Michelle Obama's Speech

Michelle Obama delivered a very good speech tonight.

To the degree she seemed un-patriotic and elitist in her "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country" remark, she seemed an equal measure mainstream loving wife and mother tonight.

I'd also like applaud her stories of her father's strong work ethic and his taking personal responsibility. Bill Cosby has been met with resistance when he tries to take these values to the black community. Perhaps the black community will better heed these values when coming from Michelle Obama.

But, I strongly disagree with the world view that backed her speech.

She lauded Barack for not "heading to Wall Street" after college and later lauded herself for "[leaving] a job at a law firm for a career in public service". Despite the recently re-ignited populist hatred of Wall Street, Wall Street is where the funding required to create jobs and prosper the economy comes from. It's not evil, and those taking Wall Street jobs out of college (or working at a law firm) instead of becoming "public servants" don't have some kind of moral failing.

Likewise she spoke about Barack speaking to her about "'The world as it is' and 'The world as it should be.'" This was the opening bookend to Obama's work in government, which concluded with the closing bookend: "let us work together to fulfill their hopes; and let us stand together to elect Barack Obama President of the United States of America".

It breaks my heart a bit to see people tying their hope and desires to see the world become as it should be to a politician, an election, or some amount of government action. What fleeing hope. May one day come where our country's hope comes from the one reliable source of hope.