It’s been some time since my last post. My last being a reaction to then-candidate John McCain’s newfound alliance with the Religious Right, vis vie through John Hagee, a popular megachurch pastor that sucks massive amounts of money from his TV and church audiences through his religious propaganda program of fear, superstition and self-righteousness. It’s a disappointing phenomenon to behold to understand that millions of gullible people are even paying attention to such a charlatan, much less believing what he has to say. So be it. The “saving grace” (pun intended) is that McCain/Palin lost the election to a rational and compassionate Barack Obama, who ran a campaign for the people through brilliant organization and planning, using the communications technology of Internet and cell phone texting to reach out to a broad spectrum of individual contributers and voters.
History has been made. We have the first half-Afro-American ever elected to president. Much more than this, we have the first president-elect since Kennedy who can inspire masses of people, both here and abroad, with brilliant, compassionate and inclusive rhetoric that casts a spell of hope and optimism on so many of us. May these good feelings continue.
Obama promises to “hit the ground running” after his inauguration. Already, he has put together a good portion of his cabinet and staff, with a broad and pragmatic array of secretaries and staff to put forth, challenge and temper his ideological vision and plans for America’s recovery from economic recession, urgent environmental concerns, war and a Bush-stained international reputation. He has my support and constructive criticism to help in any way I can.
What I find amusing within myself at this time is how much of my intellectual grounding was in opposing the New American Dark Age of the Bush era. Now that light is pulling us to to the end of this dark tunnel, I can feel my “edge” becoming blunted. When I was hungry, as the “Wolf at the Door” for any sense of hope, any sense of reason and human compassion coming from the White House or Congress, my focus was clear, my mind sharp, my intellect at the ready. Now, I find that I have less of an edge, less worrry with Obama coming onto the scene. I should still be poised for danger, because Pelosi is still Speaker of the House and Harry Reid is still majority leader in the senate. There is still much damage that can be done, and much necessary work for Americans and the world that can be stifled with the wrong-way directions of these legislative bodies. DId I mention the conservative Supreme Court? How about a corporate-compliant, amoral news media industry?
The wolf, though slightly sated by optimistic hope, should not grow too complacent at this time, and should be poised to pounce, for the packs of lobbyists and pressures on Obama to foresake his vision will be great. I will patiently crouch and wait.
Amen.
MH
