Ctizenship, a Novel Concept

I have recently noticed a phenomenon that I find to be totally interesting and inspiring.

When I was at my local supermarket yesterday, I decided to start the air-conditioning in my car while loading my groceries to keep them from instantaneously melting in the ninety plus degree heat. When I was done loading them up, I realized that the parking lot had no repository for empty shopping carts. At this point I had a decision to make. I could leave my cart in the parking lot, thereby ensuring that an employee would have to retrieve it later, and drive off in my nice cool car. Or, I could do the polite thing and return it to the store. It turned out that an employee of the store was already in the parking lot, so I gave my cart to him, for which he showed genuine gratitude.

This may not seem all that ground-breaking, but for me it was a semi-epiphany. I realized that the reason I chose the more courteous route was because I was aware that an elderly woman had just glanced at my four Obama bumper stickers. I didn't realize it at the time, but my actions were shaped by the fact that I was essentially a surrogate for Barack Obama's campaign. I know that sounds completely idealistic and probably makes Bill O'Reilly want to throw up, but to me it's pretty cool.

The fact that my desire to demonstrate my support for Barack Obama led me to make the friendlier, more courteous decision, says a great deal about the dynamic of his campaign. I am not going to say that by electing Senator Obama, we will immediately solve all of the world's problems, but what I will steadfastly support is the sense of community that he speaks of and strives to engender.

To think that a political candidate inspires greatness just by virtue of his campaign is quite the accomplishment. I find myself wondering why anyone would be skeptical of a candidate who has made a significat impact, simply by running for president. To me, if Barack Obama can inspire kindness and keen sense of civic duty in me, the potential for nation-wide kindness and community is enormous.

Think about it. People recall with great fondness the sense of solidarity and compassion for their fellow citizens that the nation experienced with the second World War. We didn't hesitate to help those less fortunate than us. We were America. We were a nation united against an evil front. We didn't need Nazism or Communism, we had America. We had the promise and zeal that came from our unilateral commitment to democracy. People in times past realized that we are first and foremost humans, and by reasons beyond our control, countrymen.

Is it then a bizarre desire to long for the same sense of community that we once had? Is being friendly and neighborly that foreign of a concept that we write it off as idealistic? It is alarming to me the negative characterizations that Barack Obama has faced for suggesting that we re-examine the way we treat each other. It's absolutely insane to call a man "unrealisitc" or "idealistic" because he wants us to start treating our neighbors as family.

Do we really only resort to kindness when all other options have been exhausted? It should not take another World War to return America to a friendly place. I have a humble suggestion. Give kindness a chance. Next time you see someone you don't know, smile at them. Ask people how they are doing, and care about the answer. Courtesy should not be something we do when on the clock, it should be something that we do without ulterior motivation.

I realize I sound like an "idealist". That's because I am. The thing that people miss is that my optimism is not hopeless or unattainable. It is not unrealistic. We can very simply become a prosperous nation again. Sometimes all it takes is a little compassion for your fellow man.

It's a novel concept. One that I enjoy.