Historic Election Well Worth the Wait for Veteran Staffer
Louise Tucker may be tearful and sleep-deprived this morning, but she assures me she couldn’t be more joyful. Louise, like much of the world, proudly watched President-Elect Barack Obama make history last night, sealed by his humble message that “This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change.”
“America can change. America is changing, and I really believe that it’s for the better,” Louise said this morning. As an African American woman and The Wilderness Society’s Administrative and Internship Coordinator, she believes Obama will be a Black American President for all Americans. The win got her thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King and the many abuses and battles that her ancestors have overcome in America and throughout the world. “It was all worth it for this moment,” she assures me.
Perhaps the happiest moment came this morning, though, when her 9-year-old granddaughter Jakira’s first question was “Is Obama president?” and she could exalt that he was.
Jakira went to the polls with Louise and her husband for the first time yesterday, where they waited patiently in line, absorbed in the enthusiasm of the other voters. Jakira stood with her grandmother as she cast her vote, and as they were leaving, the young girl proudly wore an “I voted” sticker and told Louise she felt she had voted, too, after having studied the election in school and experienced the voting process firsthand. Jakira pleaded to stay up and watch the results, but her bedtime came before the decision.
After getting the good news, she was anxious to get to school this morning, where this newest generation of engaged Americans would be reviewing the electoral map and all its significance.
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Spencer R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Spencer Phillips is a natural resource economist who has been with The Wilderness Society's scientific team since 1992. His economic work has focused on helping people, communities and institutions realize the benefits of wildland conservation.
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Comments
no unity in Obama speech? you weren't listening
I humbly suggest you read Obama's speech partcularly where he talks about McCain. I thought both Obama's and McCain speech were gracious and called for unity in the difficult times we face due to the problems left by the incompetent, right wing ideologues in Bush-Cheney Administration. You sound like your definition of Patriot movement is the same as Timothy McVeigh's was. As a member of ACLU I well aware that Bush Cheney have widely disregarded the Bill of Rights--does secret, warantless wiretapping of Americans ring a bell? I almost voted Nadar again because Obama voted for FISA and could use tools of Bush Patriot Act like Bush did--to spy on Americans only this time conservatives and right wing wackos.
Honor/integrity will be restored!
I am truly amazed at the same old negative rhetoric espoused by Richard. We have heard from the far right over the past two years how Barack Obama is a Muslim, not patriotic, radical, far left liberal, supports infanticide, is not an American citizen, etc. What Barack Obama is about is unifying this very fragmented country we live in. For the first time in eight years, I have seen people come together for a common cause; change. We have seen in Barack Obama a man who is not just a politician but a leader. He is brilliant and as a scholar of the U.S. Constitution will restore what has been dismantled by George W. Bush. The United States is no longer the most beloved and respected country in the world because Bush chose to preemptively strike an unarmed state through lies and deception. He has refused to negotiate with other country leaders who he does not agree with. We have lost important international allies and Bush has undermined our own country's security by borrowing us into an astronomical debt that will take generations to re-pay. George Bush has accomplished not one positive thing since becoming president. Even the integrity of the 2000 and 2004 elections were undermined because of neo-con greed and ambition. Our military is stretched too thin and Osama Bin-Laden is still in hiding even though troops had him penned in in Tora Bora. Bin-Laden could have been captured or killed had Bush not pulled troops out of Afghanistan to deploy them to Iraq. It took Bush less than eight years to put this country in a truly perilous position and it will take many years to re-build throughout the world community what has been stripped away. In my lifetime I have never felt so vulnerable or afraid as I have been during the Bush reign of terror. So many Americans have felt the same way and during the DNC Barack Obama used "enough" in his speech evoking a deafening applause from the incredibly huge number of supprters attending the convention. We, the people, can never again allow a leader of a free nation to undermine the very thing we most cherish; democracy!
We need to give Barack Obama a chance now to unify this country. Richard's comments are so indicative of what the bigger problem here and that is the predetermined assessment of what kind of leader he is going to be. Bush had his opportunity and has proven what kind of a leader he has been and this country will suffer the devastating effects of his presidency for many years to come. The American people have spoken and it is time for Richard and other's who believe as he does to get on board and start working towards healing the festering wounds of hatred that have so permiated our society.
