Barack Obama (Yes, we can!)

Okay, I'm going to get into a bit of politics here. You're going to catch me posting on a lot of subjects not necessarily related to space tourism, because I have a variety of things to say, an this is a great place to say them. Don't worry though; I'll keep it mostly on-topic.

It is no coincidence that I started this blog a day after I first saw this video. I've been a supporter of Barack Obama for two years now, with greater or lesser degrees of enthusiasm. However, I have always tended to stick with him, and one of the many reasons for that is the message he brings to our politics about looking to the future and trying to make this world better. Oh, don't get me wrong; all politicians talk about education and health care, and some about the environment and reducing the national debt, but it's always after a barrage and focus groups and polls, and it's always robotic, parsed, and compromised to death. It's always exactly what you want to hear, and never what you want to feel.

That is where Barack comes in. There has nothing I have seen in the two years that I have followed his career that leads me to believe that what he says is not from his heart, from his soul. And some of his recent speeches, such as his Iowa victory speech, and his speech at a rally in New Hampshire, have really been incredible. However, I'm not afraid to admit that I was nearly brought to tears when I saw the music video based on the latter speech. The theme, "Yes, We Can," brought back all of the reasons why I have decided to try and make it into space, and reinforced my feeling that we can heal this country, fix what is broken, and leave the world better than we found it. That is when I decided to start writing my experiences down and sharing my personal dream with those who care to read. The words that Barack spoke that day echo my feelings and my determination to realize my personal dream, and for all of us to do the same.

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom through the darkest of nights.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballot; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality. Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity. Yes we can heal this nation. Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.