I AM PROUD

I took my camera into DC for the celebration, and met many other youth (first or second time voters). I met a guy who told me that for the "first time he felt proud." He said he "loved this country."

I always feel odd about these kinds of phrases. I feel they are the oversimplification of something larger that is too often too hard to articulate. Like and relationship, the relationship between someone and their country is often bruised or in need of repair/maintenance.

Being younger, we're told to love our country, but we have been offered so few outlets to experience that relationship in a intimate way. The command to love thy country seems in genuine because we can't understand the how or why.

The country itself seems close but out of touch, like a father that is rarely home, always working, and often moody. We love the father for what he provides and know that other fathers can't offer as much, but it doesn't change the desire for him to one day come home and simply ask us how our day was or tell us that he loves us.

So for the young man I talked to, and perhaps myself at times, I think that when we get to experience an event such as this election, we feel like we are receiving some attention back. In particular, the youth felt so encouraged and felt important in this election. They came out in unheard of numbers.

I think it's one thing to love your country one day, and then to have it say "I love you" back. I think the next time you say it, you mean it a little more.

For me, I think of some 18 to 21 year old student out in the US who will have voted for the first time, and come next election, they will be newly entering the professional world with their freshly hatch college talents ready to find their place to fit in. I think that this revival of spirit and imagination if cared for, could mean wonderful things for this generation. They/we could be the greatest.

T
K
Oh yeah, I'm pretty proud. We're a generation alive.

2 Replies

@Setanta,

I too am old enough to remember the time when a black president was the stuff of science fiction novels. I too had racists in my family, colonials who treated all people of colour as servants and believed that that is how it was meant to be. Had they known I would eventually marry an African they would have been appalled.

I am very satisfied that the US electorate has chosen Obama. They have given the world at large the first global president. However, I am afraid that the expectations worldwide are so high and the problems facing Obama so enormous that many people will be disappointed. Still, it is comforting to see that the message of hope has prevailed over the fear and hate tactics of the other side.

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@Diest TKO,

It worries me a little that we have people who are proud of our country for the first time just because we voted into office someone other than a white man? It took that to make you feel the pride of being an American? It took an African-American being elected president to show you that there is hope in our country? Thats saddening

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These are indeed great life changing times; I never thought in my lifetime I would ever get a chance to say, you honkies are gonna get yours now, take your butts and head for hilly-billy land. If heading for Canada be sure to boil the water before consumption.

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@cash3,

cash3 wrote:

It worries me a little that we have people who are proud of our country for the first time just because we voted into office someone other than a white man? It took that to make you feel the pride of being an American? It took an African-American being elected president to show you that there is hope in our country? Thats saddening

What's saddening is that you can't seem to understand that it is a huge tangible piece of evidence that our country is finally growing into the creeds it defines itself by. With all the lily white presidents, CEOs, senators, flag and field grade officers, sports managers and owners, and just about every other corridor of power you can name having few or no asians, hispanics, blacks or women since the beginning of the republic, I'd think finding hope in a fair election of Obama would be a no-brainer.

I am really proud of America and Americans for voting the person they thought best for the job regardless of demographics. And I can say I've never really felt this kind of pride in my countrymen before.

1 Reply

@McTag,

Quote:

Supporters of Bushco have now time to reflect just what their support has done for their country:

"....not forgetting to list yet again the national and global catastrophes brought about by the incompetence, hypocrisy, muddleheadedness, venality, truculence, mendacity, callousness, zealotry, machismo, lawlessness, cynicism, wishful thinking, and occasional downright evil of the administration of George W Bush. Our economy is in freefall, our public school system a disgrace, our military exhausted, the wounded and traumatised dying of neglect, yea, the very earth groaning for relief ..."

And once they have done that, they may start hoisting their flags again in fellowship with, and in support of those who intend to do something about it.

It is swill like this that taxes the grace of conservatives, but enjoy your perceived moments of nose rubbing. Grace is not much if it is not tested.

0 Replies

@Setanta,

i was brought up by a racist couple in South London, England
It was music that bridged the gap for me, initially - reggae and hip hop.

When i went out with 'the lads' i always ended up pissed and often in some sort of scrap.

