The Speech That Brings Hope
November 5th, 2008 by Patricio MangubatDemocratic candidate Barack Obama has just been elected the 44th U.S. President. I just finished watching Obama deliver his acceptance speech. It was a speech that I think would be the subject of study and talk for years. It’s a speech that encapsulated what Americans really hope their government would do for them–unite them and rebuild their nation from the damages wrought by years of excesses.
Truly, that speech was more than presidential. It was the most ideal speech ever to be made by a U.S. president. Faced with crises and threats of monumental proportions, Barack Obama said the right things at the right time–change can only happen, if Americans unite behind government.
” Two hundred twenty one years ago,” says Obama, “…we Americans build this country, brick by brick with out callous hands….Let us build it again.”
For those words alone, Obama earned the respect and admiration of those who still doubt whether all those honey-coated words could really turn reality. For a brief moment, Americans felt hope, that, things would really turn from worst to something really good.
Hope is what Americans really need at this point. Hope that their lives would turn around.
As I was listening to Obama, I was thinking of our own situation. If Obama succeeds in uniting and shepherding his country towards economic relief, what about us? If America can produce such a fine young leader with the integrity and vision, why can’t we?
Maybe we’re looking in the wrong places. Maybe we are hoping for something which does’nt suit us. Nine years ago, we hoped that an economist could do a miracle and save us from a inept administration, only to be frustrated when the new government provided not leadership nor hope, but utter dismay and disillusionment.
We succeeded in launching two revolts, hoping that things would change, only to realize later that massing all those millions is not enough to put our house in order. Maybe popular revolts is not the way for us. Maybe we just need someone who’ll provide us the vision, the direction, and the map to do it. And maybe, just maybe what we need is someone who’ll distill all these disparate voices we hear from different groups among us and put it as one voice. One voice, One Agenda, One United nation.
Obama’s message is as clear as the summer’s day–hope and change rest in every American. It’s a message of hope, I think, not just for Americans, but also for Filipinos.
Those who hope for a better life under a better government–despair not. Evermore, Filipinos should hope that someone in the present generation would stand up and provide what we truly need–a rallying cry and a true leader who’ll put our house in order.
November 5, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Pat,
The complete transcript of the script can be found here
Truly, absolutely inspiring, and to come from a man with colored skin, it’s something that I didn’t imagine could happen in my lifetime, but has indeed happened today.
November 5, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Yeah, it was an amazing speech. McCain’s concession speech was not bad either.
November 5, 2008 at 3:11 pm
It’s emotionally loaded Pat right? I also watched him and the conceding McCain embracing each other, while being crowded by cheering Americans.
Can we also have that here? Well, perhaps still not yet this time. with our system of election, where nobody loses but being cheated, where candidates would still find “ways” to reverse his/her lose. Still not yet this time. Wew!
But I don’t like the news: “The first BLACK American President” Can’t we do away with color labeling, or whatever of racial bearings?
November 5, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I think it’s just right to emphasize the black aspect since it is what makes this election a milestone. It’s an achievement for the American people since it proved that majority of them are able to transcend racism. (In saying this, i’m assuming that majority of non-blacks voted for Obama which can be validated later when we get the demographic breakdown of the votes.)
Also, it sends a signal to the racists of the world, including and especially China were racism is also prevalent.
November 5, 2008 at 3:36 pm
no discussion about that cvj.
November 5, 2008 at 3:48 pm
danilo,
I think African Americans have stopped caring about “black” and have started to sport a “tell it for what it is” attitude when it comes to political correctness. I’ve noticed this trend in the past few years, a far cry from the mid-90s to mid 2000s which saw the rise of the term “African American”.
November 5, 2008 at 4:48 pm
PAT:
“Kaya ba natin? Kaya natin!
EQ
November 5, 2008 at 5:27 pm
The Equalizer,
Yes we can! The winds of change are blowing right in our direction! If you look at history, you’ll find that whatever change happens in America, change also happens here. And change can only happen if we get rid of the very cause of our disillusionment—this ARROYO REGIME!
