Obama, Hope and Kenya

The following is extracted from Obama's 2004 DNC keynote speech with Kenya transposed into it as the focus.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"That is the true genius of America — a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles:

- That we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm.

- That we can say what we think; write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door.

- That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe.

- That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted at least, most of the time.

Last year, in that election, we were called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations.

It is that fundamental belief, it is that fundamental belief, I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one Kenyan family.

E pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.

Now even as we speak, there are those who HAVE divided us, the spin masters, the TRIBALISTS who embrace the politics of anything goes.

Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a Kikuyu Kenya and a Luo Kenya — there is Kenya. There is not a Black Kenya, an Asian Kenya, Muslim Kenya, and Christian Kenya — there’s Kenya.

We Are One People

We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the Kenyan flag, all of us defending Kenya. In the end, that’s what that election was supposed to be about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope?

Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!

In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.

I believe that we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity.

I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in towns across Kenya from violence and despair.

I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.

God Bless Kenya