Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States.
Thank you America, for choosing to change.
I'm not even American but I got goosebumps and tears in my eyes when I heard his victory speech. Possibly because it's so easy to see Obama as first a "person" before a "president."
Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream has finally come true. The color of a person's skin has transcended political barriers to triumph in the peoples' hearts. This strikes a special chord with me because Martin Luther King Jr. is BU alumni. The American dream has been redefined.
The concerns that Obama is not ready for this post aren't entirely out of place. He is young and has had a comparably short political career when contrasted with that of John McCain. However, his promise for change is convincing and he seems capable of leading the world's most powerful nation into a brand new era. Thank you John McCain for being gracious about your defeat.
Obama's reference to a 106-year-old woman who voted for him in Atlanta, during his victory speech, didn't seem sappy. He wins brownie points for thanking his wife whom he called "the love of his life." Nothing appeals to a girl more than a man who makes no qualms about who his heart belongs to.
The Harvard-Columbia graduate will lead his nation forward - a movement that the nation has been crying out for, heaving under the strain of a crumbling economy and a futile war. The same nation mourns with the new president-elect for his grandmother didn't see this victorious day. The timing is terrible.
This presidential race has been historic. Obama has made history. He will go down in history. Hopefully, he will make some of the country's pressing problems history.
The faith in an Obama-Biden admistration is strong among the American people. Obama is endearing for his power to make a person believe. That I can. That you can. Yes, we can!
Barack Obama, I look forward to your term as the president of the United States of America.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Countdown Begins
The US Presidential Elections 2008 are tomorrow. Who's going to win? Obama or McCain?
I'm at the edge of my seat and biting my fingernails.
Watch this space for an update.
I'm at the edge of my seat and biting my fingernails.
Watch this space for an update.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
That Impress Me Much!
I read a fabulous quote today. It read, "Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free till they find someone just as wild to run with them and trust."
When I have these periodic reveries about the future, I can never quite figure out what I want. Ssshh, don't tell anyone. On a more serious note, I think this quote knows what I want better than I do.
I'm convinced that I'm about as eccentric as my social circle allows me to be. So will I want to conform later? Chances are, no. Which is why I think someone offbeat would work well. What's life without a little chaos?
The human spirit is too free to be fettered. Not that it doesn't require guidance or direction or purpose. Just no chains.
Does that mean I'm looking? Not exactly. I have no idea what's ahead. I'm as clueless as the next person and am waiting to see what happens next. It's like a blind curve on a winding mountain road. Add some fog for further reduced visibility. But the suspense is exhilarating.
Do I wish that someday I find someone who celebrates the mad scientist in me? Sure! For now though, I'm just going to concentrate on now. Because, at the risk of sounding corny, Deepak Chopra did say, "The past is history. The future is a mystery. But what you have now is a gift. And that's why it's called the present."
When I have these periodic reveries about the future, I can never quite figure out what I want. Ssshh, don't tell anyone. On a more serious note, I think this quote knows what I want better than I do.
I'm convinced that I'm about as eccentric as my social circle allows me to be. So will I want to conform later? Chances are, no. Which is why I think someone offbeat would work well. What's life without a little chaos?
The human spirit is too free to be fettered. Not that it doesn't require guidance or direction or purpose. Just no chains.
Does that mean I'm looking? Not exactly. I have no idea what's ahead. I'm as clueless as the next person and am waiting to see what happens next. It's like a blind curve on a winding mountain road. Add some fog for further reduced visibility. But the suspense is exhilarating.
Do I wish that someday I find someone who celebrates the mad scientist in me? Sure! For now though, I'm just going to concentrate on now. Because, at the risk of sounding corny, Deepak Chopra did say, "The past is history. The future is a mystery. But what you have now is a gift. And that's why it's called the present."
Feeling Surer on Shaky Ground
It's been two months in the new land and I'm happy to say that it's OK. That's more than I could have expected to say two months ago. When I first landed here, I thought I had made some sort of huge mistake. What was I thinking leaving the comforts of home and venturing out into foreign lands? On my own? I was obviously kidding myself.
Turns out I wasn't. The revelation came as a suprise to me too.
When I think back, there were times I just wanted to turn away from all of it and not have to deal with any of it. What was the big deal about going abroad to study anyway? It's besides the point that millions of people do it every year. What made it necessary for me?
Now I have some of the answers. I needed to grow up. I was a child and would have always remained one back home. Out here, it's just me and that's making me develop in ways that take me by surprise sometimes. No, I'm no Einstein and I don't claim to be. But here I find myself turning going from a girl to a woman. The thought scares me sometimes. Most of the time, it makes me smile.
So I'm glad I didn't turn away. I like it here in this city where no one recognizes me. Makes me appreciate the familiarity back home. Of course I miss my family and friends. Who knew youtube could be so entertaining? And the course load is hectic. But there are some definite advantages and I'm not complaining. I've also realized that the tough parts are done almost as soon as they begin. It's just a case of hanging in there.
Does it make me want to go back. Hell yeah! But that can wait a while. For now, I'm learning too much to leave. And growing as a result of.
I'm grateful I took the advice of a teacher days before I left, when I was wavering whether I needed to take this big step at all. She said, "He who hesitates is lost." Thank you. I listened. Because I didn't hesitate, today I don't feel so lost.
Turns out I wasn't. The revelation came as a suprise to me too.
When I think back, there were times I just wanted to turn away from all of it and not have to deal with any of it. What was the big deal about going abroad to study anyway? It's besides the point that millions of people do it every year. What made it necessary for me?
