Thoughts On My Day

Opinion

I am absolutely amazed! It has been less than 2 weeks since the election and the media (especially conservative right wing) is, already, blaming President-Elect Barack H. Obama for the problems of the world. Understanding that there is only one elected President of the United States of America at one time, the media still thinks that Obama should be taking action on a number of fronts such as the economy.

I know that this pressure will grow and by January 20, 2009, it will be expected that Obama will have all the problems solved in a week’s time. It must be understood that 80% of any success is in the planning not the execution.

I believe that Election Campaign  2012 has already begun. The Republican Party does not want Obama to succeed. There will be no “coming together” for the good of the country. There will be only lip service for such a great cause. I think that Obama should “stay the course” in which he will spend a large amount of time in planning his actions in secret. If he is to be successful, he can not be a great friend to the media. In the end the media will stab him in the back when they get tired of him. Knowing that media, that will be in a very short period of time.

I feel that it will be up to “major and minor” bloggers to keep the media at bay and try and be more objective in their postings. This is not a time in history to waste our edge in the ability to be objective and informative with our audiences. We, as a community, must be the vanguard in doing everything possible to support this president. We must give him the time and space to solve the many domestic and global problems that affect each and everyone of us in the world. Otherwise, we will all be the losers regardless of political loyalty.

Technorati Tags: Bloggers, blogging, Media, President-Elect Barak H. Obama

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Thoughts

As you may have noticed, my postings have not been daily. A couple of months ago, I fell and injured my left shoulder and both arms. I fractured my wrists and  the humerus bone in my left arm. I, also, seriously injured the muscles in my upper arms. I can’t raise my left arm above the 90 degree level and I am in a constant state of pain. It has been very hard for me to use a computer keyboard.

At my age, I feel pretty good about the general condition of my body to come through a serious accident and start the process of healing so quickly. The fractures are “hairline” and that says my bones are in strong condition. I, also, realize at my age it will take a longer than normal period of time to heal.

This period of inactivity has given me much time to reflect on the general election campaign and the final outcome. To be very honest, I held my breath for a very long time. I had this feeling that people were giving “lip service” to the idea of a first African-American President. I thought that many would “talk the talk” but when they entered into the voting booth, would vote on the basis of race. It did not happen.

I am old enough to remember John F. Kennedy and the wonderful days of Camelot. To have such a young president with a beautiful family was a wonder. The general global feeling was he could do miracles and could do no wrong. Was that idealistic? Of course, but it was a great feeling at the time. I, also, remember his murder and the great loss that I and  most people around the world felt.

We have been given another chance with this young, energetic president-elect. He is an intellectual and compassionate person at a time when we need a leader with those strengths. He has a great future and the capacity to do great things. My only fear is I don’t want history repeated with a similar tragedy.

Today is Veterans Day. A day of remembrance and reflection. It was on the 11th day, 11th hour, and 11th minute that the “War to End All Wars” World War I ended. Millions of people were killed in a war that was to repeat itself two decades later. After World War II, the world was not able to see peace as the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict and Gulf Wars were to follow. As a soldier /warrior for 21 years, I truly know the meaning of the famous quote: “No one hates war more than a soldier.” Still today, I question myself if my service really had any bearing on the pursuit of peace. I, more than many, know that conflicts and disagreements are only solved  through intellect and compromise and not  through force and aggression. My generation is lost to the past but the future of my children is open to change. I pray that this U.S. President will bring a new future to my children and their children.

Sometimes it takes a minor event to slow us down and take the time to reflect on our lives and the world around us. We have been given an opportunity to make a global change in the way we live our lives. Let us hope that we use it for good as I believe  we are running out of opportunities.

Technorati Tags: 2008 Election, President-Elect Barak H. Obama, Veterans Day

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Thoughts

The final hour has arrived. It is now time to set aside all the division, love, hate, fear of the presidential candidates.

It is time to do what we are all responsible to do as citizens…Vote.

If you, an American, reside outside the United States of America, you should have already voted. If you didn’t …shame on you. If you are living in the United States, get up early and go to the polls. It doesn’t matter how long you have to wait, do what is right and vote.

In the end, it doesn’t matter who wins the office of President of the United States of America. What matters most is we, the citizens, win because we have made our voice heard.

I am an expat living outside the USA. I voted in the primary and I voted in the election. Although, I could not make my voice heard in elections at a lower level, I did make my voice heard in the decision deciding who will run the United States for the next four to eight years. That is a good feeling.

Make your vote count.

Technorati Tags: Election 2008, Expat Voting, Voting

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