Friday, January 23, 2009

And by the way...

I have a thought about the presidential hoopla. Doesn't it seem a little disingenuous for all of the white, twenty-something, middle class kiddos to be so MOVED? I get that it's tremendous, I get that we are living history, and I am here to say that I am JUST AS PUMPED. 

But really? We're just now proud to be Americans? He didn't freakin' invent the Constitution, people. Or the idea that man deserves, um, freedom. And hey, has anybody ever heard of the United States Postal Service? If you can't be proud of that, then I don't even know what to say. The ability to mail a letter, with an opinion, or a check, or a report card, or profession of love, for less than a dollar? That sounds democratic. That sounds American. You know it.

I am just as swept up in the grandeur of this season, and I cried on election night with everybody else. But I'm a little sick of people making it about their own patriotism, when in reality, we are not the ones who sacrificed to make this possible. We voted, we held a little piece of the puzzle and gave bits and pieces to make it happen. But I don't think hope means much without humility. Where's the humble pie, already?

5 comments:

Paula said...

I feel like Obama has re-inspired us, when many people felt disenfranchised, or had fallen out of patriotism.

But! I totally agree that there's this odd sense from the Millennials that this is "their" president. Which makes no sense. Obama is 47, which isn't old, but isn't 20 something. Perhaps its because its the first time many of them voted? Perhaps its because they never felt any kind of connection with Bush and were too young to have been excited by Clinton?

Whatever it is, Obama did inspire so many people to actually vote, and for that he should get some credit. But the sense of ownership does confuse me.

b.overstreet said...

i like this. thanks for posting. there has been too much credit given to us 20 somethings.

loverstreet said...

oops, there is the joy of of sharing a computer. sorry, that comment was from me, not my husband brandon. :)

SiouxGeonz said...

I am hoping that it will generate a little momentum. The same stuff could be said for many of the movements of the sixties. Pretty much the late comers were *not* the ones making the big sacrifices... but they did make the big momentum.

kelsrenee said...

I going to have to definitely agree with you on this one. It has been wonderful and finally exciting, but you are right it did not require anything of me. I was watching the inauguration and they would show the emotion on the faces of the people of color and I wanted to identify with that. However, I knew that I just kind of had to step back and let that be a victory for them in a way that it isn't for me. I have not had to endure the pain of feeling like my face was not represented in the leadership of our country.