Friday 29 August 2008

Be the change that you wish to see

45 years to the day that Martin Luther King Jr delivered his "I have a dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to crowds that reflected the diverse cultural melting pot that is America, a similarly culturally diverse crowd thronged the Mile High Stadium in Denver to witness the dream become a reality.

His critics had accused him of being light on specifics and heavy on rhetoric, a triumph of style over substance, but in accepting the Democratic Party's nomination for president, Barack Obama's outlined a detailed work plan of how he planned to change things once he was in the Oval Office. He paid a poignant tribute to his, now elderly, grandmother who "poured" what she had into him and ended by invoking The preacher.

He empowered the audience in the stadium and the million of Americans watching at home, by reminding them that the election is about them. Gandhi said "be the change that you wish to see" so here's to hoping that the American electorate, on 4th November, will do just that.

The audacity of hope is a beautiful thing to behold

No comments: