President Obama,
speaking at the Democratic National Convention last Wednesday night:
... What we heard was a deeply pessimistic vision of a country where we turn against each other, and turn away from the rest of the world. There were no serious solutions to pressing problems -- just the fanning of resentment, and blame, and anger, and hate.
And that is not the America I know. The America I know is full of courage, and optimism, and ingenuity. The America I know is decent and generous.
One of those visions is not the America we know either ... at least pre- November 8 America. There's a good, optimistic vision of the future of America, and then there's an evil, pessimistic vision. It's up to us to shape which of those futures it will be, starting now.
2 comments:
Americans normally reject pessimism and doomsday rhetoric, but not this time around, and that worries me. The DNC convention was a walloping success by any measurement, but I'm seeing polls and reporting that says this isn't going to be a walk in the park for Hillary.
I do remember how the McCain/Palin ticket seemed to be gaining on Obama/Biden ticket at the end of the summer of 2008 and the summer of 2012 with the Romney/Ryan ticket. I have to keep that in mind, but at the same time understand what Trump's rhetoric has unleashed in the country: Fear, resentment, and hate. Those emotions can make this a disastrous time in America.
You're absolutely right, and we must never take it for granted that hope and decency always prevail. Obviously, they don't. When we see tight polls (and let's see where they are at the end of August), we tell ourselves that it serves to focus the mind rather well, and should help motivate our voters to get out and vote ("should"). In that sense, we'd rather the polls be a little close than Hillary in a walk at this point (on Nov. 8, we'd prefer the opposite). As you've said though, there is a disturbing element in the country that's motivated by what Trump is selling and that remains the wild card.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
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