There are so many things to write about the new history that America has just written for itself and the world.
But the emotions are so overwhelming that it’s
difficult to put all of them into written words. Some of these emotions are
that profound... I am not an American citizen, yet I can feel the electricity
that has swept the nation. I am lucky to have lived this historical moment when
millions of Americans voted to make their first African-American President.
It’s not a victory for America alone, but for people all over the world who
believe in change and diversity. America has just proved that “impossible is
nothing.”
I have friends from different countries and
backgrounds and I can see how deeply they are moved by this historical event.
You don’t need to be an American to be hopeful about the future that lies
ahead. You don’t need to be an American to celebrate this victory. I think it’s
a victory for the mankind. The 2008 U.S. elections have taken us one step
toward a better world, where a person can actually dream to become the
president of the world’s most powerful country in spite of being a person of
colour. Barack Obama has not only kindled new hopes for men of colour, but for
people of all races, religions and upbringings. I can’t think of any other
politician with a more diverse background than his. He is the living example of
what you can do when you know what you want to do. The world has a lot to learn
from the last U.S. elections. I hope the politicians in Bangladesh too learn a
lesson from this historic event, and start thinking selflessly for a change. My
country perhaps needs an Obama too…
I was at home the election night, following the news updates
on Google and waiting for the historical announcement. The Internet speed
wasn’t doing justice to me so I left for campus after 10:00 pm – I didn’t want
to miss the live coverage of Obama’s victory speech at Grant Park, Chicago. I
wouldn’t probably live to watch another similar historical event! I don’t know
if I grew too emotional but tears did fill my eyes when the NBC camera from
time to time relayed images of Jesse Jackson, the legendary American civil
rights activist. I don’t know what emotions the tears of Jackson carried. I
wonder how it must have felt for the black people across America when they
heard Obama deliver his victory speech. It must have been one of those
too-good-to-be-true feelings. After centuries of oppression and discrimination,
it was time for them to celebrate, to hold their heads high in pride. Their
hearts were probably weeping and yelling for the triumph that they and their white,
yellow and brown partners have made possible. The new American President just
proved that a candidate's skin colour can be a secondary factor in a race as
important as the U.S. presidency. The world seems to me a better place to live
after November 4. I don’t know if that is a bit too much to feel, but I can’t
help but feel positive about the days ahead.
Despite all the talks about his connection with
Islamic fundamentalists, America voted for him. Doesn’t it signify something?
Doesn’t it evidence the fact that the majority of the Americans probably never
believed the terrorizing stories that Bush administration fabricated around the
Muslim community? And what if Obama were a Muslim? How could it really make him
ineligible for the U.S. presidential candidacy? On NBC’s Meet the Press, Republican
ex-Secretary of State, General Colin Powell raised these important questions
that made many Americans think about Bush administration’s systematic effort to
link Islam with terrorism.
Obama has become not only the President of the United
States of America but also the most powerful leader of the world. He preached
that change was what the Americans could believe in. Along with the Americans,
the whole world is also looking forward to him making some good and positive changes.
With the worldwide recession, countries all across the globe are hoping that
Obama would save the superpower from its current state and eventually, the
world. People are expecting a lot from the new world hero, and time will only
tell us if he will be able to bring the changes that he said he would.
Date: 5th November, 2008
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