September 29 - Surviving as a Nation & Choose To Unite at 22,000 Views

"If Obama loses, our children will grow up thinking of equal opportunity as a myth. His defeat would say that when handed a perfect opportunity to put the worst part of our history behind us, we chose not to.  In this event, the world's judgement will be severe and inescapable: the United States had its day, but in the end could not put its own self-interest ahead of its crazy irrationality over race."

"You may or may not agree with Obama's policy prescriptions, but they are, by and large, serious attempts to deal with the biggest issues we face: a failing health care system, oil dependency, income stagnation and climate change.  To the rest of the world, a rejection of the promise he represents wouldn't just be an odd choice by the United States.  It would be taken for what it would be: sign and symptom of a nation's historical decline."

– Excerpts from "What Will the Neighbors Think?" by Jacob Weisberg, Newsweek, September 1, 2008.  Read full article:

 http://www.choosetounite.com/resources.html.

Sharing YouTube Comments: 

"Outstanding song and video.  Hey people of the USA, let's Rock that Vote."

"Fabulous, inspiring and effective. If you are thinking of not voting, think again – what if your vote could make the difference?"

"We've never seen a person (black or white) like Obama."

"Let's all protect this great man who is our last and best hope if we are to survive as a nation."

September 22 - Barack Obama in Espanola & Choose To Unite at 18,000 Views on YouTube

Barack Obama came to Espanola, New Mexico for a rally last Thursday the 18th, on just a few days notice.  I immediately signed up to volunteer; what a great opportunity and experience it turned out to be!  I wholeheartedly recommend anyone who is an Obama supporter to get to a rally if one comes anywhere near you.  

There is something amazing about seeing a figure so well known on the screen and in print step in front of you in real life.  It makes the experience of them all that much more real.  I've been saying all the way along "Barack is so real," and I say it again.  He really is what he presents himself to be. And my impression of his leadership/organization skills was beyond confirmed by observing (as a volunteer from the inside) how impressively the rally was run.  Seamless.

What surprised me the most was the minute Obama stepped onto the walkway to get to the stage, my arms flew up and I exclaimed "Barack!"  It was an instinctual, primal reaction of love and joy.  I shared this unexpected response with a friend who reflected, "that's what Barack is here for – to open hearts." This must be at least part of why Obama has become such a beloved figure, not just in our country, but all over the world.  (And why, perhaps, he also seems to be so threatening to others.  Perfect love casts out fear, as stated in the Bible.)

An image that will never leave me was looking up at Obama while he was speaking, in his usual pristine white shirt, framed by the New Mexico powder blue sky  – the identical image that is in so many of the campaign logos!  But this was a real sky, the kind we have almost every day in New Mexico.  How perfect to see Barack embraced by it.  One of his first comments was about the glorious drive up from Albuquerque, and how blessed we are by the beauty of our landscape – something to be grateful for every day.   I feel this is true for so much of our country filled coast to coast with spectacular landscapes.  "America the Beautiful" sings of this.  America, America, God shed his grace on thee.  I hope that we can, in turn, live up to the seeds of potential that have been planted over the centuries in this experiment called America. 

One of my favorite moments in the rally was in the introductory speeches when a Catholic Priest offered a prayer.  Here was a crowd of almost 10,000 people that had waited for hours in the blazing sun, ready to rally for Senator Obama.  People had to totally restrain themselves to not start cheering at several points in the prayer.  At one point, however, restraint fell apart, and the whole crowd cheered – quickly regaining restraint because, it was after all, a prayer.  I pray that the prayer offered that day is answered – that wisdom and truth guide our choice in our next leader.

I loved Governor Richardson's talk, especially his point that "we do not just need Barack Obama to win the election, we need him to win by a landslide."  That too has been my vision and prayer.

Barack Obama's entire 32 minute speech is well worth watching (filled with his usual warmth, humanity, humility, humor, seriousness, and outlining of the most current pressing concerns of the audience) and can be viewed on YouTube:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WldjwTCoxRo&feature=related.

Sharing a Comment sent in from MI through the ChooseToUnite website:  "Love your song and wondered if there's a place online where I can download the Choose To Unite Obama song.  It is so uplifting and powerful!  I'd love to have it alongside will.i.am's anthem and Dave Stewart's American Prayer.  

All three would be great to play at any Obama event or party."

Note about that comment:  First, I am beyond honored that Choose to Unite is being associated with Yes We Can and American Prayer!  Secondly, so many people at the New Mexico rally were saying to me, "they should be playing our song!"  I have not yet succeeded in connecting with the national campaign around the song; that too remains a prayer.  Choose To Unite is a huge gift, and a great resource, from an impassioned grass roots community of people in our swing state of New Mexico.  And third, thanks to this comment, I added on both YouTube and the www.ChooseToUnite.com website direct links to iTunes to download the song.

Viva Obama! and Obamanos! (a catchy play on the Spanish word, vamanos Obama, which means let's go Obama)!

September 17 - Arianna Huffington in Santa Fe & Choose To Unite at 16,000 YouTube Views

Thank God for these "events" that descend on our town to keep the inspiration and hope up when things in the world are spinning out of control.  I was fortunate to hear Arianna Huffington (of the Huffington Post and blogosphere) speak at two events – at the Santa Fe Community College, where Barack spoke at his rally in February, and at the Lensic Theater.  I laugh at myself to admit I have never heard Arianna – in reading her witty, magnificently articulated words, I never imagined she had an accent!  In person, I fell in love with her being and her accent immediately!  I'd love to share a summary of her message:

This election finds our country on the brink of two possibilities – progressing (moving forward) or regressing (going backwards).  The good news in the middle of all the bad news is that we have a great candidate in Obama who inspires and offers transformational leadership. For all of us who know who the right choice is, it is not enough just to know.  It is imperative that we each personally do everything we can to ensure that he gets elected.  (Precisely the reason I dedicated 5 months to making the Choose To Unite song and video!)  

