Obama Cart: From Divide to Unity

From Divide to Unity for Obama is raising money for the campaign and raising awareness by pulling an Obama Cart through small towns in battleground states. The journey started in Divide, Montana and the destination is Unity, New Hampshire!

The Cart has already attracted a lot of attention and has been featured by local media. Click here for local coverage in Butte Montana.

‘Pullers’ wanted By Erin Nicholes - 08/01/2008

ANACONDA — Bill Johnson was trolling a Barack Obama campaign Web site when he spotted a trade opportunity.

Obama fan Cheryl Souza, of Boston, was selling bookmarks to raise money for the presumed Democratic nominee’s presidential campaign. And Johnson, of Anaconda, was selling Obama signs from the ends of old cable spools.

“I agreed to trade her,” he said Friday.

But when the costs of shipping the sign to the East proved steep, the two brainstormed for a creative solution.

“I said, ‘You should really just wheel it cross-country,’” Souza said Friday in a phone interview. “He said, ‘OK.’ He just took it and ran with it.” On Friday, a cart Johnson made of three Obama signs will begin a long journey towards Souza from Montana to New Hampshire. Specifically, it will head from Divide to Unity, N.H., a route chosen to illustrate Obama supporters’ hopes for the country’s political future.

“This is such an ‘Obamanation’ thing going on,” Souza laughed. “We just get in over our heads.” The journey starts Friday at 5 p.m. at Divide — also Johnson’s hometown. From there, it will head to Butte, traveling down Iron and Montana to Interstate 90 at about 6:30 p.m. It will then journey on to Bozeman, Billings, North Dakota and ultimately New Hampshire.

“He found a way to connect Divide with New Hampshire, going through swing states,” Souza said.

Obama supporters along the route are sought to pull the cart, even for short legs. It has a hitch, and can travel about 20 miles an hour.

“We’re getting people slowly,” Johnson said, adding Obama campaign staff is helping find pullers. “Montana and North Dakota are the biggest problems because we have 100 miles between towns. Once we get it to Minnesota, then there are towns along the way.” Johnson, a local school board member, said he became an Obama supporter after hearing the candidate speak at the Democratic Convention four years ago.

“When Obama made his speech to the Democratic Convention I thought, ‘Oh boy, there’s a guy who’s saying what I’m saying,’” he said. “We need a rational and intelligent person; someone who’s familiar with the Constitution.” Souza, an ichthyology faculty assistant at Harvard University, is a longtime Obama fan as well. She frequents the candidate’s official campaign site and comes up with projects, such as bookmarks, to raise money for his presidential bid.

The Obama cart, she said, will be prominently displayed in her area.

“It might end up in the garden at my home,” she said. “But if I can find a taker in Unity, N.H., it would be really nice if I could find a permanent resting spot there.” Meanwhile, anyone interested in volunteering to pull the cart along the route can e-mail Bill Johnson at dividemt@aol.com.

“Even short 10-mile pulls” are welcome, he said.

Here is what Obama Cart recipient Cheryl Souza posted about the event:

We need folks from: Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Mostly battleground states.

For You to bring Obama Cart from Divide, Montana to Unity, NH! With Publicity

Bill Johnson is regularly updating his blog with the progress of the cart as it makes its way from his home in Divide, Montana to its new home in Unity, New Hampshire.

We started in Butte and ran the cart down Montana Street past the TV station (KXLF) and had what I thought was a great interview. Discussed why I am supporting Senator Obama and also some school board issues (I serve on the school board in Anaconda). I did not get to see any newscasts, so I am unsure of how the editing went. If anyone wants to go to the station and look, they usually post all of their video on the web site. They may not have used the interview last night, so check back tonight if it isn't there yet.

While my daughter and I were pulling the cart down Montana street, a middle aged man in a pickup yelled at us. He then pulled into a parking lot across the street and continued yelling. After a few seconds of that he gave us the finger and, while he continued his rage, drove away. It is the first time in my life of almost 58 years that I had that kind of hate directed against me. "Kind of stupid," was my first thought. That a simple sign could set off such a rage is pretty sad. What is sadder is the fact that some Americans have to put up with that kind of nonsense every day. I got a chuckle out of it, but later realized that he could have posed a danger to my daughter and myself. TV cameras came out just seconds after he left, so that may have encouraged him to leave. I have to say, though, I am proud to be on the side I am when it comes to such people. Now, let me add, McCain and his campaign do not support such bigotry either.

Then my wife and I took the cart to Bozeman...

Now, I believe this is the finest idea I have ever had. This cart attracts attention from everyone who passes and the media love it. Small town news-people love to have some contact with the national campaigns, just as us folks do. The press response is unbelievable. The cart provides a good positive visual image for the campaign (except of course for the above gentleman) and it is a real hoot to pull and talk to all the curious people.

One Nation, One Voice

Yes I Can

This is a great music video with a sweet rhythm. It mixes Barack Obama's speeches with positive lyrics about Unity and Possibilties. and the photos are really nice too--lots of pics I haven't seen elsewhere, very good mix!!