Note that prior to EDSA Dos, there was a US elections. It is in the best interest of those White House hawks to put a damper to this Obama mania by low intensity conflicts.
November 5, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Pray and hope he does not get an assassin’s bullet like Kennedy or Lincoln.
November 5, 2008 at 5:53 pm
It would be hard to overstate how fervently vast stretches of the globe wanted the election to turn out as it did to repudiate the Bush administration and its policies. Poll after poll in country after country showed only a few — Israel, Georgia, the Philippines — favoring a victory for Senator John McCain.
Ethen Bronner, NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05global.html?th&emc=th
November 5, 2008 at 6:12 pm
lovell,
This recent mock poll conducted by the US Embassy indicates otherwise:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20081105-170369/Its-still-Obama-in-mock-polls
November 5, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Fulbright Alumni sent me the Obama victory speech almost at realtime! To think I am on an island in the middle of the Sibuyan Sea (not Boracay,my dear!). Thanks to SMART!
Viewing the crowds in Grant Park, outside White House, in Times Square, we can say that America just had its experience of people power sans bloodshed.But this was within the limits provided by the US constitution. This is what I admire in America.
I also got emails from friends and former students from Louisiana State University. Many are black. They have no problem being black and have no problem describing Obama as the first black prez!
I find McCain’s speech inspiring too. He is the hero people believe him to be.
The story of Black America is framed in Exodus imagery. Thus images of “parting of the waters”, “pillar of fire” and “the promise land” come into mind. Barack Obama is no Martin Luther King but unlike Moses he is to enter Canaan. This is what the world will be watching. The order is heavy with Barack!
November 5, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Yes, Blackshama, Americans are euphoric and somewhat in a state of mass hypnosis. Notice their eyes, most are teary-eyed and wide.
The question I would like to ask is–is Barack Obama really is the Moses that would enter Canaan? Remember Blackshama that MOSES FAILED TO ENTER CANAAN BECAUSE GOD DECIDED TO END HIS LIFE. HE JUST SAW THE PROMISED LAND FROM A DISTANCE.
November 6, 2008 at 4:41 am
Patricio,
While the biblical comparison is certainly, for lack of a better term, sensational, it does no justice to what Obama’s election truly represents.
Btw, while wide, unblinking eyes might be a sign mass hypnosis, I’m quite sure teary isn’t. Hypnosis generally puts a person in an unemotional state. Those tears you saw are tears of overwhelming joy.
November 6, 2008 at 8:37 am
thegreatest,
thanks for clarifying that up. and yes, there’s no biblical comparison to yesterday’s election.i just merely corrected blackshama’s comparison of Moses with Obama and some biblical inaccuracy.
November 6, 2008 at 11:20 am
But this means…. Isang Bansa Isang Diwa remains the default model?
November 6, 2008 at 11:22 am
Jon, remember the type present at those US Embassy parties were not, by any means, your typical white or especially blue collar Filipino.
November 6, 2008 at 11:37 am
mlq3,
You mean, it’s not your typical racist Filipino? ;)
November 6, 2008 at 9:18 pm
That is a good question that you ask : If America can produce such a fine young leader with the integrity and vision, why can’t we?
November 7, 2008 at 8:21 am
UP n grad,
Because as a society we can’t manage to put a premium to the values of integrity and vision.
November 7, 2008 at 8:47 am
Jon,
“Because as a society we can’t manage to put a premium to the values of integrity and vision.”
Integrity and Vision are intangibles assets. It is goodwill. The actual value of anything intangible or tangible is based on who is willing to put a premium for it. Your statement suggests a mentality of some sort ( benigno, attn). But let me explain further. To put a premium “to the values of integrity and vision” has a great deal to do with who can put it to its highest and best use.
In our country, How can we make our leaders to be functioning at their highest and best use?
How can we, the people of the Philippines, put our hidden talents ( intangible assets- meron ba? ) to its highest and best use.
An Indian told me, that pinoy are too nice and easily get taken advantage.
I have a feeling that Philippine society is now tired but ready for a BIG Change.
