i think what struck me most about obama's speech was his repetition of "yes we can" and the intimation that we as a nation have finally reclaimed our identity. we're the u.s. after all, we're supposed to be the ridiculous cockeyed optimists, the ones who (naively) say that no matter how tough and scary a situation is "if we just put our heads together we can figure it out." hey, let's put on a show, kids. liberty, opportunity and hard work, right? those are supposed to be our core national values, aren't they?
i feel like we're coming out of a nasty bout of post-vietnam ptsd, like we finally got our anti-d's right and our Real Selves are coming back into focus. there is the America that my WWII-era parents told me about and then there is the America that, since childhood, i watched us steadily and inexorably become. and i don't want to be that America anymore, that cynical aggressive jaded pre-emptive strike take care of business first greed is good America. i want to respect my neighbors at home and abroad, even when we disagree; i want eloquent and thoughtful discourse to be the rule, not the exception. i want us to delight in and reward innovation, to truly value educated minds as much as we reward and celebrate dedicated detail-oriented labor. above all, i want to hold fast to the primary ideals my parents taught me: honor the land, honor the community and never, ever start a fight.
i want to believe that last night was the beginning of a return to That America. i want to believe that we all have it within ourselves to be better than our worst nature. i want so badly to believe.
When Bush was first sworn in and started stepping on the world like a bully in the playground, I wasn't surprised when the planes hit the Twin Towers. My first thought was, "I told you so." But then I saw America pull together, with Bush calling upon his people not to let hatred divide the nation and not to let terror rule your lives. It was a proud and beautiful moment -- but we all know where that far too quickly led.
Last night, watching the voter turn out -- not matter who was voted for -- it was inspiring. And the results themselves? Well, I don't really understand the specifics of the CHANGE that Obama has been speaking about, but there was definitely CHANGE last night forward. Frankly, the fact that he's African American seems far far less important than everyone will make it out to be. Some people might have voted for or against him because of race, but I'm certain that it's his ideals that have won out in the end because obviously a whole lot of people share those ideals.
I don't know what I expected from his speech. Perhaps something "American" and boastful. I haven't heard him speak before, but I ought to have known better because he's never shown evidence of being like that. What he did say though, it does give me hope. It was a harsh truth speech that promised that, while change was imminent, it would be hard and long earned. And while the president has the burden to bear, it's all of the American people's duty to work towards that.
I hope Americans also realize now that, while they need to come together as a nation, they also need to come together as part of a global nation. The world is watching. We always have been. Give us good reason to respect American pride.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 03:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 06:51 pm (UTC)Now let's keep it that way.
*hug*
no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 07:24 pm (UTC)i think what struck me most about obama's speech was his repetition of "yes we can" and the intimation that we as a nation have finally reclaimed our identity. we're the u.s. after all, we're supposed to be the ridiculous cockeyed optimists, the ones who (naively) say that no matter how tough and scary a situation is "if we just put our heads together we can figure it out." hey, let's put on a show, kids. liberty, opportunity and hard work, right? those are supposed to be our core national values, aren't they?
i feel like we're coming out of a nasty bout of post-vietnam ptsd, like we finally got our anti-d's right and our Real Selves are coming back into focus. there is the America that my WWII-era parents told me about and then there is the America that, since childhood, i watched us steadily and inexorably become. and i don't want to be that America anymore, that cynical aggressive jaded pre-emptive strike take care of business first greed is good America. i want to respect my neighbors at home and abroad, even when we disagree; i want eloquent and thoughtful discourse to be the rule, not the exception. i want us to delight in and reward innovation, to truly value educated minds as much as we reward and celebrate dedicated detail-oriented labor. above all, i want to hold fast to the primary ideals my parents taught me: honor the land, honor the community and never, ever start a fight.
i want to believe that last night was the beginning of a return to That America. i want to believe that we all have it within ourselves to be better than our worst nature. i want so badly to believe.
let it be so. please god, let it be so.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-05 08:25 pm (UTC)Last night, watching the voter turn out -- not matter who was voted for -- it was inspiring. And the results themselves? Well, I don't really understand the specifics of the CHANGE that Obama has been speaking about, but there was definitely CHANGE last night forward. Frankly, the fact that he's African American seems far far less important than everyone will make it out to be. Some people might have voted for or against him because of race, but I'm certain that it's his ideals that have won out in the end because obviously a whole lot of people share those ideals.
I don't know what I expected from his speech. Perhaps something "American" and boastful. I haven't heard him speak before, but I ought to have known better because he's never shown evidence of being like that. What he did say though, it does give me hope. It was a harsh truth speech that promised that, while change was imminent, it would be hard and long earned. And while the president has the burden to bear, it's all of the American people's duty to work towards that.
I hope Americans also realize now that, while they need to come together as a nation, they also need to come together as part of a global nation. The world is watching. We always have been. Give us good reason to respect American pride.