Why Republicans Want to Vote for Obama

With disappointment in the Bush Administration increasing steadily over the past 8 years, many Republicans have grown skeptical of their party and have expressed an interest in the practical and bipartisan policies espoused by Barack Obama. Several organized groups have formed to support Obama's election to the US Presidency. There are groups on mybarackobama.com as well as myspace and elsewhere.

Republicans for Obama is a group of Republican supporters of Obama, with about 600 members. Their group description is here:

As registered members of the Republican Party, many of us have felt consistently disheartened by our party's reluctance to work with opposition parties to foster workable solutions to issues in America today. We believe wholeheartedly in the founding principles of the GOP - we simply do not believe the GOP does anymore. We am now, and likely always will be, proud conservatives.

Despite these differing political views, We believe that Barack Obama has the capability to unite this country and find capable solutions to the problems America faces in the world today. Barack Obama has restored our faith in the possibilities of American politics, and American politicians.

We respect Barack Obama, and his will to fight without compromise against idleness in American politics. We believe in Barack Obama, and his ability to help the hard-working American citizens in our cities. We have faith in Barack Obama, and his desire to save this country from its governmental failings.

Republicans and Conservatives for Obama states their purpose simply:

We haven't had a non-divisive candidate with integrity who can communicate with all of us since Ronald Reagan. This is our chance to find out if we can vote in the Democratic primary in our states, since the Democratic nominee will become the next president. We all know it.


Conservatives and moderates alike are flocking to Obama because of his effective coalition-building and practical collaborative strategies.

One member of Reformed Republicans for Obama (which has about 300 members) put it this way:

Many moderates are disheartened by the extreme positions taken by the vocal elements of the parties. This is why moderates so often go unheard--and think that they cannot have an impact on the process. But the truth is, there are a lot of us who consider ourselves moderate, and want a political system that seeks consensus through rational thought and discussion.

I am struck by the number of times the word "disheartened" enters the discussions of Republican support for Obama. Many Republicans feel that their party did not serve their interests or the greater interests of the country at large during the Bush Administration. Government has been expanded to unprecedented levels, security and America's position in the world are threatened, taxes and gas prices are climbing, and middle class Americans are reeling from the housing crisis.

Many Republicans for Obama are furious about the way that patriotism and fear were distorted to lead this country into war with Iraq. The egregious spending of American tax dollars combined with the overall futility of the WMD search and the young servicemen and women coming home everyday in bodybags has soured the Republican position on the war and the Administration's "foreign policy" with Iraq.

They are legitimately afraid of what will happen next if their own party retains the White House. Many Republicans and conservatives echo the sentiments of this Republicans for Obama Member:

One of the reasons I am supporting Obama is his promise to change our World strategy. Right now, the Bush Administration is shamelessly unleashing Isreal to incite Iran into making a false step. No doubt, the Bush Administration is positioning itself to make its own move on Iran in the right circumstance.

This is straight from a conservative's mouths to your ears. I have had enough of Bush's bull****. We need to petition our Congressmen and women to either revoke the wartime powers act, or impeach him. What we are doing over there is absolutely wrong, and what he is preparing to do to Iran on the eve of a pivotal US election is more than shameful, its tyrannical.

Republicans, independents, and democrats alike agree that we are not better off now than 8 years ago. We are individually and collectively much worse, and it will take some serious work to climb out of this hole the Bush Administration has dug for us.

A member of another Republicans for OBAMA group said this:

Look, I'm a WASP who has traditionally voted Republican or for Perot so that is where I'm coming from. Rev. Jesse Jackson's comments about wanting to cut off Obama's nuts today make Obama a stronger candidate in my opinion.

Why?

Because Jackson's comments were because he doesn't like Obama [challenging] African-American men to take responsibility. It is obvious that the government needs to recognize and take initiatives to help African-Americans and others who are trapped in poverty. But! and this is an important BUT. All Americans regardless of race, religion or income need to stand up and take responsibility for making this country great again. Too many of us are concerned with what the government will do for us in terms of tax cuts, lowering the price of energy, saving the environment, improving the country's education system, etc. But our government can't fix these problems unless all of us get engaged and do our part.

Obama recognizes this and he is asking all of us to get engaged. He asks parents to get involved and make sure our children get educated, our younger generation to perform service for the greater good, for all of us to be more tolerant of each other and on and on. Oh and yes, he asks African-American dads to step up and be real dads. In my opinion this is the natural extension of Obama's message to all Americans to stand up and make a difference in both our own lives but our neighbors lives as well. Excusing any sector of our population whether it be based on race, religion, age or income level only erodes his message.

Respectfully, Rev Jackson doesn't get this because his whole life has been working toward improving the lives a portion of all Americans while Obama message is improving all Americans' lives. Obama's message crosses over to all Americans which is why he has such tremendous support amongst all Americans not just among African-Americans.

Obama is seen by many in this country as a force who can unite the seemingly disparate elements of society and bring forth a new breed of American politics based on values like honesty, respect, and collaboration.

