If you are a Trump supporter,
out of respect to your feelings,
you might want to take a pass on this post.
I am a very regular reader / listener of books. But I rarely review them for my blog. I enjoy reading the reviews of books in other blogs ... it is just not my thing to do. Another thing I try to avoid on my blog is political lecturing. This post is not really a review of a book, but it will have my political views rant. In truth, it is an emotional release after 4 long painful years of frustration watching our government step away from our place in the world and from its responsibilities even to its own citizens.
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
I should also probably admit, I am a huge fan of President Obama and his lovely family. I was a "non-political" citizen for most of my life (except the last 4 years) - always voting, of course, but always putting more emphasis on leadership potential and personal values expressed instead of policy, position and party. I always supported whoever won the election regardless, because that is what the electorate decided. The will of the people is .... well, the will of the people!! And everyone gets behind the winner for the good of the country. For the most part all candidates in my memory had the best interests of the country in their hearts - they just saw the path to doing "the right thing" differently. But these last 4 years have been an eye opener. I have been sick to the bottom of my soul by the self-centered, selfish, uneducated, and unqualified man who followed President Obama into that prestigious office. This mistake-of-a-man, who even in his defeat tries to overturn the vote (and thereby the will) of the people by saying the vote was tainted, - despite all the lawsuits that have been knocked down, the Supreme Court refusing to hear the case brought by Texas, all the vote recounts and the assessment by his own Justice Department that there was no fraud in this election - this ridiculous man continues to cry "fowl!"
To this day - I don't understand the support he receives.
With that said I will also admit that I have a rather naive, "rose-colored glasses" opinion of our country. It IS the greatest country on earth with the patchwork of it citizens coming from all over the globe, its experiment in democracy that is still a work in progress, and its desire to do "right" for all people because - all men are created equal. Has this country lived up to all those wonderful "pie in the sky" words lately? Nope ... but I do believe that despite occasional wrong turns, this country does right itself and moves forward with the desire to live up to those words.
That is what is happening today in my country.
We are correcting from a devastatingly wrong turn and attempting to right ourselves.
So where does the book A Promised Land fit into this post? President Obama's book expresses exactly my same positive assumptions of America! Word for word - he makes the point that we will prevail and the will of the people will succeed in the end. This book is giving me such hope that my personal (and admittedly bias) perspective of my country is indeed the correct one.
President Obama's book focuses on how he was raised and how he got into public service and eventually politics and follows him through the first term as President. He was not a career politician like so many think. In fact, it can almost be said that with minimal experience in national politics - he was the right person, to come along at the right time, to lift the nation emotionally and pull us from the brink of financial collapse! The right person at the right time! That is what he was, and that is how history will see him. I won't live long enough to read that history, but there is no doubt. Just like Lincoln and Roosevelt and Kennedy and several others ... their place in history was cemented by challenges they faced and overcame - so it will be with President Barack Obama.
Now you might think I felt the country was perfect under President Obama. You would be wrong. No President is perfect just as no political party is perfect. But the atmosphere was more civil then. Less hateful and polarized. Families didn't need to make rules about "No political discussions at the dinner table." Friends could agree or disagree about current events without losing the relationship. There was clear sense of fact vs fiction. A desire to see each person as a fellow citizen and not an enemy. Plainly stated - it was just a more normal time. I believe that kind of "normal" starts at the top - with the leadership of the country. At the top what we had was just not normal.
Listening to President Obama read his own story is very enjoyable. Not all authors are good at narration. But President Obama is an excellent and educated orator, and hearing that wonderfully educated voice once again felt very good. The comparison to the last 4 years is hard to ignore. Facebook circulated a post that said: If a young person questions the value of education - have them listen to the speeches of Obama and Trump side by side. There can be no question of the value of education.
