Boy oh boy! What a week in US politics. First Obama blows the doors off of the DNC in Denver and then McCain chooses a mom of 5 married to a guy named Todd as his VP pick. Bot more on Sarah Palin later – for now she’s still busy sinking into the world of doubt and made up scandals. But browsing the DNC’s site I had that sinking feeling again[1].

I’ve previously written about the perpetual ‘Americaness’ of Obama; his platform may be Change but in reality he sells more of the same; more belonging, more togetherness. And the price to be paid is the same[2]. One of the strong messages of the DNC was Unity; after a bruising primary race the party needs to reconcile Hillary supporters with Obama, and Hillary was there doing her part to heal the wounds that she had helped to bite open. But what struck me about the DNC was not the unity nor the colour and the pageantry. I got no sense of hope of a bright new era, no sight of change – the DNC was a bombshell display of only one thing – uniformity. Wave the same flags, hold up the same placards, chant the same slogans, sing the same songs, cry the same tears.

This glowing church to the shared experience of belonging was an enormous success, leaving its participants and viewers energized and sated. But despite the odd freaky outfit or wide-brimmed hat they all marched in order in a jubilant parade that makes the Chinese regiments at the Olympic opening ceremony look like nothing more than a stage show. The DNC was raw with the emotion of submission into the warm arms of God and country and having a father figure till you die.

And yes, the protests outside were overrun with individuals with homemade placards and real diversity, but that’s not enough. I want the really dangerous kind of individualism. I want the kind of individualism that doesn’t have to be demonstrated with a wild hairdo, but that exists in the way that people speak and permeates suburbs and schools, and runs into that glowing church.