So, every blogger in the land has made a bog about the inauguration so I feel it's best if I do the same.
Now, clearly, I am not American. And yet the emotional response I had to Obama's speech as well as the whole occasion was far more than I have ever felt at any British general election (although I can see myself getting teary about voting for the first time). For one thing, he said all the things the world has been waiting for him to say. That things will get bad. It takes time for change. That he understands the sanctity of the office he now holds.
He said things I was very pleased to hear him say, not least his nod to non-believers and to the advancement of science. His knocks at the Bush administration's loss of morals in their war against terror. But he mentioned things that he knew the American people needed to hear: that they will be back on top, rule the world once again. And while the whole world watched his speech, it was clearly written for the American people.
I think it is commendable that he did not sugar-coat anything, pretend things would be easy or quick or cheap. But rather, tell the truth about the struggle he and the American people are undertaking, setting a standard of honesty for his campaign. And inspire, something he proved he is very good at during his campaign, to be a part of the process in order to feel the greatest achievement when America reaches it's goal as one.
From a more personal perspective, Obama will in my mind always be the first American President who I understood and believed in. I was far too young when Clinton was President to truly understand the office or his place within it. And, while my political understanding has grown while Bush has been in government, I have never felt he was someone I trusted with that level of power, nor did I agree with many of his policies.
So Obama for me is important in restoring my faith in America, and politics as a whole, because he is the first campaign I have hoped for and been a part of in any small way I could be. And so many people feel the same. Because it is not only what he represents in terms of his race which is so important, but what he represents in terms of the momentum behind him. Of the people who look to him to make the change they believe he can make; people who will not give up on him for as long as he leads.
Good luck, President Obama. You changed things before you even took the oath: let's hope you can continue the trend!
Showing posts with label barack obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barack obama. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Monday, 5 January 2009
My 2009 Wish-List
So, I'm not doing resolutions this year: mainly because I'd rather decide things I want to do as and when them come to me rather than struggle to come up with some now, and also because I never meet them!
So, instead, I'm going to write a wish-list. Not just for my year but for media, politics and 2009 in general.
- I'd like the Supreme Court judgments on the same-sex marriages which took place in California before Prop 8 passed to again rule the ban unconstitutional, and over-rule Prop 8. If not, by the end of the year, I would like it to have been revoked in some other way, in any shape or form necessary.
- I'd like Luke and Noah to have sex. This may seem trivial, and shallow, but in reality I honestly think a teen gay couple having sex on daytime American television is a step which we should all support if the country is going to catch up with Europe in terms of tolerance in society and the law.
- I'd like Barack Obama to have a successful first year. Not only because it is an important year politically for the States, but because with all the pressure on him to make radical change, it would be a shame for him to loss that momentum before he has really had the chance to begin.
- I'd like David Tennant's final Doctor Who episode's to be entertaining and memorable. I really hope that the last, not only David Tennant but Russell T Davies episodes, will stand out in my mind as some of the best. I would feel better about saying goodbye if they went out in style.
- I would like to complete ScriptFrenzy and NaNoWriMo for a second year. I found NaNoWriMo, whatever the product, a very rewarding experience and it certainly made me question what I most enjoy in terms of what to do with my life. Before I become merchanary about writing, I would like to have two more months of pure, unadulterated creativity.
- I would like to see some of the bands we have been enjoying for nearly two years to enjoy to success they are predicted. Here, I am talking about White Lies, Nick Harrison, Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine etc. who are pipped as this years big bands (while we've known about them for ages!) They deserve all the success coming their way.
- I would like to get the grades in my AS exams I need to have the widest possible choice of Universities and would like to make sensible choices about them. My greatest fear is going somewhere and not enjoying it, so it's a summer of research I think. And some vague career idea (not plan, just idea) would be helpful with that...
- I would like to see some serious progress in countries who have faced the hardest 2008's: for example, Palestine and Zimbabwe.
- I would like to have a fruitful time in New York - of course, I'm going to enjoy it, but I feel like wasting the spare hours in the city (like I'm going to sleep!) would be a missed opportunity and would like a project. More writing maybe? But what?
