The sixties were truly the age that showed us the way. “To go where no man has gone before…”
The sixties led us into civil rights, human right, women’s rights, led us into the space age, the computer age. They led us out of war. We had leaders that led, not followed, the trend. We had leaders that were proactive, not reactive. We had leaders that told us, like John Kennedy; “Do not ask what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country?”
In Dr. Martin Luther King’s quest to free his people from the grinding oppression that they suffered, he took many chances, chances that human nature would ultimately agree with him. He gave his life while leading his people from the depths of their despair, and into an age of civil rights. Dr. Martin Luther King’s murder caused people to say; “Never again will we step back. From this point on we will only step forward.”
Today we stand on the precipice of all that the sixties were about. We are facing the greatest economic threat that world has ever faced, not only this country, but the whole world. We are on the edge of total world war. One man has stepped forward, and he has said that he is up to the challenge. He has implied that he can lead us out of all this despair, and he has run for President of the United States. We are in dire need of a great leader, like never before in the entire history of the United States.
It is ironic that the day before President Barack Obama is to be inaugurated as President of the United States, that we are reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, who helped to show us the way.
If there was ever a time to push aside our petty partisan politics and foolish prejudices, now is the time. In the spirit of some of our great leaders like Lincoln, Kennedy, and Dr. King, we need to come together and support our President like never before. He has a challenge like never before, and if the sixties showed us anything , it is that we must join together to accomplish anything.
Today we all need to have a dream. Tomorrow we will have our first black President, and he will be leading us out of what may be our darkest time in all of our history.
I know that some would say that I'm cheating on my promise of "No Blogging", but I'm only blogging on "Off hours".
ReplyDeleteAnd, I wanted people to know that I'm not able to follow my blog, and may not be quick to respond to comments and Questions.
Bye, until tonight at least...
Well it sounds more like instead of "ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country" was lost somewhere along the way. It looks more like "What can the country do for you" now. Long live socialism.
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Good post, Ernie. I was just thinking about that Kennedy quote when I was telling my son that MLK day was going to be a day of service now.
ReplyDeleteI wish people could learn to work together and give the guy a chance to lead us out of this terrible mess.
Yeah Oregon...like unemployment insurance, disability insurance, medi-care, social security etc. I hear the right wing bitch about the Dems wanting to help the people of the USA, but they sure line up to reap the rewards of what us lefties have brought them.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Ernie. We stand on the edge of hope that we can be what we believe we ourselves to be. We're investing all of that hope and momentary optimism in the abilities of one man who has stepped up and said he is ready & willing to lead. I hope we allow him (and all of us) the time & patience necessary to turn us back on course.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are posting! I don't think we'd make it until Groundhog Day with out you!
ReplyDeleteLet's all join together and make some progress!! I'm with you Ernie :)
ReplyDeleteThank-you for all for your good words. This post is the exact reason that I should take some more time to do a post. It was something that I wanted to say well, and I fell way short of the way that I wanted to say it. After reading it tonight. My eyes tripped on many clumsy spots. Thank-you again for reading my good intentions between the lines. A lesson that I’m having to learn the hard way, is some things should be said well, and that takes the time to do it right.
ReplyDeleteOne signal of Obama's wisdom is that he keeps telling us that recovery is up to us, not him alone. He's the boss I always wanted, but rarely had.
ReplyDeleteIf you bought the "socialist" fantasy the Fox network was selling, you aren't paying attention to who's on the team, and the hand they've been dealt.
I'm with you, Ernie. MLK not only led blacks out of despair, he help redeem everyone's national spirit to be better people, to heal our character.
With the number and scale of crises coming our way, I don't have high expectations of the incoming administration, though I'm skeptically hopeful and would love to be surprised. Obama is going to be a much easier voice to listen to, that's for sure. The spotlight's been focused on him, but I'm also looking to the millions who carried him to the white house.
ReplyDeleteThe civil rights, peace and women's movements were powerful because of thousands of regular folks, individuals who had the same kind of courage as the eloquent heroes that we celebrate. Maybe, in additon to working together, it's time for us to see that "your country" and "you" are the same entity; we're only going to get out of this administration/era as much as we put into it (which includes finding a way to keep funding public education and veteran's benefits, along with everything else Bunny so rightly listed).
Ernie dont drink the obama cool-aid just yet. He hasnt said he will get rid of tortue, spying on americans, patriot act, or any of the other bad things bush has done. He will not prosecute bush for his war crimes, as far as i see it. It is same as usual. Another big buisness insider manipulating the public into getting behind them to push through a pre determined agenda. Please people wake up Obama will not end the wars he will only make them bigger. and he is helping the bankers destroy our country right now. Ernie, and other bloggers out there. Please do not be like ignorant bush supporters who never dared question what he said. dont regret your vote in 4-8 years once you realize you just elected a new george bush wrapped up as a leftist puppet.
ReplyDeleteI truely would love to get behind a grassroots movement to fix america and there is one. No not obama mania. the Campaign for Liberty lead by ron paul to restor our bill of right and constitution. Without government respecting the constitution how can we ever have an honest government? The largest problem we have in our country is the private federal reserve bank, they are to be blamed for the economic downturn or planned collapse. This is something obama will not talk about! Do you know what happeneds when a country cannot pay its debt. It defaults on its loans and we are at the mercy of our lenders. More bailouts will only further put you in debt. People we must unite to get rid of this debt or america will no longer be owned by us it will all be owned by private banks!
ReplyDeleteNot to change the subject - ahem - but since Ernie is on hiatus & not going to post anything here until Ground Hog Dog (& he did tell us to keep posting without him), I would like to conduct a little informal but important (to me) survey here. I would like to know:
ReplyDeleteDo you turn the bedroom light off BEFORE or AFTER you get into bed at night?
I'm serious!
Thanks.
And, Ernie, if you're out there reading this, I'd love to have your answer, too. (:
before this year, i would never call in sick, because other people would have been laid off if i was. now that a computer is doing my old job, i took two days off sick and watched obama get sworn in. it was quite a spectacle even from outer space you could see the blog of 2 million humans. it amazes me to see how smart my daughter is and the younger generation in general. watching a president speak in complete sentences is something new that i haven't seen in a long time. i would have to go back to kennedy to feel that level of intelligence. i hear he has some kind of high tech blueberry or blackberry so he can keep in touch with his bros. bush sort of reminds me of my ex wife and all the 25% credit cards she had, you don't need to be too smart to beat that action.
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