God bless the USA!!! Al Franken lost

An essay I wrote about yesterday on facebook:

 

November 4th 2008; a defining moment in the history of this great nation we call The United States of America.

 

It is a day that I honestly thought I would never see. To my amazement and great pleasure, a new generation of America has come about. Gone are the days of bigotry in America. Gone are the days of separation. Gone of the days of judging someone not by who they are, but what color their skin is.

 

Gone are the days of an African-American (or any other type of minority for that matter) having to tell their son or daughter that they can be whatever they want, EXCEPT for President of the United States of America.

 

Yes, America has risen above its shameful past.

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said this in his famous "I Have A Dream" speech:

 

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

 

I think after this 2008 presidential election, it is safe to say that Mr. King's dream has become a reality.

 

President Barack Obama did not win the election because he is black. John McCain did not lose the election because he is white. Instead, the American people looked BEYOND race and chose Obama because they felt he can be a better advocate for CHANGE.

 

Of course, there are going to be a few people who continue to live in the days of past America....who say such things as "I don't want to live in a country that is run by a black man" or "Obama is Muslim, he is a terrorist" (Obama is not Muslim, he is a life-long Chrisian--but even if he were Muslim, so what?), or "I want to move to Canada"...or "Obama is a socialist"

 

My friends, although these ideas are very un-American, distorted, twisted, and wrong...you have every right to state your opinion and express your beliefs.

 

However, to those who have not joined this movement towards equality yet, I wish to ask you this:

 

Why shall we continue to bask in this idea of division? Shouldn't we all come together? Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Women, Men, Children, Elderly, Rich, Poor, Democrat, Republican, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu. We all need to join as ONE if we want to steer this country in the right direction. After all, this is the UNITED states of America, isn't it? We cannot continue to live in a country divided. Why? Because divided, we fail.

 

Yes, indeed this country has come a long way. But there is still work to be done.

 

 

At last, America is beginning to live up to its creed. I am very proud to call myself an American today.

very nice piece. :thumbup

one more thing...The Obama team ran the best campaign I ever seen. It was pretty much flawless, with only a handful of mistakes. That is giving me hope that Obama will have good judgment on the many challenges that we are facing

An essay I wrote about yesterday on facebook:

 

November 4th 2008; a defining moment in the history of this great nation we call The United States of America.

 

It is a day that I honestly thought I would never see. To my amazement and great pleasure, a new generation of America has come about. Gone are the days of bigotry in America. Gone are the days of separation. Gone of the days of judging someone not by who they are, but what color their skin is.

 

Gone are the days of an African-American (or any other type of minority for that matter) having to tell their son or daughter that they can be whatever they want, EXCEPT for President of the United States of America.

 

Yes, America has risen above its shameful past.

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said this in his famous "I Have A Dream" speech:

 

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

 

I think after this 2008 presidential election, it is safe to say that Mr. King's dream has become a reality.

 

President Barack Obama did not win the election because he is black. John McCain did not lose the election because he is white. Instead, the American people looked BEYOND race and chose Obama because they felt he can be a better advocate for CHANGE.

 

Of course, there are going to be a few people who continue to live in the days of past America....who say such things as "I don't want to live in a country that is run by a black man" or "Obama is Muslim, he is a terrorist" (Obama is not Muslim, he is a life-long Chrisian--but even if he were Muslim, so what?), or "I want to move to Canada"...or "Obama is a socialist"

 

My friends, although these ideas are very un-American, distorted, twisted, and wrong...you have every right to state your opinion and express your beliefs.

 

However, to those who have not joined this movement towards equality yet, I wish to ask you this:

 

Why shall we continue to bask in this idea of division? Shouldn't we all come together? Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Women, Men, Children, Elderly, Rich, Poor, Democrat, Republican, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu. We all need to join as ONE if we want to steer this country in the right direction. After all, this is the UNITED states of America, isn't it? We cannot continue to live in a country divided. Why? Because divided, we fail.

 

Yes, indeed this country has come a long way. But there is still work to be done.

 

 

At last, America is beginning to live up to its creed. I am very proud to call myself an American today.

 

 

I agree with everything you said. Obama brings a breeze of fresh air and hope for the minorities. I'm sure he will make a great president.

The world reacts to the new US president

Overwhelming congratulations and an 'awesome' from Bush while Baghdad remains skeptical

 

 

A man in Baghdad looks at a newspaper bearing an image of Barack Obama

 

 

 

In a night of near-unanimous praise and congratulation for Barack Obama on his US election victory it was, unexpectedly, the current occupant of the White House who expressed himself in the simplest, most memorable terms.

 

"What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters," George Bush said. "You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself."

 

Elsewhere, the vast majority of world leaders welcomed Obama's win as a landmark moment for both the US and the wider world, while warning of the challenges the new president will face once in office.

 

A couple were less enthusiastic ? Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, noted that the new president "will not have the same enthusiasm and momentum for this situation (in Iraq)" as did Bush ? while Sudan was distinctly underwhelmed.

 

"When it comes to foreign policy there is no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats," said Ali Al-Sadig, a spokesman for the country's foreign ministry.

