Obama Claims Nomination; First Black Candidate to Lead A Major Party Ticket, NYT
Today's biggest news is that Obama clinched the nomination. I'm so excited! A lot of my friends think the elections are bullshit, but I guess I still have a little hope that change can really happen. Back in 2004 when I saw and heard Obama speak for the first time at the Democratic National Convention, I said, like many others, "HE is going to be President someday."
The Audacity of Hope Speech, July 27, 2004
Barack Obama can truly bring change. Just think about the drastic changes Bush, Jr. brought to our country. Is it completely impossible to imagine good coming from our government? It's about time that the government works for the people. I feel that Barack Obama, as part of a racially marginalized group, can empathize with Americans who are living paycheck to paycheck, trying to care for their families. In many ways I see myself as privileged. Even as a woman of color, I recognize that I am lucky to have a college education. In only 12 days I will be a graduate, diploma in hand, I will be part of the lucky few. I grew up with two parents until I was 12, and then it was just my mom and me. Although neither of my parents went to college- they each dabbled in community college a bit- they always instilled in me the importance of education. We used the state school system and financial aid grants where we could, lucky that we were poor enough to receive the aid. When I moved to Seattle my mom's administrative job at Vanderbilt University subsidized my education at a private Jesuit school, Seattle University. It is possible for people to rise up from where they started, to achieve great things despite the odds, but it doesn't take away from that beginning struggle. Obama's achievement doesn't make him less able to empathize.
So today I feel hopeful, hopeful that we will soon change priorities, that we will be less individualistic and materialistic, care more for our fellow human beings, treat each other with dignity. Of course we have a long way to go, but this can be a good start.