In Obama's speech in Kansas on "Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream," he began by telling his "only in America" story. It is the story of a Kenyan immigrant and a Kansas farmgirl who fell in love and married despite the fact that miscegenation was still a felony in many states, about how Barack was raised, how he came to be a community organizer on Chicago's South Side:

Our family's story is one that spans miles and generations; races and realities. It's the story of farmers and soldiers; city workers and single moms. It takes place in small towns and good schools; in Kansas and Kenya; on the shores of Hawaii and the streets of Chicago. It's a varied and unlikely journey, but one that's held together by the same simple dream.

And that is why it's American.

That's why I can stand here and talk about how this country is more than a collection of Red States and Blue States - because my story could only happen in the United States.

That's why I believe that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that the dream we share is more powerful than the differences we have - because I am living proof of that ideal....

We are not as divided as our politics suggest. Yes, we disagree. Yes, we have interests and ideologies that don't always align. Yes, we have real differences.

But the biggest divide in America today is not between its people, it is between its people and their leaders in Washington, DC.... That is where the real division lies - in a politics that echoes through the media and seeps into our culture - the kind that seeks to drive us apart and put up walls where none exist.

It's the politics that tells us that those who differ from us on a few things are different from us on all things; that our problems are the fault of those who don't think like us or look like us or come from where we do. The welfare queen is taking our tax money. The immigrant is taking our jobs. The gay person must be immoral, and the believer must be intolerant.

Well we are here to say that
this is not the America we believe in
and this is not the politics we have to accept anymore.

Not this time. Not now.

This content below was taken from Ben Smith's Blog...Courtesy of Andrew Sullivan--but I actually got it from American Politics-so you can chase the links if you wanna:

Boo! Im a Republican. Yes, you have found yourself in the company of a man who wears button down Oxfords, who flies his flag every holiday and prides himself in a neatly mowed lawn.

But something happened in the last few years that has brought me here to this campaign... my party changed.

Where once was a belief in the power of the individual, came a heavy, overbearing government that dared to challenge how people should live their lives.

And then came the war. Where once I viewed the party as one who ended wars and focused on balanced budgets and living the American dream, there was now one that started one and leveraged our dreams with debt.

And then came the loss of privacy. Where once there was the belief in live and let live, there was now a strange curiosity on the part of the government, to peer into the most private parts of our lives. Where once was a party with a rather sunny disposition came one that was dark, glowering and saw the future as a threat ... a place to be fortified ... where dreams had to be put aside to allow in, the harsh realities of our times.

I wanted to dream again. I wanted to crawl out of the cave that that day in September drove us to. I want to fly my flag not for our fallen soldiers but for our ideals again, I want to befriend my neighbors, be they black or white, gay or straight, Catholic, Muslim, Christian, or Jew.

I want to think that tomorrow can be better than today. I want to live free. I want to walk down a street anywhere in the world knowing that I come from a country that is admired and is a force for good.

I heard the words of Barack Obama on one cold day in January, broadcast from the frozen fields of Iowa. And it was like the wind - a chinook wind that seemed to melt away the dark and cold that was offered up by candidates from both parties. And it was like the sun - with warming words that spoke of not taking it to the Republicans with anger or revenge, but getting them to join up in something bigger than a political party ... a political force.

It dared to look at things differently like having the audacity to talk to everyone... even those we do not like be they Republicans or Iranians.

It came with an easy smile and words that made you believe it was all possible. It made me feel proud to be American again.

So here I am. Boo! And there are other Republicans in the room too.

Yes, we are a bit out of our sorts. But like you and the millions of other Democrats and Independents, we too want to believe in something again that is not weighted down by special interests and questionable ethics and certainly not a step back to any past. For we have only achieved the great things when our mind has been on the future.

I look forward to marching with you.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Today there is a unique event by supporters of Barack Obama. One blogger, Jake B. suggested that we take some time today to read Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He posted the full letter to his blog.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to read the letter: it is a bit lengthy, but fully worth the time it takes to read it (ok, ok the blog post is kind of long too but it's packed with lots of interesting stuff for you!).

In Dr. King's words:

Never before have I written so long a letter. I'm afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?

Dr King wrote about the importance of unity and the common fate the binds us all together:

I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

For more on Martin Luther King, check out Wikipedia, the Official MLK Center Website, and the Nobel Peace Prize Website.

The Letter from a Birmingham Jail is addressed to southern Christian religious leaders who had criticized his methods.

Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

Here is some background on how MLK was arrested in Birmingham and ended up in jail, where he composed the letter.


One of the most important messages that Dr. King brought to the American people is the "Urgency of Now"

For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never."

We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."
We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.

Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, "Wait."

But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters;

when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society;

when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people;

when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; ...

when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs.";

when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments;

when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"--then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.

There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair.

Barack Obama has recently spoken about the Urgency of Now, invoking Dr. King's message of action, hope, faith, unity, and the need to act now to reverse the deterioration of our country (our "moral deficit" and our "empathy deficit").

Of course, everyone knows Obama talks a lot about hope, as Dr. King did.

"I couldn't have gotten here without some hope!

