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 Kaycee-M on November 5, 2008 at 9:06pm - I, too was moved by John McCain's speech last night, and I definitely got the sense that he was sincere about wanting to work with the President-Elect in the future. We all need to take that view and move on. I also think that promises are meant to be kept, even campaign promises. The biggest test wasn't the election, after all. It's seeing what becomes of all of this process, and having our country emerge as a better place to raise our children and grandchildren. I just left a comment for Kellie about what a great job she did of keeping her choice to herself until today. That most of the show managed to do that and not beat the listeners down with their views was considerate and fair, and I appreciate it. Thanks for the blog!
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Comment by Suzy on November 5, 2008 at 8:33pm - Kidd, I always enjoy reading your take on things and applaud your deliberation on picking a candidate. I do have to say, however, as Colin Powell pointed out we need to be easier on the Muslims and Arabs in this country and know to seperate between them and the evil terrorists that have hijacked their religion. Just as African Americans have been brutally stereotyped in the past, and have had barriers to break, Muslims and Arabs are facing the same as a few bad apples have come to misrepresent them as a whole. An 'unusual name' should be a null issue. It may be unusual to you but if you have read up on what Barack means it means blessing, which is precisely what he is. Nothing unusual about that :). As always thank you for your blogs and hope my little pointer doesn't come across as rude or condescending. We just need to breed love in this country, not more anger and we can only do that by understanding one another :)
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Comment by Pam on November 5, 2008 at 5:54pm - Kidd that was a nice blog. Kylie, thank you for your comments. As an African American that voted for Mr. Obama, it is a proud moment for me. I think about my father had to endure for this day to happen. Thanks to all who came before us to make this possible. I went to my son's elementary school this morning and was greeted with scowls and aloofness. I heard whisperings in the hall that would quickly disperse when I approached. Good people who I thought were friends openly talked about how disgusted they were. I knew our views were different, but I would never have disrespected Senator McCain; I was ready to tell them how his concession speech moved me to tears, he is a hero and a true statesman. I actually felt bad for being proud walking in that school. Texas is a hard place to express my pride and joy at this moment (or at least the part where I live). I felt like that little girl again being cast out because of my skin color. My heart actually ached because I wanted to share this historic occasion with people outside of my family that I respect. It proves that there is still there is a long way to go. I guess people say they are ready for a president of color, just not right now. Kylie we share a lot of the same concerns and I pray the the right choice was made. I so wish the Senator McCain had had is time 8 years ago. I would have voted for then. I just wanted to say thanks for being so gracious. To Big Al it not a time to gloat, being proud is one thing, and being obnoxious is another. Thanks for letting share.
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Comment by Yay4TCU on November 5, 2008 at 4:46pm - Well said, Kidd. I wish everyone could agree that regardless of political affiliation and beliefs, we should all be unified in one mission: to better our country. United we stand, divided we fall.
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Comment by Elaina Coleman Spalt on November 5, 2008 at 4:28pm - Well said!!
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Comment by Erin on November 5, 2008 at 3:28pm - That is probably the best thing ive read all day. It beats the crap out of all the negativity on NOLA.com. Thank you kidd for not being one-sided throughout the election period. I am really getting frustrated with Big Al being so Obama that he downs McCain and his supporters. But you on the other hand, have done a great job with finding the ups and downs for each canidate. lets hope America joins together and supports our president and hopefully he will show everyone he can make the U.S. better!
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Comment by terrie on November 5, 2008 at 3:02pm -
Kidd---WOW!!!! Who knew--you could be Mr. Sensitive?!? Too sweet....
Anyway, I actually voted for the first time on Tuesday and I felt wonderful. I am a 30 year old mother of two children ages 9 and 7. I voted for Obama. Once I cast my vote, I just felt like it was a momentous moment in history. Not that "my" vote was going to call the election, but I just felt GREAT!!!I It comes down to who ever got the White House, they were going to have a big mess to clean up. I have faith in Obama, but I hope he is up for the challenges he and his family are about to face. It will tough, but I believe in my heart he can overcome the challenges that await him. It will not happen overnight and it may get worse before it gets better, but I believe things will change. I pray that they change. For everyone. Especially for our children and their children. It matters. Once you become a parent EVERYTHING changes. Your children are your number one priority and you should do everything you can to protect them. They are our future.
One thing that does seem to have me distracted/confused/angered is that yes, while I wanted Obama to win, I think/believe/know that ALOT of black people came out in record numbers and voted just because he is black. I know it's a moment in history, however, that is NO reason at all to vote. Vote because what he is saying is important. It should mean something to you. Not just for you to say, hey we finally got a black man up in the White House, which I heard this morning. So he's black? Who cares. As long as he takes care of our Country and fufills his promise to America and do his job as it should be done, I could care less what color he is. I am hear to tell you, all he people who voted for the wrong reasons will be bithing as soon as he does something they do not like. If McCain would have one, you still would have pissed off people.. Not everyone is always happy. We all should just quit our moaning and bitching and come together and help each other. It may get worse before it gets better. We all need one another........Peace:) Sorry for the rambling.....
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Comment by The names Kylie... Smiley Kylie on November 5, 2008 at 1:49pm -
wow... that was really great. and i really hope your right. there are so many doubts in my mind about obama and i hope he proves me wrong. i hope obama does good for the country. to be truthful, im scared to death. this election almost seemed like a lose-lose situation. someone will be mad either way. everyone tries to say race is not involved and i wish that were so. however there are those who voted based on race. if mccain had won, i was scared of the uproar that might happen. now that obama has won, im scared some really racist person will try to assassinate him. i pray that nothing bad happens. if obama follows through with what he is said, that will be awesome. if he confirms those who think he somewhat of an anti- Christ, thats fine too. at least i will know God will come soon and take me to a much better place. the world is gonna end sometime and there is nothing we can do to stop it. all we can do is pray and try to live right. whether it be obama, the next president, or something totally different that brings on the end of the world, its going to happen. nobody knows when, so those saying it the year such & such are most likely wrong. it could be sooner or way later. i was scared at first that if obama became president the US will turn into turmoil. i now am not. i pray hes the good man he says he is and americans believe he is. all i know is things are going to get really bad before God's return and whether that be now or later im prepared. i hope others try to live right and not give up their faith. this country was founded under God and i believe he is the only thing that will keep us going. yes, we do have freedom of religion but we shouldnt take away what our forefathers believed and said. when he is taken completely out, thats when we'll know the end is near.
somethings that worry me about obama though is his wanting to take away our right to bear arms. citizens having the right to bear arms is one of the first things put into our constitution. we have that right so that we can protect ourselves. without it, the government could do anything and we would have little hope in fixing it. if the colonists did not have guns and weapons, there is no way they would have been able to get free from the british. there are several other things i find somewhat disturbing but this is probably the main one.
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Comment by The Duchess of Delicious on November 5, 2008 at 1:25pm - Wow Kidd...I got mad goosebumps while I was reading this. You are so right. As an Obama supporter, I am extremely satisfied with the results last night. But I am also so proud of McCain when he gave his speech last night. He was very gracious and is a true patriot. I really believed the things he said, his words rang true. I believe every word he spoke last night was sincere and from the heart. My biggest hope now is that we can come together as a country and support our president. We have alot of work to do.
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Comment by Retro on November 5, 2008 at 1:10pm - Absolutely beautiful! Last night was the first time in a really long time that I was truly proud to be an American. We had two great men to choose from. I cried during McCain's speech the same as Obama's.I honestly felt badly for McCain, but I was also happy for Obama. Sometimes, I think we forget just what a great country we live in.
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