Change

It has been a remarkable 24 hours here in the US of A. I have had a lot of difficulty trying to come to grips with just how I feel about everything. As most of you know, I'm not a terribly political person. But several of my recent posts have certainly captured just how intrigued I have become in this particular presidential campaign, similar to much of the rest of the world if cable TV is any indication. This is a long one, so settle in.

Regardless of where you stand on the candidates, the political process, or Barack Obama, it is clear that a large portion of America, and the world, is ready for a change. Two wars, one of which is extremely unpopular, a cratered economy and distrust of the president at an all time high mobilized the American voting public like this generation has never seen. The absolute fervor among American's youth, voters 35 and under, absolutely made the difference in this battle, voting nearly 2 to 1 for Obama, in record numbers. And again, many incumbents lost their seats in the House and Senate, with voters saying they are tired of the way things have come to be done in our federal government.

There are a number of things about the election that have been striking to me. First, the international reaction to Obama has been amazing. Video after video on the news has been shown of celebrations in nations all around the world. The message of hope that Obama has been preaching has struck a chord, and not just domestically. It seems as if America has a second chance to rehabilitate its image in the international community. Celebrations rang out from Kenya, to Indonesia, all across Europe - this is an opportunity to become not just a force of good, but a force that is seen by others as good, with the latter perhaps being more important than the former. The way in which the new administration reaches out to the world is going to be absolutely critical to Obama's hopes of returning America to prosperity. Follow the logic - if America can successfully navigate out of Iraq and reach some sense of accord in Afghanistan/Pakistan, billions in savings will be realized immediately, affording opportunities for middle and lower class tax cuts, improve the economy, etc, etc. That's a lot of ifs but it is a path.

Of course, the issue of race cannot be overlooked. The fact that a half African American man won the state of Virginia, the same Virginia formerly known as the capital of the Confederacy, is absolutely astonishing. 45 years after the ugliest time in America 200 years previous, (since the despicable act of robbing its natives of their homeland), it defies imagination to believe what occurred last night. This is another sign of hope in this nation, that a significant portion of those who choose our leaders have determined that the color of a candidate's skin (or the candidate's gender, for that matter) is not the most important factor to determine fitness for fulfilling the role. It sounds so silly to even have to write the words but this is a sign of tremendous progress.

At heart, I am an optimist. I have always believed in my own manifest destiny - that my tomorrow is forever brighter than my today. My natural abilities and the opportunities that are available to me will lead me to a better place and a better life than where I am today. In that way, I think Obama's message has particularly resonated with me. I am not going to lie, during Obama's speech last night in Grant Park, I was moved to tears. Not because he won or someone else lost. Not because of a disagreement over policies or positions or political wrangling. Not because I would no longer have to sit through the awful local campaign commercials! And not because of Obama himself. No, I found myself faced with something much greater than all of that, greater than a president, greater than myself. It was because of hope.

A hope that things can change. A hope that dreams, my dreams, can be realized. A hope that a nation can overcome 300 years of bigotry and racism. A hope that America can become a model of international leadership and diplomancy instead of a pariah and target for hatred. A hope that our economy, which secures our great way of life, can move to stable ground and begin to restore that way of life to the many who have been sideswiped in the last few years. A hope that the promise of a life full of optimism can begin to be realized. And a hope that the optimism is shared and passed on.

I certainly believe that the sacrifice Obama spoke of in the campaign and in last night's acceptance speech is a great way for everyone to become involved - through service or religious affiliations in our own communities or on a grander scale. I certainly intend to own this commitment and ask each of you to consider what you can do to make your community and this great nation a better place to live and be. Take a small step that may just lead to a larger one. But take it now, and begin to fulfill your own vision of hope.

Lyric of the day:

"This is your victory.
And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.
There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there."

Obama's victory speech - full text and video here

Until next time.

Ace