After the emotional response to history...
I can't agree more with "Honor/Integrity will be restored"! I've grown so tired of the hate, the fear tactics and outright lies that have been going on for almost the entire political process of this election period. I have been one of those people that "feared for the future" in this great country while the Bush reign slowly destroyed it and stole our freedoms. I have encouraged my grown children to find shelter somewhere else, though having some of my children in europe makes it hard to see some of my grandkids. I've one in England, two in France and when the news came that Obama won - they were swept up in the celebrations.
American's abroad have suffered the stigma of being Americans under Bush with all the negative policies. American's are wrongly held responsible for those decisions regardless of their personal politics. But with some of my children outside of America, oddly I felt they were safer than those that remained here.
When I heard the "Yes, we can" song during this electorial race, I felt the spark of hope begin to grow again. I had been hopeless for so long that the voice of the people had been silenced. But following Sen. Obama's campaign I began to fill with pride and hope. His message was of unity, of overcoming our differences and working together for a better tomorrow. He did not present himself as just an African-American, but as an Amerian. Like so many of us, we are not of one people, but of many - of irish, german immigrants, of french and english settlers, from those that have come from spain, mexico and kenya - our ancestry is rich with many faces. America has been the melting pot of the world, where many have come together to make a unique country, where we could have our freedoms and our voices could be heard.
Too long this has not been true, for many citizens of this nation - they have not been allowed the same freedoms, the same rights or the same justice as other citizens. With a past stained in blood wrongly spilt, here is a day when a large number voiced their choice in moving forward. Reaching for the change we have needed so long.
But now after the joy and high emotional release of such a victory, the sober tones of our President elect now make more sense. This day after, it has come with great joy, pride and emotions too much for words. Yet there is another side to this day, just as the voices at the republican rallies rang with negative and violent vocalizations against Sen. Obama due to the kicking of the anthill of fear and terror, these same voices are now filled with hatred, anger and violence. The ugliness of the campaigning has left a large bull elephant in the room, it is dangerous and we saw that in the comments of so many articles online, in blogs and on talk radio. In a time we greatly need union, when we need to come together the others have fanned the flames of division and the fruit of anger and hatred is ripe.
So I in this day after, though I'm proud that so many have chosen to move forward to a better future. I fear those that would rather we stay in the mess we have delt with under the Bush reign because they are afraid of change, afraid in what they dont understand and choose not to understand. They are spoon fed lies and gobble them up rather than spit them out.
I'm an Independent, but for the life of me I can no longer understand the current republican party - it is not the 2000 party, it has been twisted and become a poison unto itself. Some of the old republic survives and even they have left the current party behind because of this new attitude. I believe that we could someday become a country that has no blue or red states, that we can someday be of one united states - but for all the desire that lives in the hearts of the people that hope - even in the heart of our President Elect. - we have not reached that day as yet.
I pray that there will be peace, that the angry voices and violence are quieted. We are only one in this global community and it is up to the new Admnistration to set up and begin to deal with the new challenges and realities of what's been left for them to clean up. As an American, it is our duty to our country to abide by the process and support our new President without animosity but with respect and honor. He has won, McCain has bowed out and given his blessings. This should be enough for Americans to move forward, we have many challenges and problems that face us as a people. It's time to roll up our sleeves and begin to work for the future we can be proud of and one that will offer equality to all people - equal freedoms, equal rights to all the citizens of the United States of America.
If you don't believe you can live with this, there are other countries in this world. Just as I would have the choice to leave if I could not live with the choices made. It's time to either go, stand and unite or stay silent. We have endured division, fear and terror in this country long enough. It is time to move on, a long time overdue in fact.
