THE AUDACITY OF WORDS

Hillary Clinton’s main criticism against the Obama campaign has been that it was “just words”. But contrary to general perception words are as cogent as actions, maybe even more. Although the exact conditions, personas, and events surrounding them may not be evident to all “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." means more than the events that surrounded it for it is the “words” uttered by everyone who feels oppressed and disenfranchised. Hence, the speech Obama made on March 18th can not be considered as being only “words.” It was an extremely honest and poignant analysis of the main issues that concern America today. It did not angrily denounce Reverand Wright who had said “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America. no, no, no, God damn America”. Even though the speech constantly reiterated Obama’s disagreement with the Reverand on issues of foreign policy and on those exact words in particular, it also underlined the reasons and the perceptions of the Reverand. Obama said “For the men and women of Reverend Wright’s generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table.” He demonstrated through his words that whatever might have been the achievements and failures of past generations, divisions and fear still do exist and not only within the black community but also within the white and latino ones. Moreover, he underlined that these divisions and fears can only be overcome if the issue is discussed in a forthright manner. As he stated; “But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.” He brought the discussion from condemning a speech to comprehendig the underlying causes why such words could be spoken in the African-American community and why the whites do not come to hear those words everyday. And perhaps they should, only to be able to truly overcome the past. Norman Mailer once said that “People move forward into the future out of the way they comprehend the past. When we don't understand something in our past, we are therefore crippled.” Obama’s words demonstrated that the past is not quite past yet and any change can only come by truly discussing it.