Do I recommend this book? I most certainly do. No matter your political persuasion ... it is helpful to recall what public service really looks and sounds like. It is not about the stock market or about "America First" to the exclusion of all other peoples on the face of the earth. It is not about allowing the rich to get richer with the help of government to the exclusion of all other people struggling just to get by. It is not about ignoring science and wishing away a pandemic and virus that kills - and constantly saying we are "turning a corner" when the science and data say differently. It is not about treating our allies badly while catering to dictators and thugs. Its not about dividing our citizens against each other and participating in name calling on a Twitter account, and lying so often that it is beyond anyone's ability to keep count. And don't get me started on his much denied White Supremacy position ... because that is exactly who has been sitting in the Oval Office for 4 years!!
Read this book to remind yourself of what public service and "the common good" looks like! Read it to remember where we were, understand how far we have fallen, and where we need to claw ourselves back to once again.
18 comments:
Not sure I'm entitled to comment, being 'across the pond' - but thank you for this review.
A year ago, I read Michelle O's "Becoming" and found it uplifting and challenging. I have been very unhappy by the way our PM Boris seems to have 'got into bed' with Trump. Yes, there has been a 'special relationship' between our nations for many years - but whether in the US or Britain, we need to call out against injustice, self-aggrandisement and greed on the part of those elected to high office.
As I pray for your nation, please would you remember the mess our country is in right now as we face Brexit?
and may God bless America [and Britain too]
I’m giving Paul this book for Christmas — and then I’ll have to wait until he finishes to read it myself! Can’t wait though. I share most of your thoughts about politics and was so excited (naively I now know) to find that our country had come to the point where we could elect a black man President and see his beautiful family living in the White House. The racist hatred for Obama here in the American South blew me away when I moved here during his second term.
I no longer believe that the United States is the “greatest country”. Nearly half the people here support horrible, horrible things and I can’t not see what I have seen these last four years. “Good Christian people”, some my dear friends and even a couple relatives — I can’t excuse them for supporting policies and actions that are cruel, dishonest, unjust, devious, etc.
The phrases “America First” turns my stomach. All the world are our brothers and sisters and their needs and rights just as important and well-deserved.
Anyhoo, interesting to read your review and looking forward to reading the book and to the Biden presidency! The man’s not perfect but at least he’s human and humane.
Angela - I am very glad that as a citizen of one of our closest allies, England, you chose to comment. I must admit I was cheering your citizens on when crowds in your country the demonstrated AGAINST Trump during his visit to England. It was clear to anyone who had eyes and a decent set of values that Trump did not belong in the office of President. I am also aware of the struggle you are having with your leadership. These are very had times indeed. I know this sounds simplistic, but I can't help believing that right will win out in the end.
Cynthia - man, do I hear you about half the population supporting Trump. Initially I thought it was a crazy fringe of citizens, the stupid and uneducated and those that allowed themselves to be brain washed that followed Trump to win. And we can't ignore that no matter how qualified Hillary was for the office of President, there were folks that just hated her. I blamed his win on all of that. An outlier - something that would not be repeated. But when the vote was soooo close for Bidden / Trump I realized that this "me first attitude and the rest of you be damned" element in our country was LARGE and that depressed me. I, too, have friends and family that support him to this day and believe beyond all facts presented that the election was stollen from him and they are all successful people, normal and caring in all other regards - with the exception of this man. I feel I even lost a friendship because of how this stupid man got into the mind (like brainwashing) of one person who felt compelled beyond all logic and good sense to provide pages and page of information to me of why she supports Trump and why she won't vote for Bidden and by extension, how my thinking MUST be faulty or wrong to think otherwise. She crossed and line with me and I could not stand by and ignore it. Sad really in hind site. But I blame it all on Trump who "allowed" by his example this rude and ill-mannered behavior to infect the mind of an otherwise rational woman.
Despite all that I continue to believe our country is a good example of how things can go wrong it you aren't paying attention, and how it can be correct eventually. It won't be easy because half the voters are so vengefully - but I believe in my heart it can be adjusted - but it will involved "clawing" back our sensibilities. That is why I used that word: claw. To me it project the image I see in my mind of how we turn the country back to the right path.
Thank you for commenting.
it is beyond all comprehension but it has been an underlying growth of ignorance making people turn to belief in conspiracy.
I refuse to have any of his supporters in my life - something terribly wrong with their mind.