Now I have some of the answers. I needed to grow up. I was a child and would have always remained one back home. Out here, it's just me and that's making me develop in ways that take me by surprise sometimes. No, I'm no Einstein and I don't claim to be. But here I find myself turning going from a girl to a woman. The thought scares me sometimes. Most of the time, it makes me smile.
So I'm glad I didn't turn away. I like it here in this city where no one recognizes me. Makes me appreciate the familiarity back home. Of course I miss my family and friends. Who knew youtube could be so entertaining? And the course load is hectic. But there are some definite advantages and I'm not complaining. I've also realized that the tough parts are done almost as soon as they begin. It's just a case of hanging in there.
Does it make me want to go back. Hell yeah! But that can wait a while. For now, I'm learning too much to leave. And growing as a result of.
I'm grateful I took the advice of a teacher days before I left, when I was wavering whether I needed to take this big step at all. She said, "He who hesitates is lost." Thank you. I listened. Because I didn't hesitate, today I don't feel so lost.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Dance with Daryl Davis
Tonight was a real eye-opener. How often do you meet an African American man who is friendly with members of the Ku Klux Klan?
Eyebrows raised? Mine came down just a few hours ago.
Daryl Davis got his first taste of racial discrimination as a child and was caught off guard when it happened. From then on, he became aware that he was part of a world where not many was were as his naive as him and that it could pretty cruel. Instead of letting that discourage him, he found an anchor in music and boogeyed away with stalwarts like Chuck Berry(given credit for starting the rock 'n roll movement and being the inspiration for Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Van Halen and anyone who's played "rock guitar.") His flawless music caught the attention of a Ku Klux Klan member who one day who put his arm around Davis and invited him to chat over a drink. The two men from backgrounds as immiscible as oil and water shared a friendly chat over alcohol and cranberry juice.
The association grew from that moment on, with Davis being admitted to the clandestine operations and lives of these clan members. He learned plenty and instead of forming strong opinions either in favour or against, he realized the importance of everyone being granted a forum to explain their views. That conversation can dispel so many myths and misunderstandings. The exercise will either achieve in shedding light on where a person's thought process is coming from or will make them question their own beliefs. Both outcomes can result in powerful changes. Who knew that the answer to something so complex lay in something so simple?
Tonight I also got an answer to a long-standing question: what's the difference between ignorance and stupidity? Davis summed it up succinctly by saying ignorance was poor decisions people made without sufficient information. Therefore, they can't be blamed because they don't know better. Stupidity is when a person makes poor decisions, despite having all the information. Education is the cure for ignorance - and for plenty more. Unfortunately, there's no cure for stupidity.
Tonight I went thinking that I'd hear a man rant about the evils of white supremacy. Instead, I got a beautiful message of how it's required to purge all forms of racism and discrimination from our society as though it were a cancer. Because it's common knowledge that an undetected or untreated cancer ultimately consumes the host.
Tonight I was filled with a feeling of looking forward to being part of the only race that exists - the human race.
Below is a video of Daryl David's music. Lose yourself in the universal language that constantly reaffirms its position.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Answers anyone?
Judith Miller visted campus two days ago - the journalist who spent 85 days in jail after refusing to reveal the name of her source during an investigation of the Valerie Plame case. She's advocating for a shield law that will guard journalists from disclosing their sources, much the same way in a patient-doctor relationship or the way a person and their priest share confidentiality.
I'm no one to pass judgment on these issues but it definitely stirs some questions. Is it likely that this law could be misused, becoming another loophole through which dirty secrets can remain hidden or the weak barrier behind which the cowardly can hide? If the press is allowed complete freedom, would this rule being enforced become the price it pays or the reward it earns?
Miller raised some other interesting points. What is the future of journalism, as it stands today? What can we (the journalists) expect from the profession and what can they (they consumers) expect from it? Does the profession have a chance of surviving or is it just another money-spinning degree for universities where those who love the written word will enroll? Is journalism about the tools and toys that have become imperitive to it - technological gadgets and gizmos - or is it about the content which is reaching the public through these fancy contraptions.
The questions tease me. I'm as eager for the answers as the next nervous journalism student in the seat next to me. We're both here to find out what happens a few years from now and if we'll be able to do our expensive degrees their due justice.
And finally, who is a journalist? The lines are blurring, with bloggers and just about anyone with access to the Internet, is able to make their opinion public. I just realized that there's a great irony in this message being declared here. Heck, who makes the rules anyway?
I'm no one to pass judgment on these issues but it definitely stirs some questions. Is it likely that this law could be misused, becoming another loophole through which dirty secrets can remain hidden or the weak barrier behind which the cowardly can hide? If the press is allowed complete freedom, would this rule being enforced become the price it pays or the reward it earns?
Miller raised some other interesting points. What is the future of journalism, as it stands today? What can we (the journalists) expect from the profession and what can they (they consumers) expect from it? Does the profession have a chance of surviving or is it just another money-spinning degree for universities where those who love the written word will enroll? Is journalism about the tools and toys that have become imperitive to it - technological gadgets and gizmos - or is it about the content which is reaching the public through these fancy contraptions.
The questions tease me. I'm as eager for the answers as the next nervous journalism student in the seat next to me. We're both here to find out what happens a few years from now and if we'll be able to do our expensive degrees their due justice.
And finally, who is a journalist? The lines are blurring, with bloggers and just about anyone with access to the Internet, is able to make their opinion public. I just realized that there's a great irony in this message being declared here. Heck, who makes the rules anyway?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
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