When the Word is Given

[H2O Man]

In the beginning,
I misunderstood.
but now I've got it:
The Word is good.
-- John Lennon; The Word

If a tree falls in the solitude of the woods, and noone hears it, does it make any noise? If a president delivers the Word in the disorganized dust of the American wilderness, will anyone hear?

That was, in my opinion, the best speech that Barack Obama has made as the President of the United States. It ranks with his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, and his 2008 speech on race, when he was seeking the democratic nomination.

It is as distinct from the post-verdict hand- and hate-wringing on cable news, as sugar from shit.

Yet if it is used only as a topic to argue with those who think differently, it will be reduced to the level of meaninglessness as hundreds of other presidential speeches -- merely fine words that come to nothing.

But if we use it to question ourselves in an on-going internal dialogue, and then act upon the answers we reach -- even if they are uncomfortable -- then it could rank high among the most influential of US President's speeches.

Peace,
H2O Man

[H2O Man]

1. Well, while this

may not be my most popular OP in general, I still like it.

[Me.]

2. KR

I think he couldn't help but give it.

[coeur_de_lion]

3. I just watched the speech and read the transcript.

It was a bold move on his part and there are bound to be people who say that now he is playing the race card. But his remarks were thoughtful, powerful, and -- he's right. He just put into words how we've all been feeling and were maybe too angry to say.

He's taken the anger out of it, but has spoken from the heart in a way that only a black man can speak -- from experience. He's been cool as the race issues around his presidency escalated from time to time; like the "birther" movement. Now he's speaking out and what he said is the bravest thing I have ever heard an American president say.

...if we use it to question ourselves in an on-going internal dialogue, and then act upon the answers we reach -- even if they are uncomfortable -- then it could rank high among the most influential of US President's speeches.

That's the challenge the president just gave us. Are we up to that challenge in this country?

Hell are we up to this challenge on DU?

If we're not, I don't know why we would continue to call ourselves members of the Democratic Underground.

I would like to see a genuine, heartfelt discussion on this topic and I hope that can be found on DU. If it can't I don't belong here anymore.

[spanone]

4. k&r...

[coeur_de_lion]

5. When I lived in NJ

I was part of a volunteer movement called "Youth At Risk." I started out as administrative support and ended up as a coach because I couldn't help engaging with the kids. Our participants were primarily black and Hispanic, I think there was one white kid.

I volunteered because I thought of myself as having been a youth at risk at one time and I felt I could understand where young kids were coming from.

When I moved to Florida I wanted to find a similar program to volunteer for. Lord knows we need one in Florida, particularly in St. Petersburg. I found absolutely nothing.

Here I am, dying to help, wanting to change the way people see themselves, and there is nothing -- unless I start it myself.

I do think we need to start looking hard at the way we treat young black men. I think we need to learn as a community how to support them. That was the part of the President's speech that I valued the most.

[ms liberty]

6. K&R...n/t