The Audacity of Dreaming
CJ is not one to get all verklempt over political rhetoric. So, I’m more than a little grateful that, after so many weeks of pundits harping on the fact that Barack Obama would be accepting the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I have a Dream” speech, the candidate himself chose not to dwell on the obvious significance.
But history cannot be denied. Even John McCain saw fit to take time away from impugning Mr. Obama’s patriotism to acknowledge the momentousness of the moment. Out of exceeding attention to fairness, I must state here that Mr. McCain argues that he is not questioning his opponent’s patriotism, but rather his judgment, when he says Mr. Obama would choose military defeat in Iraq in order to advance his political career. But as many have pointed out, if patriotism is love of country, it’s difficult to comprehend how a patriotic person could root for their own country’s defeat in battle.
"Too often the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed,” the Arizona senator said in a television spot released as Mr. Obama accepted the mantel of his party. "I wanted to stop and say, Congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on this historic day. Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight, Senator, job well done.”
To me there is a slight note of condescension here. My doubts about his sincerity aside-- Mr. McCain has yet to explain to my satisfaction, his reasons for opposing the creation of the MLK holiday-- these are words from a man who not long ago denied Mr. Obama had ever accomplished anything at all. Whether he means it or not, it’s clear Mr. McCain’s advisors saw a need to be on record saying something positive. Maybe it was for the voters who claim to detest acrimonious politics. Or perhaps it was just for the history books.
As for Mr. Obama, his sole reference to the MLK anniversary came near the end of his remarks when he spoke of an “American spirit” that strives for improvement.
“It is that American spirit,” he said, “that American promise, that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.”
“It is that promise that, 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.”
Mr. Obama’s words bring to mind another great dreamer in American history. This being the 40th anniversary, Robert F. Kennedy’s ill-fated presidential campaign has cast a shadow over this historic year. Many linkages have been drawn between the two candidates’ youth, their oratory skills and their capacity to inspire.
BHO’s praise of the “American spirit” strikes me as the 2008 rendition of the dream so famously ascribed to RFK in the eulogy delivered by his brother.
“Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.”
MLK dreamt things that had not yet come to pass. Black leaders of yesterday—including those who bravely marched with Dr. King—did not ask why not. They had good reason to believe they knew the answer. Today America has a leader who, unburdened by the memories of Selma or Memphis, 1963 or 1968, envisaged something never seen and dared to ask why not.
It’s an improbable story, as Barack Obama likes to say. John McCain calls it presumptuous. Some say it was serendipity in year when the new black was, well, black. To some it’s just a fairy tail.
Me, I’m putting my cynicism on the shelf for now. I’m calling it a dream come true.
tags: 2008 Election, Geraldine Ferraro, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Democrats, Election, Bill Clinton, DNC, Politics, History, Race, Republicans, MLK, RFK, I Have a Dream
CJ is not one to get all verklempt over political rhetoric. So, I’m more than a little grateful that, after so many weeks of pundits harping on the fact that Barack Obama would be accepting the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior’s “I have a Dream” speech, the candidate himself chose not to dwell on the obvious significance.
But history cannot be denied. Even John McCain saw fit to take time away from impugning Mr. Obama’s patriotism to acknowledge the momentousness of the moment. Out of exceeding attention to fairness, I must state here that Mr. McCain argues that he is not questioning his opponent’s patriotism, but rather his judgment, when he says Mr. Obama would choose military defeat in Iraq in order to advance his political career. But as many have pointed out, if patriotism is love of country, it’s difficult to comprehend how a patriotic person could root for their own country’s defeat in battle.
"Too often the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed,” the Arizona senator said in a television spot released as Mr. Obama accepted the mantel of his party. "I wanted to stop and say, Congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on this historic day. Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight, Senator, job well done.”
To me there is a slight note of condescension here. My doubts about his sincerity aside-- Mr. McCain has yet to explain to my satisfaction, his reasons for opposing the creation of the MLK holiday-- these are words from a man who not long ago denied Mr. Obama had ever accomplished anything at all. Whether he means it or not, it’s clear Mr. McCain’s advisors saw a need to be on record saying something positive. Maybe it was for the voters who claim to detest acrimonious politics. Or perhaps it was just for the history books.
As for Mr. Obama, his sole reference to the MLK anniversary came near the end of his remarks when he spoke of an “American spirit” that strives for improvement.
“It is that American spirit,” he said, “that American promise, that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.”
“It is that promise that, 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.”
Mr. Obama’s words bring to mind another great dreamer in American history. This being the 40th anniversary, Robert F. Kennedy’s ill-fated presidential campaign has cast a shadow over this historic year. Many linkages have been drawn between the two candidates’ youth, their oratory skills and their capacity to inspire.
BHO’s praise of the “American spirit” strikes me as the 2008 rendition of the dream so famously ascribed to RFK in the eulogy delivered by his brother.
“Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.”
MLK dreamt things that had not yet come to pass. Black leaders of yesterday—including those who bravely marched with Dr. King—did not ask why not. They had good reason to believe they knew the answer. Today America has a leader who, unburdened by the memories of Selma or Memphis, 1963 or 1968, envisaged something never seen and dared to ask why not.
It’s an improbable story, as Barack Obama likes to say. John McCain calls it presumptuous. Some say it was serendipity in year when the new black was, well, black. To some it’s just a fairy tail.
Me, I’m putting my cynicism on the shelf for now. I’m calling it a dream come true.
tags: 2008 Election, Geraldine Ferraro, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Democrats, Election, Bill Clinton, DNC, Politics, History, Race, Republicans, MLK, RFK, I Have a Dream
posted by citizenjane at 4:30 AM
1 Comments:
welcome back, cj
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