People Have the Power, Part II...
perhaps it's because i'm an eternal optimist, but after reading and hearing about Georgia faux-democrat Senator Zell Miller's keynote speech yesterday at the RNC, my hope about John Kerry winning the upcoming presidential election has increased.
Just over a month ago i raved about Illinois Senator Barack Obama's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. I raved about the optimism, the hope, the dreams, and the diversity of a near-future America that Obama spoke of.
His belief that in this country, anyone can achieve anything, was refreshing. it was a change from hatred and bile that have torn this country apart over the past decade plus. It was a voice of hope from a young african-american man. a voice of passion from someone who truly believes we can change the path of fear and destruction that the Bush presidency has put us on.
Instead of mentioning the opposition candidate and shredding him to ribbons, Obama mentioned his preferred candidate, John Kerry. Kerry got 13 mentions, Bush got zero.
Seeing a positive effort in a word of negative politicking, was a nice change of pace. Obama spoke of America coming together, to use his words "there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America—there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America."
Then, last night, we got Miller's speech.
Filled with hatred, disrespect, and comments such as "the Democrat's manic obsession to bring down our Commander-in-Chief," Miller took us back 50 years ago when Dixiecrats used their hatred to try to prevent things like desegration and various other Civil Rights related issues.
one need look no further than the comparison of name dropping in the two Keynote speeches at the respective party conventions.
Barack Obama mentioned John Kerry 13 times, and didn't mention GW Bush once.
Zell Miller mentioned Kerry 16 times, and Bush 8 times.
cast a vote for Bush, and you're casting a vote for a party that has such hatred in their ways, that they would mention the opposition candidate twice as many times as they mention their own. In fact, they mentioned Kerry in their keynote speech more times then the Democrats mentioned Kerry.
cast a vote for Kerry, and you're at least casting a vote for a party that offers a modicum of hope.
posted by Tree @ 1:42 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
It's been so long since a 3rd party president won office. I wish the people were pissed off enough and not just voting down party lines to try and push a new person through. Nader gave everyone a run for their money in 2000 but it seems now that anyone who is 'other' is hiding.
There are some third party politicians in elected office right now. Bernie Sanders in Vermont comes to mind.
We do need a third party. unfortunately, 2004 is not the time for that. While John Kerry isn't the savior, he is certainly better than GW Bush - to the point where i think the future of this country, of equality for everyone, of gay rights, of women's rights, of minory rights - will come down to this election.
Several Supreme Court Justices will probably retire over the next few years, and that means the next president could help dictate the law of the land for decades to come.
a very terrifying prospect if Bush wins.
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