Thank You America

This time more was at stake. America has become my home away from home since the last election four years ago. My kiddie-cousins have been born and live in the States as well as other relatives I care for. I have worked with a number of African-American's in Stamford and a lot of other people who felt bad about the direction their country was heading. And last but not least Obama articulates the ideas I had about politics even before I knew who he was. I've been monitoring the race daily since January, hoping but not daring to believe in what happened today.

I'm happy because I think it's a safer country for my relatives if their leader is not obsessed with war. Al Quaida is pissed because recruiting terrorists is much easier with the perfect enemy they had in the hawkish Republican administration.
I'm happy because I know that the African-American community takes pride in 'their president'. According to an article of the NY Times school attendence has increased significantly since Obama has been on the stage because young black folks start to doubt the idea that they will fail anyway and school doesn't matter. Moreover everyone who is part of a minority or thinks that only the rich and connected can succeed can look up to Barack. This in my eyes is an important change because it's just not possible to succeed without having faith in the world and yourself.

Nobody knows yet if he will succeed with his approach to a different kind of politics but ideas have to be introduced to the public before they can be translated into laws, policies and attitudes. It was high time that someone would do that and Obama has already planted change in our minds, even if there are no tangible results just yet.

But today I don't want to think about the future just yet. Because it's the first historical event in my life that I'm deeply grateful for witnessing. Thank you America. Thanks especially to all the folks who had their doubts, who were brought up to believe something different but then took a leap of faith.