Dotmyhome’s Weblog

Obama has won! It’s official. McCain has conceded. As at the time of writing, BBC reports Obama at 338 electoral college votes to 155 for McCain. There are so many firsts in this win. That he’s a black man is a given. And also gives me hope for my country. But more than that, he won on the politics of hope. NOT the politics of fear; something which we see too much of in this country.

1. The fact that a black man won the Presidency of arguably the most powerful country in the world gives me hope that people CAN evolve out of fear into a state where the nation matters more than the community.

2. The politics and campaign of Barack Obama has been centred around unity, hope, oneness. The same cannot be said of McCain. He championed difference and division. There was a “real” America, according to McCain which automatically implied that there are other parts which are not as authentic. While Obama campaigned for “all” America, black, white, native american, gay, straight, male, female. In a word, inclusion.

We’ve seen that the people of America have rejected that vision of division. But rather opted for the hope of change and the audacity of hope (if I may borrow a phrase). I realise that at present we have leaders who would rather us be divided by race (divide and conquer) but why don’t we try this? Try hoping against hope, not giving in to fear and doing what needs to be done to tell them (our leaders)  that we want a better quality of leader who will lead with hope and NOT with fear. Would it be dreaming too much to ask that for our country as well?