Over 420,000 people passed through Kerry airport last year. Figures published today by the CSO show that 126,000 were on domestic flights, and almost 300,000 on international ones out of the Farranfore airport. The breakdown of figures show that the majority, 151,000 of the passengers, were coming or going on flights to London Stansted. Over 82,000 travelled to and from Frankfurt Hahn in Germany; almost 39,000 to London Luton; almost 17,000 to Manchester; and almost 4,000 to and from Lourdes.

On Friday 20th November the Open Door Network held a conference entitled “Crimes against Women and Children” at Manor West Hotel Tralee. Speakers included Solicitor Carolanne Coolican, Researcher Stephanie Holt, Nobuhle Ncube from the African Women’s Network and Crime Correspondent Paul Williams. The event was a great success and the presentations are available here.

http://www.bit.ly/TVPtwitter

http://www.bit.ly/TVPfacebook

Ring Of Kerry, Ireland-Ring of Kerry Ireland Travel Video PostCard

Anyone who knows the Ring of Kerry will understand. You feel caught in a poem or perhaps a melody, long after the player has disappeared. No one travels the 110 miles of the Ring on the western shores of Irelands County Kerry without being moved Is it the stillness ? or the patchwork hills rushing to meet the restless sea? Or the small things Like the tiny island of Valentia , a bowl of the best soup the crayola colored houses, chance meetings surprise encounters The solitude The Ring comes full circle at Muckross House and gardens, just outside of Kilarney, the perfect end, OR beginning, of a magical day. Watch our other Travel Video PostCards

http://www.discoverireland.ie

The Reid Doctrine™: The bold declaration of pre-emptive surrender made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in April 2007.

It was quickly echoed by both Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Joe Biden, as well as Barack Obama, John Kerry (who served in Viet Nam), and a host of other Democrats.

At The Politico, Ben Smith reports that a Republican, Fred Thompson, has adopted the Reid Doctrine™ in his criticism of Obama’s handling of the “overseas contingency operation” in Afghanistan …

“It really doesn’t matter how President Obama divides the Afghan baby, how he splits the difference between McChrystal and Biden. Because the war has been lost,” Thompson said on his radio show today. “I say this because of one sad and simple fact. The president does not have the will and determination to do what’s necessary to win it. His heart’s not in it, and never has been. The Taliban knows it. Al Qaeda knows it. Our allies know it. And the American people know it. {snip}

“Take your time, Mr. President,” Thompson said. Unless you have a total change of heart and mind, it really doesn’t make any difference.”

Obviously, the irony of accusing Obama of delivering a half-hearted effort is lost on Big Fred.

Regardless, this rhetoric is no more acceptable coming from a Republican than it is from a Democrat.

Shame on you, Fred Thompson.

More at HotAir

This Friday the 20th November the Open Door Network are hosting a conference entitled ‘Crimes against Women and Children’ at the Manor West Hotel in Tralee.

Over 200 delegates are expected to attend this conference and hear speakers:

• Solicitor Carolanne Coolican
• Researcher Stephanie Holt
• Nobuhle Ncube from the African Women’s Network
• Crime Correspondent and qualified criminologist, Paul Williams

During this year’s conference we will also hear from Bernie McCarthy, Counselor with the Kerry Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre and artist/filmmaker, Lisa Fingelton about their work with St. Michaels College in Listowel.  Students from the school who took part in the SAYIT project (Safety Awareness Youth Information Training) will show a short DVD about their learning experiences from the Course. This is the first time that film-making has been used to capture the experiences of the participants and give them a voice about what they learned and what was challenging.  The filmmaker Lisa Fingelton commented ‘this was a fantastic piece of work and a great medium to work with young people and raise the issue of violence against women and children’.

Other events iclude an ecumenical service held last Saturday Night in St. James Church in Dingle where the Shadow and Light exhibition was hosted for the weekend.

Further info contact Catherine or Jo at the Open Door Network – opendoornetwork@eircom.net

Just got the confirmation that the character that I co-created (with Rebecca Thompson-Flagg), “Spectra” the Original Laser Superhero was approved for booth space at next summer’s Comic Con in San Diego: http://www.comic-con.org/

I rarely gush over legislators, but this exemplifies what I want in one:

“In fact, Kerry was in Germany’s Black Forest, painstakingly inspecting yellowed tree boughs and browning pine needles caused by acid rain, when he learned that former US senator Paul Tsongas was about to announce his retirement because of cancer, clearing the way for Kerry to run.”

