Convening Hope

When I was a kid, the only times I was allowed to stay up as late as I wished was during the National Political Conventions. Watching the flickering images on a black and white television was tremendously exciting. Listening to the speeches was inspiring. And when the roll call votes were cast from “The great state of...” fill-in-the-blank, it was exhilarating.

I have never stopped believing.
I have never failed to be moved to tears by positive collective actions of groups of well intentioned individuals.

I have been discouraged.
I have been saddened, fearful, dismayed and furious over the feckless, reckless, despicable actions of the administration of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney and their scoundrel minions.

But I have never stopped believing in The Constitution of the United States of America; in the dreams of the founding fathers; in the constant, if inconsistently paced, incremental improvements on those dreams.

I have been discouraged over the last eight years.
But I have never stopped believing, never abandoned all hope.
I believe in America.
That’s why on November 4, 2008 I will cast my vote for Barack Obama and Joseph Biden.
That’s why I still have hope.