Those who run the road of despair are driven by an unquenchable thirst for vengeance. It does not lead to freedom, regardless of any undeserved and fleeting victories that chance throws to us like a clean bone is thrown to dogs. That road runs to dead ends: slavery, self-deceit and defeat.
On the road of despair, never can there be enough. Nor peace. Neither forgiveness nor thanksgiving will fly from our heart or lips when we run that unfortunate and much traveled highway. But if thanks, praise and forgiveness never fly from our hearts and lips, neither will they fly to perch upon new blessings, new tomorrows and hope’s renewal.
On the road of despair, we only take possession of lesser treasures by force, deceit and theft: knick knacks, kitsch and all the other counterfeits of joy, love, and peaceful heart. But thieves, they never enjoy the hospitalities afforded to honored and cherished guests: generosity, kindness and love – among other good things.
Below, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I have a Dream speech. ………………………………………………..
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Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell, celebrated Hoover Institute Scholar, author and black conservative, writes:
“Whatever one may think about Obama as a candidate or as a potential President, his candidacy has brought something new to the American political scene.”
Since Ronald Reagan, no presidential candidate has emphasized hope and change and generated so much enthusiasm as Senator Barack Obama. That’s not all we’ve come to see and know during this presidential campaign. After four decades of pretending to be the champion of minority interest, the Democrat’s racial preferences were exposed when Billary understood that the chances for another Clinton White House were getting slim. On the other side, quite a few white Republicans have been gleefully chanting, ‘Yes, we can.” Some on the right side are not quite as stupid and unpatriotically obedient as was presupposed.
Lee Walker
My friend and political mentor, Lee Walker of the New Coalition for Economic and Social Change, writes of Obama:
“Obama’s message is that it is not too late for America to change from some bad habits to better habits… Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy is powerful confirmation of the truth of Booker T. Washington’s vision of hard work and self-reliance as the route to success for blacks as for all Americans.
This is an historical presidential election. It is a unique opportunity. Do we make a great step forward? Or does America take a step down from the stage of history? These are interesting times. America is in need of a prophet- even one from Illinois. The time has come for us to join hands together as we honor our proud American heritage with the inauguration of America’s first black president. And were he alive today, Alexis de Tocqueville, the much studied European commentator on the American legacy, would strongly agree.
Barrack Obama
Now is the time. Let us be satisfied. Let Freedom ring through the halls and offices of the White House.
America and the world have great expectations of this moment. I hope and I pray that we Americans and Senator Barrack Obama… will not fail.
Now is the time.
Now has come the time for change. For hope. For justice to roll down.
Yes, we can.
Below, Jordin Sparks singing the National Anthem. ………………………………………………..
Mr. Faryna is the founder and co-founder of several technology, design and communication companies in the United States and Europe including Faryna & Associates, Inc., Halo Interactive, and others.
Stan Faryna is also a Global Voices author and translator. Global Voices is a non-profit global citizens’ media project founded at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, a research think-tank focused on the Internet’s impact on society.
Mr. Faryna also served as editor-in-chief of Black and Right (Praeger Press, 1996), a landmark collection of socio-political essays by important American thinkers including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
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Copyright 1996 to 2008 by Stan Faryna.
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As the minutes tick closer to the start of today’s NATO Summit in Bucharest, some Romanian bloggers question the zeal of their leaders in ensuring there is neither public protest nor questions to the value of NATO for Romania or other European states- neither in Bucharest nor Romania in general. Although an outspoken and public critic of the flagging commitment of other NATO members, Romanian President Traian Basescu believes that NATO remains a national priority for Romania.
Yesterday’s press conference on the arrival of President Bush and the upcoming NATO Summit in the clip below:
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Recently, Basescu challenged Russia’s opposition to NATO, telling Russia that its time now to work with NATO- and not against it. Among the public items on Basescu’s agenda: an anti-ballistic missile shield for Romania provided by the US or NATO, renewal and enlargement of Romanian troop commitment in Afghanistan, security policy regarding energy, and NATO acceptance of requests to be considered in the enlargement of NATO. Included in these requests are those from Albania, Georgia, Macedonia, and Ukraine. Read the rest of this entry »
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