I'll have to admit it, I've been a bit down on the US for a while. You see, I was raised believing that my country is the beacon of democracy, liberty, and security in the world. The land of the free, and the home of the brave! The last eight years have left me totally disillusioned. The events of 9/11/2001 woke me up to the fact that if our government ever fell, if it was ever taken over (and in the period of confusion on that day, before anyone knew what was going on, I feared that that could actually happen), our wonderful Constitution and our Bill of Rights would be nothing but historical pieces of paper. It took the PATRIOT Act to make me realize that it wouldn't take a overthrow of our government to undermine the Constitution, if our own leaders were willing to do it themselves! I grew up believing that things like unlawful imprisonment, torture, and the suspension of due process were things that happened in the old Soviet Union, but not HERE! Not in the land of the free and the home of the brave! And then we invaded and totally demolished another country, and on false pretense. Not a proud day to be an American.
I was afraid for a while that the American people were just too asleep, and too cynical to actually do something about it. I worried that all the vicious attacks on Obama would lead to McCain (or worse, Palin!) becoming President of the United States. I was concerned about the Supreme Court and what new ultra-conservative judges might be appointed to further weight the bench. Bye-bye liberty for religous disent, abortion rights, and gay rights, and who knows what else. Hello to endless war.
But that is not what has happened. America has spoken, with an overwhelming voice, that that is NOT what we want. We actually looked beyond racial issues, and empty threats of 'ooh, he's a muslim, I can't vote for a muslim' and all the attempts at 'swift-boating.' I don't expect I'll like everything that Obama does in office (I already disagree on the faith-based initiative) but at least I can trust that he will act out of Logic and Reason, and not out of 'God told me so'.
I know I'm getting a bit emotional and lofty but I can't really help it. I really think the best man for the job was elected last night. It gives me hope.
1 comment:
Amen Sistah!! What a great day to be American. We have redeemed ourselves in the eyes of the world and in our own eyes as well. Now comes a lot of hard work - eight years of incredible damage and millions dead due to war profiteers and oil moguls running our country (guess what Bush,Cheney, Rumsfeld - YOU'RE FIRED!!).
At least now if a million people march on the capital we have a president that will look out the window and wave and maybe even listen - rather than sending out the robocops to spray us with chemical weapons.
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