The Values On Which Our Success Depends

Today, President Obama spoke to a nation about change, responsibility, and the use of old virtues to correct new problems: conservative words from the mouth of a liberal party-representative. We saw the distinct and fought-over lines of party separation crossed today in a leap of joint involvement and the peaceful transfer of power into the hands of a man bearing the evidence of our country’s final conquest of a haunting past of enslavement and inequality through the victory of maturation and growth. The great impact of his words were not like those of Kennedy’s inauguration speech—full of beauty and eloquence (although it was moving), but perhaps they were meant not to be; perhaps emotional highs are not in the best interest of our country’s future; perhaps realism and dedication are worth more than eloquence in this country’s current situation; perhaps a man as eloquent and well learned as Obama realized this.

If the change of the whole starts with the change of the individual, then there is a certain responsibility that falls on each one of us. However, positions of power carry with them the responsibility of leading by action; one could argue that the purpose of government is to direct, correct, and lead, and—in times where change be necessary—be the first to change.

A bi-partisan government has done well for our country (‘well’ being as relative as having-been-the-leading-world’s-nation-for-many-decades can be) for a long time. It should be stated that change does not mean a discard of the entirety of the old; it is not a signifier of “starting from scratch”. Marx’s communism (one of the best-known philosophies of change) was based in the idea of two opposing economic forces (thesis and antithesis) clashing and creating a new thesis out of the recently revolutionized thesis (synthesis). Not that an advocation of communism is our goal; on the contrary, it is not. But where has there ever been a good idea, even a GREAT idea, that was not riddled with the ever-present holes of human imperfection, that did not have spun into the fibers of its rug the threads of doubt, uncertainty, and our inability to tell the future not only of happenings but of other’s interpretations.

The Constitution of the United States of America is not omniscient nor all encompassing—it was never meant to be. The entire idea of “due process of the law”, defined by the Supreme Court’s decision in Hurtado v. California (1884) as “the gradual process of judicial inclusion and exclusion, as the cases presented for decision shall require, with the reasoning on which such decisions may be founded” as delivered by Mr. Justice Matthews, is that the Constitution be malleable, changeable, and adaptable. We are well aware of the fact that change may be necessary—that the current state in which we are in may not be the perfect option, and the state into which we change may also one day be changed for the better. The philosopher T. Hoffman said it best in that “the existence of our absolute imperfections is our only perfect absolute.”

But this is not a discourse of cynicism or of depression; nor is it one of malintent. This is a discourse of hope! Not the blinded, unprepared, and unrealistic notions to which a discourse of hope is often espoused, but rather one of realistic optimism; one of a country where “men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall;” one of a country where “a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before [us] to take a most sacred oath;” one of “a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

This country may hang by a thread, but where each of us sees our own, personal lives in this country as that thread we MUST realize that that means there are over 300,000,000 threads that hold this country from falling into the abyss of self-deterioration, apathy, and remorse. Those millions of threads, when worked together with the braiding spirits of truth, responsibility, action, and coalescence, form the rope that is strong enough and willing to pull this country back from the slippery slope into which it has been sinking.

Led by our new president, and watching his party-crossing search for truth, change, and new leadership of our great nation, then “we can join hands together and sing in the words of the old negro spiritual: free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last” (MLKJ): words that hold as much relevance to a young, black preacher from Atlanta, Georgia in the 60’s Civil Rights Movement as they do for a young, African-American Senator from Illinois leading the modern world into a new era.

Senator Oba—I’m sorry, President-Elect Oba—I’m sorry again, Mr. President of the United States of America Barak Hussein Obama: we at thesocialreformer.com thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and we salute you with all the dedication that your cries of “change” and “yes we can” have inspired. Lead us into a brighter future, with our minds aware of the hardships that will have to be passed in order to get there, but with our eyes constantly on the prize at the end of the race—on the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel of stagnation and sameness.

“What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government”

*All unsited quotes from Obama’s Inaugural Address: 01/20/2009.

Adam T. Wamack—A Young Influence
Rubén Harris (co-author)
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Please Help Us Help Daniela's Family

The forces that accompany, and often drive, change are based in ideas. Without thought, study, and reason, actions would be whimsical and, more likely than not, detrimental to society… regardless of motive. It is through ideas that actions inherit their relevance and meaning. However, there is a time when ideas no longer suffice—when ideas do not complete that which needs be completed nor incur the effect that needs to be incurred.

A social reformer by definition is an actor. Not one who plays a part in a play, but one who puts ideas into action, that bring them from the world of ideas to make them real: physical proof of dedication to words spoken and promises made. There may be many ideas, and there may even be many GREAT ideas, but they remain nothing more until actions bring them to life.

Everyone has a part to play, and not every part is the same—nor should they be. One may have financial blessings and the ability to use money to incur a social good, whereas another, none less devoted to social reform but far less financially secure, may have different strengths with which to develop a better world; but the principle of acting on words (and not sitting on them) remains deeply imbedded in the hearts of both.

A recent story was brought to our attention, here at The Social Reformer (.com), of a man who has done what many overlook in gazing at the vast diversity of ability to contribute to a GREAT idea: he used modern technology, Web 2.0 fundamentals, and Humanity 2.0 characteristics to include in his quest for social betterment any and everyone who desired. Some gave a little and others more, but all gave what they could and, that which is infinitely more important, they all showed that their words would not go unsupported.

What follows is a story of a man who saved the life of not only a bunch of family members, but the life of the family as well. What follows is a story of a man who did not cast a blind eye at injustice. What follows is the story of a man who used technology to change the future of three little children… and with just the stroke of a pen.

What follows is a story of David Armano.

Adam T. Wamack--A Young Influence
Rubén Harris (co-author)


-Steve Hall of Ad Rants - Digital Neighborhood Comes to the Aid of Abused Woman

-BusinessWeek's Helen Walters - "The Collective Power of Individuals"

Repost: I've been at this blog for nearly 3 years now and have never asked for something like this—I hope I've earned enough trust to be able to ask something back from you. Above is a picture of Daniela and her family. Brandon, age 6, Daniela, age 9 and little Evelyn age 4. Daniela is divorcing her spouse after years of abuse. In recent years her mortgage went unpaid and she's lost her house.

As of this moment, Daniela's family is staying at our house and we are trying to help her find a one bedroom apartment for her family to live in. With Evelyn, her youngest having Down's Syndrome and Daniela herself being a Romanian immigrant with very little family support she literally has no one to turn to. Except us (all of us).

Daniela cleans houses when she can leave her family. I'm not even going to tell you what she gets paid—it's obscene. Right now her options are pretty limited, aside from an apartment, there is only a group shelter. Not very pretty.

Here's what we are asking. Right now, Belinda and I are opening our home, but it's tight as we have no basement. We've committed to giving as much as we can spare, diverting funds from other places. I'm asking if you could think about doing the same. Or at the very least, helping get the word out about this. We are looking to raise 5k for Daniela and her family. Enough so that she doesn't have to worry about a deposit or rent for a while.

I know this is the worst possible time to ask for anything. But would you consider the following:

1. Giving whatever you can ("Chip in" uses Pay Pal and it's very easy to donate and it's secure)
2. Spread the word. Please, please blog this, tweet this, re-tweet this.
3. Help find a donor (maybe a generous company or individual)

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