How many legislators care that deeply and do that much hands-on work even on their issues of choice? Hopefully, more than I think.

Hat tip to www.boston.com and Beth Daley at the Boston Globe.

–Bronwyn

This was sent to me today and I wanted to share it with all of you.  I do not know who wrote it; but it is very clever, current and topical.

An Early Christmas Poem

 Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas – no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people’s feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ‘ Holiday ‘.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe’s the word Christmas – was nowhere to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penney’s and Sears*

*You won’t hear the word Christmas; it won’t touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate ‘Winter Break’ under your ‘Dream Tree’*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !*

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet during the holidays a

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Today, the Senate Finance Committee held its first hearing for the Boxer-Kerry bill. News such as this would typically be welcomed as necessary progress, as we are pushing for strong climate legislation to pass through the Senate before Copenhagen. However, one must take into consideration ulterior motives when Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) is chairing the committee in question.

As the only Democratic Senator to vote “no” on the bill as it was marked up in the Environment and Public Works Committee, Baucus continues to mire progress in hearings that are antithetical to the success of the bill. Today featured industry and conservative lobbyists testifying before the Finance Committee on “Climate Change Legislation: Considerations for Future Jobs”. Included amongst the pro-nuclear and coal representatives was our friend Kenneth Green from AEI (side note: he remembered us interrupting him at the adaptation hearing. Success?)

Brad Johnson on Wonk Room called out Baucus on his indefensible submission to the “polluter lobbyists”, sharing the same sentiments as us that this hearing was supporting nothing more than the same empty rhetoric that has been spewed “time and time again for the past 10 years”.

The action factory shifted into high gear, deciding that we had to bring Finance Committee Senator’s attention to youth demands and constituent calls for global climate action.

John Kerry accepts our 350 tie

We arrived shortly before the hearing began, with some of us dressed in our now infamous Astroturf suits and others as real people demanding bold action on climate change from our leaders. As Senators approached the Finance Committee hearing room, our real people for global climate action approached the Senators, handing them a 350 tie and a glossy photo from a 350 international day of action in their respective home state.

We were lucky enough to have constituents in our group for conversations with Senator Cantwell (D-WA) and Kerry (D-MA), who both gladly accepted our pictures and ties. Kerry even scolded our Astroturfers, saying that there is already $10 million worth of provisions for the coal industry in the bill (yeah…great).

Action Factory takes on Senator Roberts

Not all Senators were as receptive, though. Senator Roberts (R-KS) took a tie but argued against wind turbines in defense of migratory birds (yes, we also thought we would never hear that misnomer of an argument again). We also caught Senator Baucus on his way out of the hearing, and while he gladly accepts money from dirty energy lobbyists would not take a 350 tie from us. After saying he “supported climate change”, we challenged him, asking if he supported bold action against climate change. His response is best summarized by the title of this post- a lot of talk behind inconsistent action.

Get a clip of today’s Charlie Rose PBS interview with Hillary Clinton. She talks about how she and John Kerry went to Afghanistan and convinced Karzai to go along with a second election round “even though he thought he won” by telling him their empathy for his position “because of what happened to us in the US election in 2000.” Hillary cites Kerry’s unique ability to tell Karzai “I’ve been there” and that because of that he is the one guy who could have helped convince Karzai. Hillary says the Supreme Court was wrong in what they did and implies that is equal to the blatant fraud and corruption in Afghanistan.

After trashing the US, Hillary goes on to try to rewrite history, saying that she “accepted” the outcome as a good civics lesson when in fact the Dems spared no effort to undermine the election and anything that came of it. If anyone in Afghanistan takes that as a lesson they will be taught to commit any sabotage of whatever comes out of this election if they don’t manage to steal it.

See the video. It’s a hoot to watch Charlie Rose with his trademarked supine fawning, buying whatever idiocy Hillary is spinning. Plus, now it is official: US State Department policy is now to trash the US as a means of cajoling foreign would-be dictators. Heard it from Hillary first.

A really informative article on the economic situation of Pakistan,friends of   Pakistan, the crisis we are facing due to our role in so called war against terror  and foreign interference in our issues.

Posted by Audiegrl

Senator John Kerry—I know the difference a generation of young Americans in motion can make.

A controversial climate change bill cleared its first hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, allowing President Barack Obama to tout progress in the run-up to next month’s global warming talks in Copenhagen.

Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ignored a Republican boycott and used their majority to approve the legislation that would require U.S. industry to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases 20 percent by 2020, from 2005 levels.

“I think this is a great signal for Copenhagen that there’s a will to do what it takes to advance this issue,” committee Chairman Barbara Boxer told reporters after her panel voted.

The committee vote also came as international negotiators held a contentious climate change meeting in Barcelona, their final session before the Copenhagen summit starts Dec. 7.

But Democrats are likely to fall far short of their goal of passing legislation in the full Senate before Copenhagen as Boxer’s bill lacks enough support for full approval.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid indicated as much. While he applauded the environment panel’s vote, he said, “There is much more work yet to do to obtain broad support” for a bill.

Tuesday’s election, which saw conservative Republicans capture governors’ seats in New Jersey and Virginia, could embolden some Republicans to ramp up opposition to climate change legislation.

“This bill will send energy costs racing upward and put the brakes on any hope of economic recovery,” said Representative Jim Sensenbrenner, a Republican. “Once the American public starts paying for these special interests, Democrats may not have much to hope for in future elections either.”

Some environmental groups praised the Senate panel’s action on the bill. Eric Haxthausen, director of climate policy for The Nature Conservancy, said it “helps clear a path forward on climate and energy legislation.”

The Union of Concerned Scientists urged that the 20-percent carbon reduction goal not be weakened.

Senator John Kerry, who co-authored the committee-approved bill with fellow Democrat Boxer, is leading an effort with some Republicans and the White House to draft a compromise.

With all seven Republicans chairs empty in the Senate environment panel’s hearing room, 11 Democrats voted to approve the bill. Only one Democrat, Senator Max Baucus, who chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee that also will review climate legislation, voted no.

AREAS OF COMPROMISE

Before casting his vote, Baucus said he was committed to passing a bill to tackle global warming. But he said the goal of cutting carbon emissions from utilities, factories and oil refineries by 20 percent by 2020 was too high.

Baucus said he would seek a 17 percent goal, with a “trigger” to hike it up to 20 percent if other countries “play by the same rules” in cutting their carbon emissions.

A climate bill that narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June sets a 17-percent target for 2020.

Baucus’ vote against the bill reflects the difficulties ahead in crafting a measure that would have to attract the 60 votes needed for passage by the Senate.

Other senators from Midwestern and Southern states heavily reliant on coal will seek their own changes, which could upset liberals now supporting the bill.

There is widespread expectation in the Senate that for any climate control bill to pass, it will have to contain new government incentives for expanding U.S. nuclear power-generating capacity and offshore oil drilling, along with money to help develop clean ways to burn coal, which is abundant in the United States.

There were scores of amendments to Boxer’s bill that environment committee members wanted to debate and vote on before approving it, but they were unable to because of the Republican boycott.

Under committee rules, at least two Republicans had to be present to debate and vote on changing the bill.

Boxer delayed work on the legislation for two days, saying she was giving Republicans the opportunity to collect more information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and to offer their own amendments.

But Republicans did not take her up on the offer and by Thursday, Boxer had lost patience with the delay.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN05115028

I was in the middle of getting twelve disco shapes to hang perfectly from the ceiling when something came to my attention: the intern girl, Kerry, sitting in the corner. She was still wearing her coffee stained scrubs. I could tell she had been crying. I walked into the dark corner and sat down next to her. Her face was red.

“You want to talk about it?” I asked, leaning closer.

“It’s nothing,” she whispered, “It’s really nothing…” She took a moment to wipe her nose with the inside of her scrubs. “I just found out I flunked my social services rotation. I won’t be able to make it up until the end of the year, which means I won’t graduate this year. That’s why I can’t go to the party. I’m not even supposed to be here; I’m supposed to be in my dorm studying. But all my friends are here setting up…”

She bowed her head and sniffed. She looked so alone. I had an idea.

“How about I talk to your attending?” I said.

“What?” She wiped her eyes with her arm.

“Actually, I’ll have Nurse Gliliwie talk to ver. How about it?”

She stood up and said, “No, it’s really alright. I’d never hear the end of it!” Finally, a smile.

I stood up with her as she pulled her pants up and fixed her hair. “Are you sure?”, I asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Okay, then.” I gave her a firm pat on the back and smiled. She pulled slightly away.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” I apologized.

