, do not put a wedge between us. You are either with us or you are against us. If you are with us, we will leaf you alone. But, if I see shredded evidence to the contrary, we will impose the full force of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cabbage Patch Kids, who are now of fighting age and have been drafted, to defeat you. We must not let the evil greens get a hold of loose leafs--we cannot take a chance on waking up to a mushroom cloud. Cause I don't like mushrooms either, especially when mixed together with spinach, arugula (uh-ROO-guh-luh) or radicchio (ruh-DICKEY-o). And, I refuse to wake up one day to hear "Kale to the Chief" when I walk into the room!
As that great philosopher Kermit the Frog once said, "It's not easy being green." He should try being president. [this one should get a laugh. . .laugh and do that trademark chimp-like shoulder shrug to emphasis that you made a funny] I know it's not easy being green. I know that. I also know it's hard work defending the American people against unwieldy vegetation, especially the edible kind. . .even if it is endorsed by our nation's heroes, like Popeye. But I look forward to doing everything in my power, to protect the precious gift of the Almighty—and of those illegal immigrants who work in the fields pickin' greens—that is, the right not to be subjected to spinach against our will and the will of the American people. Good night and G-d bless America."
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
In Honor of Our Vets
...no, not the ones who take care of our furry little friends, though they're honorable, too. I'm referring to our military veterans on this Veterans Day.
At a time when our nation's military actions have been undermined by torture and other breaches of military codes and international law sanctioned by the highest echelons of our government, we nevertheless owe an incalculable debt of gratitude--offered with a large dose of humility--to the women and men who have put their lives on the line, many making the ultimate sacrifice, to protect our freedoms and way of life.
I know such praise can come across as platitudinous, especially when our servicemen and -women have too often been used as Machiavellian props (agitprops?) to further political ends, but I mean it sincerely. While I like to think I do good deeds, that puts me on par with Clifford the Big Red Dog. I have never had to risk my life for what I hold dear. I truly honor the service and sacrifice our veterans have made for all of us.
This holiday has had extra meaning for me since 1991 because of one veteran in particular. I know that I knew Vietnam vets when I was growing up, but I didn't know then who they were, and they certainly did not speak of the horrors they suffered. It was not until my first week of law school, when I met a vet, that I truly appreciated the significance of this holiday.
We were in the same section first year, which meant we had all the same classes. In our Legal Reasoning and Writing class (was that the name of it?), we all introduced ourselves and had to say one thing about what we had done prior to law school. I talked about performing stand-up comedy. He had just returned from the first Iraq War (the legitimate one), where he was a supplies officer in the Marines, stationed in Saudi Arabia. While I had been working on my impression of the first President Bush (the legitimate one), my friend was serving under him, working to remove a dictator from a sovereign nation he had invaded. (That would be 'he' Saddam, not 'he' my friend, for those of you trolling the Web for misplaced modifiers or confusing relative pronouns or whatever the grammatical term is--it's too late for me to look that one up.)
After the introductions in class, I approached him and asked what it was like to be over there. I had talked before with Holocaust survivors and partisans who fought the Nazis, but they were two generations older than I, so I related with them differently. But here was a peer, just a few years older than I, who fought a war. I found out he was a Naval Academy grad (and a Midshipman hockey player), and I found him to be proud yet humble about his service in Desert Storm.
I was humbled myself, but not particularly proud in this realm. I had been in Dessert Storm, a pastry-eating competition, but nowhere near the military, unless you count a family trip to Gettysburg when I was little. I was fortunate to come of age at a time when there was no conscription, that we lived in a country whose ideas were so powerful they could impel people to volunteer to defend them. I never even seriously entertained--I guess entertained is the wrong word--the idea of enlisting in the military. I could probably have used my poor eyesight as a legitimate excuse not to be on the battlefield. But then what about my then scrawny musculature combined with my jelly belly? Surely, I could've had my ass whipped into shape if I had had the discipline or sense of duty to enlist. But my wise-ass nature wouldn't have gotten me very far in the armed forces. Woody Allen jokes rush to mind when I think about me in the military: "In case of war, I'm a hostage" and "When asked if I was one of those draft card burners, I replied, 'No, I never registered.'" (I actually do remember completing a Selective Service card, re-registering every time I moved, but I also happily remember no longer having to keep my card active when I turned 30.)
We quickly found that, despite this contrast in military experience (him having it and me not), we had so much in common--both from back east, our brains imbued with the same reservoir of pop culture references, sports fans, similar types of parents (though his Catholic and mine Jewish), intellectual curiosity, subscribers to communitarian political philosophy, ribald senses of humor, and an appreciation for menschiness. Never did he make me feel bad--like less of a man or less of an American--for not serving in the military.
I respect and revere him for so many reasons. He answered a call to serve, served with honor and dignity, and then proceeded with the next chapter in his life, one of which I feel blessed to be a part. He has been there for me over our 17-year friendship. We will be lifelong friends. We have shared some of life's most serious moments as well as some of its lightest. I look up to him as a big brother (but not the Orwellian kind) and have learned a lot from him. One of the most important lessons is the halo effect my knowing him has had on how I view veterans in general. Our friendship will forever make me pause, reflect and value the people we honor on this day.
