Yes We Did
I am so moved by it all. I watched the election last night,and when there was a breaking news announcement on CNN that Barack Obama was elected President, I was stunned. It was only 11 PM and I was prepared to stay up later if needed.
What was so incredible was watching the reaction of people all over the country -- and even in Kenya!-- a celebration of hope, a celebration of freedom. in the early 1960's (IN MY LIFETIME), the black person was not allowed to vote. And now, a Black man has been elected President! It is about time. And yes, I am white, or at least I know that I am mostly white. I have no idea what my mother's ancestry was but she seemed white with black, black hair.
But I didn't vote for him because of his skin color (he Is half white, after all!) but because of his CHARACTER. The fact that he has wisdom beyond his years, and his eloquence... and his character.
I am not afraid of Obama. He is a Christian, but that isn't a prerequisite for being President, last I heard. I am afraid of the horrible economic situation that we are in, and the heavy, heavy burden on President-elect Obama's shoulders. Romans 13 in the Bible says that God appoints all authority and we are to follow our leaders and respect them. But this post isn't about that...
It's about the tears I saw streaming down Rev. Jesse Jackson's face, and thousands of other black faces and white faces both... it's about the pure, unadulterated JOY that was in crowds.
And it is about the gracious speech that Senator McCain gave, and the way that he wouldn't let the crowd boo Obama, and the way he called Barack Obama his president. If only he had been so gracious all the way through the campaign -- he really touched me, the way he spoke about Barack Obama and his family. I was sad for him as he walked off the stage.
It was all so moving. I am so glad to have been able to witness it all, to be a part of the millions watching it unfold on TV. I am so full of hope -- not in a man, but in a country that is changing and healing.
What was so incredible was watching the reaction of people all over the country -- and even in Kenya!-- a celebration of hope, a celebration of freedom. in the early 1960's (IN MY LIFETIME), the black person was not allowed to vote. And now, a Black man has been elected President! It is about time. And yes, I am white, or at least I know that I am mostly white. I have no idea what my mother's ancestry was but she seemed white with black, black hair.
But I didn't vote for him because of his skin color (he Is half white, after all!) but because of his CHARACTER. The fact that he has wisdom beyond his years, and his eloquence... and his character.
I am not afraid of Obama. He is a Christian, but that isn't a prerequisite for being President, last I heard. I am afraid of the horrible economic situation that we are in, and the heavy, heavy burden on President-elect Obama's shoulders. Romans 13 in the Bible says that God appoints all authority and we are to follow our leaders and respect them. But this post isn't about that...
It's about the tears I saw streaming down Rev. Jesse Jackson's face, and thousands of other black faces and white faces both... it's about the pure, unadulterated JOY that was in crowds.
And it is about the gracious speech that Senator McCain gave, and the way that he wouldn't let the crowd boo Obama, and the way he called Barack Obama his president. If only he had been so gracious all the way through the campaign -- he really touched me, the way he spoke about Barack Obama and his family. I was sad for him as he walked off the stage.
It was all so moving. I am so glad to have been able to witness it all, to be a part of the millions watching it unfold on TV. I am so full of hope -- not in a man, but in a country that is changing and healing.