Good morning everyone. It is election day in the US, so all of you will be heading to the polls in a few hours to cast your vote for our future president and one of the most influential men in the world.
I cast my vote about a month ago so now I just sit back and watch. Our group will head out on the last tram to Prof. Corwin's tonight for an election party; because of the time difference, we're starting at midnight and staying until at least 3:00 a.m….but even then we'll only get the first wave of results, so its quite possible we'll be waiting until the sun comes up.
It's interesting to watch the election from outside the overcrowded, jostling American media sphere and to gauge the reaction of Europeans toward the election--the politicians, parties, process. There have been numerous mock elections conducted through magazines and media outlets across Europe and the vote has come out overwhelmingly in Obama's favor; indeed, most of the Hungarians we talk to hope for an Obama victory. So now we shall see what the American people decide.
In any case, I am thrilled to be an American today. Despite the media's overplay of party conflict, none of you will be threatened out of going to the polls; you don't have to fear overeager police brandishing tear gas and clubs or overzealous mobs wielding bombs and bats. Regardless of tonight's outcome, we don't have to fear the collapse of our government or dissolution of our constitution, and life will continue relatively normally after the results are confirmed this election day. Numerous social institutions will continue to freely advocate the cause of different social, ethnic, economic, and religious groups--including those you belong to--in the public sphere and American society as a whole will continue in this characteristic harmonious dissent.
At the end of the day, we'll all still stand behind the red, white, and blue. For all that, we can be thankful.
Cheers.
No comments:
Post a Comment