At a time when our nation's military actions have been undermined by torture and other breaches of military codes and international law sanctioned by the highest echelons of our government, we nevertheless owe an incalculable debt of gratitude--offered with a large dose of humility--to the women and men who have put their lives on the line, many making the ultimate sacrifice, to protect our freedoms and way of life.
I know such praise can come across as platitudinous, especially when our servicemen and -women have too often been used as Machiavellian props (agitprops?) to further political ends, but I mean it sincerely. While I like to think I do good deeds, that puts me on par with Clifford the Big Red Dog. I have never had to risk my life for what I hold dear. I truly honor the service and sacrifice our veterans have made for all of us.
This holiday has had extra meaning for me since 1991 because of one veteran in particular. I know that I knew Vietnam vets when I was growing up, but I didn't know then who they were, and they certainly did not speak of the horrors they suffered. It was not until my first week of law school, when I met a vet, that I truly appreciated the significance of this holiday.
We were in the same section first year, which meant we had all the same classes. In our Legal Reasoning and Writing class (was that the name of it?), we all introduced ourselves and had to say one thing about what we had done prior to law school. I talked about performing stand-up comedy. He had just returned from the first Iraq War (the legitimate one), where he was a supplies officer in the Marines, stationed in Saudi Arabia. While I had been working on my impression of the first President Bush (the legitimate one), my friend was serving under him, working to remove a dictator from a sovereign nation he had invaded. (That would be 'he' Saddam, not 'he' my friend, for those of you trolling the Web for misplaced modifiers or confusing relative pronouns or whatever the grammatical term is--it's too late for me to look that one up.)
After the introductions in class, I approached him and asked what it was like to be over there. I had talked before with Holocaust survivors and partisans who fought the Nazis, but they were two generations older than I, so I related with them differently. But here was a peer, just a few years older than I, who fought a war. I found out he was a Naval Academy grad (and a Midshipman hockey player), and I found him to be proud yet humble about his service in Desert Storm.
I was humbled myself, but not particularly proud in this realm. I had been in Dessert Storm, a pastry-eating competition, but nowhere near the military, unless you count a family trip to Gettysburg when I was little. I was fortunate to come of age at a time when there was no conscription, that we lived in a country whose ideas were so powerful they could impel people to volunteer to defend them. I never even seriously entertained--I guess entertained is the wrong word--the idea of enlisting in the military. I could probably have used my poor eyesight as a legitimate excuse not to be on the battlefield. But then what about my then scrawny musculature combined with my jelly belly? Surely, I could've had my ass whipped into shape if I had had the discipline or sense of duty to enlist. But my wise-ass nature wouldn't have gotten me very far in the armed forces. Woody Allen jokes rush to mind when I think about me in the military: "In case of war, I'm a hostage" and "When asked if I was one of those draft card burners, I replied, 'No, I never registered.'" (I actually do remember completing a Selective Service card, re-registering every time I moved, but I also happily remember no longer having to keep my card active when I turned 30.)
We quickly found that, despite this contrast in military experience (him having it and me not), we had so much in common--both from back east, our brains imbued with the same reservoir of pop culture references, sports fans, similar types of parents (though his Catholic and mine Jewish), intellectual curiosity, subscribers to communitarian political philosophy, ribald senses of humor, and an appreciation for menschiness. Never did he make me feel bad--like less of a man or less of an American--for not serving in the military.
I respect and revere him for so many reasons. He answered a call to serve, served with honor and dignity, and then proceeded with the next chapter in his life, one of which I feel blessed to be a part. He has been there for me over our 17-year friendship. We will be lifelong friends. We have shared some of life's most serious moments as well as some of its lightest. I look up to him as a big brother (but not the Orwellian kind) and have learned a lot from him. One of the most important lessons is the halo effect my knowing him has had on how I view veterans in general. Our friendship will forever make me pause, reflect and value the people we honor on this day.
Monday, November 10, 2008
In Honor of 007
Okay, change of pace here. A real quick entry inspired by this Friday's release of the latest James Bond film, Quantum of Solace... With the rise of China and India, where about 1 in every 3 earthlings live, and in the tradition of cheeky and puckishly named Bond heroines and villainesses, how long until we see Gung Ho and Bang Galore?
Now, where was I? Oh yes, pontificating about the Election...
Now, where was I? Oh yes, pontificating about the Election...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A Good Bet
I just heard on NPR today that if I had put my money where my mouth was last year at this time and invested $100 in Obama (didn't catch what market it was), I would have made $1,600!
Here's a sure bet... TIME magazine will name Barack Obama "Person of the Year" for 2008. How could they not? Though, if Fox News had anything to say about, that honor would go to Joe the Plumber, who was on Hannity & Colmes tonight. The Election is over. Why does anyone care what this prop thinks? Why did anyone care before? Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber, there's a 2012 ticket for you. Well, not for any of you who are reading this. Plunge, baby, plunge. (Maybe Joe will be named person of the year in Out of Time magazine.)
I just saw Pat Robertson on Larry King, and even Robertson acknowledged that Obama is an intelligent, charismatic man, who has the potential to become one of our greatest presidents. That admission was not something I would have bet on. This hope thing may really take hold...
