Just a short entry tonight, it’s now 2:48am and I am somewhat transfixed by coverage of the current US election which is now in full swing. It is difficult to talk about this quite momentous occasion without delving into the current lexicon of historical superlative or political cliché but I genuinely feel that history is in the making tonight. Hopefully Obama will be announced as the new ‘leader of the free world’ some time in the early hours of the morning but it is still just a tad touch and go at the moment. For me the idea of a black president of the US is nothing remarkable, it seems a perfectly natural choice for the nation that gave us Jazz and Blues and which is by far the most ethnically diverse society in the world. But of course, as we all know, the reality of life in the relatively recent past (if not the present) has been far from ideal for many non-whites and in large parts of the country.
In addition to the obvious satisfaction of a democrat win per sey and the inevitable ousting of GW Bush, the election of Obama goes some way to restoring my faith in the true American ideal. Or rather the most noble of American ideals, that which purports to manifest in the concepts of liberty, freedom and opportunity for all. In some ways I feel that this election could be the beginning of a new American renaissance for the 21st century. Not just because the new president happens to be black and therefor by default becomes a trope for the American opportunity dream, but more for the nature of his support and personal views.
Obama is supposed to have the strongest reformist following of any American president in my lifetime including Kennedy. He has inspired the enthusiasm of generations of younger Americans attuned to the emerging 21st century mindset. Opposed to unnecessary wars and also questioning the ethical viability of the anarchic capitalist market as a long term ongoing strategy in a world running out of resources with an increasing wealth gap and growing population. The leading player of the liberal and democratic western world really does need to recover a lot of lost ground and once again become a nation that will garner the full respect of the rest of us in Europe. Our ‘biggest hitter’ needs to be a guiding light and inspiration in all of the most pressing issues of our time from the environment to economic inequality and from what I can gather thus far; Obama sounds like the best man for the job.