After the emotional response
I wrote the Honor/Integrity will be restored and it is so nice to read of the hopes and aspirations of individuals in this country and how Barack's being elected has helped restore those hopes. This election, without a doubt, has instilled in me the realization of my hope and that is for "change that we can believe in". I am self-employed and over the past eight years (my business is considered a luxury based business), my business has gone from successful to floundering. I now believe that we can once again restore what we have lost during the Bush administration. I have many Republican clients and friends who have declared their allegiance to their country rather than a party. It has been so wonderful to witness the true patriots in this country who have witnessed first-hand the grave challenges that Bush has created through his deception and lies and who are now pledging their allegiance to their country by saying "enough". Not only has the election of Barack Obama been historic in it's definition of who we really are as a people but monumental as well with the world community rallying in joy in what has been accomplished here. I watched with great sadness the dis-assembling of the Republican party through criminal activities, lies, deception and a crumbling economy. The horrific, under-handed tactics employed by the the current administration has done nothing but put this country in peril by governing bodies who wish us harm. Bush and Cheney are war-mongers and have so diminished our status in the world community as the beacon of hope. We have caused much devastation and grief to families who believed in us as a country of honor. God help us in restoring that trust!
My Father passed over on
My Father passed over on February 28th, 2008. He was the cornerstone of our family just as President Obama says, his grandmother was theirs in his family. I have suffered such a sense of loss every day since Papa was called home but I awoke this morning on November 5th with such a great joy in my heart. The familiar sense of feeling secure, cared about and protected was a welcome relief on my heart. President Obamam is a common-sense man just like Papa was. I was so afraid the Lord broke the mold once my Dad was born but apparently He didn't thankfully now the whole world can know the sense of security and pride I'd grown used to having every day of my 56 years and 9 days. Everything is going to be ok now America. Be grateful and give thanks that we have been so blessed.
Neocons out, unsustainable immigration remains
As refreshing as Obama is, his disingenuous evasiveness regarding yet another (thinly disguised) amnesty for tens of millions more illegal aliens does not bode well for conservation goals, either here or abroad.
During his interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last week, he referred to "tree-huggers." Whether he said that more as a term of endearment or as a term of derision is unclear.
But I can't imagine him making such a reference to "Bible-thumpers"!
Why was he even allowed to run?
Why is it that in the whole Democratic party they could only find an unpatriotic, inexperienced first term senator to run for the highest office in the land. God help us!!
They needed someone who could
They needed someone who could read speech well and can control cause he can't do anything else.
This Election means
This Election means everything To me it was to prove a Point that America is a Better Nation then it is, and with Barack Obama President this is a Better Nation
Obama
For his first partisan act...Obama appoints Emanual as his White House Chief of Staff...a liberal from the Clinton days!!! I thought we were going to have CHANGE??? This scares me!
Hope
I know President Elect Obama is not the perfect candidate, Dennis Kucinich is. However I think deep down he has a good heart, a good soul and although I am sure I will not agree with things he does (anything that harms another human being or animal) and other things I have great hope that he will address the important issues of our time and make wise choices to move us in the right direction for the future. I also know n my heart that John McCain had no hope to do any of those things because his record and all the time in office he failed to do so. No matter what he said he might do, his long record didn't agree with his constantly changing rhetoric. SO let us all keep on Obama, and make him do the right thing and not just expect him to. It is OUR civic duty to demand it.
extremely concerned
He has NO experience, has made an awful lot of unrealistic promises, it's very frightening.
Sould I trust this new President?
It's rather frightening to have a President who will never respect the American flag. Can I trust this new President? I doubt it. Will he ever declare a war against the Muslems if it was needed? I doubt it. That is my main concern. Did he show any respect towards our men and women over there in Iraq and other countries we're out? That is a big question isn't it. As of right now I have no confident in this new President. I guess I'll have to wait and see if he proves me wrong. Will he? I doubt it.
obama
I feel we have the best of both worlds . For a president we have a youthful person with new ideas and for vice president ,if he needs to take over for some reason , death ( god forbid ) or illness ( god forbid ) , we have an experienced older man who can jump right in if need be .
We shall see I have found that for the last 40 years that ALL politicions are the same and most of them millionaire and they have no CLUE what the working " Joe" has to go throught to make a living . This country has gone from ozzy and harriet to ALL HANDS ON DECK mode . What I mean by that is all adults ,Mom,Dad and elder children, old enoght to work I mean . They all must work to get by. With out two or three incomes th working joe get put on the street . Can "I" have a bail out please . If the working joe goes under hes in the street bailing out his shopping cart he lives in and thats it . Peace to all
Obama and the road ahead....
