Are we that cynical?

Why have we become so cynical? Almost instantly after Obama’s speech in Denver before 80,000 excited Americans, the blogs and pundits began attacking it from all sides. Obama spoke to health care, lost jobs, education, the environment, our tarnished image abroad, ending the war in Iraq, and solving our dependency on foreign oil. All issues that are both timely and call for a renewed effort on the part of each of us, yet there are many that say it is just an appeal to our emotions. I have heard that it “reminds me of Hitler”, to “someone will assonate him”. What has happened to us as a people that we can no longer simply disagree but we have to attack the person in the vilest manner.

“Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story – of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.”
These were the words he used so eloquently to offer his view of what America can mean and yet, there are people that would attack him for being so eloquent. He spoke to the promise of America----“It’s a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect. It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.” Can anyone possibly disagree with those words? Words that describe the best of what we can be, words that offer hope to every person, no matter what color or greed. But there are people that will damn him and say, “impossible absurd, liar, cheat”, etc., etc. It seems we have lost our ability to believe in the best of man, lost the idea that things can improve, that each of us can pitch in to make a difference but rather we are more satisfied to think the worst and that this man, will not only not deliver on his word but somehow will cheat us in the process. Higher taxes is the drum they pound and yet they take for granted that highways and bridges, airports and sea ports, fire and police will be ready whenever the need. No one enjoys paying taxes but it beats having no income upon which to pay.
“But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism. The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America – they have served the United States of America. So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.”
I do not know how good a president Barack Obama may make and I do not know how many of his ideas will work but I do know I like the idea of a America that works for all of us and not just a few. An America where the dream is not only alive but becomes reality and the very best of what we can be is shown to the rest of the world. How many times have we all complained about politics and politicians; it is almost an American pastime. Now----maybe just now is our time and instead of our usual pessimism, maybe we can join together “to form a more perfect union” The definition of cynical is-----“believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief.” Hope however, is defined as “believing that a better or positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary”. This is the stand I make and this is the America I believe in.