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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Congratulations to my country

America, I'm proud of you.

That is all.
Posted by at

34 comments:

  1. henwliNovember 5, 2008 at 12:15 AM

    Ramen.

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  2. KelleyNovember 5, 2008 at 12:29 AM

    Me too! :O)

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  3. Debunkey MonkeyNovember 5, 2008 at 1:01 AM

    All glory to the all-mighty and powerful Atheismo!

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  4. TJHNovember 5, 2008 at 1:02 AM

    I'm very glad that Sarah Palin won't be anywhere near the White House. I'm glad that we've come far enough that a black man can be elected President. But I'm cynical. In a couple of years, we'll all see that Obama is just a man who has to deal with the real world. But I am looking forward to watching Sean Hannity's (and those like him) head(s) explode, along with so many of Ray's fellow believers. That'll be fun.

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  5. AnonymousNovember 5, 2008 at 1:21 AM

    I'm proud of America too =D

    I also agree with Rufus, hopefully things will go fairly smoothly as Obama tries to clean up Bush's mess.

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  6. BobNovember 5, 2008 at 2:26 AM

    I just watched Obama's victory speech. Not bad! :-) I am so hopeful now. We have a president that I am proud of!

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  7. BaldySlapheadNovember 5, 2008 at 2:49 AM

    There is, of course, an element of someone having managed to replace the driver on the runaway train that's heading straight for the bridge that's out. Levitating a train over that big a gap is likely to be too much for any man. You can't hold Obama responsible for the fact that the train is going to crash, just his response to the aftermath.

    One thing I heard several people say during the campaigns was that Obama's colour should be a non-issue and that people should vote on his ideas and policies alone. That is quite obviously correct. However, the fact that a non-white person has been elected president is hugely important. It proves that the principals that 'all men are created equal' are indeed correct. Before, there was always the suspicion among some that it was lip service. Now, if the highest office in the land can be held by a man who once would have been unthinkable as even a candidate, no one can make such a claim.

    Obama, if I may make so bold a claim, fulfills Martin Luther King's dream of men being judged by the content of their character. His election will hopefully spark a touch paper of change that changes the social fabric of US society, but wider.

    I am well aware that I am being profoundly optimistic in saying this and some might well say naive. Obama is, obviously, just a man and none of us would be foolish enough to believe any messianic claims about him.

    I've been here before. In the UK, the election of Tony Blair in 1997 was met with similar hopes and aspirations. The election of a left-wing government allowed many to hope for a fairer society. Those hopes were dashed as Blair brought our country into the illegal war in Iraq and got into bed with the money makers and financial institutions responsible for our current financial dire straits.

    Like all politicians, Obama must expect scrutiny at every step and accountability to his electorate. He has made many promises; it remains to see how many he keeps. However, it is what Obama represents as much as what he actually is that has an importance above and beyond that of the final inglorious end of the Reagan-era.

    Hopes must always be tempered with realism, but we must never forget to dream either.

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  8. StewNovember 5, 2008 at 3:19 AM

    Hooray for us and our British cycnicism, Baldy. ;)

    My favorite satire site has it's take on the elections:
    "I promised you change you can believe in, I did not promise you change you can actually see."
    He added: "You believe in Jesus don't you? Right, but have you ever seen Jesus? Exactly. Just making sure we're all on the same page."

    Bill McKay, a college student from Denver, said: "I can't believe I now live in a country where an African American can be elected to the presidency after spending just $600 million on advertising."
    He added: "Give me a hug!"

    Check out their version of the election map!

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  9. Anna SetheNovember 5, 2008 at 3:50 AM

    Congratulations from me, too!

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  10. Debunkey MonkeyNovember 5, 2008 at 4:30 AM

    A bunch of religious abortion / gay marriage denial propositions have passed.

    It's looking like prop 8 in California is going to pass which takes away the marriage rights of gay couples in the state.

    I want to slap everyone who voted 'yes' on prop 8, including Ray Comfort. There's no excuse for their bigotry.

    How is this even possible? I mean, how can you put a proposition on a ballot that will deny the rights of a minority? Why isn't this illegal?

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  11. Debunkey MonkeyNovember 5, 2008 at 4:33 AM

    While I was happy for Obama winning, I weep at the hateful legislation passed throughout this nation.

    Some people truly have black hearts, and it's only through the blinders of fantasy / religion can they even look at themselves without disgust.

    I hope Christianity rots and goes to hell with Islam.

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  12. MaragonNovember 5, 2008 at 5:19 AM

    This is a great day for liberals world wide. I watched this election with far more interest than my own.

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  13. StewNovember 5, 2008 at 5:58 AM

    kaitlyn - Isn't it crazy that a state like California, with liberal cities like LA and San Fran can pass poposition 8.

