An unforgettable experience
To the Editor:
I was one of the fortunate few to have a ticket to see President Obama at the Town Hall Meeting in Fort Myers on Feb. 10. It was an experience that I will never forget and I am forever grateful to my son, who stood in line for 24 hours to give me this priceless gift.
I believe the town hall format captured the intimate, meaningful event that it was meant to be; a place that the community could share its concerns in a way that would be heard and addressed. My son’s friend, Drew, who is also from Bokeelia, and I arrived to stand in line Tuesday morning around 5 a.m. The atmosphere was one of excitement and hope with people standing in line discussing the serious issues that are currently facing this country. As I looked around, I was struck and pleased by how many people were nicely dressed, giving the signal that this was a serious and respectful occasion. Standing two people behind us was the aspiring disc jockey we’ve all heard so much about, Julio Osegueda. Needless to say, I would have remembered him even if he hadn’t been called on to address the president.
The line began moving at 10 a.m. and we soon found ourselves at the security area, going through metal detectors and having our bags checked. Seating was based on where you were in line so fortunately the arrival at 5 a.m. had its benefits. We were seated in the fourth row, slightly to the right of the podium. Drew and I couldn’t believe our luck and high fived each other. For the next two hours, we snapped pictures, talked with our neighbors, sent text messages and marveled again and again at how fortunate we were to be there. An impressive invocation was given by Pastor Bing in Fort Myers, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem beautifully performed by two sisters from Lehigh.
Suddenly an announcement was made to welcome the President of the United States, Barack Obama. The hall filled with cheering and clapping and Gov. Crist and President Obama took the stage. For the next 30 minutes or so, President Obama made his case for the stimulus package. I think that part of what makes the president so appealing to so many is the fact that he articulates his thoughts so well. I like having an intellectual president. I want him to be smarter than everyone I know. The president is supposed to be the best of the best and I feel we finally have that with President Obama. One of the biggest hurdles we face as a nation is restoring confidence back in the economy. The only way that is going to happen is if we have a president willing and able to take the bold and swift action that is necessary in restoring confidence to the markets.
Before you get too offended about the scope and size of the proposed stimulus package, ask yourself how much we are spending each day in Iraq. $720 million. Let that sink in. That’s appalling! This war has cost us everything – our credibility, our financial markets and in some cases, our children’s lives, and yet it’s been diminished to the ticker at the bottom of the TV while we focus on a disturbed woman with 14 kids. Where is your outrage! I hope that the politicians in Washington, D.C., can see past the divisive letters next to their name and reach a consensus, but if not, I hope that the president does what we elected him to do, with or without their support.
Amanda Jones
Bokeelia, Florida