 

Otherwise, world leaders were queuing up to offer their support. Gordon Brown praised Obama's "inspirational campaign".

 

Jos? Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission, congratulated Obama, saying it was "time for a renewed commitment between Europe and the United States of America".

 

Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, echoed this idea, saying she was "convinced that Europe and the United States will work closely and in a spirit of mutual trust together to confront new dangers and risks and will seize the opportunities presented by our global world".

 

Nicolas Sarkozy, France's president, was more effusive still, despite his ostensible ideological differences as a conservative.

 

"With the world in turmoil and doubt, the American people, faithful to the values that have always defined America's identity, have expressed with force their faith in progress and the future," he said.

 

Asia's two emerging world powers offered their congratulations, although China was typically muted. The country's president, Hu Jintao, said he hoped to "continuously strengthen dialogue and exchanges between our two countries". India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, was more effusive, saying Obama's "extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world".

 

In the Middle East, both sides appeared more focused on arguing for continued support. Israel "expects close strategic cooperation with the new administration", said Tzipi Livni, leader of the country's governing Kadima party. An aide to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile said he hoped the "two-state vision will be transferred from a vision to a realistic track immediately".

 

Elsewhere in the region, Iranian politicians were as much celebrating the end of Bush's presidency as welcoming his successor.

 

"Obama's victory is ... evidence that Bush's policies have failed," one prominent MP, Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel, said. "Americans have no option but to change their policies to save themselves from the quagmire Bush has created for them."

 

Afghanistan and Pakistan, who will remain key strategic allies for Obama, were more fulsome. The election "marks a new chapter in the remarkable history of the United States", Pakistan's prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani said. The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, said meanwhile that he wanted to "applaud the American people for their great decision".

 

Away from the presidential palaces, there was some more personal jubilation. Obama's relatives in Kenya erupted in cheers and singing in the western village of Kogelo, where the president-elect's late father was born, as victory was confirmed.

 

There was similar celebration in Obama, a small coastal town in southern Japan which has spent the past few weeks cheering on its namesake and acquiring a small measure of global fame in the process.

 

"I really think this is going to change the world," said Akihiko Mukohama, the signer of a band performing at a party held the mark the election, wearing an "I Love Obama" T-shirt.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/0...uselections2008

I probably disagree with Jesse Jackson 99.99% of the time...However... I agree with his cause, but disagree with the way he went about getting that accomplished. I felt very proud last night when I saw the tears of relief and joy. A golden moment in this country's history.

People wanted change, but I have to say they will be sorely disappointed, as it will be very much the same if not worse.

I think this will be the case and I think it will have positive impacts on the 2012 election.

 

I believe Obama will rule for 8 years, look how we re-elected Bush in 2004 with negative numbers. . .

 

I think Obama has shown to have good judgment, and will not make any major mistake (i.e. Iraq war). If things go south from here, I still think people will give him the benefit of the doubt.

I dont know why electing a black man is a golden moment in American history? It was going to happen sooner or later, and likely would of happened already, there has just never been a strong black candidate. There wasn't a color barrier to break, and whether people want to admit it or not there hasnt been a color barrier for 20 years. Affirmative action and admission quotas to university pretty much dissolved the last of that.

That's one of my other great annoyance is when white people say "well certain black people are just as racist as white people, they just do it in different ways bla blah blah" "BET!" And those same people are the same ones who spout lines about how slavery ended 200 years ago, they should get over it. STFU, seriously.

 

It wasn't that long ago that a very famous and popular Cassius Clay walked into a JC Pennys in Miami and they refused to sell him a jacket because he was black. Point being that it is part of our recent history that white America was openly racist like that toward a minority group.

Are you saying there no prominent irrational resentment toward whites by blacks? As someone who frequently enters local black communities, I can say that the experience must be similar to a black entering the state of North Dakota.

 

I am saying there absolutely is prominent resentment by blacks towards whites, but the difference being is that I can understand why some would feel that way, considering that blacks our age...their parents might not have been to able to shop in certain stores, drink from certain fountains, sit down on a bus, etc etc.

 

If the majority race of people in a country treated my parents that way, i might feel a slight resentment and apprehension towards them too.

It was going to happen sooner or later, and likely would of happened already, there has just never been a strong black candidate.

 

 

Ahh...so you are already changing your stance and now you consider Barack a strong candidate, eh?

 

:shifty

Well at least i'll be able to say i told you so in a few years.

God bless the USA!!! Al Franken lost

 

Nope, automatic recount. Margin is less than .5%, probably around 400. And Georgia may have to go to runoff in the Senate race.

Obama knew Ayers well, dont kid yourself. Ayers helped launch Obama's political career-in Ayers own basement, they served on the same board that funneled money into Palestinian terror groups, they know eachother quite well and are friends on top of that. I begrugenly support the president...the office, not the man. I could never bring myself to support someone who is as awful for this country as Obama is. Prove me wrong and I will gladly eat my words. From safe haven in Toronto.

 

Google "AJ Wolf", then get back to me. HE was the one who launched Obama's political career. That's right, a RABBI. Heck, the big knock on him at the beginning of his political career was that he palled around with JOOOOOOOOOS!!!! I'm seriously getting sick and tired of this crap.

