Random Acts of Sass

…From this time and place, to friend and for alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.” (JFK’s inaugural address)

I have always been captivated by the words that politicians can speak. At a very young age, I adored John Kennedy. His ability to spin rhetoric awed me – as far back as the second grade. I loved the political writings of Thomas Jefferson, the poetry of Abraham Lincoln, and later, the revolution of Bobby Kennedy. I loved politics, loved the excitement, the game, the promise.

Loved. Past tense.

I think that it is no secret that in 2004, I was a dedicated John Edwards supporter. I was burned badly by that election, by the idiocy of the Kerry campaign, by a loss that struck deeply, by the disintegration of everything I believed in. George W. Bush had stolen the election the first time, only to win honestly the second time. Disheartened, in disbelief, and disgusted, I walked away from politics.

Fuck it. Who the hell cares? Politics is pointless, the system is corrupt, my savior is Christ, and that’s what matters.

Well. 2007 rolled around. I watched a few friends get involved again and quite frankly, I pitied them. Particularly my friends supporting John Edwards. I knew his campaign would go nowhere, he would not win. That is not to say he got nothing accomplished, but I knew he would hit another wall of defeat. I refused to commit to a candidate. I knew, and still know, that whoever wins the Democratic primary will get my vote.

For many years, I have wondered aloud, “Where is our Bobby?” (Listen to that speech, I beg you.) For many years, I have believed that we had no leadership that could match that of my hero, Robert Kennedy. We were a political party, a nation, caught up in the tiny details. We fight over abortion and the death penalty and ignore the children that starve on our streets.

Fuck that.

Our Bobby has arrived. Barack Obama has my full support. I will do whatever I can to get him elected President. Because I don’t think Hilary Clinton will win – and I DO NOT believe she should. Yell at me for hating her because she’s a woman. Go ahead. I dare you. I’m a woman too, and that has nothing to do with it. In fact, I believe that voting for her only because she’s a woman sets the women’s movement back. (see also: Dole, Elizabeth and Senator, North Carolina.)

Barack Obama for President. Because he has ideas. Because he has hope. Because we need a Bobby. Because we need to believe.

Because America can be great again. Not through imperialistic domination, but through cooperation. Not through fear, but through love. Not through intimidation, but through invitation.

Because we can bring about a country that is the fulfilment of the dreams of Thomas Jefferson, of Abraham Lincoln, of Franklin Roosevelt, of John Kennedy, of Bobby. We can bring about a nation that is the delivery of the promises we stand on, of the promises we have forgotten, of the promises we long to remember. We can bring about a nation in which we will again consider ourselves proud to be an American.

If you never listen to anything I say; if you disagree with everything I stand for… Do me one favor. Listen to this song. Feel that swelling in your chest? That stirring in your belly? That’s pride. That’s hope. That’s why I will support Senator Obama.

“The pundits, the pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around in our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.”
- Barack Obama (2004 Convention Speech)

I once loved politics. Now, I love people. And I believe, whole-heartedly, that Senator Obama can bring about change. Will he fix everything? No. Will he end all evils and right all wrongs? No. Will he create tiny ripples of hope? Yes.

Barack Obama 2008.

Bring it on.