Beyond Despair

I am sure I am one of millions in the United States who is watching our political theater as we move toward a presidential election with a sense of despair.  I was hopeful when I voted for President Obama.  He has been a tremendous disappointment.  His civil rights record is an abomination.  I find that more than just being disappointed with him as a president, which is bad enough, I find I have no confidence that the "American dream" - in any good and positive sense that it ever existed- still exists, and my confidence in our democracy,our government, is rapidly approaching zero.

This truly frightens me.

If I, and others, give up, if we are overcome by despair, if we no longer vote- because it seems pointless- what becomes of our country?

I expect that most, if not all, the posts on this page will be an attempt to address how to get past such despair and move toward positive engagement and social, political change.  Welcome to my fight against despair and toward working to make our country a true democracy once again.