The Man Who Could Move Mountains
Posted on | January 19, 2009
I am sitting here, bathed in my patriotic flag of red and white1 rooting and cheering for a man who will never be my National Leader.
Moving mountains, probably not but the task ahead of him is possibly the greatest weight a President of the United States has ever undertaken.
I’m sure the last, biggest challenge a world leader faced was Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Turning from Communism to a free market society must have been the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
Is that what President Obama faces?
Why am I, as a Canadian2, so unbelievably excited about the leader of a different country?
It’s a breath of fresh air.
It’s light at the end of the dark tunnel. Hating Americans; not the people of course but the Administration was becoming something of a past time.
People from abroad; when they heard my accent assumed I was American until I announced differently. “No, no, I’m CANADIAN!” It was like we were all condemned from the North American continent
But the Bush Administration strained our bordered relationship; each other’s largest trading partner and it’s been tenuous at best. It’s not the first time nor the last our Leaders will have a strained relationship.
Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin certainly didn’t hide their contempt for “W”. Even our current Prime Minister, Stephen Harper hasn’t been his biggest fan - AND HE’S CONSERVATIVE. Well, Canada’s idea of Conservative.
But here we are, on the cusp of a new world.
Even our news is littered with Obama-Mania. Scattered between, “…more snow on the way” and “…tragic fire today…”.
I’m watching children of Indian decent singing reggae.
Asian children talking about the importance of a Black President.
Whites extolling the virtues of a man they’d never met.
So here I am. Proud Canadian that I am, nodding my head with everything they’re saying.
I may be Canadian but for the first time in my life, I wish I was American.
President Obama, my hopes for your future: No, your Country’s future - abounds with wishes.
Good luck to you.
And, thank you for bringing back hope. You’ve made me believe in Politicians again.
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