Yes, We Can! - Si, Se Puede!

I HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH A FRIEND ( Dorian Wood), WHO FEELS THAT OBAMA IS JUST ANOTHER TYPICAL POLITICIAN WHO IS OUT TO GET RICH. HE WENT TO AN OBAMA RALLY AND HELD UP A SIGN- "SHEEP WILL SETTLE FOR SCRAPS". I UNDERSTAND THE CYNICISM AND THE DOUBTS HE HAS. I BELIEVE GEORGE BUSH HAS LEAD THIS COUNTRY BY DIVIDING US AND CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR. I REMEMBER RUNNING INTO THE  GREAT MUSICIAN - Me'shell Ndegéocello AT A RECORD STORE. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAD MET HER FACE TO FACE. BEFORE GEORGE BUSH WAS PRESIDENT, I HAD RUN INTO HER AT OUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE. SHE WAS POSITIVE AND HOPEFUL. SHE SHARED WITH ME GREAT BOOKS THAT UPLIFTED HER, AND TOLD ME OF UPCOMING PROJECTS. SO BACK TO THE RECORD STORE - THIS WAS ABOUT 2004 AFTER BUSH WAS ELECTED AGAIN. I SAW A LOOK OF FEAR, DESPERATION, HOPELESSNESS ON HER FACE. SHE SAID SHE HAD BEEN WALKING AROUND LOS ANGELES ALL DAY. SHE SAID "THINGS ARE BAD, THE WORLD IS BAD- JUST TRYING TO MAINTAIN." THINGS WERE BAD AND ONLY GETTING WORSE. THE NEXT YEAR I SAW FRIENDS GET CAUGHT UP IN DRUGS AND CRIME. I LOST A FRIEND TO  SENSELESS VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS OF LA. I TOO BEGAN TO FEEL LOST. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CYNIC AND ALWAYS QUESTIONED PEOPLES MOTIVES, BUT I WAS  SINKING INTO A DEEP DARK HOLE. MY RAPPING CAREER WAS GOING OK, BUT I HURT TOO MUCH FOR THE WORLD AROUND ME. I FEEL OTHER PEOPLES STRUGGLES MORE THAN I FEEL MY OWN. I BECAME NUMB AND BASICALLY INDIFFERENT TO LIFE IN GENERAL. I SAW THAT PEOPLE DID NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT RISING GAS PRICES AND RENTS. I SAW THAT NOBODY GAVE A FUCK ABOUT WHERE WE  WERE HEADED AS A COUNTRY. I GOT SO LOW THAT I HAD TO RETREAT BACK TO MY MOM'S HOME JUST TO FEEL AGAIN. ONE MORE DAY IN LA, AND I WAS GOING TO SNAP. I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW ME'SHELL FELT THAT DAY IN LOS ANGELES. SHE HAS A SONG - JABRIL- THAT EXPLAINS WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH AT THE TIME. 

Jabril Lyrics
I AM RAMBLING ON - BUT WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS OBAMA MIGHT END UP BEING JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE GREEDY POLITICIANS - WHO KNOWS? BUT WHAT HE OFFERS IS A SENSE OF HOPE. I HAVE NOT TOTALLY CLIMBED OUT OF MY DARK HOLE, BUT I DO SEE A GLIMMER OF LIGHT. SEE, SOMETIMES THATS ALL IT REALLY TAKES. OBAMA MAY NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, BUT WHAT HE HAS IS A DREAM FOR BETTER THINGS TO COME. WE AS A NATION HAVE BEEN IN SUCH A CLOUD THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE OR BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING POSITIVE WILL COME OUR WAY. OBAMA HAS GIVEN ME AT LEAST SOME SORT OF FEELING THAT IF I KEEP GOING - THINGS WILL BE GOOD. IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN HILLARY CLINTON COMES BACK AND SAYS-"REALITY CHECK" - YES THINGS ARE BAD, BUT THE LONGER I DWELL IN MY HOLE, THE HARDER IT WILL BE TO GET OUT.  HER HUSBAND CALLS IT A "FANTASY".  I WARN ALL MY FANS TO BEWARE OF THOSE THAT TRY TO TAKE AWAY YOUR DREAMS. OBAMA IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT DARES TO DREAM. IF WE CAN DREAM IT- IT WILL BE A REALITY AS LONG AS WE HAVE A POSITIVE LEADER. I KNOW TOO WELL ABOUT REALITY, BUT IT IS TIME TO CHANGE OUR REALITY. OBAMA IS THE CLEAR CHOICE-- PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE SO WE CAN SEE THE LIGHT AGAIN! -  CHECK OUT THIS GREAT VIDEO BY A LOT OF ENLIGHTENED ARTISTS - AND A SPEECH BY OBAMA THAT SUMS IT ALL UP!

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation. Yes we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom. Yes we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness. Yes we can. It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land. Yes we can to justice and equality. Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can. We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea -- Yes. We. Can. -BARACK OBAMA