44th POTUS

[Ham Ham]

Here's the team for the next four years for our neighbours to the south.

 

[rewok]

That's a great historic moment for the US and the equal rights. Now I just hope Obama excels and continue to convince everyone that an African-American was the best choice.

 

[glenpreece]

That's a great historic moment for the US and the equal rights. Now I just hope Obama excels and continue to convince everyone that an African-American was the best choice.

well said

 

[gmark2000]

I just hope Obama... continue to convince everyone that an African-American was the best choice.

I'm sorry, but people were choosing a man of character NOT a representative of a race. There is a thinly veiled racial prejudice in your statement.

 

[fivebyfive]

How was that statement racial prejudice? He was stating a fact.

What if it were Clinton who ran and won? Then the poster would say "Now I just hope Clinton excels and continue to convince everyone that a woman was the best choice."

That would be fact just the same. What's the difference?

 

[gmark2000]

How was that statement racial prejudice? He was stating a fact.

What if it were Clinton who ran and won? Then the poster would say "Now I just hope Clinton excels and continue to convince everyone that a woman was the best choice."

That would be fact just the same. What's the difference?

You've just replaced a racist epithet with a sexist one.

Race and gender have nothing to do with a person's competency.

 

[SydneyFalco]

How was that statement racial prejudice? He was stating a fact.

I think it stems from merely the turn of phrase that the original poster used. It reads as though his opinion is that Obama was elected BECAUSE he was black (whether he meant that way or not). In that case, it COULD be read as being dismissive of Obama's actual qualities.

Always remember: Internet posts are hastily written and defensively consumed. That is a BAAAAD combination.

 

[fivebyfive]

You've just replaced a racist epithet with a sexist one.

Yes, I know I did.

But what's amazing is that the sexist one, most people would let slide. Yet as soon as someone says 'African American' someone else always has to play the race card.

I think it stems from merely the turn of phrase that the original poster used. It reads as though his opinion is that Obama was elected BECAUSE he was black (whether he meant that way or not). In that case, it COULD be read as being dismissive of Obama's actual qualities.

You're absolutely right, it could be read like that, as that's how I first interpreted the phrase as well.

However, I then looked at the poster's user name and saw that they were from Montreal and thought maybe English was their second language, so what they were trying to say didn't come out as they wanted it to. But then, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Now, that all being said, people have their head in the sand if they can not acknowledge the fact that Obama being an African American did not aid him in being elected. Don't get me wrong, I'm an Obama supporter, so I could care less how he did it, but am I the only one who watched the coverage last night?

How many times did they show that University in Washington (the name of the school has escaped me). How many times did you hear someone interviewed say "this means that as an African American, if I put my mind to it, I too can accomplish anything".

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing. It's actually wonderful imho. But it IS a fact that him being African American helped him win this race.

 

[lisalonglash]

I'm just pleased that the US people came out to vote in record numbers! The great result seems to be proof that voters realize that every candidate's heart is red and every candidate's brain is grey, regardless of gender - those are the only colours that matter in my opinion.

Honestly, while we were watching the election coverage, it bugged me that irrelevant skin colour was mentioned CONSTANTLY and by everyone. Who cares what pigmentation a candidate has?! Nobody should care. I know it's wishful thinking on my part that everyone would feel that way, but I can hope, right?

IMO, the best candidate won and I truly hope that he won simply because he was the best candidate, NOT because of anything else.

Congratulations to him!

 

[TheZue]

I'm not sure that being an african american really helped him or hurt him. For every person who was excited about it there were others who were extremely threatened by it. The reaction to his name, the black panthers at the polling stations, his 'ties' to terrorists, his church, the references to his relatives living in huts all point to the racism he faced. My father in law even talked to some republicans when he went hunting last month that honestly believed he was tied to the Chicago drug gangs....it's not like they would have linked a white politician like that. I've found honestly eye opening the ways that racism manifested itself in this race. Yes some people voted because he was black, but there was also record turn out on the other side. Mainly I just think he was an AMAZING candidate that happened to be black and that's why he won. The fact that he could win and be black is why the coverage is so meaningful and emotional.

Anyways did anyone else get teary eyed during his speech last night? It isn't even my country and I've just found this all so uplifting. He really captures everything I love about the United States. It's so funny listening to Americans thinking the world wants them to fail and that we hate their liberties. I personally love the ideals that country was build on and found it sad to see them over run with fear the last 8 years and pick apart at them in a panic after 9/11. It just seemed like a good friend has stepped out of an awful fog and come back as the neighbour we knew and missed.

 

[Ourtoystory]

I think hope is contagious.

I think for people outside of the US who have a keen interest in American politics could really feel how Obama's victory was a real turning point for America. Beyond the cultural signifigance, I think so many Americans just needed be done with the last eight years. Proof being Bush's approval rating. It was truly moving to watch that crowd in Chicago.

Made me a little guilty/sad/wistful that I have never been able to feel such passion about Canadian politics. I wonder if we had dynamic public figures would Canada be able to have an Obama moment.