As we look to the future ethos of the country, I'm sensing a paradox. Those on the Right threw around the 'liberal' shibboleth once again this Election. Yawn. Another example of the tired us-them mentality that illustrates the divisiveness that the electorate rejected this year. For someone labeled liberal, Obama may actually usher in a more conservative (lowercase 'c') era, not of politics, but of how we live our lives.
Obama is extremely disciplined and straight-laced. He did not take any wild risks during the campaign. His decisions were deliberate, well-thought out, calculated without being calculating. He and Michelle seem to love and respect each other, and appear to be raising wonderful children. He behaves the way conservatives profess to behave and the way they try to force others to behave. The real issue is that his temperance and discipline are virtues which are neither liberal nor conservative.
Seeing this kind of example from our president may inspire us to follow: to tighten our belts and not be so profligate (the current financial crisis has had that same effect); to be better parents and children and neighbors; to be more understanding, respectful and forgiving of others; to consider and help those who are less fortunate than we; to stop blaming others and start taking more responsibility for our actions. Wouldn't it be just terrible if that kind of toxic liberal thinking caught fire in this country?
Here's a sure bet... TIME magazine will name Barack Obama "Person of the Year" for 2008. How could they not? Though, if Fox News had anything to say about, that honor would go to Joe the Plumber, who was on Hannity & Colmes tonight. The Election is over. Why does anyone care what this prop thinks? Why did anyone care before? Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber, there's a 2012 ticket for you. Well, not for any of you who are reading this. Plunge, baby, plunge. (Maybe Joe will be named person of the year in Out of Time magazine.)
I just saw Pat Robertson on Larry King, and even Robertson acknowledged that Obama is an intelligent, charismatic man, who has the potential to become one of our greatest presidents. That admission was not something I would have bet on. This hope thing may really take hold...
As we look to the future ethos of the country, I'm sensing a paradox. Those on the Right threw around the 'liberal' shibboleth once again this Election. Yawn. Another example of the tired us-them mentality that illustrates the divisiveness that the electorate rejected this year. For someone labeled liberal, Obama may actually usher in a more conservative (lowercase 'c') era, not of politics, but of how we live our lives.
Obama is extremely disciplined and straight-laced. He did not take any wild risks during the campaign. His decisions were deliberate, well-thought out, calculated without being calculating. He and Michelle seem to love and respect each other, and appear to be raising wonderful children. He behaves the way conservatives profess to behave and the way they try to force others to behave. The real issue is that his temperance and discipline are virtues which are neither liberal nor conservative.
Seeing this kind of example from our president may inspire us to follow: to tighten our belts and not be so profligate (the current financial crisis has had that same effect); to be better parents and children and neighbors; to be more understanding, respectful and forgiving of others; to consider and help those who are less fortunate than we; to stop blaming others and start taking more responsibility for our actions. Wouldn't it be just terrible if that kind of toxic liberal thinking caught fire in this country?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
I Believe!!!
Hello, World. We're back!
Sometimes it takes plunging to the lowest depths to raise us to the highest heights. But the American people have spoken. We got it right this time. The message is a clarion call for change. Obama reached across the spectrum of voters to win his landslide. Rove and his thugs couldn't hornswoggle this one. For the first time in 12 years I'm excited on Election Night.
I am ecstatic, though I'm not sure I've fully internalized this inflection point in history. This is a giant step towards living up to our promise. We have just reinstilled the belief in the ideals of the United States--our belief in ourselves, and I assume the belief of people around the world in us. (I'm particularly interested in how my friends across the globe feel.)
I was impressed with McCain's gracious, thoughtful, forward-looking concession speech. That's precisely the attitude we need to move forward. He showed signs of who he was before he was brainwashed by the Far Right, and I do believe that he will work to move this country forward. (I don't think Sarah Palin will even be on his Christmas card list. You remember Sarah Palin, right? You'll need to if you hope to win Trivial Pursuit: 2010 Edition. She's done on the national stage because the Far Right is done on the national stage for the foreseeable future. And good riddance. Please excuse the pettiness, but she epitomized so many things wrong about where politics had been for the past eight years. Bobby Jindal, Gov. of Louisiana, is more likely to emerge on the national scene in the coming years as part of true conservatism's effort to remake itself.)
Obama's speech was remarkable. Inspirational as always, yet measured. He reveled in victory but did not gloat. He recognized the historical impact of the moment, yet he reset our focus onto the works that lay ahead. He again called on us to be our better selves. He has reinvigorated the people. He is a new generation of leader, and we have officially entered a new era of politics. We again have a leader with vision. He beautifully shared the story of the 106-year-old daughter of a slave a device by which to illustrate our history, and then asked us to imagine what life would be life 100 years hence. We can certainly believe again.
Tonight is a victory for all of us, a demonstration that opportunity in America is not just an illusion but a reality. I'm as excited and proud of Obama's victory as if he were my own brother or father, uncle or cousin. I consider myself good at empathizing and putting myself in someone else's shoes, but I think I can only imagine the full extent of the thrill and pride my friends who are African-American must be feeling today.
Seeing the beautiful new First Family, I saw my family. I imagine millions of families across America who might not have related to previous First Families will see themselves in the Obamas, too.