“No! It’s just… we’re not allowed to touch the patients until we graduate. But it’s okay. I won’t tell anyone!”

We both shared a quick smirk of agreement and turned and left.

Just then, Gli ran up to me.

“How’s progress?” ve asked.

“I can’t seem to get the hand of these disco shapes. At least I haven’t broken any. By the way, How is Iedre?”

“Ve’s such a baby!” Gli swung vis head back and laughed. “Ve screamed holy murder when Dr. Elle slapped the freeze patch on vis leg! But ve’s okay now, ve’s done with vis little tantrum.”

Behind Gliliwie, I spotted Kerry again. She had joined up with one of her teammates and was engaging in pleasant conversation. They walked out together. ‘Good,’ I thought, ‘she found someone to study with.’ I was truly happy for her.

“Hel-lo, Q2 to Adam?”

Ah yes, Gli was still standing there. “Hi,” I said stupidly.

“Hi. Well, we should go and get dressed, don’t you think?” Vis hands were on vis hips and ve was giving me a very annoyed look.

“Yes! I mean, sure. Let’s do that.”

“Good.”

Q, one of the cafes in the hospital, was packed with people. Everyone was ready staging Patricia’s party. It was the perfect place to go; Patricia avoided coffee like the plague. It disgusted her.

I waved to Gliliwie, who was in the middle of a circle of people giving out directions. Ve gave me a quick nod and went back to work.

I walked up to the counter and dropped my arms loudly on it. The girl at the bar turned and looked at me. I had seen her before. She was one of the nurse interns.

“What can I get you Mr. North?” she asked in a thick Earth accent.

Let me digress.

Earth is still the home of the Federation, but most people have moved away from it. I really have no idea what my accent was before I got here, but now I have what some people say is a very peculiar one.

The first people I ever talked to were the nurses, and they were all Ferrandoli. The Ferrandole have a distinct accent. Their tongues are much thicker than a human’s, and this makes for difficulty understanding them if you aren’t used to it. After a few days, however, you can pick it up with ease. My problem was that for the first four days of my being here consisted of speaking only with the Ferrandole nurses. Until I met my Psyche, I had no idea what a human accent of any type sounded like. Now, my accent tends toward Galactic Received Pronounciation, which historically evolved from English and German, with a large influence from Ferrandoli. I haven’t been able to shake it, either.

The official language of the human race evolved from English and German as well. Just as Old English was a hodge-podge of everything, English as we now know it is about as comprehensible to a 21^st century human as Ferrandoli is to me. No idea.

So when I say the girl had a thick Earth accent, I mean it wasn’t GRP. Native Earth people still grow up learning Old English, and then begin to learn modern English. I knew the girl, and she was definitely fluent in modern English, but she still retained the pronunciations from centuries ago.

Anyway.

“Oh, the usual.”

“Sure thing!” She bounced around the bar mixing flavor after flavor, milk and cream and frosting and, of course, good hard coffee. She must have been temping for another barista, because she still had her sky blue intern scrubs on, although they had numerous coffee stains.

“So, are you excited for the party?” I asked, genuinely hoping she’d be there.

As she was about to open her mouth, a yell came across the room,

“Kerry, you’re not going so don’t pretend you are!” shouted a senior nurse.

“Got it, Zoavre!” she shouted back, quite annoyed. She twirled her index finger next to her short hair and gave an exasperated look. The coffee dinged.

“Oh!” She jumped to the micro and pulled out a fresh cup of coconut mint cappuccino. The pearly gates opened.

“Thank you.”

“That will be 20 credits.”

I swiped my cash chip over the sensor. Ding. Done.

I smiled at Kerry and went to sit down next to Gliliwie, who was done with vis planning.

“Why aren’t you doing anything?” I asked.

“Well, duh.” Ve gave me a stupid look. “You give the jobs to other people and then hide. If someone finds you and asks what you’re doing, you just say you’re between jobs.”

“Ah, I see.” I knew what ve was doing, ve hated to work. Ve was a natural-born planner, a leader. I stared at ver.

Ve started to crack a smile.

“See?” I said, “See? You know you want to do something.”

“Perhaps.” Gli lifted vis chin and puffed out vis chest.

“What still needs to be done?”

“Come on,” ve said, getting up and taking my hand, “let’s go spike the punch.”

Barry Needs to Get His Groove Back

The problem with the title of this post is; how do you get your groove back if you never had one?