Before I went to sleep because "the win" was on my mind...I did catch myself saying a little prayer for the President Elect's safety. As was stated earlier as many Americans that are elated I wonder if there is an element that can not bare Obama as President.

All the best to our friends to the South and the newest first family.

 

[SydneyFalco]

Made me a little guilty/sad/wistful that I have never been able to feel such passion about Canadian politics. I wonder if we had dynamic public figures would Canada be able to have an Obama moment.

Well, if we don't often inspire/react to that sort of passion, at the same time we don't often generate that level of vitriol/irrationality. It's a trade-off, I guess.

Anyways did anyone else get teary eyed during his speech last night? It isn't even my country and I've just found this all so uplifting. He really captures everything I love about the United States.

This little snippet is from an e-mail I wrote to a friend. I later blogged with it:

"Re: The Speech.

Obama gave a good speech, and he gave it well. I found it a little emotionally affecting, but, then again, he did mention a puppy and that's cheating!

I say it was a good speech--entirely in line with my personal thinking--but not a great speech. It was obviously lacking in specifics, though it was very, very heartening to hear the New Deal once again mentioned in earnest regard in U.S. politics (and about time).

Watching it, I thought a few things: One, if the man turns out to be Satan himself, or twice as inept a president as we've just seen, it's such a relief to know at least we wont have to listen to anymore badly spoken, badly written, solipsistic blather during press events. Two: When he launched into the "Yes, We Can" segment, only to have the crowd chant it back to him, it sounded vaguely cult-like--and, I thought, that greatly defused the effectiveness of the speech--and I fancied that I could hear authoritarian "
"conservatives" everywhere scraping back their chairs and running to THEIR keyboards to begin the cyber-war on what they no doubt perceive as the Forthcoming Armageddon. Three: He really does seem a bit young. There's a bit of "Class President" still hanging about him. A bit of "Harvard Law Review". Yet I'm not altogether certain this is a bad thing. It will be interesting to see how quickly that veneer is worn away, by trials both real and manufacture by the opposition.

 

[rewok]

That's a great historic moment for the US and the equal rights. Now I just hope Obama excels and continue to convince everyone that an African-American was the best choice.

Here I am, quoting myself! I somehow knew this could lead to misinterpretation, but though (wrongly, I now see) that everyone would see it the right way! And thanks to fivebyfive who correctly gave me the benefits of ESL, however, I think I just types to fast because I was falling asleep on the keyboard.

Now I must say that I not racist, sexist (I'm a girl working in a "men" job:engineer), or homophobic, but I am still happy that finally a president is not a Caucasian Man, because it is a symbol of how things have changed. I don't think the color/sex should affect the outcome/voting, but it does. And there are still many people in the USA who are convinced that Obama will fail because he's black. I was just hoping that he would be good, to prove them wrong and anchor his success and the important change in a country that only 50 years ago condoned segregation.

Hope this time I made myself clear!

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Anyways did anyone else get teary eyed during his speech last night? It isn't even my country and I've just found this all so uplifting. He really captures everything I love about the United States. It's so funny listening to Americans thinking the world wants them to fail and that we hate their liberties. I personally love the ideals that country was build on and found it sad to see them over run with fear the last 8 years and pick apart at them in a panic after 9/11. It just seemed like a good friend has stepped out of an awful fog and come back as the neighbour we knew and missed.

I cried like a baby ... I am so proud to be a dual citizen of the two most amazing countries in the world, Canada and the US...and I am so happy there is change, and change of a historic nature.

 

[fivebyfive]

And thanks to fivebyfive who correctly gave me the benefits of ESL

You're welcome. As mentioned, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I hate how everyone jumps all over people on these boards. I don't understand that, as it's so very difficult to 'hear' what someone is saying when it's being written.

Hope this time I made myself clear!

Hey, I gotcha the first time.

 

[gmark2000]

I hate how everyone jumps all over people on these boards.

Yeah, you really come out smelling like roses. No matter what was meant, it was not written as such. Saying I was playing the "race card" was incendiary. Obama does not need to convince anyone that his ethnicity was the correct voters' choice. You said you knew that, but you played a game of "devil's advocate" by saying that the racial epithet was "a fact".

rewok, you are forgiven. fivebyfive, shame on you.

 

[fivebyfive]

I hate how everyone jumps all over people on these boards.

Yeah, you really come out smelling like roses.

I honestly wasn't pointing that remark to you. I understand how it sounded as such and for that I'm honestly sorry. That remark was made as a general comment about the entire DIS boards.

rewok, you are forgiven. fivebyfive, shame on you

.

Yeah, not sure what I did there to deserve that comment, but whatever dude.

 

[Csaks]

It's cool to see something different than the same old same old. I hope that he is given some slack but if you hear some of the people on the news Obama is going to change the world by the 21st of Jan and everything is going to be great. Expectations are huge for the poor guy and I don't think he can win for trying. America needs a change of direction, hopefully it is the right one.

I think McCain could have thrown the race for Pres. I could see him sitting at his kitchen table thinking I'm 72 yrs old, do I really need this crap!