Ron Paul Tried To Shake My Hand Once. I Couldn't Let Him.
Submitted by Anti-Panda Prop... on Thu, 10/25/2012 - 03:45In late 2007 I got the opportunity to go see Dr. Ron Paul speak live to an audience at the University of Iowa In Ames.
I was able to speak to journalists from local newspapers as well as Reason Magazine, and a reporter from Al Jazeara.
The highlight of the evening was when my turn in line came and I was face-to-face with the man himself - Ron Paul.
He held out his hand. He looked me in the eye. I looked him in the eye.
I lowered my hand and walked away.
Did I want to shake his hand? Yes. Undoubtedly. Did I want to ever let it go? No. Never. Did I feel worthy of shaking it? No. Never.
...
Call it some kind of hero-worship. Say what you will. Say that I was putting the man - just a man, after all - on a pedestal. Blame my low self-esteem.
I'll just blame the dirt of this ground of this land called this nation called this country called this US of A. I was there to represent, and I couldn't. I couldn't even shake the hand.
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For some reason I thought about this tonight...
So I bumped this post.
The Under Lying Truth
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Ron Paul: "If you ever can bring about revolutionary changes two things would be required: young people... and music."
Awww,
I would have pushed his hand aside and given him a big huge bear hug. And cried. And gotten snot on his shoulder. And mascara. =P
The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
-Thomas Paine
That's exactly how I felt at the time
except for the mascara bit...
The Under Lying Truth
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Ron Paul: "If you ever can bring about revolutionary changes two things would be required: young people... and music."
Mom heard him speak at an anti-tax event
in Cancun or somewhere like that.
The Under Lying Truth
Anti-Panda Propaganda Systems
Ron Paul: "If you ever can bring about revolutionary changes two things would be required: young people... and music."
Though it would have been
Though it would have been cool to shake his hand, I understand where you are coming from. I don't think Ron wants people to always adore him with God-like status (Romney/Obama) but to know he is a human being. For you to not shake his hand may have came across as impolite ( I don't know i wasn't there) it was probably the most human thing to do because it acknowledged him as a human being and not a rockstar or political figure.
Southern Agrarian
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Ignore the judgemntal dicks. They're miserable anyway.
They are their own best punishment.
They have to live with themsleves -- can't escape their own miserable eco systems.
In 2007 Ron Paul came home to Pittsburgh and we had a blowout rally overflowing with new supporters.
After speaking for almost an hour, Ron Paul stood near the front of the ballroom in an unstructured hand shaking love fest. He was surrounded by thousands -- thousands of people.
As I stood there waiting my turn I just drank in the sight of this elderly man, modestly dressed in worn clothing, a little hunched over with arthritis.
He just stood there with no sense that he was in a rush to leave.
A bonus for us was that his extended family was also there -- dozens of them -- to celebrate a family reunion. They came home to Pittsburgh some from all over America. I didn't even know who Rand Paul was.
I hung back to watch how people responded to him.
As I did I eventually just gave up my spot -- I somehow thought I was lessening Ron Paul's burden of having to stand there so long -- enduring the crush.
Do I regret it?
A little.
The main thing was I saw a man who was genuine and real.
And I saw the hunger in the people from all walks of life.
Rich, poor, middleclass, rednecks, yuppies, Muslim men and women with head gear and orthodox Jews with the sideburns and cowboy hats -- and Amish farmers too. All colors. My wife befriended a black couple from New Jersey. The wife was dressed as the Statue of Liberty! I know you've seen her in videos.
But I totally get the thought process that you went through when the opportunity to touch Ron Paul was before you.
I experienced it too.
The Real Question: "Will Americans Throw Off The Chains of 100 Years of Debt Slavery & Tax Bondage in 2012?" --Google that!
www.dailypaul.com/donate
I am sick of dumbasses
seriously
come on man
a waste of a fuckin thread
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Sometimes things
must be said.
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Ron Paul: "If you ever can bring about revolutionary changes two things would be required: young people... and music."
Are you sorry you missed the
Are you sorry you missed the opportunity?
absolutely...
...but infinitely more sorry that I still haven't lived up to my expectations of someone worthy of shaking his hand...
The Under Lying Truth
Anti-Panda Propaganda Systems
Ron Paul: "If you ever can bring about revolutionary changes two things would be required: young people... and music."