“If America can produce such a fine young leader with the integrity and vision, why can’t we?
Yes, Up N. We can do this. :)
We need to find leaders that are useful not useless. :)
November 7, 2008 at 9:01 am
But I don’t think Obama is very useful as of this moment. :)
November 7, 2008 at 9:46 am
leytenian and Up n grad,
Totally agree. However, let me add something–we haven’t found that person yet because we’re looking at the wrong places.
we are looking for those in government. why not look at the private sector? there are so many honest people there whom we can probably ask to run our government.look closely. what we need at this point is a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), not someone experienced in law or economics.
we need a change agent–somebody who’s not beholden to traditional political forces and somebody who knows the system enough to corrupt it. we need somebody with a rock-solid integrity and vision to lead this country to a new Glory. we need somebody who’s ideologically astute.
when we look at government officials for our salvation, we look at a wrong place. these officials are players of the dirty game already. the very fact that they were elected shows you that they already compromised themselves to those forces who determine the fate of this country.
that’s what happened to Gloria.
before Gloria went to politics, do you know that she’s somewhat an ideologue, rubbing noses with Rigoberto Tiglao, Ignacio Bunye and other 70’s personalities? look at the composition of her cabinet prior to 2004, that shows you that at that time, Gloria was intent on making history.
it was after 2004 that things started to change, and change for the worst. familiarity with the system makes one think of ways to circumvent it for personal glory. Gloria became a victim of this. fearful to lose the stolen presidency, Gloria became someone like a Gollum, selling her vision piece by piece to these traditional political forces, until she’s left with nothing. her desire to re-affirm the forgotten legacy of her father Dado Macapagal made her a compromiser.
maybe, it’s time for us to support those who are not in government. we need executives to run government.
November 7, 2008 at 11:30 am
Great counter-argument Pat.
However those in civil society have argued before that what’s wrong with the GMA government includes but is not limited to her CEO-like running of the government, with the sale of GOCCs to the private sector and the ratification of the eVAT (both of which I actually agree to).
How would you respond to their concern?
November 7, 2008 at 12:45 pm
“maybe, it’s time for us to support those who are not in government. we need executives to run government”
very true, Our executive departments are very slow. the word execute is to implement in a manner appropriate for our economic situation. The Senate do not function as a team to follow up legislations, bills and policies if implemented and executed by the Departments. The lower house should report and directly represent the local people if policies or financial have actually reach their regions. Dissemination of information is slow from top to bottom and vice versa. ( No IT management in our country yet?)Communication and organization are lacking.
It’s too disorganize. It’s too divided. Kanya kanya. walang teamwork.
February 22, 2009 at 12:49 am
hi! journalist guy. how wonderful your ideas are. i myself watched pres. B.O. speech, an inspiring full of hope,full of new plans. this can be only realized when the teams around him are steadfast for the plans they are targeting. it’ll be a hard task for him to be able to exercise this plan if one or two of them will make bias to his plan. regarding our country, where shall we find someone-who is honest,devoted,spiritually sincere,steadfast to his words,fully concern to the economic welfare and the people as well,and at the same time someone who has the knowledge about foreign relationship,commercial and trading competence.a glorious person 120% or more guided by the holy spirit to do so.where is he or she? we people staying here in our host country long enough to gather ideas & ques-parlamentary procedures so as also economical & industrial – &agricultural(luckily our country have round the year sunshine & rain, no winter so we can be able to make the most of our agriculture).can we start asking ourselves about this?
February 22, 2009 at 1:14 am
further more we Filipinos are still so immature with regards to the political concern, and if someone is ideological enough to render his most ability for the welfare of the state then comes an enviousness from the other who will try to ruin you and will exercise this what we call grab attitude.a very unchristian attitude. this things happen so often here in our host country among our countrymen.so bad -which is a sign of lack of selfdisciplin and immaturity. so often most specially to some community leaders here in our host country,in which only 60,000 pinoy are residing what more in the Philippines, a state of millions of population. how about it?????? have you ever think about it?.