44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
President Barack Obama did not just win reelection tonight. His victory signaled the irreversible triumph of a new, 21st -century America: multiracial, multi-ethnic, global in outlook and moving beyond centuries of racial, sexual, marital and religious tradition.Howard Fineman
"Barack Obama Reelection Signals Rise of New America"
Huffington Post, November 7, 2011
The arc of the moral universe is long,
but it bends toward justice.
Martin Luther King
FORWARD!
but it bends toward justice.
Martin Luther King
FORWARD!
Wonderful result George - I am so glad that reason and common sense prevailed.
ReplyDeleteThanks, PAT. Like so many others, I am greatly relieved and greatly encouraged. The demographics in our country have changed permanently, and those who seek to divide us, rather than unite us, are doomed to fail. This, to me, is what hope is all about.
ReplyDeleteYes, the USA can now continue to look forwards. Thank God for the good sense of the American people. And now — a lot of hard work, I think. The coming stringency measures on the cards are going to be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks, ROBERT. Yes, there is hard work to be done, but we now have the wind at our backs. And the wind's name might just be demographics. From this point forward, no party will be able to promote exclusivist policies without losing the majority of the national electorate. More than ever before, this is America The Diverse. As a politician, one would be fool not to recognize that.
ReplyDeleteJust what I was saying in a discussion with someone this afternoon, George. In a way, Obama was lucky — that the Republicans didn't understand the influential votes of the increasing Latino population, the more broad-minded younger voters etc.
ReplyDeleteWe had a slightly similar thing over here with the old Conservative party. Cameron is compelled these days to encourage diversity, sexual tolerance, gay marriage, women's rights, minority rights, abortion when necessary, and so on. Not that there isn't still a long way to go.
I think your Republicans will have to change radically to keep in step with the times — though how this broad church will still be able to keep the Tea Party under its roof is difficult to envisage!
Thanks for the additional thoughts, ROBERT. It is clear that there is going to be a civil war within the Republican party in the coming months. On the one hand, there will be those, especially the Tea Party, who will argue that Romney lost because he was not conservative enough. On the other side, there will be people will insist that, mathematically, the Republicans will no longer be able to win significant races unless it creates a "big tent" which has something to offer all segments of the population. How this goes is anyone's guess. It's fair to assume, however, that here will be blood, at least metaphorically.
ReplyDeleteIt's a HUGE relief. And I'm especially happy for you for how heavily this weighed upon you.
ReplyDeleteYou may have heard recently that the Dalai Lama declared that "Religion is no longer adequate." I think this is true for many things, politics included. We have to keep moving forward together as people, as culture, art, education, government, all of it. I'm convinced that we will evolve, it's just painful to see how slowly it happens.
But for this step, I am very, very grateful.
Thanks, RUTH. Yes, what a relief to discover after so many weeks of worry that a majority of the country is moving forward in the hope of making the world a better place for all people, including the various ethnic groups that are changing the demographic face of America. This is what evolution is all about, and my greatest fear has been the racists, warmongers, demagogues, and plutocrats who are bent upon returning us to the middle ages.
ReplyDeleteThis is a day of gratitude for me, a day that leaves me with less fear about the world that will be passed on to my grandchildren. To paraphrase something Obama said, one person can change a community; one community can change a state; one state can change a nation; and one nation can change the world. There is work to be done by all of us, and I feel more inspired than ever before to find new ways of making a small contribution myself. Forward, indeed!
Two excellent quotes that captures our forward movement. Good to read such positive statements -- barbara
ReplyDeleteThanks, BARBARA. It is indeed a time for hope, more than I have felt in many, many months.
ReplyDeleteGeorge, nice to see your post. And yes, relief seems to be the key emotion. Absolute relief. Now a deep breath, as we begin the slow work of actually trying to work together at last. Perhaps too, we can get the American Taliban aka the Tea Party to work with the rest of us instead of standing like obstinate mules. An insult to the poor mules!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, KARIN. I agree with everything you say. For once, however, I am hopeful about the future. The Republican Party cannot survive demographically unless it severs its idealogical ties with those who you appropriately describe as the American Taliban. As a nation, we need to be both fiscally responsible and socially tolerant.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes. Common sense and sanity prevailed.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, America.
Thanks, FRIKO. I pinch myself each morning to see if it's all a dream. If the right wing had won this election, I would have given serious consideration to leaving the country for the next four years. My country is now more diverse than it has ever been, and I salute that. Notwithstanding the enormous challenges ahead, I believe that Obama is going to do great things.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice photo.
ReplyDeleteYes, Cait, that's an official White House photo of the President.
ReplyDelete