I was not able to watch the inauguration live, today, as I had to work. So, tonight, I watched, and cried, and shouted “Hallelujah.”

I was born and raised in California. I knew little about the struggles for equality in the South. My mother was, and still is, a Democrat, with strongly held views. She raised me to be color-blind. It was easy in Southern California at the time.

Then I joined the USWAC, and went to Ft. McClellan, Alabama. This was 1967. I went through Basic Training with women from all over the country, in all shades of poor.

On the base, racial discrimination was subtle. Off base, it was overt. I had never seen “Whites Only” restaurants, bathrooms, and drinking fountains, before, and was completely astounded. I did not understand. I truly did not. I was color-blind.

My daughter inherited my color-blindness, and I have three 1/2 black grandchildren.

When my first grandchild was born 11 years ago, I worried about the prejudices she would have to face in her life. I worried about what opportunities she would miss, because of her heritage.  When Barak Obama was elected, I rejoiced with much of the nation, but particularly for my grandchildren. I did not want them to experience the discrimination that I had witnessed.

I was in the Watts Riots of the early 60’s with some black friends. I witnessed the hatred of the blacks towards the whites, and feared for my life. Now, over 40 years later, I have been privileged to watch as at least these two races have come together to find common ground. I have been honored to live long enough to witness the election of a 1/2 black, 1/2 white United States President and feel joy and hope. I feel as if our nation can again be the example to  the world of humanity, compassion, and dreams made possible.

If we can come this far, in my lifetime, I KNOW that my children will live long enough to see the coming together of Christians, and Jews, and Muslims, and Hindus, and all religions. Because if we can elect Barack Hussein Obama President of the United States, anything is possible.

I choose to believe and spread hope that this world can live as one, and in peace, as Mahatma Gandi, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, and John Lennon, among SO many others have  taught us.

I try to stay away from politics in my blog, but this collection put together by the BBC is just too funny (and sad) to pass up. Pay particular attention to the last one.

 

The ‘misunderestimated’ president?

President George W Bush

All politicians are prone to make slips of the tongue in the heat of the moment – and President George W Bush has made more than most.

The word “Bushism” has been coined to label his occasional verbal lapses during eight years in office, which come to an end on 20 January.

Here are some of his most memorable pronouncements.

ON HIMSELF

“They misunderestimated me.”

Bentonville, Arkansas, 6 November, 2000

”I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe – I believe what I believe is right.” Rome, 22 July, 2001

“There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee – that says, fool me once, shame on… shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.”

Nashville, Tennessee, 17 September, 2002

“There’s no question that the minute I got elected, the storm clouds on the horizon were getting nearly directly overhead.”

Washington DC, 11 May, 2001

“I want to thank my friend, Senator Bill Frist, for joining us today. He married a Texas girl, I want you to know. Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me.”

Nashville, Tennessee, 27 May, 2004

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

“For a century and a half now, America and Japan have formed one of the great and enduring alliances of modern times.”

Tokyo, 18 February, 2002

“The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorise himself.”

Grand Rapids, Michigan, 29 January, 2003

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” Washington DC, 5 August, 2004

“I think war is a dangerous place.”

Washington DC, 7 May, 2003

“The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the – the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice.”

Washington DC, 27 October, 2003

“Free societies are hopeful societies. And free societies will be allies against these hateful few who have no conscience, who kill at the whim of a hat.”

Washington DC, 17 September, 2004

“You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror.”

CBS News, Washington DC, 6 September, 2006

EDUCATION

“Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?”

Florence, South Carolina, 11 January, 2000

“Reading is the basics for all learning.”

Reston, Virginia, 28 March, 2000

“As governor of Texas, I have set high standards for our public schools, and I have met those standards.”

CNN, 30 August, 2000

“You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.”

Townsend, Tennessee, 21 February, 2001

ECONOMICS

“I understand small business growth. I was one.”

New York Daily News, 19 February, 2000

“It’s clearly a budget. It’s got a lot of numbers in it.”

Reuters, 5 May, 2000

“I do remain confident in Linda. She’ll make a fine Labour Secretary. From what I’ve read in the press accounts, she’s perfectly qualified.”

Austin, Texas, 8 January, 2001

“First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren’t necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn’t mean you’re willing to kill.”

Washington DC, 19 May, 2003

HEALTHCARE

“I don’t think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs.”

