An Amazing Evening for Us All; Now the Work Begins ...
Shortly after the California polls closed at 20:00 PST, CNN announced their projected winner for the Presidency of the United States of America. Barack Obama is our President-elect to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America.
The news, once absorbed, brought tears of pride, amazement, and relief to my eyes. I am at once proud and amazed our country came together to not only shout out a call for hope and to again affect the world discussion in a positive way, but to also prove that peaceful revolutions can happen from connected and engaged voices. This election process has proven the strength of our election process when the electorate is engaged, and re-affirms the fact democracy and our Republican form of government requires work from us all.
I am relieved that this chapter of our history, these two years of bated breath, are at a close. The turning pages ahead will reveal more challenges and reasons we need to be active participants in our future to ensure our country and special American-mix of government by the people succeeds to provide a better life and world for us all. The Constitution opens with, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union," and tonight shows that we as a people can continue to have a voice when we accept the responsibility and use that responsibility.
As one who continues to romanticize our form of government, and believes that our continued experiment remains special and only lives when the people are engaged, both candidates call to come together as one to work toward a shared goal of a better people is a special call in this day in age of cynicism. The President-elect's further call to us all to continue to remain a part of the process and not stop because of the election echoed my thoughts and I am thankful he asked us all to step-up and take responsibility while admitting government is not the ultimate answer; his speech and request for the public to be accountable was a call for our generation similar to Kennedy's great declaration, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
Both candidates have answered the Kennedy's challenge many times over, and no one more than Senator McCain. He was gracious in his concession speech, and I hope his theme of service to country and the public good is not lost in the spin of cynicism and politics. Mr. McCain remains a fine example of a life lived to help others have a better future, and I remain thankful for his service. I may not always agree with his policies and view, but can never question his love of our country and the people of the United States of America. I do not consider him a nationalist, but a patriot in the best sense of the word. Congratulations to Mr. McCain for his service, and I hope he is part of the solutions in the spirit of hope that has shined tonight.
Tonight is more than remembering a place called "Hope", but living up to the hope we all reached for and presented to the world. We must now live up to that hope, all engage and work to make the hopeful goals and dreams a reality; and one President and administration cannot do it alone. I hope tonight is the marker we can all look back on to mark when the partisan politics succumbed in favor of making decisions in the best interest of us all and not just party; the night our cynicism waned and we as a people become and remain engaged as integral parts of the process and solutions - an active electorate; that tonight we have re-awakened the true spirit, power, and beauty of our ever evolving Great American Experiment.
Oh, what a night to be an American ...
The news, once absorbed, brought tears of pride, amazement, and relief to my eyes. I am at once proud and amazed our country came together to not only shout out a call for hope and to again affect the world discussion in a positive way, but to also prove that peaceful revolutions can happen from connected and engaged voices. This election process has proven the strength of our election process when the electorate is engaged, and re-affirms the fact democracy and our Republican form of government requires work from us all.
I am relieved that this chapter of our history, these two years of bated breath, are at a close. The turning pages ahead will reveal more challenges and reasons we need to be active participants in our future to ensure our country and special American-mix of government by the people succeeds to provide a better life and world for us all. The Constitution opens with, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union," and tonight shows that we as a people can continue to have a voice when we accept the responsibility and use that responsibility.
As one who continues to romanticize our form of government, and believes that our continued experiment remains special and only lives when the people are engaged, both candidates call to come together as one to work toward a shared goal of a better people is a special call in this day in age of cynicism. The President-elect's further call to us all to continue to remain a part of the process and not stop because of the election echoed my thoughts and I am thankful he asked us all to step-up and take responsibility while admitting government is not the ultimate answer; his speech and request for the public to be accountable was a call for our generation similar to Kennedy's great declaration, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
Both candidates have answered the Kennedy's challenge many times over, and no one more than Senator McCain. He was gracious in his concession speech, and I hope his theme of service to country and the public good is not lost in the spin of cynicism and politics. Mr. McCain remains a fine example of a life lived to help others have a better future, and I remain thankful for his service. I may not always agree with his policies and view, but can never question his love of our country and the people of the United States of America. I do not consider him a nationalist, but a patriot in the best sense of the word. Congratulations to Mr. McCain for his service, and I hope he is part of the solutions in the spirit of hope that has shined tonight.
Tonight is more than remembering a place called "Hope", but living up to the hope we all reached for and presented to the world. We must now live up to that hope, all engage and work to make the hopeful goals and dreams a reality; and one President and administration cannot do it alone. I hope tonight is the marker we can all look back on to mark when the partisan politics succumbed in favor of making decisions in the best interest of us all and not just party; the night our cynicism waned and we as a people become and remain engaged as integral parts of the process and solutions - an active electorate; that tonight we have re-awakened the true spirit, power, and beauty of our ever evolving Great American Experiment.
Oh, what a night to be an American ...
posted by sashew at 8:54:00 PM
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