The Greatest Nation on God's Green Earth

Do you know why this is the greatest nation on God’s green earth?

Because even when we get it wrong, we get it right.

Let me start out by saying congratulations to Barak Obama and Joe Biden for their historic win last night. The Obama team ran an amazing campaign and they should be happy and proud of what they did. While I disagree with Obama being the best choice politically for our country, no one can dispute that his election has done more to heal the racial divide than any moment in US history. I applaud his tenacity in proving that the American Dream is alive and well. I am so proud of my country, for seeing past color, to elect him. But he is not the reason I write today.

For me, the picture that defines this election was that of Jesse Jackson crying during Obama’s victory speech. For the record, I generally loathe Jackson. He is a demagogue that uses real people, with real issues and problems, to make himself look better. Sorry folks, that’s just the way I see it. Now I understand that the Jackson I know from the 1990s is different from the Jackson from the 1960s. But people don’t change overnight. And while I feel that Jesse still wants to help his people, he has done a poor job of doing so.

That being said, his quiet tears last night were moving. I did not see the Jackson who normally would have wailed and sobbed for camera time. I did not see the Jackson that might throw the gauntlet down and challenge those who stood against Obama as racist. I saw a man, a black man, that looked up at the stage and saw that the 40+ years of fighting the good fight had finally paid off. I saw the man who watched life slip away from Martin Luther King all those many years ago, find peace in knowing that the sacrifices had paid off. Tomorrow, I will probably find myself annoyed by Jackson again. Today, I salute him and all he has done for people of color in this country.

To quote a wise man, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Democrats have all the power now. And while I believe that they will make changes that many of us don’t want, I hope that they make the ones we need. I hope Obama doesn’t lean towards the socialist labels that have attached themselves to him. I hope my Republican representatives don’t try to fight everything he does via filibuster. In other words, I hope we get the change he promised. He has my support; I encourage each of you to give yours as well.

Am I still saying we got it wrong?

Absolutely.

And I could not be prouder.