2008 November | Annie Fox's Blog

We so needed that!

November 11, 2008

New Delhi, India

It’s been nearly a week since the world changed and I’m still enjoying the afterglow of the new reality. In case you missed it, a whole new ball game officially started here in America on November 4th at 11 pm EST when 55% of California voters said, “Yes we can!” and gave the sweetest of all election victories to Barack Obama.

The news blasted out in a thousand directions and from the images broadcast around the planet, we saw how the rest of the world felt about our choice. My God! Folks on every continent just let loose with all manner of crying, cheering, dancing, hugging and kissing, and generally acting like human beings who have just been given the most wonderful gift… HOPE for a better world.

What other event has ever triggered such jubilation on this scale? Certainly not any other Presidential election. Then what? I’m thinking maybe not since the end of World War II has the world been so happy. Geez, we all ought to party together more often. How about next weekend at my house?

I’ve read much about the role of “our better angels” in this election. And yes, I believe they turned out in force last Tuesday… along with all those under-30 voters. (Thanks, kids! You’re so awesome!) I’m not sure where our angels have been hanging out for the past 8 years, but hey, you showed up when we really needed you and that counts for a lot.

For my money, the truly remarkable thing about all of this is that America has finally lived up to its promise of equality (except for those truly unjust “Defense of Marriage” laws which are a shameful but temporary obstacle to full equality). In electing Obama, all of us, whether we voted for him or not, should feel especially proud as Americans. We’ve finally proved that we know how to walk the walk. And you know what? Once is all it takes, because there’s no turning back… Our better angels would not let that happen. No way.

Filed under: Politics — Tags: Barack Obama, Defense of Marriage — Annie @ 10:26 pm

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For Parents: Is the bad guy winning?

November 3, 2008

Yesterday as I dozed on a flight from Denver, a child’s voice infiltrated my dreams.

I woke up and looked around, but saw nothing except the backs of seats and the backs of heads. Never dependent on facts to draw conclusions, my imagination provided a picture of a young family. The parents, staunch McCain supporters, read the paper and grumbled over a photo of Obama at an overflow rally and an article touting the latest polls. Kids always notice displeased parents, and since there’s not a whole lot of trouble a 6 year old can get into when he’s strapped in his seat at 30,000 feet… the kid put two and two together and asked in a voice loud enough to wake me up: “Is the bad guy winning?”

I didn’t hear what his parents said, but the fact that the kid referred to Barack Obama as “the bad guy” indicates that his parents gave him that impression. His parents sent an implicit message that when WE don’t agree with someone else’s ideas or opinions or beliefs, then THEY are bad.

Putting it mildly, I’m a “very enthusiastic” Obama supporter. Have been since I first watched him deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Nominating Convention. I proudly and hopefully cast my ballot for Obama a couple of weeks ago.

Obviously I don’t agree with a lot of what John McCain has said and done during this campaign. And don’t even get me started on Sarah Palin. But, you know what? Despite how “whack verging on incredulously unreasonable” I consider most of their positions to be, I honestly do not think of either of them as a “bad guy.” Misguided, out of touch, etc. I could go on and have… but that doesn’t make them bad people.

I leave you with a quote from Swami Rama:

Young age is the budding period of the flower of life. It needs protection so that the diverse opinions of others do not create confusion in the mind. A tender mind can be bent easily. Loving guidance and right communication is important. Parents who pay proper attention to their children can help them to pass through the adolescent period. This is the period of shaping the habits of the mind.

Whichever guy is yours… go out and vote. Your vote is your voice… make it heard. That’s a healthy message for our kids.