I've been planning to write about Barack Obama for some time now. Just haven't brought myself to doing it. I started out having mixed opinions about this man - and my opinions were coloured by the fact that India's equations with the Republican establishment in Washington are at an all-time high and that India stands to gain significantly from a continuation of that regime in the United States under the leadership of John McCain. But Obama, the man, has changed it all.
The story of Obama is one that holds universal appeal to anyone who thinks that democracies really work and that in a land of freedom like the USA or for that matter, India, anyone with the right attitude and skills can make it... and make it big. Obama stands for what he has preached to millions on his campaign trail - Hope. His two books - The Audacity of Hope and Dreams from my father are said to be remarkable memoirs of an even more remarkable man. They bring to light the challenges faced by most anyone who is born into a life akin to that of Obama - a life of struggle and trials. It didn't help that he was an 'African-American' in a predominantly white nation. What truly brings out his character is that Obama has succeeded thus far, in spite of the odds that he has been faced with.
The story of his life, at least the initial part, is not unlike that of any young man facing many challenges - financial instability, experimenting with drugs and the like. What distinguishes Obama is the choices he made when faced with the same situations that all of us are faced with. Obama, for me, is the greatest beacon of hope in the 'free' world. While he has had his share of not-so-proud moments along this campaign, he's more than made up for those few and far between occasions. And yes, I hope that he becomes the next President of the United States. Despite the fact that he may not be Nuclear-Deal friendly. Despite the fact that he may clamp down on outsourcing. A good man deserves to be on top. Let us not believe otherwise because of our personal prejudices.
