Reflections of the Day
“Rosa sat, so Martin could walk, so Obama could lead…” Written by a child, on poster board with markers, at home in Teaneck, NJ on November 4, 2008
Fine. So I admit that I have been rather lazy in keeping up with this blog. So sue me! Still, after all that has happened since my last entry on Halloween, I thought it was time I pulled myself up out of the writer's rut, hunkered down for a good, old fashioned write-fest and owned up to my languor.
To start – In the United States we’re now on the cusp of a Brave New World, a New World Order, of sorts. On November 4, 2008 – a mere 143 years since he could have been owned via slavery – Barack H. Obama was clearly, definitely, no-glitches or miscounts, elected the 44th president of these United States of America.
Can I get an Amen!?
So let’s discuss. And by discuss I do not mean get into the man's platform or promises. That is what is going on at any given network or cable news program, even as I type. The talking heads will talk until there's nothing left to say. Then they will rehash the same chatter over, using different words to keep it interesting. What I mean is let's discuss the human interest of this story - the element that makes it a people story. We have to take stock in how far we have finally come. We have to acknowledge the ebb and flow of emotions now penetrating the core of our nation because of this quantum leap. We have to pat ourselves on the back to have made it to this long delayed change.
I am going to admit that I was not for Obama from the start. In fact, like all good forward-thinking females, I was a staunch Hillary supporter. I was well aware that when she occupied the White House with Billy Boy Clinton, it was she who wore the pants - usually because Billy was dropping his. I knew that Hillary had quite a bit to do with the direction the country took back then. And while I won't say it was the perfect ideal, it certainly was better than the perfect storm we are in now.
My cousin Kevin was an Obama supporter from the start. He was always after me to join the ObamaNation - claiming aloud that it would be an “abomination if we did not end up with an ObamaNation”. Haha! I get it! Well, thankfully, as we wake on the dawn of a new day - we do so having landed ourselves in the highly fabled ObamaNation of which he spoke. And me, the former Hillary Cheer Camp Leader proclaim myself a true Obama Mama!
Can I get another Amen!?
The election of Barack Obama came at the time it needed to come. Some may argue it came just in the nick of time to get our sorry national ass out of the place it’s been sliding into for the last eight painful years. Today, the United States finds itself weary, beaten down, despised by global neighbors, in a seemingly never-ending and ill-explained war, and on the verge of a corrupt, self-inflicted bankruptcy – some say unseen since the days of the Great Depression.
Enter Obama – a man whose very presence inspired millions, but incited race chatter all about, too. A man who unwillingly fell into checked boxes and categories he should never have been in to begin with. Here was a man running for the highest office in our government and African Americans and minorities in droves clung shamelessly to him as the last great hope for them. The U.S. with a First black president? The first African-American president?
No.
With Obama it should never have been about race. If anything, it should have been about how amazing and unlikely it is for this nation to have found a man with a white mother and a black father to bring us the nation’s first president who is able to be both sides at once without having to apologize to any one group. It should have been about how all of those poorly healed wounds of slavery and bigotry and civil rights violations could possibly find closure through him. It should have been about how we had to face ourselves and own up to our election mistakes of the past and admit, through action more so than words, that we could redeem ourselves. There is something truly calming about Barack Obama. Knowing that he IS now the president-elect to be sworn in next January gives people a desire to look forward. There is something hopeful in knowing that through one man all men and women can come together.
Barack Obama is a citizen of the world. His place of birth, or origin, is listed as Hawaii, but that is merely geography. His true home is planet Earth and that means he can hang his coat anywhere and be welcomed. All over the globe, this man was hailed and cheered when, at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, it was pretty much a given that as a nation we had collectively gotten past the bigotry of years and elected Barack Obama.
