November 12, 2008

• Hysteria!

  OK, I guess not talking about politics didn’t get me many bites so…. back to politics! I kinda wanna say this, though….

  Barrack Obama won the election and is now the 44th President of the United States. To say I was overjoyed would be an understatement. I think this is amazing, the right move for America and the world. But in amongst all the hysteria I just wanna say a few things to the USA, en masse;

  • Obama is a man. A flesh-and-blood man. He will make mistakes and he won’t make everyone happy all the time. If and when he makes a mistake do not all jump to write him off. I know the conservatives out there are just waiting for some blood in the water so they can say “I told you so” (despite accusing liberals of whining when they did the same about George W.) Well, G.W managed to amass a cacophony of fuck-ups so, if you didn’t want Obama, shut up and let the man do his job. When he’s on George’s level (ie: breaks international law) then you can bitch. And if you did want Obama, please remember; this man is not the messiah. He is not the second coming and he can’t restore blind people’s sight or split atoms with his eyelashes or crap gold-plated ferraris. Don’t turn on him the minute something doesn’t work out exactly as you wanted. 
  • Think about the pressure this man is under. His campaign has promised change and it has already delivered by its success alone. I certainly have high hopes but remember, Obama is answerable to, and works via, a system. No one man, no President, can ever be solely responsible for the entire state of their government and country. Rhetoric aside it’s just not possible. Be realistic about what to expect.
  • Obama has been elected under a tidal wave of hype. The aforementioned pressure would be more than enough without having the blunders of the last administration to deal with. “The Inbox From Hell,” as it’s been dubbed (thanks to Nathan for drawing my attention to that term!) I’m sure the Republican posse will conveniently forget that it was their boy who left the current president with much of America’s current problems and want to heap everything on Obama.
  • Some regard George W. Bush as the worst President ever. I don’t know if that’s true but there’s at least some justification to it. However, as I’ve said, no one President can be totally in control of every element of their nation’s running. Even George wasn’t to blame for everything! Obama won’t be either. 
  • America does need change. At least a non-selfish America does. But change is difficult and rarely easy. Deal with it.

  OK, not much more to say than that. It all sounded so much more eloquent in my head. All I have left to say is I truly hope Obama’s presidency will bring about the positive changes America needs right now and lives up to the hype. But, I’m realistic. So, let’s not get carried away watching Obama’s every little move and just let him be Pres! Night. I’m off to bed.

  EDIT: And now for something completely different. An anecdote and a celebration.

  • On Monday I found out that one of my 1st graders thought I still lived in England and flew to Japan and back every single day! Kids are funny!
  • My congratulations to my cousin, Rachel. She just gave birth to her first child, a boy named Ernest Atkinson. Congrats, cuz!

  Sayonara! “Jealousy, turning saints into the sea. Swimming through sick lullabies. Choking on your alibis…”

  
  

  • 1:49 am
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