It's been remarked by several people that a joy has settled on the nation after the election. The election of Obama, a lightworker, has led to a transcendent peace moving the nation forward after eight years of darkness.
And I'm only being slightly snarky.
My wife pointed it out first. She said it was the first time that she had ever seen liberals happy. I took a second to ruminate on that, and found it pretty insightful. The electoral successes of the Republicans from 1980-2004 were pretty solid, with 1992 being the only real change, and that was ended pretty quickly.
Reports are coming in of liberals singing the Star Spangled Banner, buying American flags, and being proud of their country again. Is it a new day?
I'm tempted to take the good news where I can find it. After 8 years of hearing how horrible everything was, no matter the facts, maybe the country just wanted a breather from the partisanship. And yet, who is responsible for the nasty mood? Who takes to the street, gets in the face of those they disagree with, and feels comfortable saying the craziest things about the president and his staff without a hint of disbelief?
Who claimed the 2000 and 2004 election were stolen? Who says we live in a fascist state? Who claims their liberties are lost, the economy is the worse it's been since Hoover (okay, that last one may be true, but it wasn't true from 2002-2006), and the president is a puppet being run by the evil oil companies who enjoy sending stupid rednecks and poor blacks off to kill innocent brown people?
I'm not looking forward to the Obama conspiracy days. The Clinton and Bush ones were bad enough, but Obama has a funny name, and doesn't look like those guys on the dollar bills. Still, to suggest that we should all pull together after years of the nastiest partisan sniping away only makes sense if you think Obama is a centrist who will govern in a manner that is acceptable to conservatives.
I'll personally judge him on his actions. He is the president, and it's important he get things right, for all of our sakes. But his election, as the Democratic nominee, doesn't change my love of this country. Win or lose, a candidate should not be the cause for joy in an electorate.
So while I applaud the newfound patriotism on the Left, my hope is these feelings mature into a genuine love of country, and not the shallow validation of one's worldview that passes for hope these days.
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
Every generation must learn the lessons of freedom on their own. My hope and prayer for this adminstration is that the election of Obama reminds all Americans that our system, though imperfect in granting us our every wish, is self-correcting. Democrats can attempt to correct what they perceive is wrong with the country in the next 4 years. Should they win or lose in 2012, one would hope the love of country they express today stays in their heart.
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