Obama's win in South Carolina

Obama's landslide victory in South Carolina on 26 Jan - due in part to many who love him, support his vision and believe in him...

Why am I following the US election so closely, you may ask, when I am not even remotely a US citizen or directly affected by the results of the election? In time to come I will reveal a little more on my tight focus on the election.

http://sc.barackobama.com/page/content/schome

An ardent supporter and volunter campaigner, Josh Stroman's thoughts after Obama's win in South Carolina:

We knew that we were going to have to be committed to the vision of what America could be, if we got involved and worked to bring it to life. The last day was incredible. We ran throughout the city of Columbia, posting signs, increasing visibility, knocking on doors, walking with people to the actual polling places. Whatever we had to do to ensure Senator Obama's victory, we were committed to doing it.

...His victory is vindication for so many of us who believe in what this country can be. It is also an indication that the American people can stand against the power of the establishment in order to usher in a new attitude and approach to uplifting the greater good.

I have invested, and I believe we all have, such an enormous amount of personal energy. We embraced Senator Obama's vision... in which each of us are empowered to be innovative in creating solutions that match the common challenges that we all face...

Lastly, I want to tell Senator Obama, that WE are so very proud of him, for having enough confidence and faith in the American people to launch this historic journey to restore the American presidency to its highest mantle.

This will not be easy, but it is very important that each American citizen, who believes that America can truly be a nation for the people and of the people, to get out and canvass, caucus, make phone calls, post signs, be patient with those who do not fully grasp the significance of the opportunity and it is important for us, to work with positive and encouraging spirits when speaking of the vision that we each share of a brighter and more promising America.

Being a part of Senator Obama’s campaign has meant so much to me. My friends and I plan on driving to Georgia, we may go to Maryland, Virginia and many more places if need be. I know that my story has inspired so many, but understand, that it is indeed, Senator Barack Obama, who has inspired me to dream dreams that I never thought could be possible. As I am empowered, I am allowed to empower others and in South Carolina, unity brought victory. I will forever be grateful for how this campaign has transformed my life and pray that each of us get involved in our own unique way, to reclaim the hope and the future of this nation. Thank you Senator Obama for allowing the American people, as diverse as we may be, to stand together as one people, and both collectively and individually contribute our talents and gifts to a cause much greater than ourselves.

Tenjewberrymuds

To get the full effect, this should be read aloud. You will understand what 'tenjewberrymuds' means by the end of the conversation. This has been nominated for the best email of 2005.

The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and room-service,
at a hotel in Asia, which was recorded and published in the Far East Economic Review:


Room Service (RS): "Morrin. Roon sirbees."

Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."

RS: "Rye..Roon sirbees..morrin! Jewish to oddor sunteen??"

G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs."

RS: "Ow July den?"

G: "What??"

RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, poochd?"

G : "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled please."

RS: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"

G: "Crisp will be fine."

RS : "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"

G: "What?"

RS:"An toes. July Sahn toes?"

G: "I don't think so."

RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??"

G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn toes' means."

RS: "Toes! toes!...Why jew don juan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we bodder?"

G: "English muffin!! I've got it! You were saying 'Toast.' Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine."

RS: "We bodder?"

G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."

RS: "Wad?"

G: "I mean butter...just put it on the side."

RS: "Copy?"

G: "Excuse me?"

RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"

G: "Yes. Coffee, please, and that's all."

RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin we bodder on sigh and copy....rye??"

G: "Whatever you say."

RS: "Tenjewberrymuds."

G : "You're very welcome."

Yes we can

Barack Obama conceded defeat to Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire on 8 Jan 2008, but he did so nevertheless, with a victory speech. An excerpt from Newsweek:

Speaking of an American spirit of "Yes, we can," Obama said: "It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes, we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom through the darkest of nights.

Yes, we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes, we can.

It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our New Frontier and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes, we can, to justice and equality."

Way to go, Obama!

Hillary vs Obama

The campaign between Democrats Obama and Clinton is heating up piping hot as the Democratic Primary draws near on Jan 26...

Excerpt from Newsweek, the article "Letting Hillary be Hillary"

The tangled issues seem to arise daily, even hourly. I asked a colleague of mine, an African-American woman who lives in neither Iowa nor New Hampshire, to write me a note describing her private feelings about the campaign. "I was a Hillary supporter going into the primaries," she said. "When Barack won in Iowa, I felt like a traitor to my race. What if this really is a moment where a black president is possible and I was going to vote for the woman! I felt awful. I constructed this whole complicated theory that I was resistant to the election of Barack because, if he won, then I and every other black person in the world was going to have to accept a new paradigm in American race relations—namely racism is not as pervasive and encompassing as we might like to believe and that the victim stance was going to be pretty hard to claim in the future. So then I became really excited and imagined how inspirational a black president would be, especially to the young black men who feel hopeless. Then came the 'You're likable enough, Hillary' moment, and I swung sharply back to Hillary. I thought: 'Great, another man who resents strong women and therefore resorts to personal insults to demean her'." In sum: from Clinton to Obama then back to Clinton—in the space of about four days.

Such is the sensitivity of these 2 Democratic candidates that

South Carolina Rep. James E. Clyburn felt compelled to issue a statement calling for a ceasefire: "I encourage the candidates to be sensitive about the words they use. This is an historic race for America to have such strong, diverse candidates vying for the Democratic nomination." John Lewis, the Georgia congressman, civil-rights veteran and perennial optimist, said, "I hope we will put these issues of gender and race to rest and return to the marketplace of politics."

Are we living in a historical moment or what?

(Note: My comments in purple, excerpt from Newsweek in blue)

Change we can believe in

We all need a change we can believe in. A change that can stamp a steady foot in the ground and say: “enough is enough of days of defeat and disappointment and discouragement. A new day has come – a day of hope once again, a day of light at the end of a dark tunnel once again – a change we can all believe in.”

There has been many a defeating moment in my life where over time, I lose a sense a believe in myself and in my ability to do better and do something extraordinary with these pair of ordinary hands, an inquisitive mind and a sincere heart. Many a day when I go to sleep at night discouraged at how little I have accomplished and how far I have fallen short of what I think I am capable of doing. When I see the toil and works of great men and women all round the world, I know in my heart of hearts that I can be that woman – that I too, can harbour big dreams and do great things in my lifetime, in my generation, not just for the benefit of my own self, or my family, or m friends, but for strangers whom I do not know, but lack the resources and ability to stand up for justice and do what could essentially improve their lives and make them a little happier, a little more complete. I believe I can be such a woman to do such a thing.

And that is why I am truly inspired by this African-American Senator of Illinois. In him I see the hope of a generation lost and weary. In him I see an intensity that outlines the enormous burden he carries in his heart and soul for a people he identifies as his own – the American people. In him I see the love of a man for his family and a love for God that directs him in the way that he is now walking – a path of integrity and responsibility and justice.

This man proposes a change Americans can believe in, when Americans have far too long been disappointed by governments that cared more for their agendas than the interests of the American people. With the ongoing presidential campaign for the Presidential seat in 2008, I am following close behind to be inspired myself – to fan afresh my dying flame of a change I can believe in for myself – that my dreams need not stay buried, but I can bring it out in the open once again – I can lay them in a straight line, walk alongside them and resurrect them into reality. I can believe in myself again.