It's been an exhausting journey for all of us, but I am hopeful it will have been well worth it. And was very encouraged by news tonight that Robert F. Kennedy Jr is being mentioned for heading up the EPA. It won't be easy but the best things never are.
We shall see what happens,
We shall see what happens, when some one has been is backed by the nuclear industry, has advisors that are originally responsible for the financial mess such as robert rubin from citi bank,Voted for the bail out bill, voted for every war bill and still wants to shift the war to afghanistan which is unwinable, vastly changed positions from earlier in the campaign just to get elected. All things may not be so rosy, and can get much worse.
Mr Obama
Changes are good. But I think that there`s no much to do. I hope he could change some things. For example, United States should sign Protocol of Kyoto. Had Obama said something about that? I didn`t heard nothing. Would he face the interest and the rules of the greatest enterprises or powerful groups??? I don't know. I hope, really. United States must work to reduce the terrible effects of de gases and try to look for a better place to live. I live in south america and we are very worried about this climate changes. So, we have hopes but also worries about this new administration.
President of Hope
This is not only a victory the United states but also to restore relations with the world.
In President Obama's speech he made it clear it would be a long road to clean up what the current
Admintration has done. Not only does the Environment but Americans are tired of hurting.
President Obama was very honest when he said this might take more than one term to do this.
It is liberating to be proud to be a American again.
A New Beginning.
It will be my greatest desire to see my nieghbors, The US of A come together and meld all the energy possible. The energy to control the Elitists who will fight for their presumed right to make profits on the backs of you and I.Also to demand that the oil companies end the hasty roll to end the Earth on the fire of crude. There are many ways to save the Earth before it is completly ruined. Wind, waves, sun, tides, all are viable and must be put to work.
Can we do it? Hell yes!!! You put a "black man" in the Oval Office, you can do anything now!!Please join together and bring the whole world together. Show the People of Africa that they can do it too. Show the people of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that we can work together and make this world beautiful again, heal the scars of war.
election and US population explosion
It might well have been catastrophic if McCain/Palin had won. He would probably ruin the Supreme Court, and his energy and environmental policy did not exactly inspire confidence, among other things. She demonstrated that she would be an absolutely incompetent president if something were to happen to him. But none of the candidates addressed the US population explosion, the fact that our country is projected to grow by both the Pew Research Center and the Census Bureau from the current ~303 million to nearly 450 million by 2050. That growth will put huge pressure on wilderness, and nature generally, in the US. More than that, it will strain the environment in a slew of other ways, and probably make it extremely difficult for the US to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The population growth is being driven 82% by mass immigration, according to Pew, and since most immigrants come from countries where per capita resource use and greenhouse emissions are far below ours, immigration to the US is a lose-lose for the planet, as well as for the US. Moreover, fertility of Mexican women who immigrate to the US--and half of immigrants come from Mexico--increases from around 2.4 to 3.1. Unfortunately, those who speak up about mass immigration get tarred with the racism brush, although most of us are not racist, and in fact, many of us are concerned about the more deprived among American workers, whose jobs are being taken because of the oversupply of cheap labor. The US National Academy of Sciences found, in a 1997 study, that the wages of US citizens who had not completed high school dropped nearly 30% from 1979-95, and that more than half of that drop was due to competition with immigrants.
Godspeed, Obama!
Obama's historic win is nothing short of miraculous - my heart sings with joy! Finally...a human in office! I hope and pray he remains safe and secure as he works to restore our dear country.
Obama
Lets remember that what Obama has promised us is HOPE, he will not be able to achieve anything unless we support him all the way. he is an honest, intelligent, sensitive man with a good dose of common sense, Lets help him become a agent of change for the betterment of 'humanity"
Obama election
This victory means freedom to believe again in a positive future for America. It means unity within our nation and hope for unity throughout the world. Since the Kennedy administration, we have not felt this electricity, this optimism nor this sense of rightness. May it last and make a difference . . . amen!
a step ahead for all Americans
as the founding fathers do flips in their graves a black man is in the white house, and it is about time some
one of color got in, Mr Oboma is a great choice for all not just the black man, but for all Americans, lets at
least give him a chance, but i know better, if you think Clinton was scrutinized wait till the blood suckers get
they will try everything they can to discredit our president, it don"t matter to them racial and religious hate
is what they live for, and people are just stupid enough to listen.
