I've been thinking that what the Blogosphere really needs is a "Dear Mr. Obama" Thread. So, I'll start, and please feel free to leave your "Dear Mr. Obama" in comments. I'll print them out and mail them to the incoming occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When you move into a new house, it's nice to have some mail for you, already sitting in the mailbox.
Dear Mr. Obama,
I'm an old, emotional woman, a Nonna, and a patriot. I can't walk into the Supreme Court, something I do on occasion for my job, without getting teary-eyed over the words "Equal Justice Under Law," carved above the front door. America, and what She's supposed to be about, are very dear to me. And my sweet, kind, intelligent, musical, imaginative, polite, two-and-a-half year-old G/Son is dearer to me than life itself. Dearer than the planet, dearer than Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Dearer than the Fifth Sacred Thing. Dearer than, well, dearer than just about anything or anyone.
Today, Mr. Obama, G/Son and I were driving to his house, and I was telling him that he was going to come spend the day with me on your Inauguration Day, since his parents have to work that day, I don't, and his day care center is closed. Mr. Obama, G/Son is at a stage that I'm sure you remember from when your two lovely daughters (may a thousand Goddesses bless them a thousand times a day for a thousand days) were two-and-a-half. Anything that you tell G/Son generates questions.
G/Son wanted to know what "Inauguration" meant. I told my G/Son that, on your Inauguration Day, you would stand up in front of everyone (and that "everyone" included G/Son and me, at my home, watching on line on my computer). I told him that you would stand up and make a very, very serious promise to everyone in our country, indeed, to everyone in the world and to, even, your god, that you would follow some important rules that are written down in a piece of paper that we call the Constitution. G/Son said, "Why he will promise to obey the rules in the Constitution?" I told my G/Son that, before we give one person all the power that we're going to give to you, Mr. Obama, we want them to make a very serious promise to everyone that they will follow the rules, even with all that power. G/Son said, "Even to me? Pwesdident Obama will make the swerious pwomwise even to me?" You weren't there, Mr. Obama. And so, I answered for you. And I said that yes, yes you would, you would make that serious promise especially to G/Son.
The guy before you lied when he made his promise. Dear Mr. Obama, do not fuck up your promise to my G/Son. Do not fuck this up. I am just saying.
Your friend (for now),
Hecate Demetersdatter
Dear Mr. Obama,
ReplyDeleteCould you please make sure before you leave office that no child here in the "richest" country in the world ever goes to bed hungry or without proper health care, and that every one of them gets a proper education?
thank you
Dear Mr. Obama,
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say that it is an honor to address you as Mister. We have forgotten a time when completing Presidential service meant going back to being "Governor" or "General" and I think that we've lost something in that.
I believe that you recognize as a scholar the servant role that you are taking on and I hope that you are able to hold onto that vision in the coming eight years. We sorely need a president who remembers the Preamble.
I would also ask you to remember that the signers of the Declaration pledged to one another their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. I ask you to ask that of all of us - We the People.
Mr. Obama, help us to stop wallowing in fear. It does not help any but those who prey on us, both domestic and foreign adversaries to our country's well-being.
Remind us of our better selves, please, sir.
With great respect,
Thank you.
Dear Mr. Obama,
ReplyDeletePlease govern this country with your beautiful young daughters in mind. What are you, as our leader, teaching them and all of the other children? What world will we adults be leaving them.
Watching you these past two years I have no doubt that you, personally, will strive to do so, but as we all know there are outside forces who don't think or care about such things, who will be difficult to fight. Please call them out and expose them. Starting with Mitch McConnell who is suddenly very concerned about spending and waste and graft.
Please continue to lead us with the grace and dignity you and your lovely wife Michelle have shown so far. I hope that we can follow your example and get a more caring, polite and reasoned discourse back in this home of ours.
My heart will be with you as I know the difficult task you have chosen to take on. But that Goddess that you did. We still have hope.
Dear Mr. Obama,
ReplyDeleteYou gave us hope at a time when we thought hope was gone forever. You gave us pride in our country at a time when we thought that was gone forever. You spoke to the best in all of us at a time when we weren't sure there was any best anywhere.
We gave you our trust at a time when politicians had trampled that in the dust. We gave you our time, money and energy at a time when we didn't think we had any left.
So now we ask-- do not listen to the voices that tell you "this is how the game is played, this is what you need to do to get things done." Don't believe it. Two years ago those same voices didn't think you had a chance in hell of being president. You are president because you chose a different path. Change. Hope. Steadfast hard work.
Be true to your vision. Help us hold on to our hope and pride. Help us continue to seek the best in ourselves and others. God and Goddess will be with you.
Dear Mr. Obama -
ReplyDeleteCould you please continue to provide a living, breathing example of pride in oneself to an entire lost generation of black males? I'm the mother of 3 of them and your election has sparked a glint of self-enlightenment in their eyes, made them realize I wasn't talking out of my ass for the past 26 yrs and given them hope they really can be anything they want to be. Thank you for not making me out a liar.