At last, a new hope?
It's not very often that we can claim to have witnessed a moment of history.
Huge events - possibly world defining - don't enter into the public consciousness daily.
Every generation has its own "where were you when such and such happned?" moment: a tsunami, the outbreak of a war, September 11, an assassination etc.
The examples mentioned above have all adversely affected people and been burned onto their memories but, then again, good news is never as dramatic as traumatic news.
I think we may have witnessed one positive and potentially world-changing moment on Wednesday when Barack Obama was made the Democratic Party's first, black, Presidential candidate. He beat Hilary Clinton to the role and will now face veteran Republican John McCain in the race to the White House this November.
The propspect of a black President in the White House is a real possibility and a sign that, as Bob Dylan said, 'the times they are a-changing."
Much more important than the colour of his skin, however, is Barack Obama's drive towards tolerance, fairness, dignity, and hope for all.
Such is the power and influence of the USA that whoever is in charge - and whatever policies he follows - will directly impact us over here.
Derry isn't likely to feature prominently in an Al-Qaeda 'wish list' of potential targets for suicide attacks, but we all have a brother or sister, cousin or friend, somewhere that does - London, Madrid, New York, Sydney, to name but four.
For the first time, there is a glimmer of light at the end of that tunnel as Obama should prove to be the antithesis of his predecessor. A man who wishes to foster peace, not war.
When George Bush first came to power eight years ago it was a bit of a joke.
His jocular Mr Everyman approach and apparently liekable, if oafish, persona managed to convince the American electorate that he was a suitable President. Well, it convinced enough even if it didn't convince a majority.
The same can't be said of 2004 when, astonishingly, he won again despite the disaster of the Iraq War.
The man who, in a few short years, managed to destroy the goodwill of the rest of the world towards the United States post-September 11, will be stopping off in the North this month as part of his farewell jaunt around Europe.
The man who said it was ok for the world's greatest democracy to torture people - simply because he replaced the word torture with the term "enhanced interrogation techniques", as he did in 2006 - will be met with open arms by our elected representatives. The Council of Europe referred to the term as “essentially a euphimism for some kind of torture.”
However, the important thing is that his second term and warmongering is coming to an end and, for once, there can be a bit of optimism for the future.
Nobody expects miracles or for the world’s problems to be ironed out over the next four years, but it would be a real sign of progress after the disappointments of the last eight years if Obama was to succeed.
Prejudices run deep
Barack Obama is just a man, but he appears to possess many qualitites not currently held by the incumbent - humility and awareness being the two most notable.
Victory for Obama won’t be easy. Prejudices run deep in America and the prospect of a black President would be anathema to many.
As journalist and author Michael Tomasky pointed out, there are many hurdles he will have to overcome. Tomasky wrote: “Back in April a church, if you can believe it, in South Carolina (yes, sigh, believe it) posted a sign on its exterior message board: "Obama, Osama, hmmm, are they brothers?" This is just the beginning. And it is not even the most sinister aspect of this. That would be the death threats he will undoubtedly receive by the thousands between now and November.”
It takes a brave man to stand up and face the hatred and bigotry of others in any walk of life - but to put yourself in that position as a Head of State takes the sacrifice to an almost incomprehensible level.
Obama’s message is one of hope and one of change. The slogan “Yes, we can” has been adopted by his supporters and was chanted by thousands of supporters at a victory rally in St Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday night.
One man who was there, Greg Adkins, commented: "It was great, and it was historical, and it was really significant. I'm a lifetime Republican, and I was touched and moved."
At that victory rally Obama said: "America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past.
“Tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another, a journey that will bring a new and better day to America.”
Such are the links between the destiny of America and our own that a new and better day for America means a new and better day for the rest of us. Fingers crossed.
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
