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babylonsister

(170,960 posts)
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 05:50 PM Jun 2016

Thanks, Obama

http://johnpavlovitz.com/2016/06/23/thanks-obama/


Thanks, Obama
June 23, 2016 / John Pavlovitz




Dear President Obama,

History usually has a way of revealing the truth.

Like the sun gradually coming up and burning away the morning dew covering everything, the unfolding years chase away the noisy bombast of social media rhetoric and knee-jerk, in-the-moment emotion, leaving us with the unvarnished reality of people and their lives.

This will be true of your service too, and of the mark you have left upon the world. Your body of work will testify loudly on your behalf far beyond these days, and in this way your legacy is secure.

But what may be less apparent looking back from the distance of time, will be something that is less easily quantifiable anyway: Character.

Over the past eight years, I’ve watched you.

I’ve watched the way you’ve absorbed a billion body blows from your critics; brutal words that run far deeper than policy or platform, words composed within poisoned hearts long before you served a single day in office.

I’ve watched you bombarded with a daily molotov cocktail of white privilege and hidden or overt racism disguised as objective opposition.

I’ve watched your wife and children attacked with a ferocity and malevolence that defy any sense of decency and that have no precedence.

I’ve watched your birthplace called into question, your personal faith ridiculed, your very humanity discounted.

I’ve watched you endure the incessant, bitter venom of those for whom the color of your skin was always going to be a problem.

And through all of it, I’ve watched you be the better man.

In the face of a sustained, spitting, violent, raw-throated hatred you’ve never responded in kind.

You never allowed yourself to be defined by the bigotry of your critics and you never disrespected them by becoming them.

This, Mr. President, is perhaps your greatest legacy: the way you retained your dignity in the midst of the most undignified behavior of your adversaries.

The truth is, many of us understand that the Evangelical Right, the NRA, FoxNews, and far too many ordinary folks living here were simply never going to be okay with a man of color leading them and succeeding—and yet you have done both.

Eight years later, those same people still strain to bait you into reciprocating violence and in fulfilling their toxic prophecies of you, while you simply continue to do what you do with nobility, compassion, good humor, and steadfast, unapologetic conviction.

You live the grace so many Christians evoke but rarely model.

As a father, I realize that my children are always watching me, always taking cues from the way I treat people, from how I respond to adversity, from how I care for those in pain, from how I face mistreatment. I know that for them, my words will always be secondary to my conduct; that how I live will always trump what I say.

This is where I find my deepest gratitude for you in these days.

For eight years you have worked for those who have been marginalized, even while so many have sought to marginalize you. I and so many others notice, and it is spurring us on to speak and move and work for the inherent value of all people regardless of the cost or the wounds or the attacks from those who would deny it.

We are chasing equality and justice together, unfettered by the words of our detractors.

We are trying to live passionately yet with integrity.

We are committed to standing upon principles and never upon people.

We are seeing the way you’ve done it and are moved to move similarly together.

So you’ll forgive me if I speak informally right now, and if I use words used often brandished by your critics to undermine the work you’ve done and the life you’ve lived and the character you’ve shown.

Without a trace of irony or sarcasm, let me simply say:

Thanks, Obama.
48 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Thanks, Obama (Original Post) babylonsister Jun 2016 OP
The greatest president of my lifetime PJMcK Jun 2016 #1
+1 flamingdem Jun 2016 #2
The most courageous statesman of our times bjobotts Jun 2016 #47
+1 JoePhilly Jun 2016 #8
+1 liberalnarb Jun 2016 #24
mine too still_one Jun 2016 #26
+1 uponit7771 Jun 2016 #37
+1 Useless in FL Jun 2016 #45
I'm in tears. This is beautiful. lamp_shade Jun 2016 #3
I could not have said it better. Control-Z Jun 2016 #4
Nice column, but......... guillaumeb Jun 2016 #5
I'm really going to miss Obama puffy socks Jun 2016 #6
+ many billion oswaldactedalone Jun 2016 #7
K&R betsuni Jun 2016 #9
I love John Pavlovitz! I started following him on Faceboook after the Orlando shooting. Lisa0825 Jun 2016 #10
I love him now, babylonsister Jun 2016 #12
Now that I know of Pavlovitz, me too. BlancheSplanchnik Jun 2016 #19
Thanks! A picture of the results of ACTUAL family values... 63splitwindow Jun 2016 #11
Their grace and class will be sorely missed. . . . .n/t annabanana Jun 2016 #15
Indeed they are. 3catwoman3 Jun 2016 #17
Kick. lamp_shade Jun 2016 #13
Simply the best! gademocrat7 Jun 2016 #14
What an eloquent letter. 3catwoman3 Jun 2016 #16
Great Letter, Thank You. Grassy Knoll Jun 2016 #18
K&R ismnotwasm Jun 2016 #20
hear hear. allan01 Jun 2016 #21
I will miss President Obama. Buzz505 Jun 2016 #22
Hell, yeah TwilightZone Jun 2016 #23
Thanks, bsis. sheshe2 Jun 2016 #25
K&R n/t lordsummerisle Jun 2016 #27
Fantastic! xfundy Jun 2016 #28
Yes! Tracyjo Jun 2016 #29
I will truly miss him! AgadorSparticus Jun 2016 #30
This is bringing tears to my eyes UMTerp01 Jun 2016 #31
I have often wondered what might have been if he was simply treated like any other President world wide wally Jun 2016 #32
Yup Egnever Jun 2016 #33
K & R Scurrilous Jun 2016 #34
By this point I'm usually sick on the incumbent president Chasstev365 Jun 2016 #35
A fine human being, whose intrinisic humanity has informed his whole presidency. Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #36
Yup Bigredhunk Jun 2016 #38
K&R sarge43 Jun 2016 #39
... AikenYankee Jun 2016 #40
Through the people I've met, lovemydog Jun 2016 #41
I would love to read a history book from 2116!! Silver_Witch Jun 2016 #42
I most appreciate how he has represented us internationally. spooky3 Jun 2016 #43
Great post. davidthegnome Jun 2016 #44
K&R! coco77 Jun 2016 #46
HUGE K&R! red dog 1 Jun 2016 #48