Yet, the battle for equality is not done. Various anti-gay marriage initiatives across the country seem to be passing. We still have work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the same rights. But I am hopeful that the new spirit of the nation will help set us on the right course.
We face monumental problems that can be solved only with unity, hard work and tough decisions, but for now we should all celebrate this incredible moment...
Sometimes it takes plunging to the lowest depths to raise us to the highest heights. But the American people have spoken. We got it right this time. The message is a clarion call for change. Obama reached across the spectrum of voters to win his landslide. Rove and his thugs couldn't hornswoggle this one. For the first time in 12 years I'm excited on Election Night.
I am ecstatic, though I'm not sure I've fully internalized this inflection point in history. This is a giant step towards living up to our promise. We have just reinstilled the belief in the ideals of the United States--our belief in ourselves, and I assume the belief of people around the world in us. (I'm particularly interested in how my friends across the globe feel.)
I was impressed with McCain's gracious, thoughtful, forward-looking concession speech. That's precisely the attitude we need to move forward. He showed signs of who he was before he was brainwashed by the Far Right, and I do believe that he will work to move this country forward. (I don't think Sarah Palin will even be on his Christmas card list. You remember Sarah Palin, right? You'll need to if you hope to win Trivial Pursuit: 2010 Edition. She's done on the national stage because the Far Right is done on the national stage for the foreseeable future. And good riddance. Please excuse the pettiness, but she epitomized so many things wrong about where politics had been for the past eight years. Bobby Jindal, Gov. of Louisiana, is more likely to emerge on the national scene in the coming years as part of true conservatism's effort to remake itself.)
Obama's speech was remarkable. Inspirational as always, yet measured. He reveled in victory but did not gloat. He recognized the historical impact of the moment, yet he reset our focus onto the works that lay ahead. He again called on us to be our better selves. He has reinvigorated the people. He is a new generation of leader, and we have officially entered a new era of politics. We again have a leader with vision. He beautifully shared the story of the 106-year-old daughter of a slave a device by which to illustrate our history, and then asked us to imagine what life would be life 100 years hence. We can certainly believe again.
Tonight is a victory for all of us, a demonstration that opportunity in America is not just an illusion but a reality. I'm as excited and proud of Obama's victory as if he were my own brother or father, uncle or cousin. I consider myself good at empathizing and putting myself in someone else's shoes, but I think I can only imagine the full extent of the thrill and pride my friends who are African-American must be feeling today.
Seeing the beautiful new First Family, I saw my family. I imagine millions of families across America who might not have related to previous First Families will see themselves in the Obamas, too.
Yet, the battle for equality is not done. Various anti-gay marriage initiatives across the country seem to be passing. We still have work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the same rights. But I am hopeful that the new spirit of the nation will help set us on the right course.
We face monumental problems that can be solved only with unity, hard work and tough decisions, but for now we should all celebrate this incredible moment...
Saturday, November 1, 2008
I Want to Believe Again
My personal life over the past decade has been great: I'm happily married with two precious children. We have our health. Our parents, siblings and two grandparents are alive and important parts of our lives. We own a home in one of our favorite cities in the world. I worked my way up in my company to be a partner doing a job I enjoy. I have friends from various stages of my life, scattered about the country and around the world, with whom I'm still in touch.
Despite all these blessings, I feel despondent. Despondent for the future. Despite being sate, I feel starved. Starved for leadership. Despite my personal success, I feel failure. Failure as a nation to live up to the ideals upon which this country was built, ideals that have inspired the entire world and held the promise of peace: the rule of law; the principle that individuals have inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; rule by will of the majority but with individual freedoms to prevent this will from becoming tyrannical, the most important of which is the right to express one's opinions even if they contravene that will; a separation of church and state which includes the right to practice or not practice one's religion; three branches of government created to check and balance each other's powers.
This magnificent experiment called the United States has always been a work in progress, an imperfect one at that. We have many historical shameful wounds and scars--slavery, inequality between the sexes, discrimination based on immutable characteristics and xenophobia, to name a few. Yet our ideals have carried us through, righting many of these imperfections. While the legacies of many of these injustices linger, we continued to pursue the path of justice because we were evolving as a people.
But something terribly wrong happened in American politics. Politics have never been for the weak-stomached or faint of heart. But the divisiveness and fear-mongering of the past decade has degraded our political system to the brink of complete malfunction, and to the potential detriment of very existence as the country we've known and loved.
I have been filled with agita about our politics since the Lewinsky scandal in 1998, still incredulous that our president has to spend 18 months of his presidency defending himself against a personal misjudgment of no significant consequence to the country or its citizens (aside from the use of taxpayer-funded furniture as the backdrop for the indiscretions).
I have been repulsed by the hypocrisy of leaders who decry government intervention in the markets yet pruriently advocate it in our homes. I have been disgusted with business and political leaders not held accountable for their actions, who whined their way to exculpation and never had to face the consequences of their actions. I have been frustrated by kneejerk advocacy that plays to our baser selves and holds double standards, where loudness of expression has replaced thoughtfulness of expression, arrogance has been revered more than humility, mendacity has trumped honesty, incuriousness has been accepted over intellectualism. I find it horrifying that a complex, gray world has been 'led' (misled) by a simpleton who sees it in black and white...and worse, that my fellow countrymen re-elected him. I have been livid that his and his administration's ignorance had resulted in our ignominy.
