I once wrote a short article on the ‘Shame of Barack Obama.’ It spoke about the great missed opportunities of this young man as he focused so much of his time and effort in anger and retribution towards our society. Instead of directing us to a commonality of experience, struggle and redemption, he has purposely divided us tapping the very worst in our natures. As Lincoln drew upon of our ‘Better Angels’, Obama has called upon our cold and cynical self-centeredness, yet when he first entered office he made many references to Lincoln as if to say ‘I am the new Emancipator.’ As the first African American President he is an American political pioneer, but pioneer for what?
He has divided us into two camps ‘rich and greedy’ and ‘poor and victimized.’ If we read his mentor, Saul Alinsky, this is no accident. It is a strategy of ‘divide and conquer’, but what needed division, what needed conquest and why?
Just who are the rich he is referring to? Business executives living on millions if not billions of dollars? Is it the so-called ‘fat cats’ on Wall Street or software or energy giants? Maybe the Insurance companies or Big Labor? What is the definition of ‘the rich’ to the President? Is it only the ‘rich’ Republicans and not ‘rich’ Democrats that he refers to? What about George Soros, a foreign born billionaire who has donated millions of dollars to the Democratic party and Democratic candidates. As much as Hollywood millionaire movie stars flock to embrace the President, he strangely ignores their wealth. Why? It seems in Obama’s world of equality everyone is indeed equal, but as George Orwell once said ‘some are more equal than others.’
The President has unfortunately also divided us with regard to race. He has had yet another historic opportunity to bridge whatever social, emotional and cultural gap that may still exist in this nation and heal once and for all the sins of the past. How mighty and wonderful it would be to see a new Martin Luther King, Jr. Instead all races are pitted against each other creating socially paralyzing jealousy, anger and resentment.
President Obama was elected on the promise of ‘Hope and Change.’ As I saw it ‘hope’ was meant for the financially and socially disadvantaged and ‘change’ was the results of that hope in their lives. It was the liberal call to arms for the ‘redistribution of wealth’ that was to change everything for the better. So far, I do not see much of that change. In fact, in many ways, it has only gotten worse.
I hope I am wrong.
SGMJr
