Tears for Obama

WHAT MAKES BARACK OBAMA TICK - Thursday 22 January 2009
In his letter congratulating Barrack Obama, Nelson Mandela states,
“Your election to this high office has inspired people as few other events in recent times have done."

Like me, I am sure that all of you have witnessed this inspiration manifesting, growing with the election campaign, bursting with the victory, and finally erupting at the inauguration.

So why does Obama inspire people from all walks of life on such a scale?

In previous articles I am guilty - albeit without prejudice - of using the cliché ‘ignorant masses’ when referring to the majority of human beings on this planet.
Their faces at the inauguration has reminded me that these people are considered ignorant relative to the man-made perception of ignorance.

So what is ignorance, and more importantly, what is the opposite of ignorance.
The opposite of ignorance is most definitely not intelligence, because the root of ignorance is ‘ignore’.
Therefore ignorance has to do with not paying attention to something that could have been paid attention to.

By nature, people want to be happy.
Most people would be content with earning a wage that would enable them to have a decent roof over their heads, food on the table, a loving family and the freedom to be content.
They are also happy to pay taxes to be used for the purpose of enhancing their lives through basic services, affordable healthcare, safety and security and the like.

Barack Obama has simply reminded them that this is their right.
He has - maybe briefly – restored their belief and pride in their inherent right to be alive.
He has given them hope.
He has inspired them to live.

I am sure that we a very very long way from realizing that by ignoring this inherent right, we render ourselves ‘the ignorant minority’.
But, I am hopeful.

http://www.yummie.co.za

http://www.yummie.co.za