I have been dismayed to realize how many of our fellow citizens do not understand the implicit social contract that comes with our citizenship--that our rights are preserved only when we accept the responsibilities that come with them. I have been disheartened because, following our so-called leaders, we as citizens have blindly and often blithely fallen into the same patterns: a growing ethos that our actions don't really have consequences, greater disregard and less respect for each other, an inability to understand--or even see--another person's point of view.
This "us v. them" mentality demeans, debases and demonizes the person who holds a different opinion as the "other," someone less human and less worthy of respect. This attitude, way too pervasive over the past decade, is pernicious to our very being. When we see our leaders behaving this way, it trickles down through society--to parties to a contract who can't negotiate with each other, or parents who break out into a Jerry Springer-esque fight at their kids' hockey game over a bad call.
What we have suffered over the past decade has taken a tremendous toll on the citizenry, not only of the United States but of the entire world. Only a significant change in leadership will set us back on the right course.
Fear is a weapon of division, hope an instrument of unity. Recently I have been filled with hope that this change is coming. I have been inspired by Barack Obama since he gave his first historic speech, at the 2004 Democratic convention. I was moved because he said what I've been thinking, though much more eloquently than I could have said it. He echoed my worldview that to live in a just, civil society requires that we focus on what unites us rather than divides us. With tears in my eyes over this national newcomer's masterful oration, I said to my wife, "This will be the first president our children will vote for." In the fall of 2006, as murmurs of his presidential run grew louder, I said to my wife, "It looks like they'll be too young to vote for him." But oh, how excited I was then that we would be able to do so in two years.
I predicted in late 2006 not only that Barack Obama would beat Hillary Clinton to become the Democratic nominee, but also that he would become our next president. I knew that Barack Obama had tapped into the zeitgeist and understood what so many of us were feeling. I knew that, in contrast with leaders completely disconnected from real people (and I'm not referring to Hillary here--I think she would've been very good, too), he understood the needs of average citizens. I knew that his experience as a community leader and as a lawyer advocating on behalf of those less fortunate showed that he is compassionate in deeds, not just words.
I knew that as a person of mixed race he could credibly relate to an ever-more diverse American populace in 2008 and to a world citizenry that has grown weary and wary of American's sense of self and overblown self-esteem.
I knew that as a father of young children, he wants the same things for his family that I want for mine: opportunity born of an education system that truly educates rather than trains its children, that instills in them a sense of civic responsibility, that teaches them how to think, that nourishes their innate curiosity and hunger to learn, that encourages their creativity, that appreciates the value of both the "softer" humanities and the "harder" sciences.
I knew that he wants his daughters to grow up in a society that rewards hard work. A society that reveres and rewards the heroes we know--teachers, nurses, care-takers, advocates for the less fortunate, research scientists, firefighters, law enforcement--as well as we revere and reward those heroes we see on the TV screen and in the movie theatre, on the field and on the court.
I knew that he wants for his family and all Americans a health care system that encourages healthy behavior yet provides for all its citizens, even when they're not healthy. I knew that he supports a woman's right to choose, but that he also supports the education and information that will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in the first place. I knew that he believes in science and evolution and that he supports the stem cell research that could minimize or even alleviate the pain and suffering of millions of people.
I knew that Barack Obama wants his family and all of us to be safe from those who wish to harm or destroy us. I have confidence that his background gives him a sense of understanding that will be respected by leaders abroad, that he will pursue a more disciplined, diplomatic approach to international relations, summoning our allies to confront our enemies, using force only when necessary. By re-establishing the United States as a country that lives up to its professed ideals, he knows that we may be able to win over the hearts and minds of some of those who have grown ever more hostile to us because of our hubris and disregard for international law. (What's most remarkable is that can do all this without even being able to see Russia from his house!) I know that he still has a lot to learn, but I know he's a quick study and that he surrounds himself with people from whom he can continue to learn, so that we can return to being a respected force for good.
I knew that Obama's plan to fix the economy would be comprehensive, systematic and fair. Call him a redistributionist or socialist, but Obama's tax plan redresses the most egregious redistribution of wealth in the history of our country, a redistribution upward that has marked the wealthy-first, cronies-über-alles economic failures of unregulated laissez-faire, promulgated by Bush and supported by Sen. McCain (whom I respected much more, when he initially opposed the initial Bush tax cuts, and did other 'mavericky' things).
I knew that Obama is smart enough to recognize the vital link between our economy and national security. He knows that we need a real, aggressive plan that gets us off Mideast oil as soon as possible--that we can't keep propping petro-dictators and hope to be safe, nor can the planet afford to keep recklessly burning fossil fuels without it continuing to wither and make life more challenging for more and more of its inhabitants.
I have been predicting a landslide victory in the general election since earlier this year before he even won the Democratic party nomination. I have predicted this because I have faith in my fellow citizens that this time we will get it right, that enough people have seen the light and want to move beyond the politics of the past 10 years. Obama is the kind of leader we've been craving, someone who connected with us emotionally because he understood our needs. He acknowledged that we wanted more and deserve more from our politicians, and he has inspired us to expect that we can actually receive more.
