BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

In Philadelphia today, Barack Obama gave what could possibly be his most important speech of the Democratic primary campaign.  He discussed the issue of race in America at The Constitution Center before a large crowd in what Obama’s campaign called a major speech.  The venue was most appropriate for the delivery of his message.

Senator Barck Obama was introduced by former Senator Harris Wofford who briefly went through the Obama bio and then set the stage for the upcoming speech, speaking of the importance of the speech being delivered in The Constitution Center and in Philadelphia. 

We the people in order to form a more perfect Union… 221 years ago…  Obama began.  He recounted a brief scenario leading up to the Declaration of Independence, although the slavery issue had not been solved.  Obama spoke that the rights of all people was included in the document, but it took years.

Solving problems together, perfecting the union, and to move in the same direction is his belief and objective.  As the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas, he spoke of his personal genealogy.  He recognized that with family spread across three continents he brought something unconventional to the race.

He spoke of being deemed too black or not being black enough.  The media has scoured every exit poll looking for a racial divide.  He spoke of his pastor using inflammatory language and once again Obama condemned his language.  Obama said that while he had heard some controversial statements from Rev. Wright, but he did not agree with them.  He mentioned that all of us have heard messages that we may not agree with from the churches we attend.

Senator Obama refuses to walk away from the issues that keep our nation from becoming a perfect union.  The past isn’t dead and buried, in fact, it is not even past.  He spoke of inequalities that have been passed on through the generations, of segregated schools still offering inferior education.  He spoke of the lack of economic opportunity, welfare policies. 

What is remarkable is not what failed in the face of discrimination, but those who rose from it.  He spoke of the legacy of defeat that has been passed on.  Questions of race and racism continue to define the issues.  Obama said that while the anger may not be talked about in public, but it is discussed around the kitchen table or in the barber shop.  The most segregated hour of American life occurs on Sunday morning.  It often distracts from solving the real problems.  The anger is real and powerful and to wish it away only expands the chasm of racial inequality.

Obama went on to speak of the immigrant experience.  Resentment builds in all ethnicities based on experiences.   And, it is all the resentments, including those of the white race, pandered to by candidates for votes and the media fuels the divide.

Obama said he is not so naive as to believe that he alone can cure the problem, but that as a people we can unite and work together to insist on a measure of full justice for all Americans, the white woman striving to break the glass ceiling, the black man who has been laid off, the immigrant working to feed his family.  We cannot succumb to the cynicism.

Obama spoke of finding the common stake that brings us all up, not at the expense of one another but together.  We must overcome the distractions or they will continue through this election and the next and the next and nothing will be accomplished.  Or, we can come together and talk about the issues, the crumbling schools of black America and white America and all America.

The main issues were covered, health care, education, the war… and talked about as to how we can come together to speak to the issues.

This was the most meaningful and eloquent speech of the campaign.