YES. I know much of the rest of the world joins us in new hope, new optimism. The future can be . . . . I’m so proud of our country, of my friends and new acquaintances who worked and sacrificed and took risks, like the guy who has spent weeks of his spare time in get-out-the-vote calling, and said he really was miserable with the constant flow of being hung up on or told to go away in between a few ‘yes’ calls, but he couldn’t NOT work as hard as he could. What a great nation.
That was one hell of an acceptance speech. I haven’t been this moved since Kennedy. I was too young to vote for him, but I did hear him speak when he came to my town during the campaign. My parents took me out of school to see this young man running for president. I still remember my excitement that day and tonight I felt much the same. Yes…we…can! –Alice
Certainly I am thrilled and ecstatic and generally feeling more optimistic about people than I have in awhile this morning. History was, without question, made last night. I’m overjoyed that my daughter, who, at 19, had an opportunity to vote in her first presidential election — and what an election she could participate in.
However, all that is greatly tempered this morning, as I am cannot help but feel angry and hugely disappointed in our Arizona voters who, contrary to Marjorie’s observation:
“…with liberty and justice for all” feels just a bit more true tonight, doesn’t it.
passed a state constitutional amendment (yes, a constitutional amendment!) defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Rather than moving forward, we seem to have moved backward by leaps and bounds in legalizing discrimination…
I am so sorry about the voters’ decision in Arizona. Denying any adult the ability to demonstrate their love for another, legally or otherwise, is just plain wrong to me.
(And I did say “a bit”. I do know that we have a very long way to go, but, my goodness, we took a big step last night. And I was so pleased when the President-elect mentioned straighs and gays in his description of what makes up our country.)
In Maine the election was all about effectiveness – incumbants that were effective of both parties voted in by margins as big as Obama’s. And in open elections, parties theat were ineffective were voted out. Interestingly, of our senetors and resentitives, 3 are women out of 4 and an there was even split between the parties…so rielphaek,I wouldn’t feel so completely demoralized …the beauty of our government is leadership can come from many different places.
This is the first time I’ve stayed up to hear both speeches (vs. checking in now and then throughout the night). It’s the first time an election outcome has brought me to tears. It’s the first time I’ve felt this kind of affirmation of the promise our country is supposed to represent. Now I’ll be hoping that the unprecedented level of engagement we’ve seen over the last year or two doesn’t decline. Because it’s that kind of engagement that, in the long run, will let us solve our problems and be the kind of country we can all be proud of.
Marjorie — agreed 100%! I loved his speech, and as my co-workers and I celebrate this morning, we are all breathing a collective sigh of relief. I teared up several times last night, just considering and thinking about just how far we have come as a country. Always room for more growth, but wow, even at 50, this is something I wasn’t sure I would ever see in my lifetime! Definitely some renewed faith this morning in people…
As I am sure you will have guessed, I am not ecstatic with the outcome. Nevertheless, I am trying hard to stay optimistic and not worry too much about the economy and about our national security.
But I am proud that I am a citizen of a nation that elected a black man to its highest office, and I am very sad that his grandmother did not live to see it. I imagine his hurt that he didn’t get to make that phone call – “I won!” and hear her pride in him.
In The Great Room, under comments about voting, some posters have said how author message boards have enabled them to talk to people across continents and hear about each others’ views.
I think this is a wonderful thing to do, and thank you, Ms. King, for your part in this.
“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
The people of this country have spoken…there is no “real” America or “un-real” America – there is only the United State of America! This is one prayer that was answered.
“…with liberty and justice for all” feels just a bit more true tonight, doesn’t it.
–Marjorie
YES. I know much of the rest of the world joins us in new hope, new optimism. The future can be . . . . I’m so proud of our country, of my friends and new acquaintances who worked and sacrificed and took risks, like the guy who has spent weeks of his spare time in get-out-the-vote calling, and said he really was miserable with the constant flow of being hung up on or told to go away in between a few ‘yes’ calls, but he couldn’t NOT work as hard as he could. What a great nation.
That was one hell of an acceptance speech. I haven’t been this moved since Kennedy. I was too young to vote for him, but I did hear him speak when he came to my town during the campaign. My parents took me out of school to see this young man running for president. I still remember my excitement that day and tonight I felt much the same. Yes…we…can! –Alice
The US prefers a black man to a woman, and he prefers a man to a woman as vp. I think there is still some ways to go.
– Sara
Certainly I am thrilled and ecstatic and generally feeling more optimistic about people than I have in awhile this morning. History was, without question, made last night. I’m overjoyed that my daughter, who, at 19, had an opportunity to vote in her first presidential election — and what an election she could participate in.
However, all that is greatly tempered this morning, as I am cannot help but feel angry and hugely disappointed in our Arizona voters who, contrary to Marjorie’s observation:
“…with liberty and justice for all” feels just a bit more true tonight, doesn’t it.
passed a state constitutional amendment (yes, a constitutional amendment!) defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Rather than moving forward, we seem to have moved backward by leaps and bounds in legalizing discrimination…
azdolphin,
I am so sorry about the voters’ decision in Arizona. Denying any adult the ability to demonstrate their love for another, legally or otherwise, is just plain wrong to me.
(And I did say “a bit”. I do know that we have a very long way to go, but, my goodness, we took a big step last night. And I was so pleased when the President-elect mentioned straighs and gays in his description of what makes up our country.)
–Marjorie
In Maine the election was all about effectiveness – incumbants that were effective of both parties voted in by margins as big as Obama’s. And in open elections, parties theat were ineffective were voted out. Interestingly, of our senetors and resentitives, 3 are women out of 4 and an there was even split between the parties…so rielphaek,I wouldn’t feel so completely demoralized …the beauty of our government is leadership can come from many different places.
This is the first time I’ve stayed up to hear both speeches (vs. checking in now and then throughout the night). It’s the first time an election outcome has brought me to tears. It’s the first time I’ve felt this kind of affirmation of the promise our country is supposed to represent. Now I’ll be hoping that the unprecedented level of engagement we’ve seen over the last year or two doesn’t decline. Because it’s that kind of engagement that, in the long run, will let us solve our problems and be the kind of country we can all be proud of.
Marjorie — agreed 100%! I loved his speech, and as my co-workers and I celebrate this morning, we are all breathing a collective sigh of relief. I teared up several times last night, just considering and thinking about just how far we have come as a country. Always room for more growth, but wow, even at 50, this is something I wasn’t sure I would ever see in my lifetime! Definitely some renewed faith this morning in people…
Whew, I can finally stop holding my breath!
As I am sure you will have guessed, I am not ecstatic with the outcome. Nevertheless, I am trying hard to stay optimistic and not worry too much about the economy and about our national security.
But I am proud that I am a citizen of a nation that elected a black man to its highest office, and I am very sad that his grandmother did not live to see it. I imagine his hurt that he didn’t get to make that phone call – “I won!” and hear her pride in him.
In The Great Room, under comments about voting, some posters have said how author message boards have enabled them to talk to people across continents and hear about each others’ views.
I think this is a wonderful thing to do, and thank you, Ms. King, for your part in this.
“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
The people of this country have spoken…there is no “real” America or “un-real” America – there is only the United State of America! This is one prayer that was answered.