By Niaz Hoda,
Although it has been few days after the historical US election outcome I’m still in awe and admiration for this great nation on earth. I have been religiously voting republican ever since I became naturalized citizen. I voted Republican because of their conservative agenda of family values. This is some what close to my personal beliefs.
I’m little reluctant in admitting that I have voted twice for Bush due to my party affiliation which I now regret. This time it was not hard for me to cross the party line. Firstly, because I had to make up for my past mistakes and secondly, I had to choose between status-quo and CHANGE. As the result shows that majority of citizens opted for CHANGE.
I was in downtown Chicago near Grant Park on the eve of election night. I witnessed this historic moment along with the sea of enthusiastic supporters of Barack Obama. It was mostly young men and women from all ethnicity and minority as well as majority background. The jubilation and excitement was apparent. This fervor was because of verification and confirmation of the political system that works in the USA. This can set an example for the rest of the world.
The presidential election result can be partly credited to Chaney & Bush performance based on lies and deception and partly on Obama’s charismatic personality and convincing oratory skills and largely because of the true American spirit of citizens of America. I’m sure some people must have voted for him just because of the color of his skin but for majority of his voters who are white, the color of the skin of candidate did not matter. They listen to his program with open mind and open heart and voted without racial bias and discrimination. This is the beauty of people of the US of A and today I feel very proud that I’m part of it. Being a new immigrant and minority in this country, I can tell my kids that if you want, you can also be the president of America one day.
I’m not a political pundit, but one thing even I can foresee that this is a dawn of new era in American and world political history. By electing Obama, our new president, we will be able to at least slowdown the eroding American status as global leader. The next 4 or 8 years will determine if we will be able to regain this position.
On our national scene, nation will anxiously wait how the new President will translate the massage of CHANGE and HOPE into reality. He has tough task ahead in bringing back the economy in shape, an affordable health care for all, a real education system that goes beyond the slogan of “No Child Left Behind”; reforms in government, and corporate accountability etc. and merging the “Blue States” and “Red States” in “United States of America”. I have high hopes that any effort done with sincerity will bring fruitful result just as the result of this election.
Niaz migrated to the United States in 1986 and works as IT Consultant for databases.