So Many Sad People
Posted by Ted Hopton on March 18, 2008
I guess I should have known better. I read and listened to Barack Obama’s speech on race and was impressed. As I wrote in my most recent post, I thought it exhibited real leadership.
Then I read the NYT account of the speech’s reactions among bloggers, and then I read the comments posted by readers about that article (there were 178 at that time, but I only made it through about 40). And now I feel depressed. For all of us — and there are many of us — who found Obama’s speech to be powerful and genuine, there are still many sad and bitter people who could only find negative things to say about it.
I could call them names, and many unflattering ones come to mind. But that’s not my point here. I’m not interested in arguing with these people or insulting them. I’ll simply be condescending and say that I truly feel sorry for them. To see so much evil in every corner of the world and to be convinced that so many people are out to get you and undermine this country . . . well, that must be a sad way to go through life. And all of those sad people sure devote a lot of energy to spreading their misery every chance they get.
I much prefer the audacity of hope. I just hope there are enough of us in this country to outvote the miserable people. Hopeful as I am, I am not sure which belief will prevail. But that’s why we call it “hope,” isn’t it?
obama race speech
