Dear President Obama,
On behalf of the citizens of the United States of America, I am sorry. I am sorry that those who did not vote for you decided to ruin the opportunity for some of America’s school children to hear your speech. I am sorry that national media outlets chose to give voice to and empower the minority of Americans who are members of the ultra-right. Never mind that these are the same people who attend town hall meetings on health care and decry health care reform as socialism, compare you to Adolf Hitler and believe that your policies will cause the euthanasia of some of our nations’ most precious citizens, the elderly.
I am sorry.
I am sorry that like many who voted for you I have not watched your State of the Union addresses and interviews in their entirety. Like most, I always have things to do and am too tired to listen to you while I chat with my friends on Facebook or Twitter my latest thoughts, comings and goings. I am sorry I haven’t attended a town hall meeting in support of health care reform (which I do believe in) most times it is too far from my house ( I think) and is in the evening when I am taking a dance class or working out. (I should always look my best, right?) Most of all, I am sorry that I haven’t been as vociferous as members of the far right supporting your efforts to transform our nation and take us into the 21st century where the environment is important, the consumer is protected from predatory creditors, scientists have the freedom to do valuable research and where everyone can afford health care. So, I am sorry Mr. President.
I hope you will accept my apology.
Sincerely,
Najaa I. Young
PS. I think I’ll watch your speech to America’s school children now. Perhaps, I can learn something.
Showing posts with label speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speech. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The song says, “Michelle, my belle…”
If you didn’t watch Michelle Obama speak last night at the Democratic National Convention you missed something awesome. I sat there near tears as I watched an intelligent woman and devoted wife speak about her husband “with a funny name” and I was in awe. I realized I could be watching the first African American woman to be First Lady of the United States of America, which thanks to Sen. Hillary Clinton is arguably a cabinet job.
Michelle spoke about her and Barack’s working class roots and their commitment to social change and reform. She also stressed her love of family and of this country (the latter of which having been often criticized and debated due to her remarks earlier in the campaign). She spoke passionately and sincerely and the poise she displayed put a lot of viewers, like me, in mind of the quintessential first lady, Jackie Kennedy.
I watched the convention coverage on C-SPAN, a channel that admittedly does not get enough (any) play in my house, and after Michelle's speech they took calls from Obama and McCain supporters as well as the undecided. While most of the callers were as impressed with Michelle Obama’s speech as I was, I was struck by the comments of some of the callers.
Now I certainly didn’t expect McCain supporters to jump ship, so to speak, to the Obama campaign because of Michelle’s speech because that would've been ludicrous but, I did expect them to at least compliment her as a great orator. Instead, what we got were people who despite of her working class roots attacked her Ivy League education as elitist. I believe the word that was used by one caller was “suspicious” which is funny considering the current president graduated from Yale… another I vy League school. I wonder was the caller suspicious of him, too? Maybe Mrs. Obama should acquire a southern accent to make her more working class… or perhaps a ghetto one?
They also said repeatedly that Obama has no plan for “all of the change” he talks about, a point that some staunch Hillary supporters who called in also echoed. Wow, Obama has outlined his platform numerous times and in numerous formats … I see these people don’t have access to newspapers, magazines or computers… or is all that readin’ and cipherin' “suspicious” too?
Now look, I’ll be real, McCain supporters have every right to pick apart the Obama campaign and find fault everywhere they look hell, I do it to McCain. But it’s the die hard Hillary supporters that are driving me crazy. Side by side Hillary and Barack’s political views and platforms are very similar, the devil being in the minor details. However, these rabid Hillary supporters act as if an ungrateful Obama stole this election from Hillary. The people have spoken and Hillary didn’t have the delegates she needed to ensure her nomination, PERIOD! Holding on to Hillary’s candidacy for dear life will not change this fact.