My daddy left me when I was 2 years old

I needed some hope to get here!

I was raised by a single mother

I needed some hope to get here!

I got in trouble when I was a teenager;
did some things folks don't like to talk about

I needed some hope to get here!

I wasn't born into money or great wealth or great privilege or status

I was given love, an education and some hope
That's what I got!
that's my birthright!

so I talk about hope
I put "hope" on my campaign signs
doesn't even have my name on them sometimes: just says "HOPE"! ...

Some ... say I'm peddling false hopes, 'get a reality check' they tell me...
the implication is that if you are hopeful
that you somehow must be engaging in wishful thinking,
your head must be in the clouds,
that you must be passive and just sit back and wait for things to happen to you...

and so I have to explain to people: That's not what hope is
Hope is not blind optimism:
Hope is not ignorance of the barriers, and hurdles, and hazards that stand in your way
Hope is just the opposite!...

Nothing in this country worthwhile has ever happened

except someone somewhere decided to hope

That's how this country was founded because a group of patriots decided they were going to take on the British Empire:
no one was putting their money on them.

That's how slaves and abolitionists resisted that evil system
That's how a new President was able to chart a course to ensure that this nation would no longer remain half slave and half free.

That's how the greatest generation defeated fascism
and overcame a great depression

That's how women won the right to vote
That's how workers won the right to organize

That's how young people and old people and middle-aged folks were willing to walk instead of riding the buses and
folks came down on freedom rides
They marched, and they sat in, and they were beaten,
and firehoses were set on them
and dogs were set on them
and some went to jail
and some died for freedom's cause

That is what hope is:
imagining and fighting for and struggling for
and sometimes dying for
what didn't seem possible before

there's nothing naive about that

There's no false hopes in that

I don't believe in false hopes

If John F. Kennedy
had looked up at the moon

and said,

"That's too far!
False Hopes:
We CAN'T go there!"

If Dr. King had stood
on the Lincoln Memorial

and said,

"Y'all Go home!
We CAN'T overcome!"


There's no such thing as false hopes, but what I know deep in my heart is that we cannot bring about change unless we are united."

"Unity is the great need of the hour.
That is what Dr. King said. It is the great need of this hour as well.
Not because it sounds pleasant, not because it makes us feel good
but it is because it is the only way we can overcome
the essential deficit that exists in this country...

Unity is the great need of the hour.
Unity is how we shall overcome!"

Obama spoke at Dr. King's church in Georgia on MLK's birthday this year. His remarks are thoughtful, reverent, and contemporary (it is a long speech--about 30 minutes, but it is worth watching until the end for an amazing story about "Ashley"):

Barack Obama: January 20th, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia: Ebenezer Baptist Church

"In the words of Dr. King:
'We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny'...

If we are honest with ourselves,
we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean...

Let us say that on this day of all days, each of us carries with us the task
of changing our hearts and minds:
the divisions, the stereotypes, the scape-goating,
the ease with which we we blame the plight of ourselves on others;
All of that distracts us from the common challenges that we face:
war and poverty, inequality and injustice!

We can no longer afford to build ourselves up by tearing each other down!
We can no longer afford to traffick in lies or fear or hate:
it is the poison that we must purge from our politics,
the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late.

Because if Dr. King could love his jailer,
if he could call upon the faithful
who once sat where you do to forgive those
who had set dogs and firehoses upon them,

then surely we could look past what divides us in our time
and bind up our wounds and
erase the sympathy deficit that exists in our hearts.
But if changing our hearts and minds is the first critical step:
we cannot stop there!"

During one of the million Democratic primary debates, the candidates were asked whom they thought Dr. King would support for President if he were alive during this election season. Each candidate had a perfect little answer about why MLK would have supported them, but Barack Obama's answer surprised me (in a way that I am now accustomed to--Barack has a way of stepping outside the box and giving a thoughtful honest answer, rather than spitting out a perfectly rehearsed soundbite).

Obama said King would not endorse any of them:
"He would call on the American people to hold us accountable." King, said Obama, believed as he does that "change does not happen from the top down ... it happens from the bottom up."

Dr. King: "1963 is not an end, but a beginning!"

Dr. King outlined the strategy behind the nonviolent protests and acts of civil disobedience that he had been organizing in his letter from a Birmingham Jail:

You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" ...

Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.

My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth....

The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation.

Dr. King also addressed the ethical confound of breaking the law:

You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern. Since we so diligently urge people to obey the Supreme Court's decision of 1954 outlawing segregation in the public schools, at first glance it may seem rather paradoxical for us consciously to break laws.

One may well ask: "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?"

The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all."

And specifically discussed civil disobedience as obedience to a higher law:

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience.... In our own nation, the Boston Tea Party represented a massive act of civil disobedience.

We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers.

Here is video footage of MLK talking about the strategy of the Civil Rights Movement in America:

"But there is something I must say to my people,
who stand on the warm threshold
which leads into the palace of justice:

In the process of gaining our rightful place,
we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom
by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred!

