Meaningless Rants

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"Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." - Martin Luther King

It was 3rd April 1968, one day before King was struck by a bullet. He fought for the civil rights of the African-American community, and he dreamed of the day that people will be judged by the content of their characters, not by the color of their skin. Invoking the imagery of Moses, he imagined a time where his dreams will come true in the land called the United States of America.

Like the Israelis, it takes forty years to reach the promised land.

Yesterday, history was written. And, being such a historical junkie I am, it was awesome to see history being written. For the first time, a major party in the United States nominates an African American. Yes, part of my obsession with politics actually stems from my desire to catch history in the making. And what a great history this one is. Finally, an black man is nominated by a major party for president of the United States of America.

But now that I reflect on the last 5 months, it was truly unfathomable how it all unfolded. Yes, I was rooting for the dark horse, but his success caught me surprised. Five months ago, I thought that it would be lucky for him to finish second, to be nominated as the vice president. But then Iowa came, and South Carolina came, and Super Tuesday goes by, and then there are eleven unanswered primaries. And now, this guy is nominated.

Barack Hussein Obama.

Or, as Darian Dauchan said: "sounds like Osama; and don’t make me mention his middle name…. H~u~s~s~e~i~n…." This is the guy whose father is a Kenyan, whose mother re-married to an Indonesian guy. Here is the guy who had to spend his early days in Indonesia without electricity, without refrigerator, and without proper lighting. Here is the guy who had to live without his parents, seeing his father one last time when he was 10. Here is the guy who pretty much don’t have anything with him when we went to Chicago. And did I mention that he is black?

Now if he were to go against a Bob Smith, maybe his accomplishment is not as impressive. But consider what he was up against: the great Clinton dynasty, who early on has the organization, the money, and hundreds of super delegates in her pocket. Her surrogate is none other than the former president Bill Clinton who is popular among Democrats. Pundits told Obama: "Drop out now! Don’t do it! Wait for 8 years!"

Really, now that it all sinks in, I still have to say that his story is simply amazing. I can only hope that he will do what he says: that he will actually bring change in whatever ways he could. I hope that he will not fall from this pedestal we put him on very highly. I can’t wait for November to come.