But he also expects more from us. He was the only candidate of all 20 aspirants who knew this campaign was not about him alone, but that it was about all of us. He understands the social contract. Tapping his community organizing skills, he has led a campaign of unprecedented breadth and depth of involvement. He has motivated us to be part of the political process again and thus become active in solving our problems. Perhaps his opponents should not have derided him for this part of his background. As part of his massive campaign, he has leveraged the highly democratized technology of social networking, further demonstrating an understanding of the way Americans live in the new millennium (and proving that he is quite familiar with the Internets!).
Barack Obama has returned civil discourse to an era stained by bitter ad hominen attacks. He has rejected such attacks throughout the campaign. He does not denigrate his opponents' character, but rather acknowledges their dignity and pays respect to their service to the country. He listens to--and welcomes--the views of others, rather than malign their character or question their patriotism. What a refreshing way for politicians to behave. What if that kind of approach were to trickle down to all levels of society? What if we behaved like that more often in our business dealings, social settings and kids' Little League games? I assume--and hope--that Obama will show by example, including Republicans like Chuck Hagel, Richard Lugar, Colin Powell, even Arnold Schwarzeneggar in his Cabinet or advisory roles.
Martin Luther King would be proud that 45 years after his prophetic speech, his dream is being fulfilled, that we in the United States are embracing a presidential candidate because of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin--though too many still try to disparage him, albeit subtly, on that basis. (To those narrow-minded bigoted folks, I suggest, "then vote for the white half.") In contrast with the current president, who's a divider, Barack Obama is a uniter. I am a late-30s straight Jew of European descent who has been inspired and wowed sitting in Obama campaign offices beside people older and younger than I--Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist; gay and straight; of African, Asian and Hispanic descent--all united by our belief in a better tomorrow, for America and for the world.
One request... Please stop saying that Obama is running to become the first African-American president. No, he's running to become president. When he wins, he will be the first African-American president. But he will be president of all of us. And I will be proud again of my country for finally voting in the leadership we really need. We will have gotten it right.
Barack Obama has made me think a lot about Jackie Robinson, whose story of courage helped shape my worldview when I first read about him in a children's book on values when I was eight. The book presented Jackie's conscience as an anthropomorphized ragtag ball named Rags. In the face of racial epithets and other hostile actions against him on and off the field, Jackie would consult with Rags, weighing how to respond. Should he stoop to the level of his antagonizers and fight back dirty, or should he take the high road and prove himself on the field by being the best player he could be, and off the field by being the best person he could be? He opted for the latter, to be the bigger person, to be a fierce competitor, but also a mensch. He gained the respect of blacks and whites alike with his fortitude and discipline.
That's what Barack has done, with the same level of dignity and aplomb. Like Jackie, he had little room for error, and he has made very few. (Imagine what would have been said about him if Sasha or Malia became an unwed teen expectant mother, like Gov. Palin's daughter.)
He has shown us incredible promise. He has challenged our biases and made his think more about how we all view race and how we view our country. He has proven himself to be a formidable competitor, tougher than he was initially given credit for, tougher than the spindly toothpick Gov. Schwarzeneggar has painted him as.
We face monumental challenges for the foreseeable future. Fear is a weapon of division, hope an instrument of unity. As President Lincoln warned, a house divided cannot stand. We need a president who can unify the country for the tough work that lies ahead.
Barack Obama has the integrity and intelligence, compassion and composure, authenticity, judgment, temperament and discipline we need in a president. He is idealistic without being an idealogue, but he is also a pragmatist. If he lives up to his potential, he could be one of our best, most transformational presidents ever. That's what are hoping for.
Admittedly, many of us have projected a lot onto this man, perhaps more than a mere mortal can handle. Inevitably, we will be disappointed with something at some point in his administration. But to know that we are all pursuing the same goal--the right goal--will allow us to forgive him for stumbles along the way. His supporters all want him to succeed. That's the majority of the population. Let's hope those who don't vote for him at least have the decency and self-respect to support him and give him the chance to be the best leader he can be. I'm talking especially to people like Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and all the others who made a living off vicious, distorted partisan assaults. Perhaps they will be inspired to change, too.
I want our children to grow up in a country they can be proud of, the way I was when I was growing up. I want to believe again...
Despite all these blessings, I feel despondent. Despondent for the future. Despite being sate, I feel starved. Starved for leadership. Despite my personal success, I feel failure. Failure as a nation to live up to the ideals upon which this country was built, ideals that have inspired the entire world and held the promise of peace: the rule of law; the principle that individuals have inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; rule by will of the majority but with individual freedoms to prevent this will from becoming tyrannical, the most important of which is the right to express one's opinions even if they contravene that will; a separation of church and state which includes the right to practice or not practice one's religion; three branches of government created to check and balance each other's powers.
This magnificent experiment called the United States has always been a work in progress, an imperfect one at that. We have many historical shameful wounds and scars--slavery, inequality between the sexes, discrimination based on immutable characteristics and xenophobia, to name a few. Yet our ideals have carried us through, righting many of these imperfections. While the legacies of many of these injustices linger, we continued to pursue the path of justice because we were evolving as a people.
But something terribly wrong happened in American politics. Politics have never been for the weak-stomached or faint of heart. But the divisiveness and fear-mongering of the past decade has degraded our political system to the brink of complete malfunction, and to the potential detriment of very existence as the country we've known and loved.
I have been filled with agita about our politics since the Lewinsky scandal in 1998, still incredulous that our president has to spend 18 months of his presidency defending himself against a personal misjudgment of no significant consequence to the country or its citizens (aside from the use of taxpayer-funded furniture as the backdrop for the indiscretions).
I have been repulsed by the hypocrisy of leaders who decry government intervention in the markets yet pruriently advocate it in our homes. I have been disgusted with business and political leaders not held accountable for their actions, who whined their way to exculpation and never had to face the consequences of their actions. I have been frustrated by kneejerk advocacy that plays to our baser selves and holds double standards, where loudness of expression has replaced thoughtfulness of expression, arrogance has been revered more than humility, mendacity has trumped honesty, incuriousness has been accepted over intellectualism. I find it horrifying that a complex, gray world has been 'led' (misled) by a simpleton who sees it in black and white...and worse, that my fellow countrymen re-elected him. I have been livid that his and his administration's ignorance had resulted in our ignominy.
I have been dismayed to realize how many of our fellow citizens do not understand the implicit social contract that comes with our citizenship--that our rights are preserved only when we accept the responsibilities that come with them. I have been disheartened because, following our so-called leaders, we as citizens have blindly and often blithely fallen into the same patterns: a growing ethos that our actions don't really have consequences, greater disregard and less respect for each other, an inability to understand--or even see--another person's point of view.
This "us v. them" mentality demeans, debases and demonizes the person who holds a different opinion as the "other," someone less human and less worthy of respect. This attitude, way too pervasive over the past decade, is pernicious to our very being. When we see our leaders behaving this way, it trickles down through society--to parties to a contract who can't negotiate with each other, or parents who break out into a Jerry Springer-esque fight at their kids' hockey game over a bad call.
What we have suffered over the past decade has taken a tremendous toll on the citizenry, not only of the United States but of the entire world. Only a significant change in leadership will set us back on the right course.
Fear is a weapon of division, hope an instrument of unity. Recently I have been filled with hope that this change is coming. I have been inspired by Barack Obama since he gave his first historic speech, at the 2004 Democratic convention. I was moved because he said what I've been thinking, though much more eloquently than I could have said it. He echoed my worldview that to live in a just, civil society requires that we focus on what unites us rather than divides us. With tears in my eyes over this national newcomer's masterful oration, I said to my wife, "This will be the first president our children will vote for." In the fall of 2006, as murmurs of his presidential run grew louder, I said to my wife, "It looks like they'll be too young to vote for him." But oh, how excited I was then that we would be able to do so in two years.
I predicted in late 2006 not only that Barack Obama would beat Hillary Clinton to become the Democratic nominee, but also that he would become our next president. I knew that Barack Obama had tapped into the zeitgeist and understood what so many of us were feeling. I knew that, in contrast with leaders completely disconnected from real people (and I'm not referring to Hillary here--I think she would've been very good, too), he understood the needs of average citizens. I knew that his experience as a community leader and as a lawyer advocating on behalf of those less fortunate showed that he is compassionate in deeds, not just words.
I knew that as a person of mixed race he could credibly relate to an ever-more diverse American populace in 2008 and to a world citizenry that has grown weary and wary of American's sense of self and overblown self-esteem.
I knew that as a father of young children, he wants the same things for his family that I want for mine: opportunity born of an education system that truly educates rather than trains its children, that instills in them a sense of civic responsibility, that teaches them how to think, that nourishes their innate curiosity and hunger to learn, that encourages their creativity, that appreciates the value of both the "softer" humanities and the "harder" sciences.
I knew that he wants his daughters to grow up in a society that rewards hard work. A society that reveres and rewards the heroes we know--teachers, nurses, care-takers, advocates for the less fortunate, research scientists, firefighters, law enforcement--as well as we revere and reward those heroes we see on the TV screen and in the movie theatre, on the field and on the court.
I knew that he wants for his family and all Americans a health care system that encourages healthy behavior yet provides for all its citizens, even when they're not healthy. I knew that he supports a woman's right to choose, but that he also supports the education and information that will reduce the number of unintended pregnancies in the first place. I knew that he believes in science and evolution and that he supports the stem cell research that could minimize or even alleviate the pain and suffering of millions of people.
I knew that Barack Obama wants his family and all of us to be safe from those who wish to harm or destroy us. I have confidence that his background gives him a sense of understanding that will be respected by leaders abroad, that he will pursue a more disciplined, diplomatic approach to international relations, summoning our allies to confront our enemies, using force only when necessary. By re-establishing the United States as a country that lives up to its professed ideals, he knows that we may be able to win over the hearts and minds of some of those who have grown ever more hostile to us because of our hubris and disregard for international law. (What's most remarkable is that can do all this without even being able to see Russia from his house!) I know that he still has a lot to learn, but I know he's a quick study and that he surrounds himself with people from whom he can continue to learn, so that we can return to being a respected force for good.
