Support science

The Guardian set up a Flickr group where people could post messages to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama; and the messages have been pouring in. Many of them have been simple good wishes. Some offer help. Others ask for help or give well-meant warnings.


At least one asks, “Support science.” Not sure about the mad scientist but in the light of the direction the US might have taken under a Palin Vice-Presidency I have to endorse the sentiment.

Clinton Lite

I apologise to many of the people who celebrated so spectacularly after the American Presidential elections. I commented how many of them seemed to expect the world to change overnight. I said “Massive change accomplished by one man – I think not.”

What I had failed to appreciate was how many of those celebrating were like Ron Sullivan in Berkeley who thought “Obama doesn’t have to walk on water. I’m expecting Clinton Lite. I’m relieved enough to yell, just that my nation hasn’t been evil/dumb enough this time to elect McCain.”

Next Blog, Next President, Next Please...

Do you ever press the ‘Next Blog’ button at the start of the page? It’s a bit like StumbleUpon but primarily (not exclusively) takes you to amateur Blogs. You can usually see at a glance whether it is going to be worth reading (or readable – I only have three languages, English, French and Latin and there aren’t many Latin ones!).


The last couple of days I’ve been to a few blogs that way and the sad thing is how many are by young Americans who voted for Barack Obama. All of them are looking forward to real change in the next four years and feel as though there has been a major shift in the way the world (i.e. the USA) will be organised. Like Emily Bennett from Columbia College Chicago - "I think that is pretty freaking awesome! I got a nice button that says "I WAS THERE" because I totally was. I went to Grant Park and watched the election results and then the speech right there with the rest of Chicago and it was amazing. I'm so excited for the next four years." There seems to be a perception, for example, that racial attitudes have changed overnight. As if...


I’m not suggesting that Obama’s election is a Bad Thing but I’ve been around long enough to know that in twenty years time this will just be a minor footnote in the record books. