No doubt about it--the 2008 Democratic National Convention will be unlike any other political convention in history. The race is intense, the stakes are high, the candidates aren't all white men. I want to be there, because I think it will be an amazing, crazy whirlwind experience. I want to be there because I believe I will learn something important--maybe about democracy and hope and vision for America, and if not that, some damn useful stuff about manipulative propaganda. Either way, I know it will be worth going to.
I was talking to one of our chaperones at Stevens--a very liberal environmentalist, of the sort who thinks the Democrats are only slightly, if at all, better than the Republicans. She was telling me how she was at the DNC in 2004, and I was like, "Oh, that's cool, how'd you get to go?" and she said, "I was protesting." And then she told me how the delegates to the convention had been given these boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese with the pasta shaped like donkeys. And the protesters were angry about that (Kraft is owned by Altria, if I'm not mistaken, which is the same company that makes Marlboros), but most of them had no money and were starving and hadn't eaten much during the convention. And they were asking the delegates, please, to just give them the mac and cheese, and the delegates refused.
I could go to the DNC this summer, as a representative from JSA. I could listen to speeches and discuss and debate with other JSAers and eat nice, fancy food when I'm told to do so. I could sit and hear about change we can believe in and hope for America, and I could almost believe it. Almost.
But there would be protesters, from a lot of the causes I identify myself with. And I have to say, looking in their faces and acting like a Democratic president is a symbol of hope for America--that would be a lie. Hillary's served on the board for Wal-Mart. ExxonMobile has contributed more money to Obama than any other presidential candidate from either party. And I can't shake that, when I consider the future of this country.
I want, so much to believe. I want to listen to Obama's speeches and think that he will follow through on every word he says. I want to look at Hillary and believe that she could bring significant, meaningful change to the White House. I want to go the DNC and feel inspired and excited about the future of this country. But I know if I go, especially with the sort of kids who are in JSA--I'll feel sick. Not always, because part of me can believe, just a bit. But I'll walk away from that convention with a bitter taste in my mouth.
I'm beginning to think that real change can only be radical change--a socialist revolution, the election of a libertarian president who abolishes government as we know it, or something else equally extreme. I don't know what I want from this election, from this country, from the world in this age of globalization. I know what I'd like to see, but I don't know what's possible, what it would take to get there. I think at some point in my lifetime, that change will come, because of increasing human realization. But maybe change is just an illusion, a word that's lost all meaning from being used as filler in campaign speeches.
In spite of my misgivings, I will do everything humanly possible to go to the DNC. Because no matter who wins or what happens, there will be some great pictures.
