The email as sent...
I write on behalf of two IUSB students: Myself, Dane Blue, and Chad Forbregd (the ‘friend’).
Last night I stayed up with a friend watching Barack Obama speeches on youtube. My friend was raised republican and in many ways still holds conservative ideals. However, he finds himself moved by Barack in a way he has never been before. New energies and genuine feelings are being inspired inside him, thoughts given room to grow instead of being taken for granted. It is this hope that Obama is spreading across America: the idea that things don’t have to be as they have been.
This is the decision that our generation of Americans has to make. Will we allow the recently perpetuating actions of those in charge continue? Will we allow the current mindset to become what America is, or collectively decide it has been a mistake? As more people are born into the modern empirical mindset of America the choice is fast evaporating. If we too grow old leaving the work to be done and the examples to be made by later generations than we are no different than what we now despise; if that is the case than we have shown the world America’s true colors already.
I spend most of my time outside of school traveling. I’ve spent time in Alaska and Scotland, tons of time in DC, as well as backpacked the US, Canada, and Europe. This summer I am planning on spending two and a half weeks in each Karachi, Pakistan and Bangalore, India. I travel broke and have been robbed, forcing me to wash dishes for food and sleep in some terrible places, to survive through the generosity alone of people I have never met.
There are things I have learned in this process, both in how America thinks of itself and in how our actions are perceived throughout the world. Currently, it is understood that many millions of Americans do not endorse the actions our country now takes on our behalf. Soon however the faults will fall in no other hands then our own.
I have also learned of a great goodness that hides in the people of America. Whether on the West Coast or the Deep South there is a kindness inside Americans that is unique from anything I have ever experienced. Obama finds and lets loose this gentle beast, makes an example out of not being afraid to show strength in intellect as opposed to might.
The opportunity to see him speak is an opportunity to see a man who has put more thought into the lives of people than any other I will likely get the opportunity to see. The idea of government, the invisible frame that holds it together, is that by all chipping in together we are better off as a whole. WE, the people. Any other means by which our recourses are being scattered shows the depth of the lies we are being fed. Obama refuses to let this continue as it has.
I am taking a trip in May with the Civil Rights Heritage Center, a club in which I am active. The trip spotlights one of the main focuses in my life: civil action to make progress. The trip hits many of the major cities across the south where actions took place in the Civil Rights Movement that took place following World War II. I have recently read John Lewis’ book Walking With the Wind as well as The Autobiography of Malcolm X. There are terrible injustices being acted upon certain demographics in this country and I believe Obama is a very serious step in the right direction of opening people eyes to the damages they are causing.
Seeing Obama tonight would be an effort to re-energize my beliefs in the possibilities of what accomplishments are realistic in this place and time. To see Barack Obama, for me, is to pull a deep breath, to use the air I take in to further the goal of progression in the mind set of Americans. I use this energy now to give free hugs on MLK day every year. I have grown weary however, lazy, as this long winter has made my skin raw. I have never had the chance to see Obama but have been wishing for the opportunity since I first saw him on television. If you decide to give me a ticket (hopefully one for Chad as well, he is beyond enthusiastic about the possibility, leaving his usual refrain behind) it will not be used to fill a seat with another listener. It will be used to further the idea of hope inside both Chad and me, to further the spread of an energy much needed in this region.
Either way you are doing an amazing thing. Whoever receives the tickets will benefit more than just themselves as such positive thoughts can’t help but become contagious.
We await your call, 574.849.7306. We have class off and on until 7, feel free to text.
Thanks and be safe,
Dane Blue
... Fearing I wouldn't win I played it safe and called Eric G. (Editor of The IUSB Preface) and demanded press badges for myself and Chadwick. He said the story was being covered but after a special form of persuasion agreed. We met before class at 5:30pm but the safe holding the passes was locked, the assistant editor with the key MIA. I got her number and she agreed to come to campus and get the passes, left them in a random cabinet until we were out of class and could pick them up.
We drove Chadwick's pink flamed van to Washington High School, him playing role of photographer with camera bag over the shoulder, me with notepad and pen out for everyone to see. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing but planned on lying out of all holes if necessary, we had to see Barack. At the corner in front of the school some guy with a clip board noticed the press badges and told us the press entrance was 'by the CNN van.'
That was it. They asked for photo ID to match the passes and had us sign a list. After the only kind of pat down the secret service is allowed to give the guys that show up together with a ponytail and afro we were in. We wandered for a while. The editor that got us the passes let me play with The Preface's camera (which I kept all night) and we eventually settled down in CBS Nightly News' and Fox News' press spots.
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