I stayed up to watch his speech. In doing so I felt connected to my neighbors on earth. I knew that all over where a television still flickered -- daytime in some places, dead of night in others, Barack Obama was being heard graciously, without a hint of arrogance or self-righteousness making his mind-blowingly historic victory speech. People were awed. People were moved. Mostly, people were thinking: “Damn! It’s about time.”
I was trying to mentally transport myself to Grant Park in Chicago. I was trying to be a part of that happy, hopeful sea of people that were not one color, but all colors looking one way. I saw them cry and cheer and hug and kiss and look up in awe. I couldn’t help it. I teared up, as well.
Now, I was not around when John F. Kennedy was president. I was not around for his unfortunate and tragic death. However, I can recall the countless photographs and a few grainy videos of his presidency. The kind of hope and awe I saw on the pictured faces of Americans then is the same kind I see for Barack Obama now. It reflects a kind of hopefulness and trust that has been lacking between us (the people) and them (the governing bodies) for years. Call me sentimental, but I can only pray that we are indeed heading to that greater good, to that place of lost trust and less cynicism. I am neither idealist, nor realist – I prefer a middle ground to both. I think Barack Obama, in many more ways that we have yet to see, is that middle of the road for all of us.
A lot is at stake for Barack Obama. He has a hell of a road ahead, thanks to the exiting “leadership” (and I use the term lightly). He has a budget, financial and fiscal crisis that would humble the mightiest of men. He has to make his way around the planet and reclaim the peace, the trust and the respect that was squandered so carelessly. He has to heal the hurt and betrayal we all feel for our government here at home. He has to lift the fallen and patch up the survivors. Yes, he has to accomplish all of these things under one of the brightest, most critical lights of all time – the nation’s people. He will be scrutinized for every move, every speech, every decision and every plan. He will be watched and mercilessly criticized if he falters. I am glad the job is his and not mine. Even happier that it is Obama who is at the helm of this poorly navigated vessel. As Americans we’ll want the fix to come quick and easy, but he is a smart man and knew to tell us all on Day 1 that the fix will be a slow and somewhat painful process. Cut him some slack. It took eight years to screw us up this bad. Don’t expect him to be the Savior overnight.
Fine. So I admit that I have been rather lazy in keeping up with this blog. So sue me! Still, after all that has happened since my last entry on Halloween, I thought it was time I pulled myself up out of the writer's rut, hunkered down for a good, old fashioned write-fest and owned up to my languor.
To start – In the United States we’re now on the cusp of a Brave New World, a New World Order, of sorts. On November 4, 2008 – a mere 143 years since he could have been owned via slavery – Barack H. Obama was clearly, definitely, no-glitches or miscounts, elected the 44th president of these United States of America.
Can I get an Amen!?
So let’s discuss. And by discuss I do not mean get into the man's platform or promises. That is what is going on at any given network or cable news program, even as I type. The talking heads will talk until there's nothing left to say. Then they will rehash the same chatter over, using different words to keep it interesting. What I mean is let's discuss the human interest of this story - the element that makes it a people story. We have to take stock in how far we have finally come. We have to acknowledge the ebb and flow of emotions now penetrating the core of our nation because of this quantum leap. We have to pat ourselves on the back to have made it to this long delayed change.
I am going to admit that I was not for Obama from the start. In fact, like all good forward-thinking females, I was a staunch Hillary supporter. I was well aware that when she occupied the White House with Billy Boy Clinton, it was she who wore the pants - usually because Billy was dropping his. I knew that Hillary had quite a bit to do with the direction the country took back then. And while I won't say it was the perfect ideal, it certainly was better than the perfect storm we are in now.
My cousin Kevin was an Obama supporter from the start. He was always after me to join the ObamaNation - claiming aloud that it would be an “abomination if we did not end up with an ObamaNation”. Haha! I get it! Well, thankfully, as we wake on the dawn of a new day - we do so having landed ourselves in the highly fabled ObamaNation of which he spoke. And me, the former Hillary Cheer Camp Leader proclaim myself a true Obama Mama!