When i hung out with the 'brothers' it was in someone's flat where we either listened to, or made music. I smoked some dope and had a lot of laughs when i was with them.
I didn't need to think about it too hard to know where i'd rather be. And they had all sorts of people over at theirs - a mixed bag. It was just a much better atmosphere all round, and never ended up in casualty or a police cell - which was a regular with the (white) friends i'd mostly made at school.

It stood me in good stead in later life - i know that. Because when i came across blokes later who wanted nothing to do with blacks, it always the case that they had NEVER had much contact with any people other than whites.

Seeing the mixed crowd cheering Obama like that was emotional for me, let alone for you. I think it has meant an awful lot, to an awful lot of people around the world. I imagine some Americans might be thinking - hey, get your own... but the truth is that want it or not, your country is the most ambitious and dominating on earth right now and a lot of people are hoping that Obama will help to 'bridge the gap' between black and white all around. Especially in countries (like Britain) where whites have held onto tradition and domination for too long.

I think what has happened to Lewis Hamilton, Britain's formula 1 Champion says an awful lot about the racism still rife in Europe. We get it all the time in European football too. Always against Africans.
It makes me sick - and not just because i've got friends who are black, but because to me, racism seems like such a pointless distraction and unnecessary hindrance to the spiritual evolution of man.

I think that is why Obama's message has had such an emotional effect, because deep down we all know that we have been being manipulated by divide-and-rule and the hope of unity can only take us a little closer to what we all ultimately desire - and that is peace.
That makes him a unique leader already, whatever else follows.

Thanks from giving me the opportunity to voice my feeling on that.
peace
Endy

0 Replies

@snood,

You may be feeling sadness unnecessarily snood.

Cash3 didn't contend that the election of a black man to the office of the presidency was not worthy of generating pride of country in Americans.

His concern, it seems clear, is that for some people this may be their first and only reason for feeling pride in America.

Such cases are sad.

If someone truly feels this way, it is very sad that despite so many opportunities to be proud of America and Americans, they feel so apart from their country and countrymen that they have not been able to do so until now.

It is also sad that someone might be so self-absorbed and cynical as to deny the possibility that anything coming out of this country and its people, other than this event, has been worthy of a sense of pride. Such a person cannot be very happy in their life.

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@Diest TKO,

Quote:

I think it's one thing to love your country one day, and then to have it say "I love you" back. I think the next time you say it, you mean it a little more.

Perhaps it's a generational thing this concern for whether or not America somehow tells you it loves you; particularly if that is the required quid pro quo for expressing your love of America.

In any case, I really don't understand how Obama's election represents America telling you it loves you. Here again, perhaps a generational divide.

1 Reply

Do you guys think you're the only ones who love their country? It's an abstract concept is "country" anyway.

Why you keep banging on about it I can't imagine. It's as if you're not too sure and in need of constant reassurance. It might impress some people but it sure doesn't impress me.

1 Reply

Guys, we're going to have to have a meeting. A talk. A serious one. Spendius is not impressed, and we're going to have to work harder.

Now, instead of these sincere post-election sentiments it takes only a modicum of empathy to relate to, regardless of your polticial tendencies, let's cobble together all we know about baroque, irrelevant literature and Bob Dylan. We can knock Spendi's socks off if we try.

YES WE CAN!

1 Reply

@Gargamel,

Oh no you can't. It's a well known fact that the louder and more fraught the protestations of love are the more phoney they are. Even Dr. Malinowski found that true out in the jungle.

I suppose I can understand people getting carried away with Barack's resounding rhetoric but it was all a load of meaningless tripe. When they screamed with joy at the puppy going to the White House I knew they were out of it. And when he said "Change has come" I spluttered half of the McVitie's chocolate digestive I was masticating all over the rug and polished parquet. I thought that's how to deliver on an election promise.

Anyway, I saw Mr Bush saying he was going to show the PE the ropes. It seems that the Clinton White House staff attempted to sabotage things when Mr Bush was in transit. Mr Bush isn't like that and he told his staff to think of the nation's interests rather than settling scores in such a heroic manner.

I presume he will begin with a map. Then show him the red column in the accounts. Then photographs of the world leaders and the subtle etiquette required to deal with each of them.

1 Reply

@spendius,

spendius wrote:

Oh no you can't. It's a well known fact that the louder and more fraught the protestations of love are the more phoney they are. Even Dr. Malinowski found that true out in the jungle.

