Day 14: A hero that has let you down

Yet another tough one.

I am most disappointed with our President Barak Obama. 

Several months before he started running for president, I read his book.  I’d seen him speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and that just made me want to read his book, Dreams from My Father'>Dreams of My Father and I thought it was brilliant.  I later read his next book, The Audacity of Hope ' target=_blank>The Audacity of Hope, and again, I thought him and his work, brilliant.

Here was a leader who could represent EVERYONE and who, I thought, could use his words and history in a way that would draw people together.

I underestimated the people however.  I underestimated the smear campaign that would start.  I underestimated the prejudice that still exists in our culture.  And I overestimated Mr. Obama.

I still think he is completely brilliant.  I still believe that he has the ability to bring people together, but I feel like he has also underestimated the people who would bring him down into the dirt with them.

I feel sometimes, if he would stand up and use that brilliant voice of his to STAND THE HELL UP to the naysayers; to STAND THE HELL UP to the people who call him a Muslim, to STAND THE HELL UP to the people who call him a Socialist. 

I’ve shamed a number of people from calling him a Muslim… I point to these folks, that if this man, with an atheist father and an agnostic mother and a Muslim step-father, educated in a largely Muslim country, set foot into their church and wanted to join, that they would shake his hand and welcome him into the fold.  The minister would rejoice that a soul was saved.  The entire congregation would sing Hallelujah for “bringing in the sheep”… And if he’s anything like any of the converts I’ve known, he’d eventually be teaching Sunday school.

Most the folks calling him a Socialist don’t even know what a Socialist is.. they only know what they’ve been told.  Most of the folks who are arguing with him are doing it purely because he is different.

But I’m not here to defend him.  Truth is, I had this idea that he would be more like Bill Clinton but smarter and maybe with fewer scandals dragging him down.  Instead he’s more like Carter – dealing with some heavy crap, but doesn’t want to point fingers or get down on the level of the naysayers.

Instead, he needs to take a page from TDR (Theodore Delano Roosevelt for the non-political science majors out there) – talk softly, but carry a big-ass stick.

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If you want to play along with this list, here’s the list of topics:

Day 1: Something you hate about yourself
Day 2: Something you love about yourself
Day 3:Something you have to forgive yourself for
Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone else for
Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life
Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do
Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living
Day 8: Someone who has made your life hell or treated you badly
Day 9: Someone you didn't want to let go, but who drifted
Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn't know
Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on
Day 12: Something you never get compliments on
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough times
Day 14: A hero that has let you down
Day 15: Something or someone you couldn't live without
Day 16: Something or someone you could definitely live without
Day 17: A book you've read that changed your view on something
Day 18: Your views on gay marriage
Day 19: What is your opinion of religion?
Day 20: Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21: (Scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you got into a fight a couple of hours before. What do you do?
Day 22: Something you wish you hadn't done in your life
Day 23: Something you wish you had done in your life
Day 24: Make a playlist to someone and explain why you chose those songs
Day 25: The reason you believe you're still alive today
Day 26: Have you ever thought about giving up on life?
Day 27: What's the best thing you've got going for you right now?
Day 28: What would you do if you got pregnant (or got someone pregnant) right now?
Day 29: Something you hope to change about yourself
Day 30: A letter to yourself