We are a two weeks from Election Day 2008, a perfect time for me to explain to the masses – both of you – why I am going to be voting for Senator Barack Obama (D). And for me, it’s more about the "framing story" than the actual politics of the thing.
Brian McLaren has a great post here on Obama’s "framing story". According to Wikipedia, a "frame story" is that introductory over-arching story that builds a framework for a collective of other stories-within-the-story. Politically, these two gentlemen are closer than we think, closer than they may want you to believe, more alike that they are different. But their philosophical outlooks, the cultural baggage each brings to the table – that’s what makes them truly different.
McCain comes from a generation that has lived and died on Us vs. Them. It’s been a transitional period to be sure, and survival of the culture has depended on us taking care of our own, watching for our interests, protecting our partners around the world. It’s a basis for our economics, our military decisions, our domestic affairs. And it calls for judgment of each other to determine who is Us and who is Them. The most basic split is that if you’re on Our Side, then you are Us – we together are the Good Guys, the Right Side. And if you disagree, then you are Them, the Wrong Side, the Bad Guys. We are good and right – they are evil and wrong. "Agree to Disagree" means compromise and loss, letting Them be wrong until such a time as We can finally win the disagreement/battle/decision/outcome. It’s a black and white society, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, Us vs. Them.
On the other hand, Obama comes from a different generation. There is a divide, but it’s not Us vs. Them – instead, it’s more like Us over here and maybe the other Us over there. It’s a more inclusive view of differences, realizing that We are not always all right and that They are not always all wrong, and that somehow bridging those gaps might be more beneficial in the long-run than "winning". It’s a win-win scenario view of the world, looking for an outcome that benefits all "sides" and brings us closer together instead of pitting one side against another. It’s a complementary view of each other, hoping for something bigger than just the sum of our separate and disparate parts. It’s a multifaceted, multicultural, multi-ethnic view of life lived out together. It’s a realization that we are better together, and that "winning" doesn’t have to mean a loss for the other side.
So we can discuss the politics if you want, but I’m not falling for the cliche’s and am actually tired of the empty/false dichotomies. For my part, I think the tax plans sound more alike than different – it’s too easy to blowoff Obama’s plans as "socialism", but both men will have their hands full with the current turmoil. On the topic of abortion, the net result will be the same – except to say that I think an inclusive helpful life-bettering worldview would do more for protecting babies than "pro-life legislation" that hasn’t proved very helpful so far. The same-sex debates end at the same point for both camps, making it another moot issue.
For me, I’m going to err on the side of trying to do right by my fellow man – instead of vilifying and humiliating the "opposition", I hope we collectively build each other up in how we act, what we say, and how we go about being the best Americans and the best America we can be. My name is Rick Stilwell – and I approved this message.