New Humanists Support Obama
Barack Obama is the only candidate who opposed the invasion of Iraq from the beginning. He clearly repudiates torture, has pledged to close Guantanamo and restore habeas corpus. Like no other candidate, Obama is a lightening rod for new energies, bridging gaps between generations, ethnicities and religions. The movement he inspires has given voice to a longing for deep change within the most wounded parts of our society. New Humanists share this longing for a more just and peaceful world with human rights and equal opportunity for every human being, no matter in what circumstances they were born.
Looking at the bigger picture, Barack Obama will also be good for the world. The President of the United States has a significant impact on other countries. Under the Bush Administration we have witnessed how the US has become the world’s worst neighbor. Electing an African American, a representative of the most punished sectors of society, would send a signal that America is ready for a new direction. The US will have the opportunity to once again inspire hope instead of fear and violence; and what’s good for the world is good for the United States.
We don’t agree with Senator Obama on everything. But this is not the time to be purist at the risk of staying marginalized. It’s a time to emphasize what we have in common, engage in open dialogue without hiding our differences, and support the chance to move in a very new direction at a moment of great urgency.
That’s why New Humanists across America are supporting Barack Obama for President.
Chris Wells
Spokesperson for New Humanism
North America
February 2nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
[…] Dave Murdock wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNew Humanists share this longing for a more just and peaceful world with human rights and equal opportunity for every human being, no matter in what circumstances they were born. Looking at the bigger picture, Barack Obama will also be … Read the rest of this great post here Posted by […]
February 4th, 2008 at 12:08 am
i like what you say about Obama being good for the world. People all over the world are looking for hope and inspiration and Obama would be the best to deliver that. Let’s keep him true to his promise of building unity.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:44 am
I agree with your support for Obama. It seems to me that his campaign may change not only policies but a mindset: that politics can and should be based on higher principles.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Great to see the New Humanists taking a stand for Obama. Now let’s help get out the vote. For women having a dilemma on whether to vote for a woman or an African American, here’s a good article by Katha Pollitt, a progressive writer for The Nation. http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080204/cm_thenation/25279745
February 4th, 2008 at 10:02 am
“Obama is a lightening rod for new energies.” Lets hope so. Anyone that can motive the young to participate has got to be worth a shot!
February 4th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I believe Obama will be the next President.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Greetings from Switzerland to Chris Wells and all the Humanists in the USA!
Indeed this world needs urgently a change, and the US can play a fundamental role in this change, promoting dialogue and understanding instead of confrontation. Hopefully you suceed in waking up the best in the people of your great country, making the USA a friend of humanity and not the worst enemy. May Barak Obama win and lead the USA towards a path of Nonviolence!
February 5th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Actually, Obama is not the only candidate who opposed the war from the outset, even within the “mainstream” Democratic party. Dennis Kucinich also strongly voiced his opposition. Mike Gravel, another Democratic candidate, has also publicly opposed the invasion of Iraq as early as 2002.
Moreover, in an early debate Obama said that he would attack Iran, which brings into serious question how different his policies would be from the current administration.
Aside from mavericks like Kucinich and Gravel in the Democratic Party, which is as strongly influenced by corporate money as the Republicans, real Progressives have other alternatives, such as the Green Party. Cynthia McKinney, a 5-term Congresswoman from Georgia, also voted against the war. Additionally, the Green Party accepts NO corporate donations whatsoever, leaving it free of strings in policy decisions.
A tremendous part of the problem with politics in the United States is the habit of choosing the lesser of two evils. These choices only perpetuate the same evil choices. To create change, it is necessary to do something different.
http://www.runcynthiarun.org
February 10th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Hi Zoe, thanks for your comments. When this was posted, Obama was the only candidate still in the race that opposed the war.
For me this election doesn’t fall into the “lesser evil” game. Obama goes beyond being an “evil” and is helping to open doors and air pent up feelings and hopes that have been dampened for so many years. He has tapped into the spirit of young people, which is beautiful to see. For years we’ve been talking about the importance of the youth so I think it’s coherent now to support that expression. Then there’s the fact that he’s a first generation African, which could drastically change things. Look what Evo has done for the indigenous peoples around the world.
I agree about the problem of corporate power (and global capital even more). But the problem we face is that unless the left gains more influence, the right will continue to call the shots, at great cost in human life and suffering. Its a real dilemma because the humanist principles of non-violence, social justice and equal opportunity don’t have enough influence and events are moving rapidly in a direction that seems to be very dangerous. This is a process in which we are all included, and if the direction doesn’t change soon, the possibility for change could become even more limited.
Finally, our support for Obama has more to do with what’s happening at the base, with young people and new voters and a much more grass roots campaign than Clinton’s, which is truly dominated by the party machinery. In this sense, we are betting on the movement, not the man. Even if Obama is beholden to corporate support, his base is not. Where this will take us nobody knows, but new possibities exist like we haven’t seen in decades.