The following is a facebook post concerning Obama's speech written by a friend of mine, Rafael Gonzalez, who is currently a graduate student at UT San Antonio. Please take a moment to read and appreciate his words.
"I
don't trust authority. I hardly trust anyone who claims they have
access to any 'truths', 'solutions', or 'answers'. I don't advocate
myself to have any of the preceding. I believe this is a humble
approach. Sure, this is a somewhat biased approach. Some folks would
even call it foolish, but it is objectively, what works best for my
purposes.
I'm listening to the president's speech and while I
understand that to some of you this may appear as my endorsement of him,
I preface this by saying that I do not endorse the binary system most
people buy into.
Most of you know nothing of me.I came to this
country, quite legally, 22 years ago this December, leaving all of my
family behind to start anew in a country that provided us with the
opportunities that my birth country could not. While my family may have
been better off than some, it wasn't given to us; we've had to fight
through much. But we've also had to rely on the help of others:
teachers,
friends, doctors, business associates, the acne-ridden bag boy at HEB...
So, for me, when I listen to this wonderful orator, and he is quite the
eloquent speaker, talk about the need for community, ideals, and one
another, I can't help but appreciate the value that this country has for
people like me, who were not born here, but love America because it's
shown them the opportunity to make something of oneself. It is both a
very Sartrean and Heideggerean state of mind.
I've never felt
entitled to anything, and during those times when my English falters and
I sound richly Mexican (viva!) (not Latino or Chicano... mas pu....) I
am reminded of what I left behind in order to lay some roots here. I
think this is the real problem of this country: a lack of appreciation.
Everyone is so quick to complain, to blame others, to have bad faith;
very few of us are willing to get our hands dirty, to be part of the
solution.
I have had some time to think about this. People seem
to have no knowledge of large scale problems, nor the capacity to
understand its scope. This is not a liberal or conservative stance, it
is quite rational. It's not racism, or classism.. or implicit claims to
it as my good friend Carlos Salinas stated. It is entitlement, American exceptionalism gone to our heads...
There is a great moment of effervescence when a leader rallies his
troops, knowing quite well that they could all die in the theater of war
the next battle. This leader is haggard, tired, spent, just as his
troops are. Morale is down, yet, some, like rabid mastiffs, want to go
onwards onto the field of battle, to attempt success, even if they fail.
Many are quick to lay their lives foolishly for their country, for the
ideals of men who would not have walked a few miles in their shoes, but
few are willing to struggle for their country..... I cherish the
struggle....
Great speech."
So, for me, when I listen to this wonderful orator, and he is quite the eloquent speaker, talk about the need for community, ideals, and one another, I can't help but appreciate the value that this country has for people like me, who were not born here, but love America because it's shown them the opportunity to make something of oneself. It is both a very Sartrean and Heideggerean state of mind.
I've never felt entitled to anything, and during those times when my English falters and I sound richly Mexican (viva!) (not Latino or Chicano... mas pu....) I am reminded of what I left behind in order to lay some roots here. I think this is the real problem of this country: a lack of appreciation. Everyone is so quick to complain, to blame others, to have bad faith; very few of us are willing to get our hands dirty, to be part of the solution.
I have had some time to think about this. People seem to have no knowledge of large scale problems, nor the capacity to understand its scope. This is not a liberal or conservative stance, it is quite rational. It's not racism, or classism.. or implicit claims to it as my good friend Carlos Salinas stated. It is entitlement, American exceptionalism gone to our heads...
There is a great moment of effervescence when a leader rallies his troops, knowing quite well that they could all die in the theater of war the next battle. This leader is haggard, tired, spent, just as his troops are. Morale is down, yet, some, like rabid mastiffs, want to go onwards onto the field of battle, to attempt success, even if they fail. Many are quick to lay their lives foolishly for their country, for the ideals of men who would not have walked a few miles in their shoes, but few are willing to struggle for their country..... I cherish the struggle....
Great speech."
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