Orlando, Florida, 12 September, 2000

“Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN’s aren’t able to practice their love with women all across the country.”

Poplar Bluff, Missouri, 6 September, 2004

TECHNOLOGY

“Will the highways on the internet become more few?”

Concord, New Hampshire, 29 January, 2000

“It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.”

Washington DC, 10 April, 2002

“Information is moving. You know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it’s also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets.”

Washington DC, 2 May, 2007

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

“I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.”

Saginaw, Michigan, 29 September, 2000

“Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.”

LaCrosse, Wisconsin, 18 October, 2000

“Those who enter the country illegally violate the law.”

Tucson, Arizona, 28 November, 2005

“That’s George Washington, the first president, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read three – three or four books about him last year. Isn’t that interesting?”

Speaking to reporter Kai Diekmann, Washington DC, 5 May, 2006

ON GOVERNING

“I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together.”

Bartlett, Tennessee, 18 August, 2000

“I’m the decider, and I decide what is best.”

Washington DC, 18 April, 2006

“And truth of the matter is, a lot of reports in Washington are never read by anybody. To show you how important this one is, I read it, and [Tony Blair] read it.”

On the publication of the Baker-Hamilton Report, Washington DC, 7 December, 2006

“All I can tell you is when the governor calls, I answer his phone.”

San Diego, California, 25 October, 2007

“I’ll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office.”

Washington DC, 12 May, 2008

Amen. We are all lucky to be living in this momentous time. I am again proud to be an American!

I was born and raised in California, and had little exposure to racism during my life. I was raised by a wonderful woman who was a Democrat in every way. But in 1967, my experiences changed. I joined the Women’s Army Corps and flew to Ft. McClellan, Alabama. When I was finally granted leave, and could leave the base after Basic Training, I went into town and was shocked to find (still) whites only bathrooms, and drinking fountains, and so many other forms of racial discrimination practiced. 

In my relatively short  life, I have been privileged to watch a remarkable change come upon this nation. We still have a long way to go. California, a “blue” or liberal state, enacted discrimination and hate, with the passage of Proposition 8. At least my county voted it down. I know how it happened. Some voters were confused. In voting “Yes” on Prop 8, they thought they were insuring gays the right to wed, when just the opposite was true. I spoke with one who did that.

Yes, change is a’comin’ as Dylan has sang, but more change is needed. I want to see tolerance, love, and hope as the norm, and bigotry, hatred, and fear as the abherration it truly is. I want to see our views expand so that we are all world citizens, not just citizens of our small little place in it. I want to see us transform ourselves into the incredible beings of which we are capable. 

Rainfall totals: Storm, .6; Season, 3.6

Today will be one historical day for this nation. With the whole world watching, I am confident we will do the right thing, and our next President will be Barak Obama. 

I’ll be taking the day off from blogging so that I can catch up on work, in between watching exit polls and the electoral votes mounting up for the candidates. The highest voter turn-out in American political history is expected today. That, in itself, is a reason to celebrate. The vast majority of us are excited about the change that is coming. Others are afraid. Change always brings fear, it seems. To me, it means this nation has come to its collective senses, after 8 long years of political hell.

Gather around your favorite news source, or gather together in local pubs and hang-outs, and enjoy this defining moment in our national history.

From the Associated Press:

Barack Obama came up a big winner in the presidential race in Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location, N.H., where tradition of having the first Election Day ballots tallied lives on.

Democrat Obama defeated Republican John McCain by a count of 15 to 6 in Dixville Notch, where a loud whoop accompanied the announcement in Tuesday’s first minutes. The town of Hart’s Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain and two for write-in Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns’ ballots but got no votes.

“I’m not going to say I wasn’t surprised,” said Obama supporter Tanner Nelson Tillotson, whose name was drawn from a bowl to make him Dixville Notch’s first voter.

With 115 residents between them, Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location get every eligible voter to the polls beginning at midnight on Election Day. Between them, the towns have been enjoying their first-vote status since 1948.

Being first means something to residents of the Granite State, home of the nation’s earliest presidential primary and the central focus — however briefly — of the vote-watching nation’s attention every four years.

Town Clerk Rick Erwin said Dixville Notch is proud of its tradition, but added, “The most important thing is that we exemplify a 100 percent vote.”

If only the rest of the nation could get 100% voter turn out. Perhaps we need to do as Australian does, and make it a crime not to vote!