Morning again in America
"It's not that I would have felt less love of country if voters had chosen John McCain. And this reaction I'm trying to describe isn't really about Obama's policies. I'll disagree with some of his decisions, I'll consider some of his public statements mere double talk and I'll criticize his questionable appointments. My job will be to hold him accountable, just like any president, and I intend to do my job.
"For me, the emotion of this moment has less to do with Obama than with the nation. Now I know how some people must have felt when they heard Ronald Reagan say 'it's morning again in America.' The new sunshine feels warm on my face."
-Eugene Robinson, Washington Post 11/6/08
A lot of people are talking about whether Barack Obama's election heralds an ideological shift from "center-right" leftward. I think that's missing the point. I'm deeply troubled by the angry and disappointed conservatives who are claiming that America is "finished" or is going to become "socialist", or that Democrats will "overreach" and get tossed. Maybe they feel left out, like they can't join the celebration of the "winners" because they're the "losers".
But I don't think that this joyful shock we are experiencing has anything to do with partisanship. I don't think people were crying and and lifting their hands to the sky two nights ago because the Democrats got the White House back. It's not even really about sticking it to George Bush, as much as he is now reviled in most circles, and I have detected no sense of snide self-satisfaction in most of the celebrating. It's something new. Our people are beginning to realize that anything really is possible, and that America is very symbolically putting its money where its mouth has been for 232 years. The meaning of "freedom" in this nation became broader and deeper and more real on Tuesday night.
Some of my more conservative friends have the idea that Obama is loved outside the U.S. because other nations want to make us weak and compliant, and believe that an Obama presidency would serve that end. These friends feel affronted and demoralized seeing spontaneous celebrations of Obama's election in other countries. Again, I think that's misunderstanding the motive. Just as much as I believe the overflowing joy here in the U.S. has nothing to do with partisanship, I believe that the celebrations abroad reflect not a perception of Barack Obama, but a perception of us. The world is excited because they now see that we, the people of the United States, are not so "rigid" and "bigoted" as they thought -- that maybe the sullen, arrogant, bullying superpower they knew had more to do with transient leadership than with the real soul and identity of our nation. Every man, woman, and child in this country, regardless of who they voted for, can own this new position of respect and global leadership. You and I and every citizen of our nation are now looked upon in awe, because we have again, at long last, demonstrated the promise of our heritage and led the world by example rather than by might. The victory belongs not to a person, a party, or a government, but to all the people of the United States, who once again have a reason to be proud.
"For me, the emotion of this moment has less to do with Obama than with the nation. Now I know how some people must have felt when they heard Ronald Reagan say 'it's morning again in America.' The new sunshine feels warm on my face."
-Eugene Robinson, Washington Post 11/6/08
A lot of people are talking about whether Barack Obama's election heralds an ideological shift from "center-right" leftward. I think that's missing the point. I'm deeply troubled by the angry and disappointed conservatives who are claiming that America is "finished" or is going to become "socialist", or that Democrats will "overreach" and get tossed. Maybe they feel left out, like they can't join the celebration of the "winners" because they're the "losers".
But I don't think that this joyful shock we are experiencing has anything to do with partisanship. I don't think people were crying and and lifting their hands to the sky two nights ago because the Democrats got the White House back. It's not even really about sticking it to George Bush, as much as he is now reviled in most circles, and I have detected no sense of snide self-satisfaction in most of the celebrating. It's something new. Our people are beginning to realize that anything really is possible, and that America is very symbolically putting its money where its mouth has been for 232 years. The meaning of "freedom" in this nation became broader and deeper and more real on Tuesday night.
Some of my more conservative friends have the idea that Obama is loved outside the U.S. because other nations want to make us weak and compliant, and believe that an Obama presidency would serve that end. These friends feel affronted and demoralized seeing spontaneous celebrations of Obama's election in other countries. Again, I think that's misunderstanding the motive. Just as much as I believe the overflowing joy here in the U.S. has nothing to do with partisanship, I believe that the celebrations abroad reflect not a perception of Barack Obama, but a perception of us. The world is excited because they now see that we, the people of the United States, are not so "rigid" and "bigoted" as they thought -- that maybe the sullen, arrogant, bullying superpower they knew had more to do with transient leadership than with the real soul and identity of our nation. Every man, woman, and child in this country, regardless of who they voted for, can own this new position of respect and global leadership. You and I and every citizen of our nation are now looked upon in awe, because we have again, at long last, demonstrated the promise of our heritage and led the world by example rather than by might. The victory belongs not to a person, a party, or a government, but to all the people of the United States, who once again have a reason to be proud.
Labels: Essay
posted by M. Weed at
8:21 PM
5 Comments:
It didn't hit me until I started imagining two little black girls playing in the White House.
I wrote you a comment. But then it was pretty long. So I made it into its own post on my blog. You can find it here.
I think it shows that we as a people have finally evolved. I also sincerly hope that barak sticks to his guns, it's going to be a tough four years.
Very insightful, all of it. But particularly I think you're absolutely right about us non-americans (I'm swedish) celebrating Obama's victory as something symbolic and encouraging.
I realized when I saw his speech and, hell, whenever I've seen the American flag anywhere this week, that my entire view of the United States has shifted.
That has little to do with one man, much less a political party. We, the world, are listening to America again.
So, yeah. Well said.
thanks for this post Matt.
I think what you put into words here is something a lot of us kind of know on a heart level but have not been able to put words to it accurately. For someone who is disatasfied with both parties and never votes a straight ticket, my enthusiasm has nothing to do with having a Democrat in the White House again, but the enthusiasm IS there.
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