We can learn from this...
Of course, the obvious is that in America, you don't have to be white and have a rich daddy to achieve the highest office in the land. In fact, you can even have a name that not only sounds foreign, it can resemble the name of the most notorious terrorist in history. Oh, and by the way, your middle name can be exactly the same as the last name of an infamous middle-eastern dictator.
I'm sorry...if Barack can overcome all of that, how out-of-reach are your dreams? To me, more things seem possible now. Maybe I could be president someday.
Secondly, despite the mess that is the electoral college, I've learned that each of us has a voice and can make a difference. With that knowledge comes responsibility. If the new president or any of the other elected reps don't do what they promised, I HAVE TO USE MY VOICE--not as a radio person but as a citizen. I am obligated to let them know they work for us and hold their feet to the fire if they don't perform. In my view, this has been the missing ingredient and why there is such a disconnect between the government and the people. We've sat on our hands and let them use their jobs to line their pockets and make decisions for all the wrong reasons. When lobbyists have more access than we do, the system is wack. I got all hip hop on ya right there.
The final lesson for me is steadiness. He just kept plodding along, ignoring the haters, staying on point with his central message of change. Newsweek had both candidates on the cover a couple weeks ago with the question, "How important is temperament?" Some called that an obvious effort by the liberal media to point out Obama's biggest strength. Regardless, it's undeniable that Obama seemed unflappable through this entire campaign. He just kept plugging along, ignoring most of the criticism and repeating his central message, which obviously many believed was truthful. There was no in-fighting or inner circle scandal in his camp. Scientists say a flock of birds can fly 70% farther when aligned in their instinctive "V formation". It appears that Obama was able to utilize that secret weapon with his huge collection of staff and volunteers.
I was up until 2:30 last night watching TV, not wanting this historic night to end. I was unduly impressed and touched by Senator McCain's heartfelt, "got your back" concession speech. I think it was his finest moment, and he's had a few to choose from. What a good man. I think he would have made a fine president. Obama's speech to the massive crowd in Grant Park in downtown Chicago gave me chills. It didn't become real for me until then.
I won't lie. While I decided just a few weeks ago that Senator Obama would be my choice, I wasn't an uber-fan. (I'm not real big on paying more taxes or of further socializing our country.) But watching that speech was a life moment...up there with the moon landing when i was just a little kid. That was HISTORY and I was proud of him and especially proud of us for getting over the surface-level objections of his skin color and unusual name.
To those who were passionately supporting McCain, I understand what you're going through. It sucks to lose, especially when you're 100% sure you're right. :) It's easy to dismiss everyone on the other side as stupid or naive. I've done it and there have been times I pre-judged and ended up being wrong. I urge you to reserve judgment and give "the rookie" a chance to prove himself. He overcame more obstacles to get here than perhaps any candidate in history...I think we owe him a grace period.
I'm glad it's over. I know a lot of people are. It's the first election I can remember that had a passion meter up there with American Idol. To me, McCain and Obama were Archuletta and Cook. Both great. I was ultimately okay with either one winning. Finally favoring one but not discounting the other.
Senator Barack Obama will be our next president, and I will pray for him and his family and hope like crazy he can accomplish what he's promised. The nation needs a leader now maybe more than we ever have.
I welcome your thoughts but ask that you try to avoid long dissertations about your views. I tried not to do that so I hope you will too.
"Let America Be America Again"
by Langston Hughes
Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.
(America never was America to me.)
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed--
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.
(It never was America to me.)
O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.
(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")
Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek--
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.
I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!
I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.
Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home--
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."
The free?
Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay--
Except the dream that's almost dead today.
O, let America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine--the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME--
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose--
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!
O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath--
America will be!
Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain--
All, all the stretch of these great green states--
And make America again!
--Kidd
Add a Comment
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Comment by Rosette on June 5, 2009 at 12:15pm -
Un-American you are
Yes, you Kidd, JC, and anyone who agrees with the content on Thursday when you decided that a woman has "made her point" for being against Bush - No protest no matter how you consider minute or great should be diminished....what if it was another protest against the bailouts or how about a protest for the bailouts....?
You are unamerican to denounce such activism take place! You are part of the problem for saying so!
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Comment by Angie on February 6, 2009 at 10:33am - I am just now getting around to reading this, now that Obama is PRESIDENT Obama. Wow, I too, will forever remember that night. I was sobbing with my fiance while we watched it all unfold on tv. And I sat with my face soaked in happy tears again for his inauguration. I am so proud that we, as Americans stood up and said, enough is enough. Even more so, I can look into my beautiful little bi racial daughter's face and point to an example, that she can indeed accomplish anything she puts her mind to.
