"Careful, this is not the world, only the way you need to see the world." - Philip Graham
The election of Barack Obama and the growth of a Democratic majority in Congress seems to have been a turning point for many people in this country. The celebration has been widespread after a campaign carried by the most politically active public in our country's history. Emotion was the fuel for those fervent voters and campaigners; discontent with the current administration and legislature and a desire for an alternative, the replacement of those that betrayed them.
At a time when dissatisfaction reigns, idealistic rhetoric can be the most powerful instrument for change. However, the change we seek is not limited to electing Barack Obama and establishing a Democratic majority in the legislature. These are but the first two steps to realizing the abstract concepts that were so often spoken of during the election. It is unfortunate that terms like "equality," "peace," "cooperation," "stability," and "compassion" are abstract ideas, but they will remain that way until we recognize that there is no end to the change we seek. We cannot fall back into apathy after each accomplishment and then claim ignorance when things subsequently go awry. There is no question that change can be made quickly, but it needs to be maintained vigilantly.
Barack Obama is not our nation's messiah. He may prove to be a great, successful leader in the White House, but we cannot let the burden of our expectations rest solely on his shoulders. In electing him as our next president, we have made ourselves just as responsible, if not more, for bringing about the "change we need." Likewise, the blame for the past eight years falls on us as much as it does on President Bush, his administration, the incumbent legislature, and the intelligence community. We've seen what complicity can do to our country when we rely on others to take action on our behalf. We need to re-establish accountability, not simply by voting every two years but by making ourselves known, by reaching out to our elected officials and to each other. Write letters. Make signs. Protest. Make use of the rights given to us by our Constitution. Our 300 million voices make up the most powerful political body in our nation's history. So let your cheers be heard now, but also your complaints, your desires, and your outrage. Our government cannot fail us unless we let it, and it cannot succeed unless we support it.
