Open thank you letter to Mr. Obama...

Dear Mr. Obama:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you from the very bottom of my heart. You see, years ago as I first became of voting age I noticed something about the two major political parties in this country that turned me off to the Democratic Party. Throughout the Clinton years I very clearly became to understand the most basic tenant of our party system, as far as Joe America was concerned, at least the Republicans stuck to their guns, at least they were the party of rich white men that did much less to hide that they were the party of rich white men. In a very odd way, Joe America could respect that, he could punch the ticket for the elephant because the elephant was principled - it may not be all the right principles, but at least the elephant stood for something. And so I have gone through my adult life shunning the Democratic Party for largely this reason. I, like many others, do not appreciate being lied to (as the Republican Party is now beginning to learn). I, like many others, realized that when the choice is between an elephant and a donkey that is wearing floppy ears and a false trunk, Joe America will take the real elephant...every time.

And then something happened. A politician from my home burst onto the national scene with charisma and principled discussion that Americans could identify with, regardless of which side of the isle they found themselves on. Finally, for the first time in my life, that politician with real national sway was a progressive voice. It seemed, that despite themselves, Democrats may have learned a valuable lesson about America - give the better angels of her nature a voice and she will follow its lead to the ends of the earth.

So I pulled myself back into the fray and began to believe that maybe I was wrong, maybe it was not too late to salvage the promise that America once offered the world. I began to wonder if we could rejoin the march towards freedom and prosperity, towards liberty and fairness, towards equality and justice. I began to truly believe that all we needed was someone that was not from the Washington mold, someone that was not ashamed to stand for the true America, a leader that provided the national outlet for real America. I even believed we may have found that leader in you Mr. Obama. Although I did not fully agree with your stances, I understood that there are times when a single person fronting a larger movement can have a profound impact on the world. I remembered that throughout history, Washington has been righted despite its best efforts thanks to a united and aroused citizenry and the man it has deemed acceptable to further its pursuit of securing life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. Finally, I truly believed that American political culture could be altered before it was too late. I allowed myself to believe that at the very moment Lady Liberty stood at the edge and the nation's leaders were pushing her off, the American people could swoop in and pull her back.

I watched, worked and gave as you fought off another symbol of the follow the polls "leadership" offered by the Democratic Party throughout my lifetime, the same "leadership" that led me to vow never to give it my acquiesence with a vote. I celebrated when it became clear you would get the chance to be the frontman for that change, and I celebrated when it became official.

Which is why I am so grateful for your words and actions over the last few weeks. Just as I believed that it was possible to have a strong presence that could make us believe again, someone that could do for true Americanism what Reagan had done to dismantle it, you made it a point to abuse myself and countless others like me of that ridiculous notion by reminding us that the American political system and culture is beyond repair. Rather than believing the Bill of Rights could be salvaged and reconstructed, I now remember that state-sanctioned murder is to be applauded and illegal spying on American citizens should be, not only condoned, but celebrated. I remember that it actually is too much to ask that a politician in this landscape stand by positions that may be difficult to hold in the face of a media that always has its own bottom line at heart. I remember that it actually is too much to ask for a politician to stand up for civil liberties and to fight for those that cannot fight for themselves in the face of corporate dollars and Zogby polls.

And for that Mr. Obama, I give you my deepest gratitude. Were it not for you abandoning all that made your campaign worth supporting, I may at this very point continue to live under the deluded misapprehension that it was not too late. Now, I will always remember that those who cannot fight for themselves will eventually find a way to do so. In the meantime, thank you for reminding me to just enjoy the ride.

Your former supporter,

Mr. Colin Zeal, Esq.