It does not matter what our presidents religous beliefs are as long as he takes care of business while he is in
office, so what if he is a black man or if he is Islamic it don"t matter we have had catholics and methodists as
well as many other religions in our white house we have had some of the most dishonest and corrupt men yet
we say they were great leaders even though aside from the fact they were white i see no reason they should
have been in the white house, our founding fathers never had a man of color in mind when they said they had
a vision for equality for all man, because they were predominately slave owners and slaves were not concidered
to be men or women but property with little or no rights, not even honest Abe though that one day these slaves would be citizens with rights and the oppertunity to run for president and be president, other wise they would have put
it in law for no one other than white men to run for office.
AMERICA IS WAKEING UP AND SO ARE THE NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE ALASKAN NATIVES, WE ARE FEW
BUT WE ARE PROUD, WE ARE NOT ALL APPLES YOU CAN NOT BUY ALL OF US WE LOVE OUR LAND AND OUR
COUNTRY, PEOPLE LIKE PALIN DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN POWER OF ANY KIND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
RE: YES! WE DID!!!
Last night at 8:01 pm, when the news channel I was watching declared President-elect Obama the winner, was the happiest moment of my life and made me feel for the first time that someone who is also multicultural a WORLD citizen will be representing me, my hopes and dreams, my values and aspirations. While we diverge on some important issues, such as the continued occupation of the sovereign nation of Afghanistan, and offshore drilling, I do not agree on one single issue with the opposition, who has never and will never represent me. I have confidence that President Obama will be a truly great leader with insight and vision necessary to lead us forward into a TRULY kinder, gentler twenty-first century.
Barack Obama's Victory
I am so excited and joyful I could not sleep last night. It is like going back to the late sixties early seventies, when earth day was being born and at the time I was hopeful that blacks and whites would come together. It did not quite get that far. Last night I saw something I had been waiting for since I knew about racism, sexism etc. I saw everyone coming together for many different causes. Awe struck for sure!
I now have hope again that we can get to work to save this magnificent planet and all creatures that inhabit her.
God Bless you Pres. Elect Barack Obama. God Bless America.
Yesterday an historical and
Yesterday an historical and thrilling day! It will go down in history as the best ever. We now have hope and the opportunity to make the world a better place. Thanks to everyone who gave their suppport thoughout these long months to make this dream come true.
What an exciting and
What an exciting and thrilling ride yesterday was! My son was able to vote in his first election and what an election it was! My family went to the local Marriott where the Democratic party held their election watch. The air was electric and everyone was in a positive mood and full of anticipation. As each state was called, a rousing cheer went through the room. There were a miriad of different ages, sizes, colors and creeds all waiting together to hear the historic news. What a great day for America. We can once again hold our heads up as a nation and be proud to call ourselves a united country. When the election was called for Obama, people who didn't even know each other were hugging, crying and celebrating all around the room. What a great way for my son to enter into the world of politics and experience the great democratic way we choose our leaders. This was a day we will never forget. Hope has returned! We can now start the difficult process of trying to reclaim our earth and care for one another and get this country back on its feet. Hallelujah!!!! God is good!
At last America has unity
As my family and I stayed up last night to watch President Obama's speech I was so happy to see people of every color and religion dancing, crying and embracing each other. To me this is the way it should have been in America a long time ago. I have been fighting George W. Bush every step of the way since his election because of his deplorable environmental practices and his idiotic decision to start a war in a country that had done nothing to the United States. Our economy is now the worst I have ever seen it and I am so glad to get the republicans out of office. Now my children have hope and so does America. God Bless Barack Obama and God Bless America!!!!
Most of my friends are happy
Most of my friends are happy because the candidate they wanted to win, won. A lot of others are concerned about other issues like the respect of life and the "distribution of wealth".
Some of those friends who are happy, contribute to the victory of the first black president by donating money, time or both. That changed part of the curse in history. For good or for bad it changed because those people did more than wishful thinking. Not only did they hoped for the candidate that represented their views to win but they did something about it, they made it happen. I do not want to take credit off the people who voted, of course that has its value too. But I think that there is a great value in making people go to vote, in making people speak their mind and in getting people involved in a process.
