A Note From My Dad

Posted By: Shagz
Date:

My Dad shared a thought with me today, inspired by President-Elect Obama's win yesterday in the US Elections. He commented that for him, the big historic election was 1960 with JFK, at a time when "everyone thought that a Catholic couldn't become President".

I clearly remember my father saying something similar as we watched the Berlin Wall fall on TV back in the early 90's. And had we been in the same room, I'm sure a similar conversation would have ensued when the WTC towers collapsed. We have been, and are currently, living in very important, rapidly changing times.

Earlier today, I wasn't really seeing Obama's election as necessarily "historic" or "ground breaking". I just saw it as a foregone conclusion, I suppose. That Barack should win the US election was a given, something that just made sense with the times we were living in, he was the man for the moment. I'm not quite sure I'm explaining it right. I guess my response is less "This is amazing, I never thought I would see the day" and more "It totally makes sense that he won, the US and the world need an intelligent, calm leader at the head of the world's most powerful nation; there was never any doubt".

But my Dad's comment really brought it home: this really is a big deal. I'm not American nor am I black, but you don't have to be either to know that race issues in America are incredibly complex and dirty. The fact that Obama, being black and having a middle name of Hussien, still managed to win, says a lot, either about how much America has changed and grown, or just how desperate they are for a new direction.

Very important times, indeed.

Obama now has a lot riding on his shoulders. Regardless of the issues that come with his race, experience or age, America's in a pretty bad spot right now and there's a massive challenge ahead. I believe he's up to the task, but it doesn't stop me from hoping and praying that after all this, America made the right choice.

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