Posted by Stephen on April 15, 2008 at 09:13:34:
In Reply to: We, the People, are Extraordinary. Let's Act It! posted by Editors on April 07, 2008 at 18:56:25:
The last several months - with the rise of an ephemeral Obama and a message of "Change!" without the means to achieve it- have shown that more Americans are beginning to recognize that the 'system' we live under, struggling to maintain a secure life while working at jobs that require all our energy, all our waking thoughts, has failed us.
It used to be manual labor that drained us. Now its the drain of our inner spirit as we drive endless turnpikes to and from work, sit at desk top computers or jet around from one 'hub' to another in unsafe and cramped air-buses, always rushing from those that we love or the sanctuary of home that we try desperately to create to the 'real world' of half-lies and paper-pushing. Our 'extraordinary' nature is being forced further and further from our consciousness as we try to numb ourselves from the things that worry us, the thoughts that keep us from enjoying unpressured time with family and friends. The need to escape that new 'rat-race'of cell-phones and constant motion as best we can, leaves little room for consideration of larger worries: how to prevent our country- and the world- from getting more debased, more competitive, more fractured,more unhealthy and unhappy, more violent. The belief in our ability to change the world and create a better future-beliefs that inspired the Revolution of 1775 & the writing of the Constitution - have been so abused by a culture of despair and isolation that hope seems impossible to imagine. Yet these last few months- though candy-wrapped by the media & political poseurs- have revealed that the hope still exists, we are just looking for a way to make hope a reality. Right now, to many, it might seem Obama offers that hope. But soon enough it will become evident he cannot deliver. And the REAL hope is the recognition that now, at long last, we must begin a new revolution, truly democratic, truly from of and by the People.
We must soon stop fooling ourselves with endless campaigns and organize new parties on new ideas and with new directions. And make the changes ourselves.
After Obama (or Hillary or McCain) fails to deliver once again!), lets hope the frustrations they tried to capitalize on will lead us to serious reconsiderations of what we 'extradinary people' can and must do. Come together, with one purpose: to build a New Society.