The challenge is, as many already have pointed out, to keep on the stamina and spirit of involvement. The 133 million people or so who voted should not let things go now. This is by no means easy once the excitement of an election has passed and dollars are not put into campaigns. But what made this election special, is the fact that plenty of people were involved, registering, calling voters, donating, voting, etc. The wishful thinking became practical and real.
With an upcoming election thoughts of change for what is not working become present in people's mind and they become hopeful that a candidate will act on my views on the war on Iraq, or do some neo-liberal or socialist move for the economy, etc.
Today with a new president, new hopes arise and are expected. But just as the wishful thinking for a candidate to become the president elect became practical reality during the campaign, so this hopes should translate into actions that create a different reality. That change that we all log for, is in the hands of the citizens and not the politicians. It is the people who enables the systems to work, the political system and economic system as well. (Lets not forget that both systems are human made systems and are for the common good, those systems work for humanity, not the other way around). The election was a process that involved people not only politicians and campaigns. Many knew there was something wrong with the way things ARE going. And voted for the best option they thought will bring about a different way of living. Now the majority of people as it is stated in the system are happy and with hope. The other 43% or so might not have the outcome they wanted, but at the end it all lies on the citizen of the world; on the human being.
Those practical actions that made records ought to keep on going. Not till January 20th; not till 2012; but for the rest of our lives. It is us as human beings (with the grace of the Divine) that have to keep on being instruments of change.
As examples, if you are happy for the result of the election and glad that the war might be over, do your part on not being dependent on oil....you can bike, walk, car pool...
If you are not so happy with teh outcome and are concern about abortion, do your part for other women not to get pregnant if they do not want, and for men to respect women, for women to gain education, for families to get enough resources to raise a family....
And so on....
If you are a believer , believe that you are the hands of God for the Kingdom to come. If you are (also) a pacifist , "be the change you want to see in the world". If you are a citizen of the world, behave like one. If you are in love with humanity, be humane. If you are a nature freak, remember that you are part of nature and ought to sustain it. Do not expect that one man will do the work. That everything will change in four years. It won't.
If you see the world as a train and do not like the direction is going, it might be taht you wont see a difference in your lifetime. But that doesn't mean it did not change tracks. We can be those who help change the tracks of the train. We might not see the difference because the tracks are too close togeteher, but in the end, the tracks go to two different places.
Hope Alive Again
For the first time since Bobby Kennedy I feel we have a leader who will bring positive change to all of us, even those who fear him. This is not only an historic but also an exciting time in America. To all I say, give the man a chance and let's work with him to bring about the changes we the people need.
President-elect Obama
For the first time in nearly 8 years, I feel a sense of hope. Under President Bush, the enviroment, wildlife, and wilderness were under constant assault. However, under President Obama I believe we will see a "new" day, and an Administration that will act decisively to protect all of God's creation instead of destroying it. I'm joyful over such a prospect!
Meet the new boss. Same as
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
Yeah, in some ways, he's the same; and here's how
He's human.
But that's about all they have in common. Since the old boss, being human, has been treated with a measure of respect that is not only uncommon under the circumstances but powerful in the effect, may I suggest you avail yourself?
One day; and so much has already been accomplished it would blow your socks off to know about, but you'll have to take a look at it to know.
Just a little more faith, one more chance for yourself to not be disappointed. Give yourself that; you deserve it; it is your inalienable Right. No one is going to judge you for being skeptical. Hardly. Especially since the truth; and everything that goes with it, will win out. And if tomorrow is as productive as today, don't be surprised to find yourself smiling. :)
Hope, Hope and More Hope
I am thrilled that Obama won by uniting people. I am so pleased that his words inspired so many to recall how powerful we can be when we band together with common goals and respect for each other. I can only hope that we will not need the momentum or the adrenaline of an election to maintain those strong ties to each other. Cleaning up the environment and safeguarding it against further harm is the quintessential way to honor our connectedness with each other and the universe itself. Let's hope that we can continue to ride the high of this win for a good long time.