Seeking Serenity - Exactly! When in the last 100 years did we have a political climate that this past one - a climate where you didn't even want his supporters in your house. I don't believe that has ever happened in our history. What made that happen? There is only one answer - Trump! He has made it acceptable to be rude, ugly and extremely judgmental of anyone different from yourself. Makes me sick. So glad he will be out of office soon and his impact after office will be minimal - IF the news media stops covering his every action.
I heard an interview with Obama in which he read an excerpt of this book. YES, it is so nice to hear someone speak in quiet, measured tone, using a full vocabulary, with no name-calling or fantastical claims that fly in the face of all facts!!! So I really should order the audible book to listen to in the car, because when I sit down I tend to spin, knit, or check email and blogs, not read.
I'm afraid I don't share your optimism, because the Bible says the world gets worse, much worse, before Christ returns as the Only Way to fix this broken world. But I do believe in focusing on the good, and DOING good, while waiting for that promised return, so books like this are worth listening to for that reason. I have friends who are pro-Trump (or possibly, more realistically, just Republicans) for one main reason – abortion. But the world sees (and God records) that this position isn't pro-LIFE as much as pro-BIRTH; the evidence in their treatment of so many living, breathing souls makes it clear that so much LIFE matters not at all to them. I am not pro-abortion; I really don't know any person who is. But I am pro-choice because GOD is, in spite of the fact that ALL of us abuse that freedom of choice. ANYway, enough of MY rant! ha
Oh my God. You are the first person that I have met that share this opinion: I am ProChoice but I am against abortion. Free will is my answer to being Pro-Choice. I would never choose abortion but I won't choose for others. For me free will is what makes the difference.
I AM an optimist! My husband is a pessimist - always see the bad before the good. Sometimes needs to be dragged kicking and screaming to see the positive of anything. Although he prefers the term "realist" - and he holds that position so that he is never disappointed. At least that is what he says. Without optimism, I would need to take drugs for depression, I fear. With regards to my cheery outlook of our country's ability to bounce back - I guess the answer to that optimism is buried deep in my own history. I was teen and young adult of the 60's. I remember the fear and anger of those times. The riots, the assassinations on our own soil of leaders, cities being burned, my peers who were sent to Vietnam and many died there - just boys really. THOSE were really very terrible years if you were old enough to remember and live through them. It seemed like our country was being torn apart from within. Never to recover. But the country did recover - it was messy with the Nixon years but it did turn a corner. So as an optimist - I believe history is on my side. But science is on the side of pessimism I fear (and God - unlikely bedfellows I would think) ... that things WILL get much worse - but not because God is orchestrating it - but because we are orchestrating our own destruction by ignoring Mother Nature and building weapons that can literally destroy the earth. We will be the makers of our own demise eventually and if God is checking in on that - he will probably consider his experiment of an intelligent race of humans a failure and move on to something else.
I'm right with you. This book is on my to-read list. It's no secret that I am not a fan of the current administration. 45 has legitimized hatred, racism, and fascism in ways not seen in this country in a long time. It is also disturbing to me that the election was as close as it was. I've tried to understand what his evangelical base sees in him, but it escapes me unless it's only about abortion (I believe that a woman should have the right to make her own decisions about her body). Something I've been trying to remind myself is that it's not half the country who voted for him - his base is less than 1/3 of the U.S. population. Two thirds voted in this election.
Isn't it interesting that we have come to a place in regards to politics where we are expected to be totally for one side and totally against the other? Sorry, that makes no sense to me. I've said this before, but I agreed with some things Trump did, and I disagreed with others. I agreed with some things Obama did, and I disagreed with others. Unfortunately, politics has become just a big 'King of the Hill' game. It's about power, not about solving real world problems and helping people. Modern politics is the opiate of the masses. It keeps people divided, and divided we fall.
Leigh, you are right. In the last 4 years I am totally and completely against the man who I feel brings the worst out in the people he was elected to serve. No other candidate has ever made me feel that way in the 50 years I have been voting.