We must forever conduct our struggle
on the high plane of dignity and discipline.
We must not allow our creative protests
to degenerate into physical violence

Again and again

We must rise to the majestic heights
of meeting physical force with soul force!"

OK I love this song: and the references to MLK and Jesus are thinly veiled (if they are veiled at all). This video has paired up some powerful historic photographs with U2's song "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and Dr. King's speeches; since I saw the video the song doesn't sound right without Dr. King's words mixed in there. Enjoy:

"Early morning, April 4th:
a shot rings out in the Memphis sky
'Free at last'; they took your life
They could not take your pride.
In the name of love
One more in the name of love"

On April 3, 1968, the day before Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, he spoke these words:

Like anybody I would like to live a long life:
longevity has its place;
but I'm not concerned about that now.
I just want to do God's will
and He has allowed me to go up to the mountain

and I have looked over and I've seen the promised land
I may not get there with you,
but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land
so I'm happy tonight.
I'm not worried about anything!
I'm not fearing any man!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!

Five years earlier, in 1963, Martin Luther King closed his letter from a Birmingham jail with this. I invite you to hope with me:

Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.

Platform of and by the People

Listening to America:
The Democratic Party's New Platform for a New Century

Barack Obama sent out an email to supporters today:

Every four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a number of issues.

Traditionally, the drafting of the platform is not open to ordinary people.

This year, that's going to change.

For two weeks in July, people all across America will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities to discuss the issues and share their input. The outcome of these meetings will be reviewed by the Drafting Committee as it creates the final Platform.

No political experience is required. Your thoughts and experiences are all that matter, and they will shape a platform that -- like this campaign -- is owned by the people.

Sign up to host or attend a local Platform Meeting

This year, ordinary people like you will gather in their homes, community centers, places of worship, and even coffee shops to discuss the issues that matter to them and help decide what should be at the heart of the Democratic platform for change.

The input we get from these meetings will help shape the platform at the Democratic Convention in August.

Platform Meetings are a great way to connect with fellow supporters and help write the next chapter in the history of the Democratic Party.

We'll make sure you have all the resources and support you need to succeed. All you need to provide are your ideas for America and your hunger for change.

I hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to make your voice heard in the political process.

Thank you for all that you do,

Barack

Obama Nation: Obama's "Centrist Swing"

"If you've been sprouting Chicken Little feathers in recent days, gnashing teeth over the nominee's reported "move to the center" (or "to the right")..." Please read on and hopefully we can help you see that they sky is not falling and Obama isn't a flip-flopper.

First, I'd like to mention the fact that Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, and he needs to win not only in the liberal states of MA and CA: he needs to win in the deep South and the Midwest!

So it is not a huge shocker that he is focusing on issues that matter to them, such as patriotism, service, crime, guns, and faith-based organizations.

Here is an article from The Independent, which outlines some of the core principles of Obama's Values Tour of the Midwest and highlights what Barack is up against in terms of the smear/rumor mill:

Along with Internet claims that he is a secret Muslim, some evangelical Christians have put it about that Mr Obama may be the anti-Christ. Glenda Kinzer, a 41-year-old office manager from rural Ohio believes the end of the world is about to occur and with it the second coming of Christ.

"A lot of people are talking about how Obama fits the description" of the anti-Christ, she said referring to Biblical prophesies about a figure who will oppose Christ.

Here is an article on Obama courting Middle America by countering the "Anti-Christ" image that has been thrust upon him.

The point is, people, we are not used to a candidate who campaigns in all 50 states. Usually Democrats try to win by leaning as far to the left as they can and dismissing the opinions and votes of anyone who might disagree (or even question the party line). Maybe that is why we've only won a handful of elections in the last 40 years?

"Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships"

Some liberals seem to have the idea that faith or faith-based organizations are inherently "bad" or "dangerous" and they point to the ever-important separation between church and state. Here is what I think: many people do amazing work for humanity within the auspices of faith-based groups; faith provides meaning and a call to service for many Americans; and faith does not have to be "code" for Christian.

A true "separation" between church and state is not what we have in America today: there is preferential treatment for Christian (especially Evangelical) groups, outright discrimination against Muslims, and a general marginalization of Jews, nonbelievers, and others. The fact that the word "God" appears in the "Pledge of Allegiance" and people swear on the Bible in court proceedings and when taking public office shows the relationship between church and state that permeates the American political machine. America does not have a true separation between church and state; Barack Obama wants to make these implicit relationships explicit and ensure that resources fairly distributed among the diverse people of this great nation.

Barack Obama: The fact is the challenges we face today, from saving our planet to ending poverty, are simply too big for government to solve alone. We need an “all hands on deck” approach. I’m not saying that faith-based groups are an alternative to government or secular nonprofits, and I’m not saying that they’re somehow better at lifting people up. What I am saying is that we all have to work together—Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim, believer and nonbeliever alike—to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Barack Obama's plan to fund faith-based organizations is different from George W. Bush's thinly veiled mechanism to funnel money to the religious right, because Obama will not use the type of faith as a barometer of funding eligibility. According to the McClatchy News Service, Obama would prohibit religious bias in hiring to guard church-state separation:

Obama's plan for a "Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships" departed from the Bush administration's stance on one fundamental issue: whether religious organizations that get federal funds for social services can take faith into account in their hiring. Bush has said yes. Obama said no.

