The Convention

Politics, with all of its talk of bills and laws and foreign relations and domestic policies, seems to take place in Washington, far away, and is something out of our hands and inevitable, like taxes. The Democratic convention, which just ended, reminded me that it can also be about things more tangible, real, personal, and emotional.

Watching on TV is no substitute for being there, but even that medium, so artificial and distancing, couldn’t dilute the power of this one. Not that it didn’t try. We watched it each night on PBS, the supposed station of the people. It took until the last night and repeated yelling and cursing for us to realize that their commentary, any commentary, trivialized and insulted what was taking place. With C-span and its picture-only style, we finally were able to have an uninterrupted experience.

The convention, though planned and scripted as to who and when, seemed to develop in an organic and natural way. A bit scattered at the beginning, it began to coalesce. The Clintons gave their endorsements (despite the backstory) and testimony from regular Joes began to tie this process to the reality that this was the way we govern ourselves and who we elect to do it. As it progressed, it no longer seemed that our lives are controlled by an alien species we refer to as politicians. We saw real guys with real lives. They weren’t so different from us. They have their path and it is to serve in government.

Although I admit to optimism, to responding to Sousa, and to red, white, and blue, the longer I watched, the more patriotic and motivated I became. In contrast to the cynicism and helplessness I usually feel, I was reminded that we have a history and it goes back more than eight years. The United States is not without blame for many things, but we do have ideals and they are just that – something we keep aiming for.

Given the nudge by all this hoopla and discussion, by the speeches and stories, I can look around and see the melting pot they talk about. I see the examples of possibility and opportunity that exist in this country. It’s not just a nice story. In the world we live in now, no one and nothing can remain hidden. Reality, though sometimes filtered, is always before us and demands action.

Part of that action was unfolding at the convention. The ideas and ideals of hope, determination, and goodness were given voice. Even television and its chattering personalities, could not blunt the feeling shown in the words and the faces that were lighting up the evening.

America is a different kind of place and this gathering presented the wish of countless hearts to evolve and embrace and include whoever aspires to similar ideals. Obama was right when he said that it wasn’t about him, but about us. This election no longer feels like a mechanical abstraction that takes place in November, but a real decision that involves us all. A process that can move us forward, closer and closer to those ideals.

Exercise your right to vote. You’ll feel stronger.