Arianna felt our recruiting focus should be not on "Undecideds" ("if someone is undecided, they have not been paying any attention to what is going on") but on the "Unexpecteds."  84,000,000 (yes, 84 million) Americans who were registered and eligible to vote in the 2004 election did not.  "Even 10% of that contingent would change the dynamics of this election." This particular election – at this time – is not the right time to not vote or go with an independent party.  We cannot afford to take the risk that the election gets handed over to McCain.

Most importantly, she emphasized, we must not, cannot succumb to fear, which science has shown puts us in our reptilian brains (she was using the word "lizard brain" which had the audience laughing).  In fear, we lose the capacity to stay connected to our hearts and clear seeing/knowing of the truth, a capacity we all have and if we stay connected to that, choices are obvious. Fear makes us fall into the easiest, lowest common denominator, which is the low road.  The low road never gets us where we want to go; it is the higher, harder one, that can. Between now and the election, elevating fear is the strategy of those that would have this country regress, and we can be sure they will elevate it to the level that the number one focus goes on national security.  

Sharing the last words of Choose To Unite: As Eric George sings his final round of "Hey People of the USA," "Open the Door," and "Barack, Barack Obama," Madi Sato sings over the round "Diversity, Community, Unity, Love and Equality... We are the Change..."  

The whole point of the song's lyrics and rhythms is to bring positive, uplifting, inspiring energy into peoples' minds and hearts, at a cellular level... to fortify us to stay hopeful and focused on our vision.  Share it with everyone you know! (We now have direct links on the site and YouTube to get to the song in iTunes.)

August 31 - 10,000 YouTube Views

A consistent piece of feedback on the video has been how authentic and real the people in it are – which is absolutely true! No one was "acting" – people were all being who they really are.

A great example is Edwin Lemus, who we found and invited at the last minute to video the "four directions" ritual for the final line of the song ("East, West, South and North, we are bringing our voices forth"). As we then got to know Edwin, we learned that he had just spent several months traveling around the country, doing honoring ceremonies in open fields for our future and Barack Obama. While doing these, he "saw" that with Obama's leadership, unprecedented prosperity will be experienced by all, in particular, prosperity to our souls.

One of my greatest hopes for the video is that it inspires people to be real, to focus on what really matters, and to see what is true on who can offer us real leadership that supports the greater whole.

Barack Obama is one of the most "real" people I've seen in the arena of politics (or anywhere, for that matter!). We have a deep conditioning to unwind in our country around mistrusting what is real and buying into what is not real. "We have a chance to create a new day..." Let's seize it!

Sharing an e-mail Comment written from Hawaii by a women of mixed heritage: "...Thanks for seeing beyond the human eye..."

August 28 - Our Next President

I had called Grant Taylor on the 4th of July and asked if we could shoot some firework sequences that evening, to use as the final visual in our music video.  I wanted the feeling of "Celebrate! Barack Obama, our next president!"  How glorious tonight, at the end of Barack Obama's nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in the Mile High Stadium, to have fireworks soaring all around the historic gathering.  Our Next President! My conviction is higher than ever that Barack Obama is the right leader for our time.

The road is not going to be easy.  All the more reason for each one of us to take a stand and do whatever we can – in our own ways – to help usher in the change that this time is asking of us.  The question never was about "is Barack ready?"  The real question has everything to do with "are we ready?  We are the change we've been waiting for!"  I have tremendous faith in the potential of our God-given humanity, and faith that we are being offered a leader who can bring forward our potential. Let's give Barack, and ourselves, what we all deserve:  the opportunity to move forward into all that we can be with strength, clarity, integrity, brilliance and – most of all – heart.   

Sharing a personal note from friends Gary Smith and Nancy Meze: "Susan's work has a way of reaching into the heart and stirring it up. Her new music video "Choose to Unite " motivates and inspires the best in us just as her photographic work has inspired us through the years. I find myself singing the song and watching the film to tap into the joy I look for in my life. The total visual and especially peoples' faces have made a very positive imprint in mind and heart. Isn't it wonderful to see the joy in these friends expressing "unite politics" rather than the "politics as usual" look of most? Thank you, Susan, for your vision, hard work and that of "the cast of thousands" there in Santa Fe!!

August 25 - Opening Evening DNC - "Real People"

All I could feel watching the opening speeches tonight was gratitude and appreciation that the Obamas – and the people they surround themselves with – are such "real" people. (For some indescribable reason, I continue to burst into tears whenever I see either Barack or Michelle on the screen). Truly real, as in authentic, genuine, no pretenses. They are human (thank God!), feeling deep compassion and care for – and commitment to – humanity. How could we want anything other than that leading and serving our country???

Day 6 on YouTube, at 6100 views of Choose to Unite...

Sharing a YouTube Comment: "This video expresses the possibilities for the USA to get back in tune with our country's highest ideals with the leadership of Barack Obama. The lyrics bring the needed tempo of change our country needs. Our country with a new Democratic president will again realize the respect and appreciation of the world and its peoples."

August 24 - 5000 YouTube Views as of Sunday Morning Before DNC

The big crunch to get the video done – aside of course from the fact that a pivotal election is a mere two months away – was to have it on YouTube before the Democratic National Convention started.  As of this morning, we just crossed the 5000 mark of views on YouTube!  Keep on sharing!!!

Sharing a personal note from friend Diane Kennedy:  "This is an extraordinary and beautiful manifestation of your prayer for our country and specific intention to make both an immediate and lasting difference for all of us.  The video has inspired me in new ways. Congratulations!"