As I had posted previously, Election Day in the United States had massive potential to end with some sort of immediate unpleasantness beyond the actual poll results. I am happy that I am a poor prophet, in that regard, thank the Lord.
I found Obama's Tuesday night acceptance speech to be fairly genuine in that he acknowledged those who did not vote for him, and seemed to imply that he knew he must listen to the opposing line of thought if he has any hope of realizing his ideal of a more unified nation. He also seemed to have a slight tone of humility. Was it real? Who can say at this early stage? I hope it's genuine.
Going forward, I wish him well. I hope his heart is as he seems to believe it is. He seems to think he is a good, well intentioned person. I hope he is right. I hope he is not the person he has been painted to be by some. I still have a lot of issues with his philosophy of shared wealth and some of his other social / moral stances, but he now has his shot to lead. Let's see what the man can do. Only time will tell, as always, how this will play out. I voted my conscience and that is all I, or anyone, could do.
In the future, I will continue to speak out against injustice and evil, but as of now, Barrack Obama will be the President for the next four years. I cannot change that, nor would I, now that we have reached this point in time. The people, no matter how unwisely, have spoken. The system worked as it was designed. According to scripture government is allowed by God's mercy to give structure to our world and because of that we are to offer that government some degree of acknowledgment and respect. As Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God, that which is God's." God is in control as I posted before. His will be done.
For good or ill, if all goes as planned, Obama will become the 44th President of the United States next year. If you are someone who prays, please pray for him. He will need it. I suspect his dreams and ideals will be greatly challenged as realities and world situations, only imagined by the average person, are revealed to him by the highest levels of the U.S. intelligence machine.
I am sure there are levels of knowledge, that would make it difficult for many of us to sleep at night if we were allowed to share in them. It's an ancient adage that ignorance is bliss and this may be more of a blessing than we know. Horror writer H.P. Lovecraft said, "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all of it's contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far." And while I'm sure there is a large gap between the world view of the late author and myself, I think there is a ring of truth in what he says, if not metaphysically, then at least in the more mundane temporal sense.
So, in some ways, I pity Obama or any head of the executive branch - past or future. I don't think anyone who seeks the office of US President REALLY knows what they have gotten themselves into until it is too late, so to speak.
It is not a job I would wish for myself or any of my friends or loved ones. Godspeed Barrack Obama.