Hope, Possibility, Unity and Determination
I am blessed to be a part of such a beautiful part of history! I caution the American people to not sit back and leave the fixing to the President and the Government. As Barack Obama said last night Yes WE Can! It is up to all of us to unite people with kindness, respect and let go of judgments and negative criticism. Each of us can make a difference every day with the simple act of a smile or reaching out to our neighbors and community. Each of us can take little steps in keeping the environment clean and stand together to keep our environment from spiraling into harm. Our animals need our voice and our love. Let us be the New America together. Unity begins with one hand reaching out to another...Peace begins in one heart.
Decisions, Decisions
I was torn between Obama and McCain, I didn't care for either of them, I didn't know who to vote for, I actually wasn't going to vote because I didn't want either one of them, but I had to make a choice. I wanted Hilary! I sure hope she runs again in 4 years and gets it! I just pray that Obama can get this country back on track!
Historic Election Well Worth the Wait
I along with many others I'm sure, just couldn't hold back the tears as I watched & waited for the news that Barack Obama would be our next President. I am a 64 yr old white woman born & raised in the south and live now in South Carolina.. even though I have never been involved in it ,racism is very much alive here. I have had black friends since I was in my 20's working at a local hospital together with them...It always ate away at me the way they were looked upon & treated. I raised my two children to look beyond the color of a person's skin....and they are both better people for that. I supported Barack Obama in an area where it is unpopular to do so. I worked as a volunteer for his campaign and WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE HIM CARRY SOUTH CAROLINA. But I know in my heart that there's healing on the way to this part of the country and he WILL HAVE LED THE WAY.....
The New Prez
As a committed environmentalist, the past eight years have been almost too painful to believe or to bear. I have alternated between cynical apathy and activist rage, but a sense of helplessness underlay everything for too long. It's still settling in that this terrible time is drawing to a close. I'm afraid that no one can actually live up to the huge expectations that are there for Pres Obama, but I'm sure that even if he can't deliver on every point, the new administration will not defy common sense and common morality in the egregious way that Bush's did. I'm sure there will be far more progressive and active policies on environmental issues than we have seen in recent history. I'm so grateful I have cried several times in the past 24 hours and will again as I finally start to believe what has happened. i feel that Obama has underlined what it truly means to be an American, for many of us who were starting to forget. I'm very proud to be an American on this day.
Obama
Hoprfully the 'change' we get is not what I saw from the man who refused to salute the flag and who's wife holds no respect for America.
Guess the media got their wish.. hopefully we won't all regret it. There are many blacks I would have voted for.. but Obama isn't one of them.
No, the media did not get their wish
The media's wish is to keep things at status quo; and the reason they covered Obama at all, in the beginning, is because the People made it painful for them not to. However, when people, no matter what their occupation, gather information, they form judgments with and about that information and try as we may to the opposite, people can always surmise what one is thinking when one commuicates. So, no, the media didn't get what they wanted. We fed them what we wanted them to have. And it just so happens that the majority of the Country sees solutions in what the media learned in covering Obama.
I'll leave you to see those solutions become real as we go.
The Media's Wish?
If you read enough or visit enough websites, you will find exactly what you seek, and for some it seems to be to distrust our President Elect, and to believe the most bizarre lies that have been told. It's unfortunate that you did not read to seek the truth, it is also unfortunate that you didn't learn to spell or use a dictionary. I feel very sorry for you.
I am quite happy that the Facist regime we have been living under for the past 8 years is about to come to an end. But I am even happier about is now we have a chance to 1) take a leading role in fighting global warming and cleaning up our planet 2) perhaps now we will gain back some respect from the rest of the world.
Not only did Obama win the majority of the votes in the USA, but if the WHOLE WORLD got to vote, I'm quite sure he would have won by a majority there as well.
Descent & Dissent.
For the first time in eight years I don't feel like I'm drowning. Living in Utah and then having the U.S. government go hard right wing, I was under economic attack from every angle. State and federal tax burdons being shifted from the top one and ten percentile groups down to the rest of us middle and low income earners. But most offensive to me is the eight years of ruthless assault on the environment through every possible means.
Environment is everything. Pollutions affect a state and nation's healthcare, economics, education- as many pollutants harm brain developement of children and, according to the CIA even national security as well as global stability. This attack is still going on, as the Jr. Administration trashes environmental protections and regulations long enough before Obama's swearing in (sixty days minimum) that Obama couldn't simply block them the way Bush Jr. blocked more firm and sound regulations put in place by Clinton before he left.