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Comment by Casey on January 10, 2009 at 4:43pm - my birthday was november fifth
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Comment by Ba.stet on December 25, 2008 at 11:16pm -
I love the addittion of Langston Hughes at the end, Kidd... very fitting. Hughes is among those I wish could have witnessed the election this year. The unity behind a common belief, regardless of surface level differences, that we proved to be possible was a testament to the grueling work and tears of people like Hughes and so many others over the years.
.................................................
O, let America be America again--
The land that never has been yet--
And yet must be--the land where every man is free.
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Comment by Dana on December 1, 2008 at 10:10pm -
I feel silly now - commenting on this blog that has been here since the day after Election Day - but I am a new member to Kiddnation and found this while surfing around. I am a 48 year old Caucasion woman who adopted an abused and neglected African-American son this year. Jahiem has been with me for over 2 years, and our adoption was finally finalized on 9/17/08. I took Jahiem with me on November 4th to vote for Barack Obama. I wanted him, even at 5, to understand what a privilege and honor it is to vote in this country. A hundred years ago neither one of us would have been allowed in the voting process, and to know that now we can make our voices heard and make a difference in the world we are in is undeniably a blessing. But one that bears the weight of following through and supporting our President and his policies. I just hope that will be done by all Americans who want to see our country continue to prosper and make a better world for our children. Thanks for letting me sound off - there's not too many places in South Carolina I can do that, hahaha! God's Blessings.
Dana & Jahiem
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Comment by Kay on November 29, 2008 at 10:06am -
I have found that my beliefs are constantly changing.. I am always searching for the truth, not someone's distorted view.
It has always been my opinion that the current administration rides on the previous administration's good decisions. Since it takes years to truly see what the policies change, I think we are now feeling the effects of W's first term. I may be wrong since I have no degree in economics, but as I remember how I have lived, these are only my uneducated conclusions.
The major factor for my choices in this election was reading our president's auto biography. It was twisted and full of strange ideas. His relationships with radicals and how he denounced these relationships spoke volumes. One of these relationships he is so proud of is ACORN... check this out... http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/25/the-acorn-obama-knows/ ... do some research on this, and see if you feel the same.
Thanks for chatting with me! I enjoy intelligent (friendly) conversation about this. A lot of people are so opinionated and when they can't speak logically, they resort to name-calling and personal attacks.
Oh btw, I love listening to you every morning on my way to work!
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Comment by Kidd Kraddick on November 28, 2008 at 8:23pm -
Kay Lynn, chances are good you won't read this because most people are very set in their opinions (and don't want facts to disrupt their beliefs) but you might find this interesting:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_05/006282.php
I tried to read "Obama Nation" but the author's 9-11 conspiracy theories and his close associations with white supremacy made it hard to take him seriously. You're right about our welfare system. It is out of control. We should tell the heads of AIG, Shearson, GM, Ford, Chrysler, CitiBank, etc. to GET A JOB and stop relying on the government to take care of you! LOL
Thanks for your opinion and I'm with you...hoping things will be better and letting my opinion be heard.
Kidd
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Comment by Kay on November 28, 2008 at 5:06pm
- I sincerely hope Obama proves me wrong, but with his track history, or lack there of, no one can predict the outcome. Only time will tell, we need to be diligent, we need to watch and speak up when we are not liking what is going on. Socialism has not worked in the past, why do we think that now is any different. I am a proud supporter of McCain and Palin, and was disturbed when I read the book, The Obama Nation". I have read Obamas own words from his autobiography, and I wonder what we, as a nation, have done. This election has the record for uninformed voters. I pray that our new leader does not go down the same path as Carter. The carter years were horrible for my family. My family farmed during those years, until the banks foreclosed. Obama has some excellent ideas for the welfare system, but will they really work. I have noticed that during the Republican years, I have prospered and during the Democratic years I have not. Bigger government is not always better. A strong military is needed in these days, and if he follows the democratic leaders before him our country could become vulnerable. So my prayer is that people speak up and disagree when there is something they do not like. God Bless our new president, and God Bless America(ns)
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Comment by Hannah on November 19, 2008 at 6:26pm -
good job kidd, i personally would have loved if mccain was president, but obama is :[ but we got to give hima chance
both canadites went through just as much critizim too(obama skin, mccains age)
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Comment by Jen C on November 11, 2008 at 12:42pm -
I voted McCain, but can say that I am proud of America for actually voting. That is what makes me proud. And yes, John McCain gave a brilliant speech :) Much Agreed.
Let's hope Obama does a good job in office.
Much Love Kidd
Ifer
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