Barack Obama

Fred and I made plans to attend Barack Obama's Stand For Change Rally at the Zorn Arena on the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Campus today. We were excited to listen to this candidate speak, and at the very least, possibly be a part of history in the making. I was deeply disappointed to come to understand that the UWEC campus' largest venue holds only 3,500 people. For some reason, I expected this largest metropolitan area (EC pop. aproximately 68,000) between the Twin Cities and Madison to have space which would accomodate more people. That said, we arrived on campus an hour or so before the scheduled appearance, only to be greeted by an officer who told us the 1,000+ folks waiting outside the entrance to the arena were not going to be allowed inside; the place was already filled to capacity; but they would be broadcasting Obama's speech on the PA system, so at least he could be heard, if not seen. We headed home, but DID listen to the speech simulcast on our local AM radio station. Hey, remember me mentioning in an earlier blog about the local newscaster who said he "really WANTED" to vote for Obama, but could not justify it? Well, I certainly hope he was one of the lucky people to be inside and actually see and feel the enthusiasm I heard. Of course, we arrived home long before the speech was complete, so being a perfectly sunny and beautiful day, I dialed up that AM station on my really archaic Sony Walkman (funny, huh?) and sat on the front porch and listened away. I found Mr. Obama to be sincere, truthful, inspiring, humourous, interesting, well-spoken. He also made several references to change, which provoked three questions in my mind:

1. Are you open to the concept of change being inevitable?
2. Do you accept this to be the truth?
3. Are you willing to be a part of positive change?

Senator Obama also referenced Martin Luther King Jr.

This past week, I made it a point to read Dr. King's most famous speech. Twice. This quote sticks: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

I wonder what Dr. King would think today of his brothers and sisters, of all races and creeds, behaving in such a crude and Neanderthal manner toward each other? Wait, that's sort of an insult to the Neanderthals, eh?

Today, I judged Barack Obama by the content of his character.