It seems the day Obama took office, the verve and vigor of lactating Hope during his two years of campaigning seemed to disappear into a puff of political smoke and replaced by an all out power grabbing campaign. Something DC and the voters don’t take much of a shine to.

This supposed harbinger of bi-partisanship seemed to forget there would actually be some work to do once changing the drapes in the White House, setting up a basketball hoop, and taking the Oval Office. You know, like fulfilling his promises? Apparently, he forgot about that part of the equation. Most politicians do, but his effort to forget is epic.

In fact, President Obama hasn’t even been successful in carrying out that which he actually has spent a significant amount of time doing; campaigning for Gubernatorial races. Barry has spent more hours (and taxpayer dough) campaigning for Democrats in his time in office than other President in their first year in office. Every President of course practices this exercise, but none have been even close to the same levels as Barry. He, I believe, would campaign for the Democratic dogcatcher in Schenectady if the position were threatened. Last I checked, there were some promises to keep, jobs to create and a War in Afghanistan that needs badly needs tending to.

Anyone could rightfully argue that all of Barry’s lofty promises take time to achieve, much more time than he has had in office. However, forever screwed up are the chances of getting his dreams fulfilled in what will certainly be his only term in office, by not carrying through on his one resounding promise: bi-partisanship.

Barry apparently has decided because of the power grabs of his various bailouts and the fact the Legislature is stacked in his favor, that he doesn’t need bi-partisanship. Well Barry, how’s that working for ya? The 43 other Presidents before you realized things in DC do not get done without a little help from the other side. Alienation is a very bad thing in government.

Now, of course the R’s didn’t exactly extend their hands to the new President in the spirit of cooperation, but Obama didn’t even attempt to garner their support for any of his initiatives. That may work well in a campaign, but once you land in the hot seat you have to play well with others. There are enough reasonable R’s and I’s in the House and Senate who would have at least listened to what the newbie had to say before castigating him, alas, they were never even given the chance.

It’s not just the R’s Barry has alienated. He cannot seem to get his own people on board with him. Reid appears to be running his own show and until just today Barry has let him do it. Reid (I can’t believe I am going to say this) did the prudent thing by saying Healthcare Reform should not be held to a deadline. The White House rebuffed that by saying they expect a plan by Christmas.

Why would the White House demand such an irresponsible deadline? Because it appears the Office of the President of the United States is now a lobbying organization for the Legislative Branch. The last thing they want is their Democratic incumbents spending 2010 trying to get re-elected mid-term with controversial health care reform on the table. And, when you have Lieberman, McCain and Kerry lashing out at you, you have problems.

I don’t believe yesterday’s election results were necessarily a referendum on Obama’s job performance so far. But, I do know this: people are pissed at Government in general and there is going to be hell to pay in 2010.

Lactating Hope is not enough, Barry. It’s time to get to work. Work is something you do to get things done, especially when you have promised to do so. I realize you little experience with actual work, except for that stint at ACORN, but try and keep up with the rest of the class. For fuck’s sake man, you’re the President now!

Wow today makes exactly one year since I voted for change. Since we voted for change. I like to feel like it was my vote that made the difference, but truth of the matter it was all of our votes that made the difference. I needed you to vote just as you needed me to vote. I remember the excitement and anxiety that I felt that entire day. I work from 7:00am – 3:30pm so I got up extra early that morning just so I could get to the polls early and walk around all day with my “I Voted” sticker on at work. I’m usually the one that hits the snooze button a couple times, but on that particular morning I had no problem getting up. As a matter of fact, I was up before the alarm went off. The polls opened at 6:30 and I was in line at 6:15. It was raining, but I like so many other people didn’t care. We huddled under our umbrellas as we waited to get inside the building. Once we made it inside, it was so many people that all of the privacy booths were full. The poll workers gave us the option of going to a public table. I had to be to work at 7:00 and I had nothing to hide so I went and sat down at the table. As I was finishing up my ballot a man walked up to the table and stated “Now I’m going to sit down here and let ya’ll see who I’m voting for, because there’s only one choice” I along with all the other voters at the table immediately started laughing and gave him a nod letting him know that we felt the same way. He then sat down and said “Now somebody come and help me fill this thing out. I’m 52 years old and this is my first time voting.” A poll worker came over to help him as I was running my ballot thru the machine. I was voter number 116 and it was only 6:50am. I could only hope that the other 115 voters ahead of me had voted for Senator Obama as well.

