Obama Shames Nation with Selfies and Shakes

Everybody who celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela should do so with the memory of his smile and the joyous spirit his life embodied. After you shed a tear, do a dance, sing a song, take a selfie.

 God Bless Madiba for the lesson he taught us.

I say lesson because Solidarity is not a concept or an ideology.  Solidarity is not a party affiliation or a political action statement.  Solidarity,  much like faith and love, is an action.  Solidarity is the action of locking arms and the lesson we must always carry with us from the heart and soul of Nelson Mandela. Solidarity is the power of agreement in its purest form.  It is the steadfast commitment to always pursue a common interest in which we can hold hands.  

We don't have to like each other on any deep level, nor do we need to label ourselves in a common manner to have Solidarity.  All we have to do for Solidarity is find that sacred place in the middle where any two people can agree, and lock hands on that alone.  It is what great sports teams do everyday.

How can two people walk
arm and arm lest they agree?

Solidarity is the power of agreement that anoints leaders. In fact,  it is the collective action of following that uncovers our leaders for us.  Our political dialogue feels toxic at times, but we take comfort as Americans because we know that our arms are locked around freedom and democracy.  In the spirit of solidarity, we send our soldiers off to war utterly convinced of the necessity of freedom,  even as we blame one another for who caused them to die.

We have embargoed the Cubans for the past 30 years, and labeled Nelson Mandela a terrorist for nearly as long.  Yet the love we all have for Madiba is shared by the Obama and the Bush family; the Clinton and the McCain clan.  And yes even the Castro's loved Madiba.  In the spirit of Solidarity Castro and Mandela locked arms first.

I don't have to agree with anything you say to shake your hand in love and agreement towards the life of Nelson Mandela.