A historic day

There is really only one word to describe what happened to us as a nation on Tuesday.
And it’s plastered all over the front page of our print edition today.
History.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of electing Barack Obama as the country’s first African-American president.
Up until Tuesday we all too often talked a good game when it comes to race relations, but failed to put it into action.
We liked to consider ourselves an inclusive, colorblind society. But the truth told us something different.
Having said that, simply voting for Obama because of the color of his skin would have been equally as backward as voting against him for the wrong reason.
Obama presented a compelling case for change in America. On Tuesday voters delivered that change.
The move did not come without doubts, and without challengers.
Even some elected officials, from Gov. Ed Rendell to U.S. Rep. John Murtha, voiced doubts as to whether we were ready to cast our votes for a black man for president.
Those beliefs were shattered Tuesday. In towns, big and small all across this region and country.
In Chester. And in Radnor. In Darby Borough. And in Thornbury Township.
Delaware County backed the Democrat in his historic bid for the White House. So did Pennsylvania, becoming the first of the crucial swing states to break for Obama early in the night.
Undoubtedly, the hard work for the president-elect is just starting. The country faces huge issues, from a faltering economy teetering on the brink of a recession, the inability of many of its citizens to get access to basic health care, the soaring cost of education, and the constant threat of terror that lurks in the background.
But we would be remiss if we did not take a moment to savor what happened on Tuesday.
This is not the same country it was on Monday.
Change has come to America.
History, indeed.

Comments

John Shade said…
I'm extremely pleased that Obama won the presidency. Of course, there are many people who voted for him who will be disappointed not long after he takes office. They are as wrong in their belief that Obama will be able to fix all the injustices and "make everything better" just by virtue of his being president as he detractors are wrong in their belief that he will turn the US into a "socialist" nation and give unfair advantages to African Americans (even if he wants to) just by virtue of his being president. Change rarely happens that quickly and dramatically, at least not in the US, largely because safeguards are built into the system to prevent sudden, catastrophic change. Bush, for example, certainly was able to effect a fair amount of change over his two terms (for good or bad depending on your politics), but not nearly as much as he and his supporters wanted.

So while I think Obama's message is exciting, and while I believe (until he changes my mind) that he will try to be a reasonably fair and balanced leader rather than a mere ideologue, those of us who supported him can be joyful - but we can't afford to be naive. His detractors have already begun the work of tearing him down. All I can do right now is remain cautiously optimistic.
John Shade said…
I'm extremely pleased that Obama won the presidency. Of course, there are many people who voted for him who will be disappointed not long after he takes office. They are as wrong in their belief that Obama will be able to fix all the injustices and "make everything better" just by virtue of his being president as he detractors are wrong in their belief that he will turn the US into a "socialist" nation and give unfair advantages to African Americans (even if he wants to) just by virtue of his being president. Change rarely happens that quickly and dramatically, at least not in the US, largely because safeguards are built into the system to prevent sudden, catastrophic change. Bush, for example, certainly was able to effect a fair amount of change over his two terms (for good or bad depending on your politics), but not nearly as much as he and his supporters wanted.

So while I think Obama's message is exciting, and while I believe (until he changes my mind) that he will try to be a reasonably fair and balanced leader rather than a mere ideologue, those of us who supported him can be joyful - but we can't afford to be naive. His detractors have already begun the work of tearing him down. All I can do right now is remain cautiously optimistic.