Can I get another Amen!?
The election of Barack Obama came at the time it needed to come. Some may argue it came just in the nick of time to get our sorry national ass out of the place it’s been sliding into for the last eight painful years. Today, the United States finds itself weary, beaten down, despised by global neighbors, in a seemingly never-ending and ill-explained war, and on the verge of a corrupt, self-inflicted bankruptcy – some say unseen since the days of the Great Depression.
Enter Obama – a man whose very presence inspired millions, but incited race chatter all about, too. A man who unwillingly fell into checked boxes and categories he should never have been in to begin with. Here was a man running for the highest office in our government and African Americans and minorities in droves clung shamelessly to him as the last great hope for them. The U.S. with a First black president? The first African-American president?
No.
With Obama it should never have been about race. If anything, it should have been about how amazing and unlikely it is for this nation to have found a man with a white mother and a black father to bring us the nation’s first president who is able to be both sides at once without having to apologize to any one group. It should have been about how all of those poorly healed wounds of slavery and bigotry and civil rights violations could possibly find closure through him. It should have been about how we had to face ourselves and own up to our election mistakes of the past and admit, through action more so than words, that we could redeem ourselves. There is something truly calming about Barack Obama. Knowing that he IS now the president-elect to be sworn in next January gives people a desire to look forward. There is something hopeful in knowing that through one man all men and women can come together.
Barack Obama is a citizen of the world. His place of birth, or origin, is listed as Hawaii, but that is merely geography. His true home is planet Earth and that means he can hang his coat anywhere and be welcomed. All over the globe, this man was hailed and cheered when, at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, it was pretty much a given that as a nation we had collectively gotten past the bigotry of years and elected Barack Obama.
I stayed up to watch his speech. In doing so I felt connected to my neighbors on earth. I knew that all over where a television still flickered -- daytime in some places, dead of night in others, Barack Obama was being heard graciously, without a hint of arrogance or self-righteousness making his mind-blowingly historic victory speech. People were awed. People were moved. Mostly, people were thinking: “Damn! It’s about time.”
I was trying to mentally transport myself to Grant Park in Chicago. I was trying to be a part of that happy, hopeful sea of people that were not one color, but all colors looking one way. I saw them cry and cheer and hug and kiss and look up in awe. I couldn’t help it. I teared up, as well.
Now, I was not around when John F. Kennedy was president. I was not around for his unfortunate and tragic death. However, I can recall the countless photographs and a few grainy videos of his presidency. The kind of hope and awe I saw on the pictured faces of Americans then is the same kind I see for Barack Obama now. It reflects a kind of hopefulness and trust that has been lacking between us (the people) and them (the governing bodies) for years. Call me sentimental, but I can only pray that we are indeed heading to that greater good, to that place of lost trust and less cynicism. I am neither idealist, nor realist – I prefer a middle ground to both. I think Barack Obama, in many more ways that we have yet to see, is that middle of the road for all of us.
A lot is at stake for Barack Obama. He has a hell of a road ahead, thanks to the exiting “leadership” (and I use the term lightly). He has a budget, financial and fiscal crisis that would humble the mightiest of men. He has to make his way around the planet and reclaim the peace, the trust and the respect that was squandered so carelessly. He has to heal the hurt and betrayal we all feel for our government here at home. He has to lift the fallen and patch up the survivors. Yes, he has to accomplish all of these things under one of the brightest, most critical lights of all time – the nation’s people. He will be scrutinized for every move, every speech, every decision and every plan. He will be watched and mercilessly criticized if he falters. I am glad the job is his and not mine. Even happier that it is Obama who is at the helm of this poorly navigated vessel. As Americans we’ll want the fix to come quick and easy, but he is a smart man and knew to tell us all on Day 1 that the fix will be a slow and somewhat painful process. Cut him some slack. It took eight years to screw us up this bad. Don’t expect him to be the Savior overnight.
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