politicalsoup

I don’t think there is anything that shows the meaning and the power of this momentous evening than looking upon the faces of Rev. Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey and seeing them stained with tears of joy.  To see the faces of young and old people, both white and black, too, with tears across their faces.  To hear the roar of Grant Park and the chants of “Yes we can” from the hundreds of thousands on hand.  To see people posting comments to YouTube, from other countries, showing *their* excitement and appreciation that we have elected to office a man who will hopefully repair not only this nation but help to knit the pieces of this world back together that have systematically been shredded by eight years of poor judgment. 

And yes, while there are still those out there who are griping on Facebook, those who booed the name of Barack Obama as Sen. McCain gave a speech in Arizona, those who are using slurs and spewing hate in the comments of YouTube, hanging on to their bigotry and hatred that has tarnished the good face of this nation since its inception and beforehand, I am happy to bask, at least in this moment that perhaps things will indeed change and change for the better.  For one night, hope has defeated fear and hate.  That we can come together and rise above the differences that divide us and help to make this nation a better place for tomorrow than it was during today.  Perhaps it sounds unreal, a fantasy, but it is the notion that Barack Obama had inspired across this nation to ask them to rise up and bestow the honor of the highest office in this nation upon him.  He campaigned under the word hope, and its a word that we can all embrace as we look toward the future and believe that things can improve.

We have placed our trust in your hands to help lead us to that better place.  Please do not drop what was so generously given.  Help us to realize our true potential and we will raise you up and thank you for it.

I leave you with the lines from the “Yes We Can” speech, the words that every time I hear them as I watch the will.I.am Yes We Can video on YouTube send a shiver up my spin and bring a smile to my face and I whole-heartedly believe them every time they cross my ears.

“We have been asked to pause for a reality check.  We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.  But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.” - Barack Obama