Obama, Kennedy and Aeschylus
Today's post is both connected and disconnected. A collection of independent thoughts I have been thinking that coincidentally or perhaps not, seem to be interconnected and not so independent.
The idea of an assassination attempt on Senator Obama is a fear many of his supporters have held for a long time now. But as much as I personally thought it was a sincere possibility I'm not sure I ever truly grasped the reality of it until recent news out of Denver. It is that recent news concerning a plot to do just that in Denver during the Democratic National Convention that has brought those fears to a shocking reality. I have never in my adult years witnessed an assassination attempt let alone a successful one on my home soil of a presidential candidate or existing president. It is a sobering thought and it is an event I hope I never have to experience in my life time. It has left me wondering how a nation would overcome such an event, regardless of which party an individual would fall in line with.
The days of JFK, MLK and Robert Kennedy seem almost fairy tale to me. I can't imagine what it must have been like to live in a day and age when assassinations were commonplace. I wonder how a people would overcome such tragedies without collapsing into despair. Then I stumbled upon Robert Kennedy's speech the day off MLK's assassination and was buoyed by the fact that even though we have lost many a great man and will probably lose more to come through time that all is not darkness and despair. Wisdom will reign.
And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. ~ Aeschylus
Wisdom. Peace. Strength. Conviction. Robert Kennedy came to these by the words of the Greeks after his brother's untimely passing. After falling into his own despair it was the teachings of the ancient Greeks that sustained him and led to the fateful moment above as he attempted to impart a piece of that wisdom to the audience before him and to a nation listening at home. To provide them with the peace, strength and conviction to continue on in the face of tragedy down the true and right path.
Our nation needs that type of leader again. Perhaps Obama is not that man. Perhaps McCain is. Maybe vice versa. Or maybe it isn't a leader that is needed but a moment, a spark, a tipping point. Regardless, this nation has been slowly slipping into a state of mind and attitude that will only lead to self destruction and we need something or someone to awaken all the slumbering masses.
Seek wisdom, peace, strength and conviction in your own life. Hope that this nation doesn't face the challenges and grave losses those previous generations have had to face. Hope that if we do that we will have leaders that will see us through.
well put