By the end of the writer’s strike, authors had triumphed against media conglomerates and raised awareness of intellectual property. The goal was securing rights for digital media, but the withering vacuum of content also signified the power wielded by the pen.

From thefreelibrary.com:

For Thomas Jefferson, the pen truly was mightier than the sword. From his pen flowed some of the world’s most famous and influential words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

It was Jefferson’s brilliant, fact-crammed mind and flair for drama that gave the Declaration its poetic punch. He expressed the ideals in a way that people could take to heart–even be willing to die for.

The Declaration of Independence’s influence far outlasted the war. It gave heart to Abraham Lincoln as he strove to preserve the Union during the Civil War. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other suffragists adapted it in demanding the right of women to vote. Martin Luther King Jr. used it to inspire African-Americans during their struggle for civil rights. Indeed, the Declaration’s call for “unalienable rights,” including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” has been admired and adopted worldwide.

The delivery of a well-crafted speech can be a pivotal moment in history. How many of us can recall the speeches of J. F. Kennedy? His often-repeated and timeless wisdom inspired our generation, and continue to offer hope today. We can still picture him at the podium, and hear his Boston accent as he admonishes and challenges us. J. F. Kennedy dared us to dream, and dream we did of a better world. Kennedy’s legacy is a very tangible one, yet it inspired a mythical realm that we called Camelot.

From Wikipedia:

In American contexts, the phrase “Camelot” refers to the presidency of John F. Kennedy, as his term was said to have potential and promise for the future, and the period was symbolic of hope for many in the world, who were inspired by Kennedy’s speeches, vision and political policies. The period was ended by Kennedy’s November 22, 1963, assassination, which is often compared to the fall of King Arthur. The lines “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot,” from the musical Camelot, were quoted by his widow Jacqueline as being from his favorite song in the score.

It should be no secret that a big part of Barack Obama’s success so far is the use of inspiring rhetoric. His trademark ‘The Audacity of Hope” recalls a brashness reminiscent of JFK. And it’s working. Look over these Obama quotes and note the unadorned appeal of the message.

“That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody’s son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted — or at least, most of the time.”

“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America - there’s the United States of America.”

“The American people are tired of politics that is dominated by the powerful, by the connected.”

As the summer of 2008 unfolds, and the focus sharpens on the issues, we’ll see more proof of the power of hope. Case in point: differences in the Clinton-Obama vision for health care .

This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 pm and is filed under Elections, General, Media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.