11/05/2008
America: I'm so stunned by your choice for new leadership that so many of us disappointed for eight years running and then some had not even dared to hope for. No matter if there may be a lot of flash and bang in this presidential campaign, as any necessitates, Obama's charisma feels so earnest, so genuine, so deeply sonorous with a wider, more complexly colored America it is impossible not to feel ebullient. If nothing else, America, you believe in yourself, have found at least a part of yourself again. My choice in the primaries was Mike Gravel on the basis of pure policies, but more than policies, it is a leader that can extract that earnest belief in hope we are so starved for. America, you've grown some, not enough to claim any true accomplishments yet, but perhaps we're on an upward trajectory that intends to proceed with new found maturity, resolve and optimism.
California: You came out for the candidate that promises to facilitate change and yet you're still too insecure and unsure of yourself to implement your own. You're getting there, you're learning, but you were not quite ripe enough for this proposition. Eight proved to be too much for you to handle but I believe this is the last remnants of that oppression of fear that prevailed through past generations. Slowly, and perhaps with the help of a changing national scene this too will break down the fear and defensiveness you've not yet let go of. Change, however daunting, when achieved will be deeply rewarding.
World: The last few years in particular we have feared your disapproval, your criticisms and your misunderstanding. All of which we had earned with our sophomoric behavior. But last night you celebrated with us, cried with us, swelled with unexpected pride at our latent awakening. You've been rooting for us all along. Like any parent/child relationship, we may not share all the same perspectives but we've both come around to find that the really important things are still intact. If only for a brief time we've all taken off the administrative hats that can so often obscure our views of each other to smile and see that, yes, America and the World, we do love each other, are inexplicably intertwined and have much to learn from both sides.
California: You came out for the candidate that promises to facilitate change and yet you're still too insecure and unsure of yourself to implement your own. You're getting there, you're learning, but you were not quite ripe enough for this proposition. Eight proved to be too much for you to handle but I believe this is the last remnants of that oppression of fear that prevailed through past generations. Slowly, and perhaps with the help of a changing national scene this too will break down the fear and defensiveness you've not yet let go of. Change, however daunting, when achieved will be deeply rewarding.
World: The last few years in particular we have feared your disapproval, your criticisms and your misunderstanding. All of which we had earned with our sophomoric behavior. But last night you celebrated with us, cried with us, swelled with unexpected pride at our latent awakening. You've been rooting for us all along. Like any parent/child relationship, we may not share all the same perspectives but we've both come around to find that the really important things are still intact. If only for a brief time we've all taken off the administrative hats that can so often obscure our views of each other to smile and see that, yes, America and the World, we do love each other, are inexplicably intertwined and have much to learn from both sides.