A spirit of service and sacrifice

[foolmonkey]

In his victory speech, President Elect Barack Obama called for a new spirit of service and sacrifice in our country. I think this is one of the most critical parts of the election for me. I care about this more than the platform he's running on. I care about this more than his charisma. I even care about this more than the symbolic statement

Comments

[omega697]

One of the most important things that Obama said in his email to supporters was this:

"We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next."

I sincerely hope the intends to use the internet, communication, organization, and all the things that won him the White House, to carry out what needs to be done. I want him to involve us. And I think he wants to.

Brilliant!

[sollite]

If you want to change the world, make it easy for others to help you do it. Take them with you. Show them how. Make it a habit for them as well as for you.

Yes, yes, yes.

Fucking beautiful.

And the most grace-filled part of it all, for me, is the way a wise structure/leadership can shape what needs doing to the passions, interests, and abilities of the people who want to help. If you work it right, then engagement becomes absolutely synonymous with self-fulfillment - it's the realization that it is in your active, full-souled , completely personalized participation in our collective endeavor of creating and re-creating the world that we become complete individuals.

It's like the philosophy represented by the word Ubuntu - a person is a person through other persons.

[triath]

"If we, personally, don't make this country great, then how can we expect a government to do it for us?"

I noticed the same parts in his speech and was thinking the same things. Wouldn't this country be awesome if people gave as generously to worthy causes as they did to the Obama campaign - if people volunteered for other causes as much as they did for Obama?

A girl can dream...

The Knife has lyrics: "You make me like charity, instead of paying enough taxes."

[onesandzeros]

If people gave to charities we could cut taxes for social services, just the unpopular ones. People don't give as much as that though, myself included. I am all for paying higher taxes for quality social services which I have had to use at times and am very grateful for.

It's one or the other.

Beautiful

[sadie_sunshine]

I love that like America and patriotic, help no longer has to be a four-letter word, figuratively speaking. We can reclaim their beauty and sacredness through our actions and we can do it now.

[onesandzeros]

Beautifully stated! I agree it's hard to start. There's so much research to be done to find out what cause to support and then there's finding the resources to do it.

I love hearing how Dee is contributing to the Universe. I hope to hear more from you soon. I'd love to have a story to tell myself someday.