Virginia's 5th district is close as crap. You should check it out.

It was going to happen sooner or later, and likely would of happened already, there has just never been a strong black candidate.

 

 

Ahh...so you are already changing your stance and now you consider Barack a strong candidate, eh?

 

:shifty

No, any objective look at him and he is the worst candidate to ever run on major party ticket. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

I also want to add that Obama got a big boost from the new generation of young ignorant voters...or sheep...who knew absolutely nothing about him and only voted for him because it was the hip thing to do. Could he still of won without these? Maybe, I tend to think not. They are the ones who put this election out of reach for McCain.

I also want to add that Obama got a big boost from the new generation of young ignorant voters...or sheep...who knew absolutely nothing about him and only voted for him because it was the hip thing to do. Could he still of won without these? Maybe, I tend to think not. They are the ones who put this election out of reach for McCain.

 

Thanks, you're the 18,408,385th person to generalize me.

I also want to add that Obama got a big boost from the new generation of young ignorant voters...or sheep...who knew absolutely nothing about him and only voted for him because it was the hip thing to do. Could he still of won without these? Maybe, I tend to think not. They are the ones who put this election out of reach for McCain.

 

:lol it's a lot better than the hundreds of thousands of voters who voted for GWB because he was a normal everyday christian guy you could have a beer with.

I also want to add that Obama got a big boost from the new generation of young ignorant voters...or sheep...who knew absolutely nothing about him and only voted for him because it was the hip thing to do. Could he still of won without these? Maybe, I tend to think not. They are the ones who put this election out of reach for McCain.

 

Thanks, you're the 18,408,385th person to generalize me.

I wasnt generalizing anything. Not all young voters are how I categorized them, just the majority. If you actually did your homework on him and came to that conclusion logically, fantastic. But even as an ardent Obama supporter I would have to expect that you agree with this sentiment. Obama became a rock star and thats all most young voters, lets say age 18-28, needed to know. That, and that he wasn't George Bush.

 

As for W., this was only my 2nd election, I was 16 in 2000. I voted for W. in 2004 not because I want to have a beer with him(although-even people that detest his presidency admit he is a great guy, likable guy...so I am guessing I would like him. Hell, I am fairly certain I would like the Barack Lobster as a person, I just didnt want him as president)-I voted for him simply because the thought of John Kerry as president made me queesy.

I dont know why electing a black man is a golden moment in American history? It was going to happen sooner or later, and likely would of happened already, there has just never been a strong black candidate. There wasn't a color barrier to break, and whether people want to admit it or not there hasnt been a color barrier for 20 years. Affirmative action and admission quotas to university pretty much dissolved the last of that.

 

........Are you f***ing serious?

 

With that argument, you might as well say that Jackie Robinson breaking the baseball color barrier was no big deal, as it would've happened eventually.

Virgil Goode is trying to steal Virginia's 5th district away from Tom Perriello. The differential between votes is between 30-80. Goode wants them recounted and they're taking another look at provisional ballots.

I dont know why electing a black man is a golden moment in American history?

 

Let's all take a moment to let that sink in.

That's one of my other great annoyance is when white people say "well certain black people are just as racist as white people, they just do it in different ways bla blah blah" "BET!" And those same people are the same ones who spout lines about how slavery ended 200 years ago, they should get over it. STFU, seriously.

 

It wasn't that long ago that a very famous and popular Cassius Clay walked into a JC Pennys in Miami and they refused to sell him a jacket because he was black. Point being that it is part of our recent history that white America was openly racist like that toward a minority group.

Are you saying there no prominent irrational resentment toward whites by blacks? As someone who frequently enters local black communities, I can say that the experience must be similar to a black entering the state of North Dakota.

 

I am saying there absolutely is prominent resentment by blacks towards whites, but the difference being is that I can understand why some would feel that way, considering that blacks our age...their parents might not have been to able to shop in certain stores, drink from certain fountains, sit down on a bus, etc etc.

 

If the majority race of people in a country treated my parents that way, i might feel a slight resentment and apprehension towards them too.

I understand your point but to blame the problems caused by previous generations on current whites is equally irrational to racism itself.

 

It doesn't help that our country is becoming compulsively politically correct.

 

I do think that the positive benefit in this is that a half-black president will hopefully suppress some of this irrational resentment held by the black community.

 

Most of the resentment I hear comes from older generations in the black community, many of whom lived through this stuff. I don't know that they resent "current whites" so much as just resent that it happened, although plenty "current whites" were around at that time too. Passing a law does not erase memories. And it's pretty difficult to argue that policies of the past haven't led to some of the problems the black community has today.

 

I think you're oversimplifying things a bit.

Sorry, I just think the roles of race are severely overplayed. A black man was going to be elected someday. Obama was in the right place at the right time and he caught the perfect storm. It could of happened before if there had ever been a strong black candidate(which Obama wasnt).

A black man was going to be elected someday.

 

 

You could say this about just about any monumental personal or national event, 'well it was going to happen someday, no big deal'... :lol , seriously???