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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Oct 16, 2008, at 11:16 PM, EarthNSky wrote:
> Ok, so I'll bite...tell us about the Revolution.

For most of my voting years, over fifty now, I have watched my country  
diminish itself in many ways. Today, we are finally confronting many  
shameful things that have become the common  paradigm. Government has  
grown into an out-of-control monster. Politicians by their example  
have shown Americans how to be more than usefully adversarial; they  
have shown us how to be closed-minded zealots. From the common  
courtesy and good manners of my youth to today's harsh communication  
bordering on the vulgar. From respectful dialogue to almost blatant  
negativity. From statesmanship to poll pandering, our leaders have  
shamed themselves.

Now comes Barack Obama. He is the product of a challenging background.  
Due to some spark within he has lifted himself through education,  
experience and great effort to become a most extraordinary politician.  
Throughout the increasingly harsh primary campaign and now the general  
election campaign he has held himself to higher standards than his  
opponents. Others have attempted this. They have lost their elections.

Obama is imperfect, as are all humans. He says things that he must say  
to get sufficient votes to attain the office. He has taken positions  
that I feel were wrong. He has yet to prove that he is capable of  
being a strong, effective leader, beyond having directed a  
surprisingly successful campaign over the course of nearly two years,  
surmounting the large obstacles of the color of his skin, his name,  
parts of his past, the opposition of a mighty political machine in his  
own party.

Obama has himself under control. He responds to attacks with dignity.  
He persists in his vision for a more successful and more just America.  
He has strong feelings about what needs to be done but he surrounds  
himself with those of greater experience and he listens to them with  
an open mind. He does not shoot from the hip. He makes reasoned  
decisions. He is dependable. He is to me a breath of fresh air.

The majority of voters of all political parties have long been injured  
by politicians who follow the same old corrupt pattern, using the  
voters but serving the power brokers at the expense of the people.  
Finally, in Barack Obama, we have a successful candidate who shows  
that he puts the people first.

And that, to me, is a revolutionary condition.