Oratory

For as long as I can remember being interested in politics I have yearned for the political duologue of the past, believing that oratory was no longer eloquent or inspiring in contemporary politics. I longed for the speeches of the Kennedy brothers, wishing their speech writers would magically become young again and eager to inspire. I dreamed of what it would have been like to be in the same room as Lincoln or Jefferson as they gave resounding voice to our dreams and hopes as a nation; to be in awe as FDR healed our wounds. Perhaps it is a characteristic of our generation to be jaded and cynical for I believed the modern politics consisted of nothing more than going through the motions.

Last night I turned on the Democratic National Convention in hopes of learning more about a candidate that I admittedly know very little about, a candidate whom I was supporting simply becasue I don't like the other guy. I was wrong. Never in my life have I been so inspired by speeches given by my contemporaries. Never has my heart been so filled with hope and confidence by politics. In an era where attack adds are king and violence plagues the news I heard in the voices of those speaking a glimpse of the past. I heard passion, inspiration, hope , and most of all I heard truth. I believed what was being spoken. I believed those whom I never thought I would believe, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Teddy Kennedy, and Michelle Obama. I wanted to grab a sign and shout at the top of my lungs that this is what our nation has been lacking, this is what politics should be. In an era where politics mostly focuses on the negative, I, for the first time as an eligible voter, felt positive about my choice for president.

Please, if you have a chance, watch the rest of the convention. See if you can feel what I am writing about. If you missed last night's speeches, you can hear them at www.npr.org under "Elections 2008" or go to http://www.demconvention.com for the videos and transcripts.