Resources / Ripples & Wipeouts

I was ambivalent about attending the Barack Obama rally in Washington Square Park. It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested, but that it was sticky and hot that evening and I knew that the park would be packed with students, families, pet owners, hipsters and hippies alike. But, when I found out my friend was going, I printed out a rapid entry pass and headed downtown.

When we arrived, we were disappointed to find that we could not get close to the stage because a central portion of the park had been blocked off by barricades.  I was ready to throw in the towel and go buy a slice of pizza when security took down the barricades, letting us flood the empty space in the middle of the park. Energized by the quick movement of the crowd, I figured I would give it a chance. There was tangible energy in the air, anticipation, hope.

From our new vantage point, we listened (but could not see) as Senator Obama was introduced.  His speech was immediately accessible, it was invigorating, and best of all, it was not read from a teleprompter.  Even though I could not see Senator Obama (though I did catch a glimpse of him at one point when the crowd shifted), it felt as if he were speaking to us, to me, from his living room. 

He was casual and logical in his presentation of the changes he would make and the reasons why we should elect him to make them.  The point that resonated most with the crowd was that of withdrawing from Iraq, followed by improving the minimum wage and granting broad access to the same health care enjoyed by Members of Congress.  He vowed to stop the game playing in Washington, to build a new kind of politics that are based on truth.  It was everything I wanted to hear.  I cheered along with the rest of the crowd as Senator Obama delved into all of these measures.  I felt caught up in the cause, a part of something bigger and more important than me.  After Senator Obama concluded his speech, my friends and I said to one another, “He was amazing.  That was so great. I’m so glad I came.”

That high didn’t last long though. I grew up just outside of Washington and I even spent some time working in public policy. My life now is a product of the insane competitiveness that is bred in that city and the aggressive networking tactics I acquired. If there is one thing that I learned, it is that to succeed in Washington, and in life, it is essential to know how to play the game. I admire Senator Obama’s intention to change the rules of Washington, it certainly would make the government easier to navigate. But my experience has shown me that the game is established and infiltrates every part of life.  Would it even possible to stop the game? 

--AMI