Below is a private note written after Iowa by my 34-year-old son Troy, which represents the feelings of his wife Simone and countless others in their generation. Their attachment to Barack Obama is as deep as their disgust with the political establishment. The letter speaks for itself, and becomes decisive in my considerations towards this race. I think Obama has ignited a storm of hope that outweighs any concerns about his specific policies. The Obama generation is here and will not be denied.
Dear Father,I can't stand the DNC. On every major channel they have spokespeople belittling Barack's victory. They keep banging points about how the voters have a misconstrued idea of Hillary. That she's been mistakenly identified as a centrist. Or how she's being judged on her lack of charisma rather than her policies, as if she had any worth standing for, and that Barack is only a success because he appears to be more charming than her. And how exciting it will be to see her readjust her campaign, as if she hasn't already readjusted to the point of being out of whack, to let the country see the real her. It amazes me that the DNC [types are] supporting Hillarities claims that the Iowa caucus is "severly flawed", that too many people's jobs prevented them from attending, blah blah blah. Never mind the fact that record numbers turned out, almost doubling the last election's total. It amazes me that all these talking heads cannot even fathom the idea that perhaps Barack is simply a better, more qualified, more in touch candidate. Why can't they celebrate Barack's definitive victory? Why can't they celebrate the fact that a monumental shift in our nation's identity is occurring? Why can't they celebrate that for the first time in a generation young people stood up to be heard? I wish, that for one moment, these baby boomers would turn off the arrogant noise in their searching heads and listen. Look and listen to the changing fabric of this country. In the midst of dark times an incredibly beautiful spirit is awakening. A spirit that we were told about by you, our parents. A spirit that so many fought for. It was a dream for you, an idea that you almost attained before it was violently taken away. That dream has matured, it has come full circle, it walks with your children. In fact, this is no longer a dream but an actual happening. I hope you see your self in this new spirit.
WOW, to be from a family where the kids say things like "Dear Father." I almost couldn't read on from there, it was so difficult to "identify."
And I say all this as a "liker" of Tom Hayden, as well as an Obama supporter against the Hillary machine. (Kucinich is my first choice, Edwards my choice from among the front-runners.)
Let's be smart here, meaning careful. Obama isn't going to be made POTUS by the under-35 vote, not if everyone identified as a "baby boomer" feels alienated by a noisy new "fan base" claiming him as "theirs."
A replay of John Kay's "Monster" comes to mind.
Obama represents hope and positive emotion in these dreadful times. His popularity has risen in feverish proportion, and seems highly contagious. America needs to be "shaken, not stirred". Thanks for a great article.
Just having turned 58, I can identify with ("My Generation") and that newer one belonging to my children also. Not since the late 60's, and early 70's, have I been as angry about what America has become. It makes John Kay's "Monster" raise its head with a new life.
Obama has emotional appeal, it is analogous to catching a rapidly spreading fever. We need an emotional revival and a New America! We need to be "shaken not stirred". We need a sense of hope.
Yesterday the students in his Government class took the "candidate matching" quiz on the ABC news link, and answered according to the majority (35+ students). The favorite candidate turned out to be Guilani! Now, granted, this is Texas, the number one state for military recruiting, home to Exxon, Jim Hagee, Joel Olsteen, Haliburton, and Bush.
But my son favors Kucinich, the only Democrat on the slate whose voting record in Congress backs up his call for peace, unlike Obama and Clinton who have consistently voted to fund the war.
I personally am still undecided, but really wish that "change" had more substance in the embodiment of Obama, he still seems to be more on the side of status quo. You have pointed out that RFK's widow Ethel is pro-Obama. Were you unaware that RFK's SON is PRO Hillary? I don't know if this is a generational thing, or just a reflection of which channel we get the news from.
Obama has not won me over yet. No fan of Dobsons and McClurkins and Robertsons meddling in my life over their dogmatic ways. Never have been, never will be.
Maybe Hayden can explain the difference between Robertson and McClrukin in specific detail? Or Dobson?
Outweighs any concerns about his specific policies? Just replace the name Obama with Huckabee or Bush. That statement is ill considered and foolish.
Interesting how young people judge the babyboomers and the sixties. Was it my fault that the war in Vietnam was started by the French and continued by JFK, LBJ, Nixon and Ford? I couldn't understand why we had fought in Korea. I asked a friend of mine recently who had been a POW there "why?" and his answer was "money!" This is what I inherited from the older generation, plus separate-but-equal doctrines that lead to race riots and freedom marches and demonstrations in the streets and on college campuses. Slavery was an economic institution, not social.
I feel that John Edwards has a platform that would protect the lower and middle classes from further exploitation from the elites who own and control the multinational corporations that control our government and media.
Your son is saying, in effect, "Dad, why can't we all just be nice, like Mr. Obama." My answer would be, "Well son, talk is cheap. There have been many whose oratorical skills have led others but whose capabilities never really changed the world. Others, such as MLK and Gandhi laid down their lives - its was more than rhetoric and charm. But in today's America, people do not understand that the rich people have rigged the political game in their own favor by using wedge issues of prejudice and hate. It's all about the money, son, and don't forget that in the class struggle."
I am happy that Mr. Obama stirs emotions for his followers and gives them the feeling that there is hope. After all, isn't that why people cling to religion? Unfortunately, false hope keeps the system in place. Another generation will believe in the false prophet of money without understanding that our situation can only be improved by seeing it as a global class structure where the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer.
Pulling in the independents is all anyone can do since the labor unions have been crushed by organized capital. The left will have to "compromise" with Obama as the "centrist-" "triangulator."
I agreed with you when you pointed out that the New Years Day sea change in Edwards's position on the war (he says he supports withdrawal of all US troops within 10 months of his election) makes him worth considering. But given that his record of voting for war in Iraq initially and voting for unbridled free trade contradicts his current campaign record, I'm watching him closely to see if he's going to double talk.
Take care.
When you compare someone with greatness he should have accomplihed something not be just another pretty face.