Congratulations!

I'm so proud of our dear country. It is no small feat to accomplish what occurred yesterday. Beyond all yard-signs, opinions, and heated arguments, there is no denying the magnitude of yesterday's election. Not only did we wake up to see another day, but we, the people of the United States (well, most (I can't vote..)) came together to pick who we thought should be our next President. Over two years of printing t-shirts, buttons, and many phone calls has culminated in a simple vote -- Obama or McCain (and don't forget Nader!..) Whether or not you agree with the result of the election, the mere fact that it happened is incredible. We do not live in South America, where the "election" is a new military general marching his mob up the Capitol steps. We also do not live in England, where a new monarch is chosen from the royal blood line. (Granted, the king/queen is now honorary)

Many people that I know do not agree with the elected candidate, and that is fine. Now that the time for deliberation has come and gone, however, we must follow the results accordingly by treating our new president with all-due respect. Barack Obama is the first African-American president. Our country is now culturally centuries beyond where we were only 50 years ago, when blacks were discouraged from voting and segregated from society. No one can deny his great success. Not only this, but he has mobilized the American populace through an awe-inspiring grassroots campaign strategy that has paid off with the presidency. Not only is he the first African-American president, but he has shown us, yet again, how American can so calmly and mostly painlessly experience a transition of power. Once again, there has been no coup-de-etat; no military storming our beloved capitol. The beauty of our American experiment is our ability to graciously pass authority to another party and ideology with minimal conflict.

Think on our election with pride. Don't criticize the president for what he hasn't done yet. Don't be Johnny Raincloud, but be optimistic and hope the best for our country under our new president.

Change has come, no question about it. Now comes the trial -- Will it last?










nate.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God" (Matt. 5:9)