A quiet moment

[missroserose]

Obama sweeps Iowa caucus on platform of change

Bush & co. been in power for as long as I've been old enough to vote (in fact, I remember vividly how pissed off I was that I was six months too young to vote for Gore in the 2000 elections). It's been a pretty dark time to come of age, under the regime of one of the most blatantly corrupt administrations in the history of the U.S. So while 2008 has been the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, I've had a very hard time believing that it won't take us right back into another tunnel - especially after the 2004 election. Given the lack of any reaction but complacency from the citizens of this country, I've had a hard time believing in any possibility of Americans waking up and realizing that things need to change.

And while this almost feels cruel in a way, like a bit of bread dangled in front of a starving person, it's a start. An indication that maybe, just maybe, people do care about our government's problems. About our national reputation. About how we're just not the "good guys" anymore.

There's suddenly this strange, light feeling in my chest. Something I haven't felt in so long that I'd forgotten it existed. Almost like......hope.

Comments

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. I remember that feeling, when I voted for Clinton in 1992.
Treasure it, cherish it, nourish it.
And if, Insh'Allah, we do get a President Obama, try not to let it be completely crushed when (IF! I mean IF!) he becomes the same sort of centrist go-along-to-get-along corporate appeaser that we thought we were voting against.
*hugs*

[roseneko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's kind of what I mean by "cruel". There are still so many things that can go wrong at this point - while a good sign, one caucus won does not a presidential candidate make. And then, of course, the whole "what happens once he's in office" question...and if he does turn out to be awesome, the "young, black, charismatic, idealist president = big red target for assassination attempts" angle to worry about.

The cynic in me likes to think that hope is a product of self-delusion, of willingly ignoring the predictability of human nature. But I still have enough idealism to think that unlikely as it seems, it's possible things will go well this time. *hugsback*

[joyfulleigh.livejournal.com]

Doesn't Obama look like he has freakishly large hands in this photograph? Kind of like Abe Lincoln.

L.

[roseneko.livejournal.com]

Hm, I think it's just the angle. But that's the first time I've heard someone compare him to Lincoln - I've seen JFK a lot, but not ol' Abe.

[errant-variable.livejournal.com]

Yea, neither JFK or Obama seem to be beard types, and that's one of the things people fixate on re: Lincoln.

That said, good observation.

Also, don't vote for Obama because he looks like the devil when he smiles.