    Well done for trying tho'

    Nothing is ever permanantly won or lost in politics. You guys got to get working on getting that repealed.

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  14. GeoffNovember 5, 2008 at 7:01 AM

    Indeed.

    Among many things I'm happy about today, I'll only mention that this was a stunning rejection of the fearmongering and cynicism of the Bush era.

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  15. TJHNovember 5, 2008 at 7:13 AM

    Over at Terry Burton's his big headline is Voter Fraud: Investigation Launched. He's probably doing it all on his own. Not surprisingly, he didn't post my comment. Poor fella. I wonder if Steve Douchebag over at Fox and Friends has said "President Osama yet? Oprah looked positively orgasmic.

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  16. StewNovember 5, 2008 at 7:33 AM

    have a look at this map of proposition 8 voting by margin of victory to see how polarised Claifornia was

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  17. AnonymousNovember 5, 2008 at 7:41 AM

    Hallelujah!
    Kaitlyn
    I completely agree! There is no reason anything like Prop 8 should have passed!

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  18. theShaggyNovember 5, 2008 at 8:01 AM

    Kaitlyn beat me to it, but here's what I came here to say:

    Way to go, United States, for not being stupid!

    ...except for you, California. You're fucked up. Even with your 55 Electorial College votes, Obama would still win. Don't worry, on June 4, 2009 you're going to be judged anyway.

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  19. WhatevermanNovember 5, 2008 at 8:13 AM

    Yeah, I'm happy today. I wouldn't have been terribly depressed if McCain had won, but I preferred Obama.

    Of course nothing much will change. Politicians can never adhere to the promises they make or the ideology they propose - change in a democracy is made by compromising with others, not by doggedly sticking to your opinions.

    Still, I'm happy we've now got someone in office that can string several words together without embarassing me.

    By the way, I liked McCain's speech. I respected him before the elections, and respect him more now that they're over.

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  20. ExPatMattNovember 5, 2008 at 8:38 AM

    That'll do America, that'll do.

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  21. Benjamin FranklinNovember 5, 2008 at 8:54 AM

    whateverman,

    I agree, I thought McCain's concession speech was excellent.

    I wonder what was going through Palin's mind while McCain was orating.

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  22. theShaggyNovember 5, 2008 at 9:03 AM

    WeM and Ben,

    I thought the exact same way. It was classy and very, very respectful.

    I also think it telling that thousands of Republican supporters had to be silenced two or three times for booing Obama's victory, and McCain really looked like he meant it when he shut them up.

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  23. theShaggyNovember 5, 2008 at 9:04 AM

    Oh also, Palin was probably thinking:

    "Yes I won! I w... hat? We lost? But we have a smaller number, and that's closer to #1, which is God and I love God!"

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  24. nonmagicNovember 5, 2008 at 11:26 AM

    Baldy said:

    "One thing I heard several people say during the campaigns was that Obama's colour should be a non-issue and that people should vote on his ideas and policies alone. That is quite obviously correct. However, the fact that a non-white person has been elected president is hugely important." (emphasis mine)


    Exactly. Not everything will change at once. He is one man, one man of change in a sea of shit. However, this does represent something, I think. A changing of the guard from antiquated ideas about race and a proud showing of the face of youth in this country, a show that they really can change our course. It doesn't change over night or with one president, it changes over generations. This is one very huge, very important step.

    I voted for Obama yesterday because I agree with roughly 96% of his policies. His race was incidental, but that doesn't diminish in any way the importance of what has happened in this election.

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  25. AnonymousNovember 5, 2008 at 12:13 PM

    For those who feel that Obama will not be able to effect change very quickly - can you give some reasoning?

    For most presidents, this is true because they have to fight a Senate or House controlled by the opposing party.

    In this election, the Senate and House majority was won also by the democrats. The only thing that wasn't acheived was the 60% (seat) control of the Senate to prevent any sort of filibuster.

    With Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in control of those two chambers and Obama as the president - what do you feel would be an obstacle?

    Other than the fact that the House and Senate haven't been able to do much (significant) work since the Democrats gained control in 2006.

    What can be (or do you see as) the obstacles if they are supposedly on the 'same page'?

    Already, Obama's stated that it will be a 'long' and 'tough' road to implement some of the 'change' he mentioned during the campaign. Other than to ensure he gets reelected in 4 years, I can't figure out why he'd make that comment...

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  26. AnonymousNovember 5, 2008 at 12:24 PM

    stew said:

    "kaitlyn - Isn't it crazy that a state like California, with liberal cities like LA and San Fran can pass poposition 8."

    I guess LA county wasn't liberal enough, according to the map (on the great link you supplied - thank you for that).

