This comment by a conservative makes me want to say something. Oliver North says :
What I found so disturbing was seeing so many of my countrymen who apparently think — or believe — or hope — that the next president of the United States will save us from ourselves. Senator Obama has said we can not, “Wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” He would do well to remember that unfulfilled expectations are the greatest cause of anger on the planet. That’s true whether it is between a husband and wife, students and teacher, employers and employees, or leaders and the led. He might also recall that humility is a virtue that has distinguished our greatest leaders.
What all this means to the future of this republic, I don’t know. I’m a military historian, not a prophet. But I do know the first name of the Messiah. It’s not Mike. And it isn’t Barack, either.
Yes, the moment of reckoning is now drawing near and there is a confident, positive air about Obama’s campaign. Obama’s supporters, me included, may be euphoric over the historic election of a charismatic black president and the promise of a new age upon us all has come. But we all have to be careful. The article, coming from someone with a dubious record, is as usual trying to pour cold water over the so-called “left” side but when stripped of its rhetoric, it is right on some things. Obama’s no god. Obama’s no prophet. And Obama’s no messiah. He is just a very talented human being entrusted with an extremely difficult job of leading a country and possibly the world to better times. And he can fail like anybody else. I think Obama himself recognizes the fact that for all the ideals that he cherished, there is also the real world. There will be the inevitable opposition to his many ideals, especially from the entrenched Washington politics and the industrial-military complex which will not give up so easily, and the danger that even he may eventually cross over to the dark side himself. There will be the challenge coming outside America’s borders, testing if this man will really be true to what he stands for, whether he’ll disown decades of hypocritical American policies. There will be shortcomings and also dissatisfaction. But the true test of a Obama presidency will only come 8 years later, when we can judge whether the world around us to be better off than before. So yes, he is the best promise of change, but we must also temper our expectations, be vigilant and rational and be ready to be critical when needed. Obama is not the Messiah, not till he has proven himself.