Barack Obama: Well, I still believe that it’s a good idea to have a partnership between the White House and grassroots groups, both faith-based and secular, but it has to be a real partnership, not a photo op.

And that’s what it will be when I’m president. I’ll establish a new council for faith-based and neighborhood partnerships. The new name will reflect a new commitment. This council will not just be another name on the White House organizational chart; it will be a critical part of my administration.

Obama estimated the program would cost about $500 million per year. He said he would keep Bush's 11 faith-based offices and expand participation by smaller religious groups, as well as secular and neighborhood groups. Click here for more information.

Democracy Now! (listen, read, or watch):
Barack Obama has pledged to expand a controversial White House program that funnels federal money to religious charities. Many Democrats are reportedly saying it's the most aggressive outreach to religious voters ever by the party's presidential nominee. We speak with the Reverend Jim Wallis, founder and president of Sojourners, the largest network of progressive Christians in the United States.

"Although other Democratic presidential candidates, such as Bill Clinton and Al Gore, also have embraced federal funding for faith-based initiatives," Obama has been risking protests in his own party with his aggressive reach for voters who usually vote Republicans.

Obama's choice of religious center Colorado Springs for his visit Wednesday showed the degree to which he is courting Republican religious voters and trying to make McCain compete for their affections. A religious political action committee supporting Obama has a new pro-Obama radio aid to highlight his faith — and is airing it on Christian radio in Colorado Springs, among other places.

FISA

There has been a lot of controversy over the FISA bill, which has been "snuck" into a number of other pieces of legislation and so far had not passed the house/senate *until this week). The short story is that basically after 9/11 the federal gov't asked the phone companies to illegally give them information about American civilians and the phone companies complied (what else were they gonna do?).

The FISA bill effectively prohibits any civil penalties being retroactively invoked against the phone companies (so you can't sue the phone company for spying on you). It doesn't exclude the possibility of criminal charges though (which to me is more important anyway--our society is too litigious for our own good: winning money doesn't make everything better).

Obama had made a big statement about how he was going to fight the FISA bill, and many media outlets are reporting that he said he would filibuster it. I did some research and found that his campaign reported that he would support a filibuster, not that he would actually perform it:

“Senator Obama has serious concerns about many provisions in this bill, especially the provision on giving retroactive immunity to the telephone companies. He is hopeful that this bill can be improved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. But if the bill comes to the Senate floor in its current form, he would support a filibuster of it.”

You can read more about FISA and Obama here.

So the bill came to the Senate floor last week, and Obama did not participate in the vote.

He didn't vote for the FISA bill. He didn't vote against the FISA bill. He simply didn't vote at all. You can see his voting record (and other Senators votes) here.

Of course, I wish that Barack had been in a position to fight harder against this bill giving immunity to the telephone companies that illegally provided information about Americans to the government. Here is some criticism from the far left. And apparently the most popular group on mybarackobama.com is calling for him to take stronger action against FISA.

But let's pause here for a reality check: FISA passed 80 to 15.

The Democrats overwhelmingly supported the FISA bill (only 14 voted against it).

Barack was one of four Democrats who abstained from voting: The other three Dems who didn't vote were Hillary Clinton, Edward Kennedy, and Robert Byrd!

Every Republican voted for the FISA bill!

--except John McCain't didn't vote

(I don't hear anyone complaining about that).

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that Barack would not have been able to stop anything with his vote. People who are angry that Obama didn't vote should first knock on the doors of their own Senators, like Feinstein (who actually voted FOR it!). Or maybe we could email the 31 Democratic Senators who supported the bill: "What the f**k? The whole party is voting for FISA?"

Seriously, why is it all up to Barack? We've all got to do our part: Obama's part right now is to win the election. The rest of the party has to tow the line: why are we pointing fingers at him when practically the whole party displayed cowardice through their votes on FISA?

and about that FILIBUSTER: Senators Feingold and Dodd were the ones who promised to filibuster, and as far as I could tell, no one is blowing up their email or calling for them to account for their lack of filibustering. They did vote against the FISA bill (along with Kerry, Boxer, Biden, etc). Amy Goodman spoke with Feingold before the vote:

Amy Goodman: Senator Feingold, will you filibuster this bill?

Sen. Russ Feingold: We are going to resist this bill. We are going to make sure that the procedural votes are gone through....We will also - Senator Dodd and I and others will be taking some time to talk about this on the floor....

Amy Goodman: Would you filibuster, though?

Sen. Russ Feingold: That's what I just described.

As far as I could tell, there wasn't a filibuster. If there was one, I couldn't find any evidence or media coverage. So this makes me even more confused about why people are mad at Obama: he said he would support a filibuster if there was one and no one even tried. As for a filibuster by Obama (even though he never said he would do this), it would have been a ridiculous waste of time that would have been "spun" by the GOP machine as Obama holding hostage a captive audience of Senators for his own political purposes.

