Knock, Knock, World

Daniel Beaty is a performer, poet and thinker who can move people with words like few others of our generation. If you do nothing else for yourself today, take two and a half minutes and watch this video of his 2004 Def Poetry Jam appearance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nktBsI0PYPs

I cannot imagine too many can watch Mr. Beaty’s riveting performance and not walk away changed in some way. Words can be powerful tools, as they are for Mr. Beaty, and they can be destructive weapons.

I did not address last week’s flap over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama in this space. I discounted the controversy as more of the same harmless chatter being tossed about in a political game. I told myself I did not want to elevate the debate. I was copping out.

Much of last week’s dither I will not address, except for one recurring theme. Many of the President’s naysayers repeated a refrain that when it came to peace the President had done little more than give eloquent speeches. In order to stay on topic, I will set aside the substance argument for now. For the Nobel Prize Committee, many Americans and a lot of people throughout the world, the tone Mr. Obama set during the campaign and in these first few months of his presidency are important.

Words beget action. Mr. Obama added a new dimension to the familiar tough talk that usually comes from American leaders. With words he reached out and offered to begin a new dialogue aimed at peace. This is not a bad place to start. Time will tell whether Mr. Obama’s actions will reflect those expressions. But, if one poet can incite change in an audience like Mr. Beaty, perhaps one leader can incite a little change in the world.

I am pulling for President Obama. You keeping speaking, but don’t forget to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work you were elected to do after the microphone is unplugged.

This entry was first published as a Des Moines Register blog entry.