Andy: “. . .That’s the beauty of music; they can’t get that from you. Haven’t you ever felt that way about music?

Red: I played a mean harmonica as a younger man. Lost interest in it, though. Didn’t make much sense in here.

Andy: Here’s where it makes the most sense. You need it so you don’t forget.

Red: Forget?

Andy: Forget that. . . there. . . are places. . . in the world that aren’t made out of stone; that there’s somethin’ inside they can’t get to; they can’t touch. . . it’s yours.

Red: What’re you talkin’ about?

Andy: . . .Hope.

Red: Hope. Lemme tell you sumthin’ my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. ‘Sgot no use on the inside. You better get used to that idea.

Andy: . . .Like Brooks did?

Hope is a risk. It does take audacity to hope— especially in the face of appalling danger and imminent failure. And we so easily forget our one “inner bastion” that is unassailable, the soul; that “somethin’ inside they can’t get to; they can’t touch. . . it’s yours” as Andy said.

Andy Dufrane hoped for redemption from injustice, redemption for his imprisoned soul. But unlike most men, Andy didn’t need the trauma of prison to get introduced to his soul; he had already discovered it through the beauty of music, and his love for his wife. He hoped of regaining his freedom in the world; he hope to regain a life he knew was real, and waiting. Red, however, needed to be coaxed and gently lured to rediscover the vital role of hope.

Dear Red,

If you’re reading this, you’ve gotten out. And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don’t you? [Zijuatinejo] I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I’ll keep an eye out for you, and the chess board ready.

Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

I’ll be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well.

Your friend,
Andy

Hope, like faith, can grow until it becomes unshakable. But it must be regularly exercised, just like a muscle. And once you realize the genuine power of hope, you’ll be ready to use it in the most audacious way possible: the hope for never ending life. Audacious as that may sound, it is the divine promise from God to man, and is freely offered to anyone willing to accept the only struggle; the good fight of faith.

Let’s append Andy Dufrane’s maxim to reflect the real audacity of hope:

“Get busy livin’ forever, or get busy dyin’ forever.”

A pilot named Karl (not his real name) is circulating a devastating email on teh internets titled A pilots [sic] perspective on Obama, that should wake up LIBERALS and Rebublicans too, or any other label you care to use to describe people swept up in their own personal feelings of hope and unity. The letter should scare the living shit out of them. Oh, not for supporting Barack HUSSIEIN OBAMASAMA BIN LODIN. But because there are Americans who believe this kind of Rovian garbage, and they know where the poles are. Here it is, with a special commentary by Karla, (not her real name), Karl’s eviler twin:
PILOT Karl: ,,,,,,,,,,DO I HAVE THIS STRAIGHT?

KARL’S EVIL TWIN, KARLA (not her real name): How should I know?

HIS FATHER WAS A BLACK AFRICAN MUSLIM FROM
KENYA.
Strike one.

WE HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF HIS AFRICAN FAMILY.
Strike two. . .

HIS MOTHER WAS A WHITE AMERICAN ATHEIST FROM
KANSAS.
Strike three! My God! An ATHEIST!! And white! And from KANSAS! And a MOTHER! (They go to hell too, don’t they? I mean there’s no exemption for them for their not believing in God, is there? God will make bipedal marshmillows out of you stupid atheists, white or not, mothers or not, and roast your sorry asses in hell!

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES OF HIS AMERICAN FAMILY?
Strike four!! Anybody who can afford to be born in Kansas but live in Hawaii, where middle class white people can only afford to visit once in their lifetime, can certainly afford at least one photo album! And a camera! All white people have cameras, don’t meseginistic– mesigenestical– don’t black and white people have cameras?? Do you expect anyone to believe you couldn’t afford it?

HIS FATHER DESERTED HIS MOTHER WHEN HE WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD AND WENT BACK TO AFRICA BY WAY OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY. HOW? WAS HIS FATHER WEALTHY?
Strike five!!! A black man with money! And a bad marriage! And a great ivy-league education! How is that not uppity?? Is it just me?!

HIS MOTHER MARRIED AN INDONESIAN MUSLIM AND THEN MOVED TO JAKARTA WHERE HE WAS ENROLLED IN A MUSLIM SCHOOL.

Dirty INDONESIANS! Dirty JAKARTANS! Dirty MUSLIMS! Dirty MUSLIM school! [Read more →]

In my post, The Obama Zeitgeist, I wrote:

Barack’s message of Hope and Change found greater resonance in the Democratic electorate than Hillary’s message of Experience and Leadership.

I suggested that this turn to hope and idealism found resonance in the teachings The Urantia Book re its depiction of The Seraphic Planetary Government, and in its distinction between ideas and ideals.

Now that the Dem primary is over, it is fair to ask whether this hypothesis has relevance to the general election between Obama and McCain. I submit that today’s joint poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News answers that question in the affirmative. The Journal reports :

Asked to respond to two statements, 59% of voters said they believed “This is a time to have a president who will focus on progress and help move America forward,” while 37% of voters favored the statement, “This is a time to have a president who will focus on protecting what has made America great.” Just 4% said they weren’t sure.

What’s more, 54% said the statement that “This is a time when it is important to look for a person who will bring greater changes to the current policies even if he is less experienced and tested,” identified more with their personal view, while 42% said the statement that “This is a time when it is important to look for a more experienced and tested person even if he brings fewer changes to the current policies,” was more in line with their view of the race.

That’s a 12% differential between the past and the future.

The Zeitgeist rules!