I beg all of you Hillary supporters not to let her be our 2008 Nader, costing us Democrats the election! Please! If Hillary had gotten the nomination I would have mourned Obama’s loss but I certainly wouldn’t consider voting for McCain or not voting at all because too much is at stake and I certainly wouldn’t continue to grouse publicly giving the Republicans all the ammunition they need to defeat us in November. Hello, have you seen that ridiculous “Deborah” ad with a Hillary supporter jumping ship for McCain? If she were one of my girl friends I’d slap her and say, “Snap out of it!
Lastly, for the Hillary supporters who are actually upset that she wasn’t named as the vice presidential candidate, how do you know she wasn’t offered the position and declined? I think she can effect more change as a senator. What would she gain politically from being Vice President? She is already a powerful and vocal senator and as V.P. she would definitely have to lose her voice in favor of completely supporting the President and his policies, something I think she may have a problem with. I would. Furthermore, being V.P doesn’t mean you’re a shoe in for President, ask Al Gore. Nah, Hillary can still be President and if, when , she runs again she’ll get my vote but only if you Hillaryites back off.
Michelle spoke about her and Barack’s working class roots and their commitment to social change and reform. She also stressed her love of family and of this country (the latter of which having been often criticized and debated due to her remarks earlier in the campaign). She spoke passionately and sincerely and the poise she displayed put a lot of viewers, like me, in mind of the quintessential first lady, Jackie Kennedy.
I watched the convention coverage on C-SPAN, a channel that admittedly does not get enough (any) play in my house, and after Michelle's speech they took calls from Obama and McCain supporters as well as the undecided. While most of the callers were as impressed with Michelle Obama’s speech as I was, I was struck by the comments of some of the callers.
Now I certainly didn’t expect McCain supporters to jump ship, so to speak, to the Obama campaign because of Michelle’s speech because that would've been ludicrous but, I did expect them to at least compliment her as a great orator. Instead, what we got were people who despite of her working class roots attacked her Ivy League education as elitist. I believe the word that was used by one caller was “suspicious” which is funny considering the current president graduated from Yale… another I vy League school. I wonder was the caller suspicious of him, too? Maybe Mrs. Obama should acquire a southern accent to make her more working class… or perhaps a ghetto one?
They also said repeatedly that Obama has no plan for “all of the change” he talks about, a point that some staunch Hillary supporters who called in also echoed. Wow, Obama has outlined his platform numerous times and in numerous formats … I see these people don’t have access to newspapers, magazines or computers… or is all that readin’ and cipherin' “suspicious” too?
Now look, I’ll be real, McCain supporters have every right to pick apart the Obama campaign and find fault everywhere they look hell, I do it to McCain. But it’s the die hard Hillary supporters that are driving me crazy. Side by side Hillary and Barack’s political views and platforms are very similar, the devil being in the minor details. However, these rabid Hillary supporters act as if an ungrateful Obama stole this election from Hillary. The people have spoken and Hillary didn’t have the delegates she needed to ensure her nomination, PERIOD! Holding on to Hillary’s candidacy for dear life will not change this fact.
I beg all of you Hillary supporters not to let her be our 2008 Nader, costing us Democrats the election! Please! If Hillary had gotten the nomination I would have mourned Obama’s loss but I certainly wouldn’t consider voting for McCain or not voting at all because too much is at stake and I certainly wouldn’t continue to grouse publicly giving the Republicans all the ammunition they need to defeat us in November. Hello, have you seen that ridiculous “Deborah” ad with a Hillary supporter jumping ship for McCain? If she were one of my girl friends I’d slap her and say, “Snap out of it!
Lastly, for the Hillary supporters who are actually upset that she wasn’t named as the vice presidential candidate, how do you know she wasn’t offered the position and declined? I think she can effect more change as a senator. What would she gain politically from being Vice President? She is already a powerful and vocal senator and as V.P. she would definitely have to lose her voice in favor of completely supporting the President and his policies, something I think she may have a problem with. I would. Furthermore, being V.P doesn’t mean you’re a shoe in for President, ask Al Gore. Nah, Hillary can still be President and if, when , she runs again she’ll get my vote but only if you Hillaryites back off.
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