he won. everyone is happy -- at least outside the united states. up until the last minutes i was wondering whether it was possible for americans to elect an african-american president; whether racism would prevail over reason (as it by definition does). i wondered whether it was possible to admit political failure in the face of a world that acted as if it was voting for americans; would pride overcome reason (as it almost by definition does). i seriously could not imagine the united states as a voting community where east coast intellectuals with their "european aspirations" would agree with evangelical southerners. i was proven wrong. i'm glad.
americans appear ready for some serious change. my view of american citizens has changed from imagining them as guided by fear and pride -- the scariest combination of them all, especially if ignorance is added -- to a people who vote for a future despite their historical handicaps. the landslide result of the election showed that americans can think beyond race and their self-image as the world police as the boastful xenophobic rhetoric of the republican party failed.
the interest of the rest of the world in the election does appear slightly exaggerated and somewhat controversial. the facebook group aim for normalizing "hussein" as a middle name should not be forgotten after the elections; i wish finns would continue with "mohammed" as an act of solidarity towards our own minorities who are discriminated against. seeing everyone agree on obama "the leftist" as the best candidate does strike me almost hypocritical after local finnish elections ended with a booming victory for the right wing while it is undoubtedly true that what is considered leftist in america is not quite the same in our social democratic society.
the man has had the cape of a messiah landed upon him. no envy on my part. i wish him luck.
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