When I got in my car I called my mom in tears. For the first time in my life, I felt like my vote had made a difference. I drove the 5 minutes to work with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart. I pulled into the parking lot and had to take a moment to gather myself. I couldn’t help but think about my parents, both of whom served in the US Military. My great- grandmother who at the time was 94 years old and had never thought an African American governor let alone a President was possible. My little sister who although wasn’t old enough to vote, would reap the benefits if Senator Obama won. I was consumed by the emotions of “what if”. What if this time my vote really made the difference? You see my first time voting was in 2004 during the Bush/Kerry election and Former President Bush won by a landslide, so I felt like my vote didn’t matter. I’d watched P. Diddy lead all of these “Vote or Die” campaigns and for Former President Bush to win by as many votes and he won by, I felt like this country girl from North Carolina marking a block on a ballot couldn’t possibly make a difference. But my ancestors had fought so hard for me to have the right to vote that I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from casting my ballot. As I got out of my car a fellow coworker saw my “I voted” sticker and stated “Gosh I hopes he wins” as she opened up her coat and showed me a “Yes We Can” button hidden inside. Here was this hippy looking Caucasian woman as excited and anxious as I at the possibility of Senator Obama becoming president. She gave me a hug and we both walked into the building. I’d seen this particular woman a number of times, we’d never talked, we’d never even spoken, but for those brief moments she felt like a life long friend.

I could barely work all day. My mind was everywhere. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t do anything but hope my vote was heard. My coworkers and I had done so well by not discussing politics in the work place, but on that day, all rules were out the window. We couldn’t help but talk about the excitement of possibly seeing a dream our ancestors, and some of us if we’re honest, never thought was possible, become reality. After work I went straight home and curled up on the couch and watched every news channel I could watch. I knew the winner wasn’t going to be announced until later that night but NOTHING else mattered to me. It was me, the couch, my blanket, the remote, and the TV. My mom and little sister tried to get me to go to a watch party at a local church, but I refused. I wanted to be home. It wasn’t that I was being anti-social…I just felt so strongly about Senator Obama that I wasn’t sure how I would have reacted had he not won. I didn’t want to throw something and it accidentally hit someone, or break someone’s belongings, so I felt like it would be best if I stayed in my own little world.

I was watching the election results and I heard the anchor say “Senator Obama has won Pennsylvania” I screamed and broke out into tears. It was at that moment that I knew Senator Obama was destined to become President Obama. Not long after they announced Pennsylvania, the west coast polls closed and his picture popped up on the screen. The words under his picture read “President Elect Barack Obama!” I paused the DVR box and just stared at his picture on the TV for a while, shaking my head. I knew what I was seeing, but I didn’t believe it. I knew I’d hoped for change, but the thought that it had actually come was too much for me to take in. He did it! I mean WE did it! America got it right! They looked past his color, his age, his experience, the controversial remarks made by his former pastor; they looked past it all and saw that regardless of all the naysayer’s he was the best person to lead America. As the tears ran down my face I heard my cell phone ringing. It was one of my friends from work. My voice cracked as I said hello, she stated “OMG Chelle he did it, we did it Chelle, we did it, OMG we did it. I am so happy right now you just don’t understand!” “I know” was all I could get out as we cried on the phone.

After she and I got off the phone I couldn’t help but think about how things had come full circle for President Elect Obama. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. As disappointed as I was that Senator Kerry lost the election in 2004, it had to happen that way. I borrowed a saying from a guy on BET and it has become my personal motto, “Yesterday happened like it did so that tomorrow can happen like it should.” Had Former President Bush not been re-elected, Senator Kerry would have been president 2004-2008.  Then former Senator Obama wouldn’t have run. It took Senator Kerry running, former Senator Obama speaking at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Senator Kerry loosing, and former President Bush failing, for us to get to this point.

I’m usually in the bed by 9:30 or 10:00 but I stayed up just so I could watch my future President give his acceptance speech. He said quite a few things that motivated me, but what stuck out the most was him saying “If there is anyone out there who doubts that America is a place where anything is possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer…” He was 100% correct. That night was my answer. I went to bed that night smiling from ear to ear, in my green “Yes We Can” shirt. It was no longer just a catchy phrase; it was now a call to action…A call to provoke the change that we all voted for. I was ready and inspired to do my part and for the first time in my life I knew that it was nothing, absolutely nothing that could stop me.