This book and this author have helped me to discover that I and my ideas are indeed American, political, and PATRIOTIC. Why has it taken me this long to realize it? Why have I felt like a social minority most of the time, unable to feel like most of the country would even care about the same things? Oh, I don't know, maybe because there was a nut in office for eight years who made monumental decisions reflecting the exact opposite of anything I would hope or dream of for this country...yeah, that could most likely be a factor. But now...the end is in sight and the time has come for a new person to step in that role and hold the future of America in his hands (it will be nice one day when I can REALLY say his or her hands...next time Hilary, next time).
America stands on the brink of a new era and a new chance for change. I feel vulnerable, naive, and even a bit mushy for placing so much hope on this election, on one man, because the last time I did, my hopes were dashed along with most other Americans and their ideas of the American dream, justice and democracy. Some how, out of the ashes and ruin of the past two election processes my hope rose again and I cast my fears aside to try to change the future fate of this country. My NH absentee ballot arrived at my door last week and I practiced my right to elect the head of this government.
Barack Obama, crazy illegal aunt and all, you got my vote. Joe Biden, you'd be a good stand in so I have full confidence in you as the second in command of this country. Please fellas, PLEASE show this country the possibilities we can achieve when we are UNITED. Please show other countries the hope, the innovation, and the forward thinking that America can have once again. Unlike the goon and his entourage that are leaving office, who took 9.11. and used it to drive our company so far into fear that we have nothing else left, please PLEASE use this critical point in time to show the world just how wonderful America can be. We are on the verge of disaster and either we can keep heading for it or we can start to try something new.
I am tired of being part of a fear campaign. I am tired of feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. And most of all, I am tired of feeling apathetic, hopeless, and like there is NOTHING we can do to fix the mess we are in. I want to hear messages that inspire me and others to think of NEW WAYS of trying even harder to fix this planet and to fix this country. As Friedman says, it is not about Homeland Security and it's rainbow color alerts, we need more than the focus on "the war on terrorism." America, let's shift to
CODE GREEN.
By taking the lead, by living the example of how to begin solving this generations' biggest challenge, America would be "creating the tools, systems, energy sources, and ethics that will allow the planet to grow in cleaner and more sustainable ways" for the world to see and follow. America has set the example thus far and look what it has gotten us - a world full of other countries attempting to reach a middle class American lifestyle, but with no regard to the costs to the planet. Just. Like. Us. But this does NOT have to be the legacy America leaves. There is time and a chance to START NOW so that what happened on 9.11. and in all the days between can be leading us somewhere and not leaving us at a stand still...as other countries move on and forward and ahead. I want our country to matter to us and to the world again, to part of "restoring and revitalizing something [I] cherish but feel is being degraded" (Friedman, 9).
No matter who steps into the white house after tomorrow, the job on their desk blotter is one of enormous proportions. The new president, full of new ideas and new methods for change, will be faced with a MESS to fix before any new ideas can even happen. Let this not defeat him, or defeat the American people and their support of him, or lead everyone into apathy once more. Instead, we need to continue the momentum and hope and enthusiasm that has brought us to tomorrow's election day and keep it going to support our new President and to bring new life to this country. We need to hold him accountable as we have not held others in the past, and we need to be a part of creating this new change in every way we can.
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