Barack Obama responded to the criticism from within his party about abstaining from voting on FISA on his website, and three of his top advisors were available online to respond to people's comments and questions. Read Barack's remarks and the full commentary here.

Barack Obama: Now, I understand why some of you feel differently about the current bill, and I'm happy to take my lumps on this side and elsewhere. For the truth is that your organizing, your activism and your passion is an important reason why this bill is better than previous versions. No tool has been more important in focusing peoples' attention on the abuses of executive power in this Administration than the active and sustained engagement of American citizens. That holds true -- not just on wiretapping, but on a range of issues where Washington has let the American people down.

I know that Barack said he would fight FISA, but there are some battles you know you're going to lose. In that case, you have to sit out in order to focus on larger goals.

When Obama wins the White House, he can repeal many of these unconstitutional laws that have been passed by the Bush Administration to the detriment of the American people. I'm sure Obama has a running list of unconstitutional legislation to strike from the books on his first day in office.

Barack Obama: The ability to monitor and track individuals who want to attack the United States is a vital counter-terrorism tool, and I'm persuaded that it is necessary to keep the American people safe -- particularly since certain electronic surveillance orders will begin to expire later this summer. Given the choice between voting for an improved yet imperfect bill, and losing important surveillance tools, I've chosen to support the current compromise. I do so with the firm intention -- once I’m sworn in as President -- to have my Attorney General conduct a comprehensive review of all our surveillance programs, and to make further recommendations on any steps needed to preserve civil liberties and to prevent executive branch abuse in the future.

Even Russ Feingold commented that "When President Obama is president, he will, I'm sure, work to fix some of this...".

Barack Obama listens to Americans, he cares about America, and he wants to build a movement and a government that can sustain the diverse people of this nation:

I learned long ago, when working as an organizer on the South Side of Chicago, that when citizens join their voices together, they can hold their leaders accountable.

I'm not exempt from that. I'm certainly not perfect, and expect to be held accountable too.

I cannot promise to agree with you on every issue. But I do promise to listen to your concerns, take them seriously, and seek to earn your ongoing support to change the country.

That is why we have built the largest grassroots campaign in the history of presidential politics, and that is the kind of White House that I intend to run as President of the United States -- a White House that takes the Constitution seriously, conducts the peoples' business out in the open, welcomes and listens to dissenting views, and asks you to play your part in shaping our country’s destiny.

Barack Obama has called us to employ an "all hands on deck" approach to rebuilding this country's economy and shared destiny.

Land of Lincoln

Barack Obama has been compared to Abraham Lincoln by many historians, pundits, personalities, and ordinary citizens. One website encourages the reader who compares Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln to "tread lightly... but tread" nonetheless. I invite you to tread with me upon these fertile grounds (especially since every Republican baselessly compares himself to Reagan and every Democrat--plus Dan Quayle (haha)--wants to be the next JFK). In most cases, the appropriate response to these silly comparisons of mediocre politicians to great historical figures is some variation of: "Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy."

But this comparison of Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln is different than these baseless ones, and here's why:

Lincoln and Obama herald from the great state of Illinois; both were lawyers, criticized for their lack of "experience" to be President (Abe: 8 yrs in IL House of Reps + 2yrs in US House of Reps; Barack: 8 yrs in IL Senate + 2 yrs in US Senate). Each was seeking his party's nomination, running against a Senator from New York (Obama vs. Clinton; Lincoln vs. Seward). Neither had a strong early relationship with his father, and both were self-made men, viewed with skepticism by the Washington elite. According to historian, critic, and columnist Gary Wills (read the full article):

Neither man fit the conventions of a statesman in his era. Lincoln, thin, gangling, and unkempt, was considered a backwoods rube, born in the frontier conditions of Kentucky, estranged from his father, limited to a catch-as-catch-can education. He was better known as a prairie raconteur than as a legal theorist or prose stylist. Obama, of mixed race and foreign upbringing, had barely known his father, and looked suspiciously "different."

Both Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln each gave important speeches that focused on the similarities of the American people, which vastly outweigh any differences that might on the surface appear to be deeply divisive. "We are not as divided as our politics suggest" says Barack in reference to "red" and "blue" states: "There are no red states and blue states; There is the UNITED States!" (Obama: Democratic Convention 2004; Natl Constitution Center 2008). During Lincoln's time, the divisions were not red and blue, but north and south. In his speeches, Lincoln focused on people's common interests and ideals , rather than their differences (Cooper Union 1860).

Barack Obama's gave a speech titled, "A More Perfect Union" at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in March of 2008.

We cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together, unless we perfect our union.

We may have different stories, but we have common hopes.

Gary Wills concluded:

But what is of lasting interest is their similar strategy for meeting the charge of extremism. Both argued against the politics of fear. Neither denied the darker aspects of our history, yet they held out hope for what Lincoln called here the better "lights of current experience"—what he would later call the "better angels of our nature." Each looked for larger patterns under the surface bitternesses of their day. Each forged a moral position that rose above the occasions for their speaking.