But seeing Obama on that stage with the composition of "Titans Spirit" from the inspirational movie, "Remeber The Titans" I cried. I never cried at the results of an election. Most guys don't. Tears of joy to witness the rising sun of a new era of pro-environmentalism. Tears of relief that a president won't view the life of my friend in the U.S. Army as cheap or disposable. Tears of hope that my country will be my ally in financial and healthcare issues.
Yes We Did...
The New President
I am very happy at the outcome of yesterdays election. I think Obama deserves to win, the way he did. It's been a long wait for a change like this to happen, and this change I feel is what this country needs. There have been too many problems the last few years, and these problems need to be fixed. Only a leader like Obama can change the country and fix the problems. He is an excellent speaker and a man of true vision.
I have never been happier in Washington, as I was when I heard that Obama had won the Presidency. Now I can know that something good will happen for everybody, because it already has!
Freedom and Safety at Last
When I saw the states of California, Oregon, and Washington go blue, I jumped up with joy, ran outside, and joined a parade of people, 500 strong, walking down the streets yelling and chanting "Obama" and "Yes We Can" (I am attending a very liberal/democratic university in Washington where the students talked mainly about Obama for the past month or two). I have never been so excited about a political election in my life and I am so thankful to have been a part of it, especially since I turned 18 in April this same year. It is so amazing to think that we are not going to drown anymore under the conservatives who have held our heads under water for 8 years. We will have allies now, instead of a couple who are reluctant to be. And the list goes on, as all of you know quite well, of all the great changes that this beautiful country will finally overcome. It really hit me to the point of crying in absolute joy this morning, though, about how safe our wildlife will be now. It has been such a tiring struggle, trying to talk the Bush administration and other conservatives into not drilling in certain areas or to try and stop the aerial shootings of wildlife in Alaska. Every day I would get an e-mail from the Wilderness Society or another conservation organization, begging me to send a message to my Congressman or some other authority, to try to talk them out of drilling in pristine wilderness or to talk them into fighting the aerial shootings. Then I would get those angering e-mails, telling me that a certain idea we tried to fight for or against did not go through because the Bush administration or another conservative organization threw it out. It is such a relief (and it will be strange at first) to finally have a president, along with more conservationists in Congress and so on, who sees the environment, not as being there just for humans, but as being Nature herself who we need to protect with the intelligence that we have in her time of need and who we need to honor and celebrate as our mother.
Election apprehension
I am pleased by the election of our first black president. That shows growth. And I am likewise pleased at the possibility of our nation moving forward in the areas of the environment and social progress. I am, however, apprehensive at the very real prospect of the dilution and erosion of our civil liberties. I am reminded of other societies who boldly embraced the change, with thunderous applause, to soon find their nation a police state. Sort of like the frog in the pot of hot water that doesn't notice it's in danger until it's too late. I want to be wrong, but history is full of turning points like this, and most have ended badly. Being able to say "I told you so" is cold comfort.
I voted Libertarian, because I could not in conscience vote for either of the front runners. Until more good people have the guts to follow their conscience, we will remain in the stranglehold of these conscience-less party machines.
We win the turning point for
We win the turning point for U.S.A. Under God's grace and love, with Obama's presidental leadership, we will turn American from war-maker to peace-maker, from down-fall to upwards, and from cursing to blessing. We have long way to go, we can take a rest and calm the future road.
Blessings in Jesus Christ!
Sincerely
November 4, 2008
A country like this
grows from possibility and improvisation
the kinds of things you cannot buy
at Wal-Mart
and you cannot find
in profits
It's soul might get tangled
in misdirections
but beneath freedom's sky
sunny men and women cannot
resist the rising Light
Obama - a new beginning
I know many of us feel a sense of relief and feel like taking time to catch out breath. I wish that were true. Our work has just started. The door has simply been opened, but we need now to walk through together. A great first step might be Robert Kennedy will play a key roll in the Obama administration. Maybe leading a special task force to determine an enviornmental/energy policy and implementation. Not another department, but providing focus and co-ordinate between departments and agencies.