Dreams from My Father

No doubt people have heard about Barack Obama's book: "Dreams from my Father," in which he tells about his desire to follow his father's political views as he learned about what his father went through as a black man in Africa. You've probably also seen the new book by Dinesh D'Souza entitled: "The Roots of Obama's Rage," which gives us great understanding into the mind of Obama and his anti-colonialist mindset. And I'm sure you've probably also read Obama's book: "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on the American Dream," in which Obama tells us of his upbringing, his political ideas, and his strategies for reforming (or should I say fundamentally "changing") America. (What's that? You haven't read any of those books? Well maybe you should! It'll give you a lot of insight!)

As we look at Obama's life (and his recreational drug use) and struggle with not knowing his father, we find a man who has determined to make his life more in line with that of his father, and the political ideals he held. This is a little scary in some aspects, but I won't delve into the political and/or socialistic (communistic) morés of either man. Instead, I wish here only to offer a contrasting idea in comparing my life with Obama's, and how his past is affecting his actions here for us in the future.

Though I was blessed to have a father at home as a child, I do know what it's like to not have him around. For, my mother divorced my father when I was 14, and for four long years I didn't see him. I was blessed later to live with the man and learn from him and what he believed. And it's certain that my father did shape my life. More than that, he changed my life, for as in Obama's case, I too chose the religion of my Father (for me it was Christianity). My father converted me some two weeks after my 18th birthday, and his teachings had a great influence in my life. And like Obama, I also spent time in my life in a third world nation, seeing how others live in great poverty.

But with so much in common, I do see a great difference between Obama and I. Even though we went through many of the same things, we did not end up the same. For, my father's teachings did not make me angry or bitter to those of another nation, nor did it give me a desire to try to "redistribute wealth" to those of another race or culture. In fact, it had the opposite affect, as I tried to teach others who were poor how to better themselves and pull themselves up, instead of waiting around for others to come to them and give them something for nothing.

As I look at myself and Obama, and as I read Dinesh D'souza's book, "Roots of Obama's Rage," I see we are two very different people even though we've been through much the same things in life. And I find that the things done to me and my family in the past don't affect my future, or drive me to try to change the way things are. Instead, they make me thankful for being who I am, even though who I am, and who my family was for many generations, have been people who've been oppressed, browbeaten, lied to, stolen from, and defrauded.

In my family, it's been said we have the "Breaker curse." And sometimes I often wonder if that's not so. As a seventh generation American, I can boast of my long-standing heritage in this great nation. And I can even recount how each Breaker male has an amazing story to tell of his struggle through life in many different occupations. But as I studied not only their facts of birth, life, and death, I soon realized I didn't really know the men themselves. And I found it hard to identify with them. It wasn't until I studied more about who they were inside, what they did, and some of the things they went through, I found out more about myself. And I found out more about others who did their best to attempt to destroy us.

You see, we Breaker's have one fatal flaw: We believe in doing good to others and being nice to them. We haven't been revolutionaries, nor political activists. We've lived quiet, simple lives, enjoying our friends and family and doing our best to help others. And what I've found is instead of us getting ahead for it, we've ended up getting the shaft.

And as I studied more about my family descendents, I found time after time they've all passed through their own trials and tribulations. Whether it was sickness, natural disasters, swindlers, crooked business partners, or unforseen circumstances, they all took their lumps, and were left near destitute. But they all persevered, as they all seemed to have the strength it took to carry on in the midst of their enemies. In short, they had the "audacity" to overcome the adversity in their lives with "hope." And they made sure they did so without bitterness or anger, always forgetting and forgiving their adversaries and setting aside the past and focusing only on making a better life for themselves and finding a better future.

As I look at Obama and the facts about his father's life, I too see struggles and adversity. But I don't see forgiveness. It appears the man has determined to continue on his father's struggle as he will not let go of what's been done to his family in the past.

It's hard to live a life like this. We've all been wronged. But we can't live our lives trying to undo the wrongs and make them right. We've got to overcome and leave the past where it lies. We need to deal with the here and now, not the back there and back then.

With that said, I'd like to close with the fact that I'm a white guy, (if that even matters. Your race shouldn't matter nowdays, as we are all supposed to be color blind).

As I studied my ancestors, I found them all to be white Southern landowners with a rich Southern Heritage. And as I see what they went through both during the American Revolution and the Civil War, it saddens me greatly. They lost a lot, as it seems they were always on the losing side. Sometimes when I think of the countless millions of people who died in those wars and others like them, it makes me almost want to cry. And when I think of the horrible pillage, rape, and plunders that took place under men like General Cornwallis and Gen. Sherman, I can't help but remember the great injustices done to those of the South, by both the English and the Federalists alike.

But, I've determined not to be bitter, nor to let what happened to my ancestors affect what I do today. I'm not a revolutionist, anarchist, or hate monger, nazi-skin head, who vows to take vengance on those injustices. Instead, I'm just a guy who is trying to make it through my own trials and tribulations the best way I can. I'm not interested in holding on to grudges, and writing the many wrongs in the world. Instead, I'm just trying to do right myself. Shouldn't we all do the same?

I'll leave you with the words of Jefferson Davis, a man who became president of the South not out of ambition, but out of love for his country, and a man who was held in jail for years without trail after the Civil War. In addressing a group of young men in his later years, he said these amazing words:

"The faces I see before me are those of young men; had I not known this I would not have appeared before you. Men in whose hands the destinies of our Southland lie, for love of her I break my silence, to speak to you a few words of respectful admonition. THE PAST IS DEAD; LET IT BURY ITS DEAD, its HOPES and its ASPIRATIONS. Before you lies the future - a future full of golden promise; a future of expanding national glory, before which all the world shall stand amazed. Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor, all bitter sectional feeling, and to take your place in the ranks of those who will bring about a consummation devoutly to be wished - a reunited country."

What "audacity" and what a "dream" of a "father" to give to the youth of today! Forget the past and move forward on the principles that made this nation great, that's the way all politicians should think. If only we had some that did.