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My predilection for Barack Obama started when I watched his
hilarious music video spoof on MAD TV. Now, I am among those people
diagnosed with a severe case of Obamamania, which sees me cry
whenever I see photos of Obama, be it on the front page of
broadsheets or on the cover of the Rolling Stone Magazine. He’s a
black man who shines brighter than any white guy could. The only
thing that John McCain got right about Barack is that he truly is a
celebrity; but his celebrity status did not come from a reality show
or a sex scandal. Even though I’m aware how a political figure
must be packaged, Barack is still able to make his real self shine
through. Also, his admirable accomplishments do not emanate from
serendipity. His brilliance and dedication just might make him the
next president of the United States of America and make history as
the first black man to head the White House.
But then after staying tuned to the Democratic
National Convention, I realized that it is the women around
him—Hilary Clinton and his wife, Michelle, who catapult him to the
heights he is presently soaring in. Clinton is a good sport, who is
genuinely after the best interests of her nation. Even if she lost
to Obama and subsequently failed to be his running mate, she still
sincerely beckoned her followers to support Obama.
The true wind beneath his wings is his better
half, Michelle Obama, who moved me to tears. She seemed to share the
same aptitude in discourse as Barack; perhaps because they both
speak from the heart.
One of the things she shared that particularly
struck me was, “You work hard for what you want in life. That your
word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do.”
This is such an inspiring message, making people understand that
there is and will always be hardship in life. We mustn’t content
ourselves with dreams and schemes, believing that everything can be
attained overnight. I for one have come to learn that everything we
reap without the foundation of blood, sweat and tears will simply
crumble into ashes much faster than we’ve reaped it. Thus, we must
all come to understand that everything we put into our mind will
grow, only if we water it daily with focus, hard-work and the proper
attitudes.
She also said that, “the only limit to the
height of your achievement is the reach of your dreams and your
willingness to work hard for them.” Such words drew inspiring
imageries: that we must strive to see the world and broaden our
sights in order to see what lies on the peak of the mountain so we
can start climbing and never easily back down.
But the winning words were, “He spoke words
that have stayed with me ever since: he talked about the world as it
is and the world as it should be. All too often we accept the
distance between the two and we settle for the world as it is even
when it doesn’t reflect our values and aspirations.” This is a
reality that has stricken many nations, paralyzing its people to do
nothing more but passively accept the wrong decisions of their
leaders. It also applies to every individual, who would stop
fighting for all the struggles that seem too impossible to overcome.
We experience hardship or failure that leads us to believe that we
cannot make the world anymore than what it already is. I used to
think that the Filipino, being known for resilience is estimable.
However, don’t you think that this is just a mere excuse used by
some for our inability as a people to reach greater heights? Or is
it a psychological warfare from the few who, for their own selfish
interests, keep the Filipino grounded?
We need people to push us in the right
direction; a leader who can make the right calls in order to bring
out the best in its people. As Michelle Obama stated, we need
someone “determined to mold our future in the shape of our
ideals.”
I smelled how the Democratic Convention reeked
of triumph. If I were their ghost writer, I’d insist on making
Michelle Obama say, “People have long been dying in the barracks.
It’s time to live again with Barack.”
Obama is so determined to turn the American
dream into a lasting reality. I hope we could all rouse ourselves up
from this real Filipino nightmare.
apotheosis.multiply.com/ marylaine_viernes@manilatimes.net
• Watch the funny Obama clip in Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xb3bDwE9jQ
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