PJMcK

(21,916 posts)
1. The greatest president of my lifetime
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 05:53 PM
Jun 2016

As I've posted before, Ike was my first.

GREAT post, babylonsister.

 

bjobotts

(9,141 posts)
47. The most courageous statesman of our times
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 05:29 PM
Jun 2016

Standing against a back drop of obstructive jealous republicans acting like petulant children insulting our President at every turn at a level of disrespect that rivals how we treat enemies. Using a microscope they just could not come up with even one scandal. It will be a long time before we again have a president of his stature. Agree with his policies or not his character and integrity are flawless. I, like everyone here, say thanks President Obama, you're the best.

Control-Z

(15,681 posts)
4. I could not have said it better.
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 06:08 PM
Jun 2016

Every last word could have been mine if only I were able to express myself as eloquently.

Lovely post.

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
5. Nice column, but.........
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 06:15 PM
Jun 2016

TPP. Three little letters that call into question a lot of what the President has said.

Is his true legacy his personal example, or his actions? And if the latter, how heavily does the TPP issue weigh in the scales?

 

puffy socks

(1,473 posts)
6. I'm really going to miss Obama
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 06:17 PM
Jun 2016

I'm happy HRC is our current nominee and most likely our next president too.
I wish Obama would accept a SCOTUS appointment. Then Hillary could appoint Warren SCOTUS to replace Thomas who will hopefully retire now that he cant just say "yeah, what Scalia said" for every case brought before them.

oswaldactedalone

(3,489 posts)
7. + many billion
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 06:20 PM
Jun 2016

A great man and great president. Unfortunately, the clowns in the opposition party were determined not to work with him and hurt all Americans in the process.

Lisa0825

(14,487 posts)
10. I love John Pavlovitz! I started following him on Faceboook after the Orlando shooting.
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 06:45 PM
Jun 2016

I am an atheist, but he is such a shining example of what Christians are supposed to be, in contrast to the fundie nutjobs who worship hate.

Buzz505

(92 posts)
22. I will miss President Obama.
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 08:06 PM
Jun 2016

I hope that someday people will stop the racist attacks and acknowledge this president as one of the greatest we have ever had.

 

UMTerp01

(1,048 posts)
31. This is bringing tears to my eyes
Thu Jun 23, 2016, 11:32 PM
Jun 2016

After I voted for Barack Obama on November 4, 2008 I got in my car and wept. I mean I sobbed like a baby for 15 minutes before I could even leave. It wasn't for him, but rather all of the older people I thought of who fought and died for my right to vote, and for those who never thought in their lifetime they'd see the first Black President of the United States. I wasn't even certain of the outcome because I still, in my heart, did not think this country was ready. But just the opportunity to participate in something so historic that would have so much meaning was just very emotionally overwhelming.

I will miss this man dearly and Mr. Pavlovitz' words are very appreciated and very meaningful to those of us who feel the exact same way.

K&R

Chasstev365

(5,191 posts)
35. By this point I'm usually sick on the incumbent president
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 12:05 AM
Jun 2016

But I actually wish Barack could run for a third term!

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
36. A fine human being, whose intrinisic humanity has informed his whole presidency.
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 01:22 AM
Jun 2016

We will not see his like again, at least not for a generation or two.

We all owe him a debt of gratitude.

lovemydog

(11,833 posts)
41. Through the people I've met,
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 09:37 AM
Jun 2016

the commitments I've made and the optimism and joy I've tried to share, I can say that President Obama has helped transform my life - and much more importantly, our country - in a positive way!

 

Silver_Witch

(1,820 posts)
42. I would love to read a history book from 2116!!
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 10:32 AM
Jun 2016

Imagine what it will say!

I believe President Obama will viewed most kindly!!

spooky3

(34,300 posts)
43. I most appreciate how he has represented us internationally.
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 10:34 AM
Jun 2016

He is exudes dignity and empathy, which we sorely needed after the embarrassing and terrifying Cheney Bush years.

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