- I would like to read newspapers on a more regular basis than I do. I read them on a very random basis, and am very selective on what I read, and feel it is becoming increasingly necessary for me to understand. If everything goes according to plan, we should be voting in the next election and I would hate to be mis-informed.
- I would like to have a summer of working to earn money, and reading. I feel I have not read enough novels in 2008, and would really like to get some solid reading down in 2009.
- I would like a film which everyone agrees is the Best Picture of the year to win the Oscar. There is no need to go for an outsider Academy - sometimes the best film is the one we all love too!
- And, possibly the most out-there, I would really like to film whatever I write in ScriptFrenzy this year. I have a couple of ideas, and I think they would not be that difficult to film, and I think it would be something lovely to look back on and work on with my friends.
So, this is what I would like to see. How many will happen? I don't know. I'm not going to go out of my way to see these things happen above my own sanity, but they are things I hope we would all love to see!
xXx
So, instead, I'm going to write a wish-list. Not just for my year but for media, politics and 2009 in general.
- I'd like the Supreme Court judgments on the same-sex marriages which took place in California before Prop 8 passed to again rule the ban unconstitutional, and over-rule Prop 8. If not, by the end of the year, I would like it to have been revoked in some other way, in any shape or form necessary.
- I'd like Luke and Noah to have sex. This may seem trivial, and shallow, but in reality I honestly think a teen gay couple having sex on daytime American television is a step which we should all support if the country is going to catch up with Europe in terms of tolerance in society and the law.
- I'd like Barack Obama to have a successful first year. Not only because it is an important year politically for the States, but because with all the pressure on him to make radical change, it would be a shame for him to loss that momentum before he has really had the chance to begin.
- I'd like David Tennant's final Doctor Who episode's to be entertaining and memorable. I really hope that the last, not only David Tennant but Russell T Davies episodes, will stand out in my mind as some of the best. I would feel better about saying goodbye if they went out in style.
- I would like to complete ScriptFrenzy and NaNoWriMo for a second year. I found NaNoWriMo, whatever the product, a very rewarding experience and it certainly made me question what I most enjoy in terms of what to do with my life. Before I become merchanary about writing, I would like to have two more months of pure, unadulterated creativity.
- I would like to see some of the bands we have been enjoying for nearly two years to enjoy to success they are predicted. Here, I am talking about White Lies, Nick Harrison, Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine etc. who are pipped as this years big bands (while we've known about them for ages!) They deserve all the success coming their way.
- I would like to get the grades in my AS exams I need to have the widest possible choice of Universities and would like to make sensible choices about them. My greatest fear is going somewhere and not enjoying it, so it's a summer of research I think. And some vague career idea (not plan, just idea) would be helpful with that...
- I would like to see some serious progress in countries who have faced the hardest 2008's: for example, Palestine and Zimbabwe.
- I would like to have a fruitful time in New York - of course, I'm going to enjoy it, but I feel like wasting the spare hours in the city (like I'm going to sleep!) would be a missed opportunity and would like a project. More writing maybe? But what?
- I would like to read newspapers on a more regular basis than I do. I read them on a very random basis, and am very selective on what I read, and feel it is becoming increasingly necessary for me to understand. If everything goes according to plan, we should be voting in the next election and I would hate to be mis-informed.
- I would like to have a summer of working to earn money, and reading. I feel I have not read enough novels in 2008, and would really like to get some solid reading down in 2009.
- I would like a film which everyone agrees is the Best Picture of the year to win the Oscar. There is no need to go for an outsider Academy - sometimes the best film is the one we all love too!
- And, possibly the most out-there, I would really like to film whatever I write in ScriptFrenzy this year. I have a couple of ideas, and I think they would not be that difficult to film, and I think it would be something lovely to look back on and work on with my friends.
So, this is what I would like to see. How many will happen? I don't know. I'm not going to go out of my way to see these things happen above my own sanity, but they are things I hope we would all love to see!
xXx
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