The Biggest Thing About Obama's Win

What I heard loudest and clearest during Obama's acceptance speech was his emphasis on how we must now drag ourselves up out of the apathy of so many years of despair...and get more actively involved again (if we ever once were...or even if we never before were!).

He's right. We can't sit back on our lazy American hineys and expect him to do it alone. We can't expect miracles. We can't expect something for nothing. We can't party and sing and shout and celebrate on election night, and then lapse back into lethargy.

Since I have never been an "activist," I'm at a bit of a loss as to how I, personally, will become more involved, more active, more invested. But at least I am now thinking about it, whereas before I wasn't, because before I felt truly hopeless and helpless.

I liked the relatively quiet, sombre quality of his acceptance speech. It wasn't the usual Rah! Rah! rally cry. It was inspiring but also serious and down to business.

I haven't turned on the TV yet, haven't read today's paper...although I looked at the glorious full page photo, and my heart soared. First I just wanted to spend a bit of time with my own thoughts and feelings about this wild and wonderful thing that has happened.

I must admit that I did say to Jack last night, "I think America is schizophrenic or bi-polar or manic depressive... or something. We have freakin' swung from Bush to Obama, for godsake! Think about it. That's insane!"

I know Obama isn't the end all and be all. For example, I'm not too thrilled about the way he wants to go into Afghanistan. And although Biden is a god when you put him next to Palin, I still think he desperately needs to have someone do a better job cutting the back half of his hair! Is he BLIND? Doesn't he ever look back there?

But today is primarily a day for gratitude, relief, and celebration, yes?

Comments

[mary ann]

Yes, it is an amazing time to be living here in America, isn't it? What a blast!

[Karen]

Happy new era, Ms. J!

[Jill]

If he has done nothing else but inspire a nation from apathy to action, he has succeeded far beyond anything Bush ever accomplished! For the first time ever I have become a political junky, almost obsessed at times. My husband waits patiently for my balance to return. I will never be the same, though.

Note: I wish people would recognize more the fact that Obama is "bi-racial" and the significance and unique perspective of that as well...