General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama: "The Best Is Yet To Come"
Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak wrote this on his Facebook page this weekend:
snip//
He told me about the work he will be doing on youth and families, on getting more people engaged in voting, on protecting liberties. Then he said the words that meant the most to me: "The best is yet to come."
I believe Barack Obama was the greatest President of my lifetime, but as I heard him talk, I remembered he is about more than political office. At so many times---his amazing speech about race in the first campaign, his powerful words after Sandy Hook, his second inaugural when laid out the imperative of attacking climate change---he has moved us beyond politics to elevate our values. This is his great opportunity now; just as America faces a crisis of values, a great debate about who we really are at our core, he will be speaking not as just a politician, but as a moral leader. In many ways we need that even more today than great politicians.
snip//
We said goodbye and I walked out of the White House, past that reviewing stand, but didn't feel the same sense of dread. Donald Trump will be my President and I won't try to delegitimize him even though many, including Trump, tried to do that to Obama for eight years. But we can fight for what we believe, and fight back, hard, when we see something wrong. And, remembering that look in the President's eye when he told me, "We aren't done yet", and remembering all we have seen during his remarkable Presidency, I know he will be with us every step.
Later that night Megan and I went to a farewell party at the White House. I talked to Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan who has gone back to Chicago to work on youth violence prevention, to former Attorney General Eric Holder who is organizing opposition to unfair redistricting around the country, former White House political director and Ambassador Patrick Gaspard who is working on citizen engagement with George Soros, Gabby Giffords is fighting the gun violence that robbed her and so many others of so much, activist actors like Alfre Woodard who has been through waves of social movements saying she's now ready for the next phase. Obama has been a President but Obama is also a movement that isn't done on Jan 20.
Read More: http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2017/01/obama-best-is-yet-to-come.html
I read this right after the election and at that time was in shock and to disheartened to absorb the words. So, after 30 days of this new president I reread former Mayor Rybak's words..." Obama has been a President but Obama is also a movement that isn't done on Jan 20." It dawned on me that this is truth. We have seen it as we collectively are rising up to march, to protest and to RESIST. Millions of people one voice and we will persist as Elizabeth Warren did just the other day. The words of Obama are clear:
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
We are the movement, we are the change that we seek and he will be there with us every step of the way.
northoftheborder
(7,572 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,378 posts)JenniferJuniper
(4,512 posts)KentuckyWoman
(6,688 posts)His family and all of us behind him there's no limit.
samnsara
(17,623 posts)...but now I love him.
Ms. Toad
(34,076 posts)It's actually been only 22 days.
samnsara
(17,623 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Obama is not the movement, he is a part of a movement. One way we as citizens failed was in sitting back and expecting President Obama to accomplish what we as citizens failed to demand.
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)This movement is growing strong legs quickly. We will Resist together, we are the ones.
redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)malaise
(269,063 posts)Yes we can!
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)...yes we WILL!
anarch
(6,535 posts)Sounds absurd to even think about in our current situation, I realize, but you never know!
We the People will not lie down for fascists; we will resist and we will persist!
malaise
(269,063 posts)He must not be silenced
anarch
(6,535 posts)just a pipe dream anyway, probably.
In the meantime, I am certainly encouraged by the OP's point!
samnsara
(17,623 posts)...his voice needs to be heard LOUD and clear. Hoping theres a new freedom channel launched soon!
malaise
(269,063 posts)I can't wait
superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)Letting Twitler self-implode first, then he can ride in with a white hat and save America.
I'm a believer.
ailsagirl
(22,897 posts)God, I love that man
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)it is about WE not HE.
hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)To form an organization to fight voter supression
Stellar
(5,644 posts)samnsara
(17,623 posts)maybe they will go form another country so we can move there...if trump doesn't take away all OUR visas!
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)First Speaker
(4,858 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)Sad.
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)And...
brer cat
(24,578 posts)I do believe "the best is yet to come." He will not leave us in this darkness and despair.
Thanks for a very uplifting post, sheshe.
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)TrekLuver
(2,573 posts)flamingdem
(39,313 posts)I feel better now
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)sheshe2
(83,793 posts)Hekate
(90,716 posts)Thank you.
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)toddwv
(2,830 posts)President MIGHT finally get the respect and admiration that he truly deserves.
forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)but for those to come. Just because we may not reap the fruits, we know we have done so and will be satisfied that the trees we plant will slowly and surely break the concrete of oppression.
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)Thank you...
NastyRiffraff
(12,448 posts)We are indeed. After the shock and horror, and many tears, immediately after the election, I'm beginning to have hope. We're seeing resistance all over the country, even in Utah! And it's so good to hear that Obama continues to work for the good of the country. I'm not surprised at that, but it's great to hear from Mayor Rybak about his conversation with the president. Thanks so much for posting it, sheshe.
"We aren't done yet"
sheshe2
(83,793 posts)Resist and Persist at every turn, "we are not done yet."
Thank you NastyRiffraff, we are not alone.
Doitnow
(1,103 posts)Last edited Sat Feb 11, 2017, 05:38 PM - Edit history (1)
followed immediately by a trump administration. Sometimes it takes something really horrible to happen for us to appreciate the good when it happens.