Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Regarding the Election

I was glued to CNN.com for about three hours today, checking in on the American election. I won't bore everyone with my political views, but I will just say that obviously, the results did not make me cheer. Granted, since my candidate never even got the nomination, I didn't expect to be thrilled with either outcome. Ho hum, time will tell...

Still, the election did have one positive outcome for me - it was a great conversation-generator with my classes. Korean kids are far more informed than American kids. I doubt that even one in one hundred American kids have any idea who the President of Korea is, or even if Korea has a President. My Korean students, however, were all aware not only that today was election day in America, but that Obama won. They know all about him, McCain, Palin, and Bush (although they know nothing about Biden, and I figure they're happier that way). I had some really great discussions in the two most advanced classes that I teach. I came away from those classes once more in awe of my kids - they are so bright!

So, even though I am mentally curling into a fetal position over some of the election results, and even though I am extremely concerned about one of the proposals that passed in my home state, I am glad that election day has come and gone. At last the candidates can stop throwing around money like confetti in an attempt to win, and at last I can hear about something new when I check the American news online. Plus, despite my feelings about Obama, I am pretty happy to be from a country where a black person can be President.

No comments:

"Passage—immediate passage! the blood burns in my veins! Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
Cut the hawsers—haul out—shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?
Have we not grovell’d here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken’d and dazed ourselves with books long enough?

Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go, And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

O my brave soul!
O farther, farther sail!
O daring joy, but safe! Are they not all the seas of God?
O farther, farther, farther sail!"

~Walt Whitman, "Passage to India"