[For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future - John Fitzgerald Kennedy]
Human spirit is a strange thing. Even in the face of the inevitable, when it actually happens, we experience the exhilaration and joy akin to the feeling we have at a surprising turn of events. That was what witnessed across US (and the world!) today.
Indeed, one of the most striking images that will stay with me as a mark of this election is the sight of hundreds of black people celebrating with chairs raised over their heads and screaming with joy. What is it that it is so striking, you may ask, as this image is splattered all across the US of A? The reason is that this was not anywhere in the US but in a remote village in Kenya.
In an unprecedented turn of events, we saw this US election turn into not just an American spectacle but a global event. You had tribes in Kenya supporting him, Democrats Abroad in Chennai having an all night vigil in front of the TV and the largest turnout for Obama, surprisingly turning out to be the 100,000 crowd in Berlin (I can’t emphasize enough on Berlin!)
A lot of euphoria may vanish over the days as the stark realities of recession hits home hard, A lot of grins may turn into scowls as the strict tax reforms are implemented by the man, and Democrats Abroad in Bangalore may start resenting him for the reduction in outsourcing but the fact that one of the most narrow minded (not to mention Paranoid)democracies in the world when it comes to its leaders has elected a African American with a last name that sounds similar to its most dreaded enemy and a middle name same as its erstwhile enemy , is definitely one of the greatest turning points in contemporary history.
As Oprah put it succinctly, "It’s no longer going to be about Red or Blue, It is going to be about Red, Blue or Purple" Away from detractors in the US and at home in India, I feel that finally when a US president says "Us, the United States of America" he means finally the UNITED states of America; Not just the white, but of the Black, Brown, Yellow and Red.
PS: Was it just me or did Bush's congratulatory speech for Obama sound a little condescending?
Indeed, one of the most striking images that will stay with me as a mark of this election is the sight of hundreds of black people celebrating with chairs raised over their heads and screaming with joy. What is it that it is so striking, you may ask, as this image is splattered all across the US of A? The reason is that this was not anywhere in the US but in a remote village in Kenya.
In an unprecedented turn of events, we saw this US election turn into not just an American spectacle but a global event. You had tribes in Kenya supporting him, Democrats Abroad in Chennai having an all night vigil in front of the TV and the largest turnout for Obama, surprisingly turning out to be the 100,000 crowd in Berlin (I can’t emphasize enough on Berlin!)
A lot of euphoria may vanish over the days as the stark realities of recession hits home hard, A lot of grins may turn into scowls as the strict tax reforms are implemented by the man, and Democrats Abroad in Bangalore may start resenting him for the reduction in outsourcing but the fact that one of the most narrow minded (not to mention Paranoid)democracies in the world when it comes to its leaders has elected a African American with a last name that sounds similar to its most dreaded enemy and a middle name same as its erstwhile enemy , is definitely one of the greatest turning points in contemporary history.
As Oprah put it succinctly, "It’s no longer going to be about Red or Blue, It is going to be about Red, Blue or Purple" Away from detractors in the US and at home in India, I feel that finally when a US president says "Us, the United States of America" he means finally the UNITED states of America; Not just the white, but of the Black, Brown, Yellow and Red.
PS: Was it just me or did Bush's congratulatory speech for Obama sound a little condescending?
[This article was published by me first at Desicritics. You can view the original article here]
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