I have voted both Republican and Democratic. And when the vote is over you get behind whoever won the election. I remember Hillary in her concession speech saying we now all need to get behind Trump as a nation and "give him a chance to lead." I think he threw away that opportunity with many of us by his own behavior and words. Notice I didn't say policy. I can't get past the way he lies and treats even his own appointments so badly - to notice what policy he professes. That is not the sign of a good leader who gets in the way of his own message. I can't tell you how many times I thought ... if he just stopped talking off the cuff, if he just stopped tweeting ... he would do better. Even his wife in a recent speech said something to the effect ... You might not like his tweeting all the time, but at least you know what he is thinking. That statement got a laugh from her audience. But not from me - his tweeting gave us a window into who he really was and what he really thought - and it was often just appalling.
I personally believe there are many Republicans who would make a better president than Trump! But he instills fear in his own party so no one speaks out!
Sorry, I could go on and on. This is why I seldom do a political post. And that is why I put a warning on this post to caution folks. I don't get to express these frustrating issues often and when I do it comes out like a flood. Just know that I personally have never felt so strongly about a President as I do about Trump.
A :-)
Thanks for commenting. I think the turn out this time was an indication of how strongly both sides felt about their candidates. It was a massive turnout. And I think Trump won the first time because many people just didn't like Hillary Clinton. It is pretty hard to dislike Bidden so that vote that swung towards Trump before has now swung back again. And Trump was such an unknown political person having never worked in government (considered a plus by many) that he probably got the "curiosity vote" as well.
I personally wish younger folks had run this time.
The next election in 4 years should be interesting. I doubt Bidden will run again as he will be over 80. I am hoping the Republican Party recovers their senses and finds a viable candidate. Actually I hope both parties put up viable candidates - so that we can vote on the issues once again.
I just have to say, I am heartened by the kind, studied, and intelligent comments of your readers. I read them once, and your responses to us, and I will read them again. I feel so isolated (due to the pandemic and leaving family and friends by retiring and moving to the South) and it’s so good to hear the brave words of other women like me. Thank you, and thank you to your readers for commenting.
Cynthia - I have a friend who also retired with her sister to South Carolina. She loves it there.
What I find interesting when the subject of Trump comes up either in the blog or face-to-face the normal reaction of those I know that are his supporters is pretty typical in my circle of contacts. They like some of his policies, they feel he does what he promised, that he is NOT a politician, that he is business man and that somehow makes him better at running a country, and/or they have done very well financially under his administration. Some how those reasons allow them to overlook his lack of leadership, empathy, honesty, civility etc etc etc I say ... would you accept that way of behaving in a friend, a relative or even a boss? Not likely. So why should we accept it in our national leader who is our face to the rest of the world.
The Republican Party of maybe 20 years ago was a party to be admired. At least I admired them. They look so different now. I think they have forgotten who they are.
I haven’t read or listened to President Obama’s book.
Your thoughts, review would be “my walk” as well.
Simply said, he has integrity . . .
No matter what anyone says, integrity lives in his heart, soul.
I don’t usually do audio. So happy I read your post.
I need his voice . . . (Perfect present to myself.)
Thanks Elaine . . .
Some things I know, some things I don’t know . . .
I do know, there is no doubt in my mind about Barack Obama.
Authentic . . .
Lynn - so right! One word. Authentic.
You are so right! I removed all Trump supporters from my Facebook friends list as I can't even have those kind of opinions attempting to justify themselves on my pages. I lost long time friends over Trump but truth is I don't want them. If they subscribe to anything Trump represents then there is something seriously wrong with their thinking. It's harsh I know and as someone who preaches tolerance how can I be so intolerant of others? I just remind myself that in the period of 1939-45 any kind of acceptance of a small moustached man in the Reichstag or his supporters would have been shameful. It's good to read your words again!
Rory, you are so right. The ire and disharmony this man has inspired in our country is the real "unprecedented" event of our history. As disruptive as the pandemic has been - we saw it before in 1918. This man who right now wears his title of President like the crown of a King, has not been seen in this country's history ever. And those who cannot see it have allowed themselves to be brainwashed into thinking he is someone wonderful. Very scary that one man can have such control over so many people.
Welcome back. You have been gone from the blog-o-sphere for way too long!!
Post a Comment