In Lincoln's most famous speech, he invoked a biblical passage:

"A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be divided.

Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President at the Old State Capitol building where Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous "House Divided" speech in 1858

It was here, in Springfield, where North, South, East and West come together that I was reminded of the essential decency of the American people -- where I came to believe that through this decency, we can build a more hopeful America.

And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States....

Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more -- and it is time for our generation to answer that call.

For that is our unyielding faith -- that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.

That's what Abraham Lincoln understood. He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks. But through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people. It is because of the millions who rallied to his cause that we are no longer divided, North and South, slave and free. It is because men and women of every race, from every walk of life, continued to march for freedom long after Lincoln was laid to rest, that today we have the chance to face the challenges of this millennium together, as one people -- as Americans.

Obama concluded his speech:

By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail.

But the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible.

He tells us that there is power in words.

He tells us that there is power in conviction.

That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.

He tells us that there is power in hope.

As Lincoln organized the forces arrayed against slavery, he was heard to say: "Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought to battle through."

The most important character element and ideology that Obama and Lincoln share is an understanding that we are one nation, one people, and that what seperates us is not nearly as profound as our common hopes, dreams, and values. Lincoln and Obama display the committment to bringing their "enemies" to the table. Lincoln famously filled his cabinet with his most vocal critics, and obviously he took an unpopular stand against the secession of the South.

Barack Obama actively seeks the opinions, council, and collaboration of those whom at first glance would appear to be "enemies" or "critics." He has demonstrated time and time again how important it is to create bipartisan coalitions, and he has effectively created opportunities for collaboration among disperate elements by highlighting the benefits for each participating member to help everyone "buy in" to the process.

Obviously, America was more explicitly divided during Lincoln's times (states are not threatening to secede in 2008). However, these modern times bring new kinds of divisions that are more nuanced and less clear. The intricacies of the global economy, the unspoken but powerful class system in America, the pervasive and underlying nature of racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia and classism, and the problems with the economy and social services compound one another and create a hornet's nest of issues that CANNOT be solved by one man or one party alone.

Barack Obama knows, just like Lincoln did: the problems of this complex world require the collaboration of many diverse minds, hearts, and hands.

No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk

I am reminded of a story from my childhood when I see some Hillary Clinton supporters throwing a temper tantrum and threatening to vote for John McCain't.

When I was a little kid, I got mad at my parents one time about something (I don't remember now what it was). I was drinking a glass of milk, and I began fuming. I wanted to throw my milk on them, but I knew I would get in big trouble if I did that, so I loudly threatened that if they did not give in to my demands, I would dump the milk... on my own head.

My parents did not react to my threats (my hunch looking back is that they were too busy stifling their laughter), and before you could say "bad idea," I had emptied the entire glass of milk over my head. Embarrassed and soaked with milk, I continued to threaten my parents, who had become unable to contain their laughter. I announced that I was never going to take a bath again, and they would have to live with a rotten-milk-smelling child. I can still see the laugh-induced tears rolling down my mother's face as she clutched her sides and mentioned that I might not be so popular in school if I enacted my plan.

In hindsight (and very quickly after the fact), I realized that my parents didn't suffer because I poured milk on myself: I suffered. I meant to teach them a lesson, but I learned one instead.

Hillary supporters have every right to be angry, to feel upset, disappointed, and even hurt. But don't pour rotten milk over your heads by voting for John McCain't or by tearing down Barack Obama. Apparently, some Hillary supporters (under the coalition "Just Say No Deal") have become determined to sabotage Barack Obama's campaign for presidency, but I don't understand what they get out of that besides a certain petty revenge-based momentary pleasure at their own expense. This reminds me of a prayer I've seen on bumper stickers: "Lord, please protect me from your followers!"

Hillary Clinton is campaigning with and for Barack: she isn't crying over spilled milk. There is no way for us to build a strong America, to fortify women's rights, and to ensure a peaceful and productive society with all this anger, hate, and frustration determining our behavior towards one another. Let's not shoot ourselves in the foot, thinking we are making a statement.

To these misguided people, I suggest: Listen to your leader! Hillary Clinton wants you to vote for Barack Obama:

"To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting or voting for Sen. (John) McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider," said Clinton, beseeching her supporters to join with Obama's "to create an unstoppable force for change we can all believe in..."

"Unity is not only a beautiful place as we can see, it's a wonderful feeling isn't it? And I know when we start here in this field in Unity, we'll end on the steps of the Capitol when Barack Obama takes the oath of office as our next president!"

Hillary Clinton spoke yesterday in Unity, New Hampshire at a rally for Obama, in which she urged her supporters to vote for him. She also expunged all negative Obama content from her campaign's website.


Barack Obama: Unite for Change (June 27, 2008: Unity, NH)


To read more about this "eponymous" event sponsored by the Democratic in Unity, New Hampshire, click here.

Here's just a little funny video: Pictures of Obama and Clinton "Together Forever"
what about that "Dream Ticket" anyway?