Michelle Obama took a lot of heat for this statement, but today I agree with her 100%:
“For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.”
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Joanna Smith’s sublime version of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”** was featured on a compilation called “Song of America” available from eMusic. Check out more of Smith’s music at her MySpace page.
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by Nathan B.
05 Nov 2008 at 13:48
Ella met Obama at our caucus precinct and went to the polls with us this morning to cast our vote for him. Something I hope she can remember when she grows up.
by mongoliangirl
05 Nov 2008 at 14:04
Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
mongoliangirls last blog post..Because Dolly Had Hope!
by boyhowdy
05 Nov 2008 at 14:07
Amen.
And I really, really needed some hope this week, too.
(See? He’s making change happen already…)
by Chris
05 Nov 2008 at 14:17
This was for me, the democratic process at it’s finest, high voter turnout, real discussion and a mandate for a different road than we’ve travelled for a while. People feeling that their vote was important, many voters gaining a sense of efficacy they had not had before. I am proud that our country has crossed a bridge with regard to racial equity.
This is momentous. I am full of optimism for what it must mean to the millions of African American youth that have another very positive role model to build upon and for what it means to my own children to live in a country where opportunity isn’t reserved for a select few.
I am overwhelmed. I am encouraged. I am relieved. Quite frankly, I am also a little jubilant about being on the winning team for the first time in eight years.
I respect both President elect Barack Obama and John McCain and I earnestly respect the process.
Chriss last blog post..A Pox on Both Your Houses
by courtney
05 Nov 2008 at 14:23
YES!!!!!!
I think that about sums it up.
courtneys last blog post..Make It Count, People
by Tom
05 Nov 2008 at 14:51
Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Jennifer
05 Nov 2008 at 15:04
And who’d of thought it? God bless Florida!
by Erin
05 Nov 2008 at 15:10
Bet you don’t hate Florida too much right now?
Erins last blog post..Obama: Our Next President!
by The Right Blue
05 Nov 2008 at 16:26
Yes we DID!! Great day to be American.
The Right Blues last blog post..Juvenile Shark in the Red Sea
by Kevin
05 Nov 2008 at 16:35
You gota be kidding me? Regardless of who wanted who to win the presidency, you are proud for the first time in the USA? NARROW MINDEDNESS! I mean common! America the beautiful is a great country that does good things every second. Puh-lease!
Hah, btw, thanks for the tunes, gotta love Battle hymn.
Gracias.
by SSG
05 Nov 2008 at 18:15
Man, can’t belive I missed it. I was asleep. And now i am work, I can’t cry here. Well done America. That fucking rocks.
by admin
05 Nov 2008 at 18:45
Nathan – I think it’s cool that you brought Ella to vote with you. Since we don’t really teach Civics in school any more it falls on us as parents.
Mongol, Tom & Courtney – Back atcha!
Boyhowdy – Hope that this is the start of things getting better for you.
Chris – Well said.
Jennifer & Erin – They still banned gay marriage, so I’m not quite happy with them yet.
Kevin – The key word is really. Sure, the US does some good things. But since I came of age in 1989 there’ve not been many great moments. I mean, I was pleased in ‘98 when the country repudiated Gingrich and the family values hypocrisy, but not proud. The closest I think I came to really proud was the post 9/11 period, but then the Bushies took that away with war, lies and torture.
by SSG
05 Nov 2008 at 20:57
It’s weird, i’m at work and no-one is talking about the elections. its same as usual sit in front of the screen talk to no-one type day. Bah. I shoulda taken the day off, cept I have no holidays, Bah. Will try to see what some others have to say.
SSGs last blog post..Awake
by admin
05 Nov 2008 at 21:05
SSG – That could be because you are in Britain and in my experience they don’t really like us.
by June
05 Nov 2008 at 21:34
The whole world was watching…thankfully we showed them who we really are.
