God Bless America

Yes, God Bless our nation and God Bless our world as a whole.

...and yes. God Bless President Elect Obama. It’s would be hard to imagine two more moving addresses than Senator McCain’s concession speech and President Elect Obama’s victory speech.

Congratulations to President Elect Obama and congratulations to Senator McCain for all that he achieved in this campaign. To quote from President Elect Obama's victory speech, "He fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader."

No matter which way you voted, this is a great day for our nation. The election process, this FREE election process is testament to one of the things I love most about my nation. More people participated in this election than in any other in recent history. That’s a good thing.

No, that is a fantastic thing. The exact percentage of voters who cast their ballots yesterday will not be determined for days or even weeks, but there is every indication that a historic number of American citizens participated in the election process this year. I realize that many who stop by Rabbit Run Cottage are disappointed today. Some of my friends and family members join you in your disappointment. Many I know through blogging, as well as other friends and family, are thrilled with last night's results. But the campaign is now over. The people have spoken and now is the time to put aside any rancor and come together as a nation. This man, Barack Obama, in just a few weeks time, will take on one of the most difficult jobs in the world. He will also be the US military Commander in Chief. For that alone he deserves your respect. One of the things I learned in 27 years as a military wife was to hold our Commander In Chief in respectful high esteem, whether you agree with all of his policies and ideals or not. He has a difficult job ahead of him and needs our prayers and well wishes. Barack Obama, the son of a father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, was elected the nation's 44th president Tuesday, breaking the racial barrier to become the first African American to be elected to the country's highest office. This nation, stained by slavery, scarred by years of civil war and generations of racial strife, delivered a resounding victory to the 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois. His victory was a giant leap in the march toward equality for all people regardless of race, color, sex or religion. When President Elect Obama was born, people with his skin color could not even vote in parts of America, and many were killed for trying. This alone is reason to celebrate. I well remember a nation of segregated schools and the fight for voting privileges for all Americans regardless of color. No matter which way your political leanings may be, all Americans must see this defining moment with great pride. It is truly a historic moment, one that I feel blessed to have witnessed.

We must come together as Americans, as one nation, as one people. Our country deserves that... no...our country demands that. Continued division hurts our nation and demeans us as human beings. We must find a way to work through our differences and respect one another as thoughtful, well meaning, educated people. Those who disagree with us are not ignorant, stupid, Un-American, Un-Christian sheep being led to slaughter. No one I know, no matter which way they voted, fits these assumptions. We can do better than this. We MUST do better than this. To quote from President Elect Obama's speech last night, "This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America." Yes...God Bless America. God Bless you all.