Why should we listen to Obama now? Is he just another figurehead on a huge machine which can’t change course no matter how he sings and dances? What does Barack have that George doesn’t? He has heart!
Look at/listen to his inauguration speech. The first thing that struck me was that he talks of wanting to stop Fear. He suggests stopping fear with Hope. Very close, and maybe half a cigar… A full cigar, in my humble opinion, would be for him to suggest fighting fear with Courage. Hope doesn’t actively fight Fear. It is a passive heart energy, OK for defence. But what I think he really means is a proactive, progressive heart energy like Courage. Perhaps a combination of the two could also work. Hope and Courage can defeat Fear. Fear after all is “the mind-killer, the little death…” according to Frank Herbert’s Bene Gesserit litany against fear:
“I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.”
While this is a more inward looking and meditative “buddhist” approach, fear can also be faced proactively with Courage.
George was a fear monger, perhaps not even on purpose, but that’s what he became. I suspect his advisors molded him to become like this, since he doesn’t appear to have much strength of mind, will, character or heart. Thankfully, Barack appears to have strength in all of the areas that George lacked. He speaks well, he looks good and will inspire confidence with his charismatic words and actions [we hope]. If nothing else happens during his reign, barring total disaster, he already stands as a historical icon of positive change and courage. Let’s hope he can successfully change the course of the US juggernaut at the bridge of which he now sits without taking a nut job’s (figurative or literal) bullet.
PS: Strange fact: In Hungarian the word “barack” means “peach” (Pronounced: “Baratsk”… the “c” in Hungarian has a “ts” sound.). If you’re interested in brandies, try some Hungarian “Barack Palinka”! It also doubles as rocket fuel! Perhaps apt for the first black US president of Hungarian origin! 
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