Letters from a Young Radical

The new administration already seems to have a more human face than I've seen in my lifetime. Barack Obama talks about change coming from the bottom up, about how change comes not from Washington but to it, and about how he'll be listening to what the people have to say and responding directly to us as best he can. That's something I've never heard nor ever expected to hear in my lifetime. Since I became politicized and subsequently radicalized, I've felt only voiceless. As thought there's no dialog with those in power, as though I have absolutely no power (and being able to vote in a few elections didn't make me feel any better).

I have to say, finding out that there's a blog on change.gov, the "office of the president-elect" online, I'm pretty stunned. Of course, likely the government websites of the past have had updates. But a blog? I mean that really speak's the peoples' language, or at least the young peoples' language. Blogs come off as amateur and immediate, so they seem very transparent. Of course a government blog would be the perfect place to put all of your best lies and misleadings, but the important part to me is the IDEA. The idea that Obama really is listening and talking to us in a way that makes him seem much more accessible than other presidents (or even any other politician). THAT is amazing. THAT will raise expectations from people.

I think there's a real possibility here that after 30 years of disenchantment and demoralization and low activity on a mass scale, that the attitute of Barack Obama, even if everything he said is simply scripted to better market him, the attitude is going to make people feel more empowered. If the president is asking you to join a social movement, hell. We're in a good spot. I hope that expectations will be raised, new possibilities will fill people's heads and that we'll all get our voices back and start shouting and filling the world with songs and chants and dreams and demands.