More On the Obama Woes

I think any Obama supporter would be less than honest if they didn't agree that the Wright controversy(ies) were a sharp dagger into the main artery to what has been one of the most remarkable social movements since the 1960s. When I say social movement I don't mean one of people flocking to charismatic leaders, I mean a social movement where people realize they have a little bit of power and can change things.

The best modern example of a social movement based on People Power is the Civil Rights movement. Many immediately assume the liberal hippie movement of the 60s to be a social movement but I've always considered that to be more of a swing away from power than an actual movement to retake power. No doubt hippies were wanting to change things but not in a sense to change the power structure but rather than to do away with power all together.

It's only fitting, then, that in the 21st century a new leader who happens to be black would bring together not just people of his own ethnicity but people of all types. Instead of a focus on bringing power or recognition to a certain subset of people, Obama has focused mainly on returning power to the voters of this country. This new social movement has been seen throughout this primary season with the record breaking turnouts in every state. People are ready for change and ready for a new way. Reverend Wright and additionally Obama's relationship with him, are anything but the same old sad way of politics as usual. It's not enough that Obama distance himself from Wright and condemn his words for it will take much more than that to explain away the last two decades of a casually warm friendship between the two.

The last thing a black man with the name Barack Hussein Obama needed was to have a family pastor who at times appears to read Conspiracy Theorist more than he does the Bible. If Obama's new People Power social movement is to continue it cannot proceed to alienate those who firmly believe these last 8 years have been badly mismanaged yet still have enough sense to realize that America, with all thy faults, is still the greatest gift of democracy the world has ever known. Not liking George Bush doesn't always equate to votes and does more to alienate those starving for change than anything else.