Junes last blog post..Back At BBR
by Sherrie
05 Nov 2008 at 22:10
Wheeee wheee WHEEEE!!!!!
by Lara
05 Nov 2008 at 22:18
I have tears in my eyes this morning. I just heard that Obama won Indiana. Indiana NEVER goes democratic. Of course this says a lot about the state of our economy here… one of the highest unemployment rates in the country… but still. I feel like my vote counted. I feel like I’ve seen history made. I feel hope.
Except for those “gay marriage bans” that passed in a few states… that’s the one beacon of repression rather than hope that came out of this election. I voted against our area’s representative after I heard his advertisement that he supported an amendment banning gay marriage. His opponent was unqualified, but I just couldn’t vote for someone who publicly made a statement like that.
I have to hope that, just as blacks and women eventually won the ability to vote, gays will eventually win their own legal rights. For now, I need to just celebrate the steps forward that HAVE been taken.
Laras last blog post..Today, I Shivered
by arizaphale
05 Nov 2008 at 22:21
From my secluded little part of the world, where I could pretend that it does not matter to us, I am filled with relief and excitement and pride in America for having more sense than many nations credit them for! I am also filled with fear as I am a child of the sixties and I know what happens to intelligent, charismatic men of integrity in positions of influence and power in the great United States.
I also feel the excitement of standing on a threshold. You guys influence so much of the world that we can now hope that your influence will be visionary and inspired.
God Bless America.
PS I remember learning ‘The Battle Hymn’ at the age of 7 when we lived in New Haven, along with ‘The Sidewalks of New York’. I still remember every word. Come on…try me….
arizaphales last blog post..TOP 100
by SSG
05 Nov 2008 at 23:24
i spoke to an american girl about it, and my boyfriend. does that count?
SSGs last blog post..Awake
by sarala
06 Nov 2008 at 00:07
I totally agree with you and being in Chicago for this election has been a wonderful thing. I didn’t go to the rally last night though.
I’m going to listen to the song you’ve posted right now.
by Jessica K
06 Nov 2008 at 01:43
Congratulations.
Jessica Ks last blog post..Happy Halloween!!
by NATUI
06 Nov 2008 at 01:49
I am with Chris on this one. It has been so long since I have felt the relief and jubilation of being on the side I voted for. And I am with Arizaphale, not as a child of the 60s, but as a history teacher I hold my breath in fear at every public appearance.
I know the sadness and fear that McCain supporters must feel (as I have been on that end of it for so many elections), but I would hope that the reaction of the world at these election results gives shows how important this step is for the US.
NATUIs last blog post..You Asked For It
by Gypsy
06 Nov 2008 at 05:10
I get chills every time I think about it, and I’m just walking on air with permagrin plastered to my face. It is so, so uplifting.
Gypsys last blog post..This is our moment
by admin
06 Nov 2008 at 07:06
June – It’s true, the rest of the world is happy. There’s hope that America can go back to a leadership role and a model for world citizenship.
Lara – I can’t believe Indiana, either. Your vote did count. As did mine in Florida. This is the first time that I’ve voted for president that it did seem to count.
Arizaphale – I will test you!
SSG – No.
Sarala – It looked amazing in Chicago.
JK – Thanks. You don’t have to say, but I’m curious how you ended up voting
NATUI – If they’re afraid, I have no time for them. That’s just latent racism. As for sad, I’ve been sad for 8 years, so it’s their turn.
Gypsy – Me too, though we still have three months left for W to blow up the world.
by Casey
06 Nov 2008 at 07:44
What a day it was….
by Joe
06 Nov 2008 at 13:09
A friend of mine said that she is “terrified for the future of our nation” when Obama was announced. Then she went into a spiel about socialism, and about Obama wanting to remove the flag. Ignorance at its best.
I am beyond elated right now. I have so much more faith and hope for our country now.
by admin
07 Nov 2008 at 07:11
Casey – Good to hear from you, buddy. Send me an e-mail.
Joe – I think that the Right is going to have to get used to being in the minority for a while.
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