If you find Barack Obama to be an inspirational figure, then you are not alone. A quick google of “Barack Obama inspiration” reveals that many people feel the same way. Even I find Barack Obama to be an inspiration- though I expect not in a way he would find edifying. But I digress.
I would like to ask a simple question: what, exactly, does Barack Obama inspire you to do? Think about that for a second.
There are many possible answers to that question. Perhaps he inspires you to serve your country in the military. Does he inspire you to volunteer at a homeless center, pregnancy center, or church? Maybe he inspires you to act more lovingly toward your family. He may inspire you to kick a drug habit, study harder in school, or eat a more healthy diet. Unfortunately I really don’t see how Obama particuarly inspires one to do anything like the above, and I haven’t met anyone yet over the past two Obama-focused years who told me, “you know, because of Barack Obama I’m going to do ____”.
If I may be so bold as to hazard a guess, I would say that Obama inspires you to… drum roll… well, vote for Barack Obama.
Some of you might find this observation to be an unfair one; after all, in my experience, when pressed Obama fans are likely to say “he inspires me to get involved.” However, again I inquire, what does get involved mean? Well, it means to get involved by… voting for Barack Obama. Perhaps it also means to convince others to… vote for Barack Obama.
Inspiration ought to be about more than good feelings. Unfortunately, emotion passes for substance in this world.
A person might ask me, “well smarty pants, what does John McCain inspire you to do, eh?” I must confess, I don’t find the man to be particularly inspiring. Oh sure, his POW story is an inpirational one, but I’d be lying if I were to say it inspired me to go out and join the military- I haven’t, and besides, my sister, cousin, and grandfather are more likely to inspire me in that way than McCain.
But you see, that’s the entire point. Inspiration is great, but it is not a necessary facet of a potential presidential package.
My dear Obama supporter, I encourage you not to look toward Barack Obama as your source of inspiration. He is a politician, and more than that, only a man. He will always let you down.
Key difference between the Right and the Left #408582: the Left is inspired by politicians; the Right tolerates them.
ADDENDUM: The question strikes me: is the Right inspired by Ronald Reagan? Certainly. Does this invalidate my assertion about the difference the Left and the Right? No. There is a fundamental difference here: Reagan inspires me to hold fast to the values he represents, which I already hold. I am not inspired by Reagan so much as his values.
Obama supporter, do you hold the same values as Barack Obama? Do you believe in the socialist dictum of “spread the wealth around”? Do you want a European/Canadian style, government-run, single-payer (read: socialist) healthcare system? Are you willing to give up the benefits of global free trade in favor of protectionist economic policies that will lead us, like Herbert Hoover’s policies did, into a second Great Depression? Is abortion on demand up to and after a baby’s birth a value you hold dear? Are you in favor of more judges being put on the SCOTUS who will interpret the Constitution according to how their heart leads them, and according to the trends of the other state courts around the world instead of according to the meaning intended by the founders of our country? If so, by all means- let him inspire you all the way into the voting booth. I don’t begrudge you your opinions. If not, don’t let emotion deceive you into voting for a person you don’t actually agree with because “he inspires me to get involved.”
Vapid.
Ply the Silent Planet 