I knew that Obama's plan to fix the economy would be comprehensive, systematic and fair. Call him a redistributionist or socialist, but Obama's tax plan redresses the most egregious redistribution of wealth in the history of our country, a redistribution upward that has marked the wealthy-first, cronies-über-alles economic failures of unregulated laissez-faire, promulgated by Bush and supported by Sen. McCain (whom I respected much more, when he initially opposed the initial Bush tax cuts, and did other 'mavericky' things).
I knew that Obama is smart enough to recognize the vital link between our economy and national security. He knows that we need a real, aggressive plan that gets us off Mideast oil as soon as possible--that we can't keep propping petro-dictators and hope to be safe, nor can the planet afford to keep recklessly burning fossil fuels without it continuing to wither and make life more challenging for more and more of its inhabitants.
I have been predicting a landslide victory in the general election since earlier this year before he even won the Democratic party nomination. I have predicted this because I have faith in my fellow citizens that this time we will get it right, that enough people have seen the light and want to move beyond the politics of the past 10 years. Obama is the kind of leader we've been craving, someone who connected with us emotionally because he understood our needs. He acknowledged that we wanted more and deserve more from our politicians, and he has inspired us to expect that we can actually receive more.
But he also expects more from us. He was the only candidate of all 20 aspirants who knew this campaign was not about him alone, but that it was about all of us. He understands the social contract. Tapping his community organizing skills, he has led a campaign of unprecedented breadth and depth of involvement. He has motivated us to be part of the political process again and thus become active in solving our problems. Perhaps his opponents should not have derided him for this part of his background. As part of his massive campaign, he has leveraged the highly democratized technology of social networking, further demonstrating an understanding of the way Americans live in the new millennium (and proving that he is quite familiar with the Internets!).
Barack Obama has returned civil discourse to an era stained by bitter ad hominen attacks. He has rejected such attacks throughout the campaign. He does not denigrate his opponents' character, but rather acknowledges their dignity and pays respect to their service to the country. He listens to--and welcomes--the views of others, rather than malign their character or question their patriotism. What a refreshing way for politicians to behave. What if that kind of approach were to trickle down to all levels of society? What if we behaved like that more often in our business dealings, social settings and kids' Little League games? I assume--and hope--that Obama will show by example, including Republicans like Chuck Hagel, Richard Lugar, Colin Powell, even Arnold Schwarzeneggar in his Cabinet or advisory roles.
Martin Luther King would be proud that 45 years after his prophetic speech, his dream is being fulfilled, that we in the United States are embracing a presidential candidate because of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin--though too many still try to disparage him, albeit subtly, on that basis. (To those narrow-minded bigoted folks, I suggest, "then vote for the white half.") In contrast with the current president, who's a divider, Barack Obama is a uniter. I am a late-30s straight Jew of European descent who has been inspired and wowed sitting in Obama campaign offices beside people older and younger than I--Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist; gay and straight; of African, Asian and Hispanic descent--all united by our belief in a better tomorrow, for America and for the world.
One request... Please stop saying that Obama is running to become the first African-American president. No, he's running to become president. When he wins, he will be the first African-American president. But he will be president of all of us. And I will be proud again of my country for finally voting in the leadership we really need. We will have gotten it right.
Barack Obama has made me think a lot about Jackie Robinson, whose story of courage helped shape my worldview when I first read about him in a children's book on values when I was eight. The book presented Jackie's conscience as an anthropomorphized ragtag ball named Rags. In the face of racial epithets and other hostile actions against him on and off the field, Jackie would consult with Rags, weighing how to respond. Should he stoop to the level of his antagonizers and fight back dirty, or should he take the high road and prove himself on the field by being the best player he could be, and off the field by being the best person he could be? He opted for the latter, to be the bigger person, to be a fierce competitor, but also a mensch. He gained the respect of blacks and whites alike with his fortitude and discipline.
That's what Barack has done, with the same level of dignity and aplomb. Like Jackie, he had little room for error, and he has made very few. (Imagine what would have been said about him if Sasha or Malia became an unwed teen expectant mother, like Gov. Palin's daughter.)
He has shown us incredible promise. He has challenged our biases and made his think more about how we all view race and how we view our country. He has proven himself to be a formidable competitor, tougher than he was initially given credit for, tougher than the spindly toothpick Gov. Schwarzeneggar has painted him as.
We face monumental challenges for the foreseeable future. Fear is a weapon of division, hope an instrument of unity. As President Lincoln warned, a house divided cannot stand. We need a president who can unify the country for the tough work that lies ahead.
Barack Obama has the integrity and intelligence, compassion and composure, authenticity, judgment, temperament and discipline we need in a president. He is idealistic without being an idealogue, but he is also a pragmatist. If he lives up to his potential, he could be one of our best, most transformational presidents ever. That's what are hoping for.
Admittedly, many of us have projected a lot onto this man, perhaps more than a mere mortal can handle. Inevitably, we will be disappointed with something at some point in his administration. But to know that we are all pursuing the same goal--the right goal--will allow us to forgive him for stumbles along the way. His supporters all want him to succeed. That's the majority of the population. Let's hope those who don't vote for him at least have the decency and self-respect to support him and give him the chance to be the best leader he can be. I'm talking especially to people like Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and all the others who made a living off vicious, distorted partisan assaults. Perhaps they will be inspired to change, too.
I want our children to grow up in a country they can be proud of, the way I was when I was growing up. I want to believe again...
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