Only in America!

No matter your political views; Democrat or Republican; Liberal or Conservative; Moderate or Extremist, we can agree that only in America can what just happened in November, happen. Furthermore, I'd like to thank President Bush for making it possible for Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States. Those who know me will be very surprised that I am thanking President Bush, considering my opinion of his performance in office over the past 8 years (that comment will be a long posting, all by itself). The reason I am thanking President Bush needs to be looked at from a recent historical point of view.

If Gore had been President, the events on 9/11 would, in all probability, have happened as they did. However, we would not be in Iraq, we may still be in Afghanistan, but the world would be very different. Certainly, the environmental issues that we face would be happening, but the response by our elected officials, headed by a president like Gore would have been much stronger. Our reliance on foreign oil would probably have been the same, but there likely would have been more governmental request and support for more environmental friendly energy sources. Research and development on solar energy and stem cells would be 8 years further than they are now. And I know, that there would be no necessity for a debate on the legality of "Water boarding" as an acceptable method of torture in the United States of America! (That WILL be a posting for another time).

The political climate in the U.S., probably would have been very similar to the way it was under Clinton...

If Kerry had been elected and started to bring the political direction of our country back towards the center as compared to the far right swing by Bush/Cheney during their first 4 years, the majority of liberals, Democrats and moderate Republicans would have become complacent once again. The war in Iraq would have been viewed as it is now, as a mistake (a very costly, counter-productive, mismanaged, ill-conceived and poorly planned mistake... sorry for the editorial comment) and would have been ending. Environmental issues would have become once again important to our government, as stem cell research and solar energy would.

And once again, the political climate in the U.S., probably would have been very similar to the way it was under Clinton...

So then... Why, you may ask, am I thanking President Bush?

Because it took our country to be in the situation it is in now...
- Two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq;
- Our climate changing, causing floods and draughts;
- Corporate greed out of control ie. ENRON, AIG et.al.;
- The possible bankruptcy of our automobile industry;
- A class struggle between the "Haves and the Have-Nots" that we have not experienced since the 1920's (and the 1st Great Depression)
-and of course lets not forget the current financial disaster...
to put racism, prejudice and fear behind it and use the courage that it has always had...
It came through and showed the world what we Americans have always done.
We did the right thing...

WE elected a true American!
No where in this world, no other country could this happen!

When I say "True" American, I mean just that.
Look at him...
He is not Black or White... He is BOTH.
He is Christian, but with a Muslim name who supports Israel's right to exist.
He comes from a poor single parent household and raised by his maternal Grandmother.
He put himself through college.
He graduated Harvard and was the first Black man to be the President of the Harvard Law Review!

He could have done anything!
How many Wall Street Corporations must have salivated over the prospect of a Barack Obama!
How much would a prestigious law firm have offered him to join them?
High six figures? You Bet!

As a Harvard graduate, he had the world at his feet and could anyone blame him for taking that big brass ring?
Or going for the money?
He sure put in his dues... He sure worked hard for it.... I'm sure a lot harder than some others...

But he didn't...
He became a community activist...
The type of person that works for people who are poor and have very little political clout...
the type of person mocked by Sarah Palin (OK I'll stop editorializing for now) a low paid community activist vs. a high paid lawyer...
says a little about the man's character... don't you think?
I don't know if I would have gone for the big bucks either.
Oh who am I kidding...
I would have jumped at the chance for big bucks over community activism...
But that's me...

How many men have had similar upbringings as our new President and have gone down a much different path?

If you wrote a screenplay about his life, it would be rejected because he would be too much of an "everyman".

There is a little piece of each of us Americans in Barack Obama and maybe that is why we can all identify with him so... that little piece of each of us reflected back to us in his eyes, his smile.

He is calm, confident and focused in the face of a job that is...
well, challenging doesn't quite describe it now does it?
and in actuality, why anyone wants to be President is beyond me, but... Barack Obama does...

And I think, after listening to him....
he just may be the one American that can get us out of the mess we're are ALL in.

I for one will, along with my prayers at night, add a little addendum, for our new President...
Who know... if we all put a little prayer out there for him, even if you don't believe in prayer'
(I never used to) he and we will turn this messed up world around.
Peace!
Garry