Obama Phenomenal: What it means…
By Steve Paterno
June 2, 2008 — Out of obscurity, Barack Obama national fame and prominence came in 2004 at Democratic National Convention where as a keynote speaker, he explained, “I’m not talking about blind optimism here” but rather “the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.” Four years later, the hope for the “skinny kid with a funny name” to also have a place in America is more than a reality, because America offers him the highest of hopes—the presidency of the United States of America where the opportunities are endless and the career is so much rewarding.
Truly, Obama is an epitome of American ideal as envisioned by those who founded America on the premises “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Obama is no more hoping or dreaming of such American ideal, but he is fully living it, regardless of race, creed, gender, nationality, religion, and political affiliations. As many will acknowledge, Obama’s story is “only possible in America.”
Born to a black Kenyan father and a white American mother, Obama mere successes in life seem pretty unlikely. As a child, he was faced, with the harshest reality that a life could offer; isolation, divorce of parents and death of a father. And then, he has to undergo a personal struggle with issues that include race, identity, and community, among others. All these, however, do not stop Obama who is now poising to become the president of the free nation and the only world’s supper power. By virtue, he is already a nominee for Democratic candidate for president. And by all accounts, the indication is that he will win the Presidency in the general election against his Republican rival, John McCain, comes November.
When Obama repeatedly talk of “hope” it is not just stump slogan on political campaign but rather a profoundly belief system of American dream that Obama and many more Americans share. Obama says he went to best schools in the country, “because in a generous America you don’t have to be rich to achieve your potential.” No wonder his message resonates and inspire many. In America, he inspires many to turn away from cynicism and to actively participate into political activities as evidenced in this exciting campaign where he tremendously exerts unusual energy. He told the Americans that “this time can be different because this campaign for the presidency is different. It’s different not because of me, but because of you.” As a result, the Americans turned out in millions to vote for him, propelling him to take a lead in democratic primaries and increasing his momentum to win the presidency.
Obama is a transcendental figure, meaning positive things into different people. For many Americans, he is the pride of an American dream that everyone feels to identify with. To the young, he is an ultimate role model, affirming their potentials by directly relating to them. To the immigrants in America, Obama reassures their hopes in the land of opportunity. And to the rest of the world, Obama restores American prestige in the world.
An Obama phenomenal is the one that would profoundly has positive lasting effects to many for years to come. Elected to the presidency or not, Obama has already made his impression. Perhaps it will take decades for the Americans and the world to witness such phenomenal. Therefore, for those who are denying such a phenomenal, they are only doing themselves a disservice by denying themselves an opportunity to witness one of the rare phenomenal in history.
Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]