    I would be interested in other people's opinions on the acceptance of Prop 8, in a state that overwhelmingly voted for the more liberal Prez. candidate...

    Well, just more liberal in just about anything, from my experience.

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  27. markGNovember 5, 2008 at 6:59 PM

    I'm confused. why are you all so happy? President-elect Obama says that he's a Christian and often quotes the Bible (most often Matthew 5 & 25); Joe Biden is a devout Catholic. Isn't this a violation of the separation of church and state?

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  28. UnknownNovember 6, 2008 at 9:47 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  29. UnknownNovember 6, 2008 at 9:49 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  30. felixNovember 6, 2008 at 10:02 AM

    markg,
    it doesn't matter to me (I can't presume to speak for everyone) if he's Christian, Muslim, Taoist, Animist or whatever.
    What matters is that he doesn't appear to want to impose religiously founded policies on everyone. Neither himself nor the VP-elect appear to be inclined to accelerate apocalyptic thinking. This has an impact on planning long-term policies. He doesn't want to replace science education with intellectually vacuous doctrine, and he hasn't made any silly, ignorant and intellophobic anti-science remarks during his campaign. He said he'd increase funding for basic scientific research and education.
    All this has nothing to do with church/state issues, as you very well know. One man is not a church. Rest assured that we will do more than just write a blog post should any government seek to implement a path to theocracy.

    It seems someone gave you the impression that atheists generally hate anything and anyone religious. There are a few atheists like that, but they don't lead us, and we don't wan't a leader to tell us what to do or what to think. If a religious president or any other politician espouses a policy we agree with, it doesn't matter what his religion is. Atheists often disagree amongst themselves on political issues, and I've seen some fierce debates over the last weeks, about the economy, the environment, the Middle East.
    I think it was Richard Dawkins who said that uniting atheists under a single cause is like herding cats.

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  31. markGNovember 6, 2008 at 10:55 AM

    Felix,
    Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

    It just seems to me that there is a huge double standard that exists when a conservative candidate says he prays or quotes the Bible or goes to church atheists jump all over it (theocracy!!). However when someone is more in alignment with secular values (or lack there of) then they can quote the Bible and pray all they want.

    I really don't think it has anything to do with "imposing religious beliefs" considering one of the purposes of the government is to impose certain standards on it's people. President-elect Obama will impose his morality on America too that does not make it a theocracy.

    oh and...
    "It seems someone gave you the impression that atheists generally hate anything and anyone religious."
    You mean like Christopher Hitchens and Bill Maher ?

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  32. WhatevermanNovember 7, 2008 at 7:41 AM

    MarkG wrote It just seems to me that there is a huge double standard that exists when a conservative candidate says he prays or quotes the Bible or goes to church atheists jump all over it (theocracy!!). However when someone is more in alignment with secular values (or lack there of) then they can quote the Bible and pray all they want.

    To be clear, I'm not an atheist. With that said:

    I don't see a contradiction or double standard in what you wrote.

    Religion is and should be personal, at the discretion of the individual. That belief may be weak or strong, provide you with a purpose for life or merely be comforting. It may involve a church or a bible or quiet study at home.

    If such a person as I described above wishes to quote religious scripture when he/she feels appropriate (in public), it's entirely respectable. Of course, a smart politician would take care to not quote the more controversial stuff (Earth = 6000 years old, Everyone = doomed to hell, Infidel = dead in the near future, etc). Alienating a segment of the population, in a business where you're supposed to represent MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS, is either stupid or arrogant.

    For example, I don't want a Christian politician; I want a politician who might happen to be a Christian. I elect a person because I feel he/she will do their job effectively;I criticize someone who tries to tell me what they feel their job is supposed to be about.

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  33. markGNovember 7, 2008 at 10:08 AM

    I don't want a Christian politician; I want a politician who might happen to be a Christian. I elect a person because I feel he/she will do their job effectively;

    Agreed. I do not think being a Christian is a qualification for the presidency. Jimmy Carter was a professing born again Christian and he was a terrible president.

    All I'm saying is, atheists and secularists are quick to jump on conservatives for their religious statements but when it comes to a candidate of their own stripe, those standards do not seem to apply.

    All that said I agree with Rufus,
    "I'm glad that we've come far enough that a black man can be elected President."

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  34. felixNovember 7, 2008 at 12:45 PM

    markg,
    I agree that people sometimes and mostly unwittingly opine with a double standard. We can't always control verbal knee-jerk reactions. Fortunately a large community with a culture of discussion will always have someone who will point this out and pull people back to the carpet.

    Sometimes people need to be reminded that they're supposed to be clear-thinkers and rationalists ;)

    But it's not so bad; I've read from McCain voting atheists, abstaining liberals, communist Christians and so on.

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