I suppose I can understand people getting carried away with Barack's resounding rhetoric but it was all a load of meaningless tripe. When they screamed with joy at the puppy going to the White House I knew they were out of it. And when he said "Change has come" I spluttered half of the McVitie's chocolate digestive I was masticating all over the rug and polished parquet. I thought that's how to deliver on an election promise.

you live a fascinating and rich life, always occupying your mind with valuable deep thoughts.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

Reading this thread has been wonderful, thanks for all the stories guys.
I'm over in England but I've been cheery ever since I saw Obama win.
The world feels like such a better place.

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I wanna say that we feel that the nuclear clock can be turned back about 5 minutes, but, until after Jan 20 and weve had some actual experience of his admin, we can only hope.

I want him to be a John Adams guy who doesnt see the need for foreign "adventures" when weve got a whole parkful of excitement right at home.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Quote:
I think it's one thing to love your country one day, and then to have it say "I love you" back. I think the next time you say it, you mean it a little more.

Perhaps it's a generational thing this concern for whether or not America somehow tells you it loves you; particularly if that is the required quid pro quo for expressing your love of America.

In any case, I really don't understand how Obama's election represents America telling you it loves you. Here again, perhaps a generational divide.

Hey Finn, Perhaps I have blurred things.

I think that the youth are excited by Obama's election, but separately, they are excited because they had so much to do with the outcome. I'm still waiting for a solid number to come out but I've heard as high as 39% of the electorate was first or second time voters.

The "I love you back" is more poetic than literal. More accurately, I think what many experienced was simply the liberation from cynicism. The youth have always been passionate, but never a force such as this. They/we got to be a part of a generation coming alive.

I think Obama was part of that, but not what defined it. I think many people jumping up and down were so excited because they were able to feel a real earned sense of accomplishment. The youth didn't just vote, they did lots of volunteer work to support this. They've been told they are lazy and that they don't understand the American work ethic or that they can't understand civic responsibility. So when the fruits of their labor bloom such as Tuesday, they get to jump shout and scream...

"yes we can!"

T
K
O

1 Reply

@dagmaraka,

And Calamity said I was shallow. Which I can do as well. You have to if you go in pubs a lot. Although the depths appear as well from time to time.

And interpreting Mr Obama's speeches as meaningless tripe hardly requires any deep thought. He was weaving the winds. Platting the sawdust.

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@spendius,

Quote:

Do you guys think you're the only ones who love their country?

I, for one, certainly do not, although I almost got pummeled for laughing during an unfortunate moment of silence after the PA announcer at the final hockey game at Maple Leaf Garden in Toronto declared:

Quote:

THE GREATEST TEAM IN HOCKEY, THE MAPLE LEAFS, HAVE PLAYED IN THE GREATEST ARENA IN SPORTS, MAPLE LEAF GARDEN; IN THE GREATEST CITY IN CANADA, TORONTO; IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD...CANADA!!!

I feel sure that a large percentage of Moldovians love Moldovia; Laotians love Laos, Uruguayans love Uruguay and (even) Canadians love Canada. I respect their sentiment and feel glad for them.

Quote:

Why you keep banging on about it I can't imagine. It might impress some people but it sure doesn't impress me.

I feel confident in assuring you that no one on A2K, from one end of the political spectrum to the other, is attempting to impress you.

1 Reply

@Diest TKO,

[quote/]They/we got to be a part of a generation coming alive.[/quote]

Sheesh--it takes Mr Obama to get you coming alive does it? Somebody owes you one.

Quote:

They've been told they are lazy and that they don't understand the American work ethic or that they can't understand civic responsibility. So when the fruits of their labor bloom such as Tuesday, they get to jump shout and scream...

Wait until they get to the "calloused hand by calloused hand" bit.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Quote:

I feel confident in assuring you that no one on A2K, from one end of the political spectrum to the other, is attempting to impress you.

Well they damned well ought to be. What's the point in coming on A2K if you don't seek to impress. It's not something to feel guilty and ashamed of.

I seek to impress. Strut my stuff. It encourages one to try a bit.

I once saw a bloke in rags outside a pub in a freezing wind with his eyes all watery playing God Save the Prince of Wales on a penny whistle. That impressed me. That's enthusiasm for a political leader. (Or piss-taking.)

1 Reply

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