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 Baylor/Midway MOM on November 9, 2008 at 1:06am - Really Kidd, I find it odd that you are a Catholic and still managed to vote for someone who is soooo against what the church stands for. Our family will continue to love you; but talk about me explaining to my kiddos why some seem to abandon their faith in times of political unrest... I will pray for our country and hope that you will do the same. John McCain is one Class act !
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Comment by is back at work and ready for the new year! on November 8, 2008 at 9:56pm - KUDDOS KIDD! you hit it dead on the nail! I am a VERY proud American right now!
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Comment by Kayleigh Graham on November 7, 2008 at 8:38am -
Kidd,
I am glad you see it the way I do. I am so sick of everyone getting caught up in racial and religious stirs. The last thing we need right now is to be swept away by religion and race shouldn't even be an issue. I thought we were over that. I am so proud that my nation was able to come together and realize we need a change. If we become a little socialist, maybe that is what we need, who knows. I am just so honored to get to witness and be a part of something major in history.
Kayleigh.
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Comment by Lisa Lemley-Rahman on November 6, 2008 at 2:28pm -
Can I just add...my husband is from Bangaldesh and has a green card. He never really was interested in becoming a full citizen with the direction he felt the country was going...then after Obama's acceptance speech two nights ago....he said to me when we were going to bed, "I've never heard a presidential candidate talk like that...you know, this is the first time I think I feel I really want to be an American."
This moment to us is great to many....the first African American to be a President...amazing, but for me personally, my husband broke through some things....and it feels really good.
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Comment by Miss Dee on November 6, 2008 at 10:25am - I must admit that I was disappointed when I found out a new morning show was coming to my area (Hattiesburg,MS), but I have become a big fan of the show. You guys are great! Great blog adn you are right we can all learn something if we take the time to sit back, watch and listen instead of always talking and complaining. I also agree with what Suzy said about whats in a name. Her comment reminded me of this quote: "Everyone believes they see things in this world as they are but in reality we see the world as we are or as we were taught to see it." KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK KIDD!
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Comment by AnnaPapaya on November 6, 2008 at 9:28am -
great blog Kidd. I'm so proud that soon I'll be able to call Obama my President. I remember just last year many people were thinking that the Democratic party was committing political suicide because their two big front-runners were a black man and a woman. Both concepts seemed so far from the grasp of the American people, and many thought it would never happen. I'm so excited and proud that it did happen. Barack Obama should be an inspiration to everyone.
And you're right about John McCain. He's a great man, and his concession speech was the best he's given.
I just started reading Obama's first book "Dreams from my Father" It's a really interesting look at where exactly Obama came from, and how he doesn't really fit just one label. I highly recommend reading it!
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Comment by Qujo on November 6, 2008 at 7:44am - Kidd, I am so with you. I was a McCain guy. But I will tell you this. I am not sad, mad or otherwise upset in any way. I understand that with our system there will always be a winner and a loser. My biggest fear about President Elect Obama was "what do we really know about this guy?"....But today I have a much different though process about it. You know, I don't know alot about him, I also do not know alot about McCain either other than he has been in government for about 100 years. I say all that to say this, I believe that President Elect Obama may just be the change we need. Which is a total turn around from what I thought a week ago. I heard you guys talking about Elisabeth Hasselbeck and that she was being fake by saying what she said. I was not even disappointed for the whole evening. I just believe that you can be totally turned around and actually ok with it! Because I know that I am. The only problem that I see is that there has been so much hate and vitriol aimed at President Bush, where is it all going to go now? I sure hope that we can all come together like most people that I know really, genuinely seem to want to do.
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Comment by Maria on November 5, 2008 at 10:44pm - Kidd you said what alot of us are feeling. It feels good to be proud and hopeful.This is a perilous time for our country but if we all stand together and support our new president maybe we can see the change we so desperately need.
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Comment by Kathy on November 5, 2008 at 9:27pm - I voted for John McCain, but Barack Obama will be my President. Just as the conservatives in our land cried for loyalty and support of George W. Bush and his decisions in the Middle East, now those same voices must show respect and support for our new leader and his dream for our country. I don't agree with everything Barack Obama wants for America, but I do hope he can be a leader for all Americans and begin a process of healing our country on many levels. I will pray for Barack Obama, his family, and our country. I truly believe God can take any person at any given time and use him in wonderous ways. I'm not worried about the future...God has it in his hands.
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Comment by mary on November 5, 2008 at 9:12pm - We are AMERICANS first and let's work together to solve the tough issues at hand. We are truly a blessed country and let's make it a better place for our children.
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