Real Shock and Awe

More powerful than was imaginable,
We are almost in a state of collective shock/awe.
The promise -- Antigone before the king comes to mind -- wonderfully hard to process.
He looked as a man with providence; the opposite mirror of Bush.
There was humility inside it.
He was even careful not to get too frenzied -- gave a soft landing.
Sober, reflective, determined... emotional beyond words.
The world looked to America... we showed our best.
For one night at least, the world was sane.
The planet sighs in relief and deserves a righteous party.
We have beaten back the worst in ourselves, the old and inevitable forces of cynicism and greed.
No more patriotic primates to rule the roost.
Real change will take sacrifice, vigilance and will.
The bailout of Wall Street, the wars and the final gorge of the right wing must be stopped now, a return to Keynesian balance.
Bottom up instead of top down.
The gold standard that every human has value -- be awarded respect, dignity and opportunity --
The currency of grace.
A wave of renewal and possibility.
And now the real work begins.

Comments

[Martha601]

Beautifully put! I couldn't have said it better. Thank you for your input during this emotionally tiring election.

[Dynamohum]

I am still concerned about the amount of damage that the outgoing republicans can do before January 20th.

[beantowner]

And rightly so, from what I've been reading lately. Fear for the environment, folks.

[Javani]

"The bailout of Wall Street, the wars and the final gorge of the right wing must be stopped now, a return to Keynesian balance."

Not sure what the gorge is, but the bailout will continue apace. The national Democratic party is the party of finance capital. The investment bankers, the traders, have been funding the Democrats for 20 years.

Change begins with Barack's suggestion of Robert Kennedy Jr. for EPA. Bobby is a major shill for cap and trade, but they'll tell you his appointment is about clean water. This was a signal to the major market players of the world that Barack will push carbon cap and trade as the first order of business.

You will see a "Comprehensive Climate Change" bill first up. Barack and McCain will embrace in a photo op of supporting bipartisanship. Pelosi will claim the bill is about energy independence--it's not. Visions of solar panels will blind and confuse. Have no doubt, the core matter is cap and trade, Wall Street Finance's mangy way of parasiting onto environmental concerns. You think MBS derivatives are valued fraudulently? Wait until you see how alleged Chinese hot air reductions are valued. And if you question it you will be tagged as being "against the world" or "oil industry dupe."

Obama was there at carbon trading's birth. He sat on the Joyce Foundation board of directors in 2000. They created the CCX

[stanjz]

Republicans want small government so there is no one around to stop corporations from bullying American workers, wrecking the environment, and starting unjust wars.
They falsely assume that corporations are good and government is bad. That is not the reality that I have lived in.

Republican philosophy: Big Corporations good-Big Government bad.

[circusfifthfloor]

John, you are quite correct. Enough citizens visited the wonderful parable of The Two Wolves, and gave the answer to which "Wolf" wins. "The One We Feed", said the old chief.....­CFF

[MisscloveR]

Wow. You said some of the exact things I said last night.

I'm a pessimist by nature, but I can't help but feel truly great about Obama's victory. I feel a positive energy in the air...as if the earth and trees are sighing. The fact is, WE did it. WE proved that we can do anything. Finally, we are beginning to see the light. What we've accomplished in this election is a true effigy of hope. It's not about the politician­s...who won or who lost... It's about US. It's about bringing humanity together. We've proven that we were able to grow enough as human beings to elect Barack Obama as our President. We are now faced with a responsibility to be more than what our past generations expected of us. We have the opportunity to finally move past racism, past Christianity ruling over everything (and using it as a brand name), to further evolution and change the world. We proved that we can get past this state of "stuck consciousness", and learn to respect and believe in one another. Granted, we aren't completely out of the woods yet, and we still have our fair share of fighting to do, but I see light. I see hope. And I think if we're loud enough, our voices WILL BE HEARD. Today is truly a wonderful day. This is the beginning of a change for the better.

Dylan hit the nail on the head…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ_XwLSN45I

[lynnmarie3d]

Amen

[ChansenFinney-]

John, you are an actor, a poet, an essayist but above all, a human being living on planet earth in 2008.

Poop all you want on the term GenX. You and Obama have helped waken us.
We are strong, incredibly intellegent, paranoid, apathetic, visionaries who are now after 4 decades, wide awake.
We are 40 and we are ready to kick some ass.


So let the work begin.

[janmarbol]

America came home; we all made her come back home.

If there was ever a moment that I felt proud to be part of this country, it was Nov 4, 2008.

[rollermonkey]

The only sorrow I could possibly feel in reading your words is that Hunter wasn't here to add his to this day. I truly believed Bush crushed his spirit and he lost faith in us all. Today would have given him hope again. Still, I'll just choose to believe he's recklessly circling his tower above Woody Creek, seeing the next wave forming...

[Fireflies68]

What a beautifully eloquent post John! I could hardly contain myself last night as the announcement came that Barack Obama was our new President-Elect! My heart was filled with pride for the man and for our country. I am filled with a beautiful new hope that we can heal as a nation and once again regain the respect of the world at large. This we CAN and WILL accomplish through hard work, perserverance, and a renewed morality. God bless America!

[11907281]

I wish H.S.T was here to enjoy this moment and your words.

[MissAngell]

Well said in your own right John... There is much work to be done and by all! We must rely on ourselves and our support systems and show our neighbors how to work towards making the changes we desperately need in our society for the positive well being of human kind, ensuring that our governments help us maintain a stable and long term progression of those new and improved principles and practices. I believe the only way to truly fight the good fight is to stop pointing fingers and take the bull by the horns!

[susaw]

So eloquent, John. Now comes the part where we roll up our sleeves and get to work, for if we truly believe, this is not only a time for celebration, but a time for sacrifice to get the job done.

[sdali]

We all need to bottle some of the overwhelming feelings of hope and anticipation; the palpable feelings of joyful disbelief, and save them up for the days ahead. We need to insert in ourselves a touch of reality that there is so much to do, and one man alone cannot do it, but he can lead us in a world where we can do it. A world which is so much more open to us now!
I live in the MIddle East, and yesterday friends from all over called, and texted me: Congratulations, they said, America has got it right!