Yes We Can!

This may be the battle cry for the Americans who support new President-elect Barack Obama, but it resonates far past the confines of the 50 states that make up the United States of America. This day brings to many, in far reaching areas of the world, the hope and the promise that just about anything is possible. Long ago, it was the thought of freedom, then equality, then it was position or status, bit by bit. BUT, the one place that few dared to dream that they would see in their lifetime, someone that represented them and not those some see as their oppressors or tormentors, was the seat of the most powerful position in the world.

The President of the United States is a black man with a Muslim background. That sentence is so powerful it drove Aryans in the US to plot to assassinate Mr. Obama and several other people of colour. The prospect of that possibility coming to pass motivated those who wanted it to happen and those who would do anything to ensure that it did not to get up and do something, anything, to make their preferred outcome happen. Voter turnout was as much as 80 percent in some states; numbers unheard of in over a hundred years.

My wife woke me up as I slept on the couch to ensure that I heard and witnessed Obama's speech LIVE. She understood that this moment in time was THAT special and meaningful that I would have been upset and disappointed for missing it. Not since Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream" speech has the words of a black man held such promise and captivation of a nation, and of the world at large. The promise of change means something different depending on where you live and the circumstances of your surroundings. It could mean more prosperity, it could mean better healthcare or, it could mean that you no longer have to cower in fear as the war that engulfs your country will soon be over. It is a VERY tall order for the new administration but they will have to deliver on what they promised for this to truly be a success.

One thing concerning race stood out to me; and no, not the candidates. When I was watching the coverage on the CBC of the two speeches, I could not help but notice as the cameras moved about the crowd and focused on various faces in the crowd just how different the makeup of those crowds appeared to be. I think that pretty much summed up why McCain lost. Obama's crowd was mixed not only in colour, but in age, social status and monetary accomplishment. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, everybody. McCain's crowd, much like the states he won (Texas and Oklahoma anyone?), was less diverse, less all-encompassing, older and less a face of change. In the end, the vote proved that people are tired of seeing the same old crowd.

The times ahead will not be kind to the Obama administration but I look forward to the promise of change and the promise of a better place for not only Americans but for the world at large. The obvious question to this new admistration and its supporters is, do you really think you can accomplish your goals, keep your promises as best as possible and truly strive to make the world a better place for everyone?

Yes We Can!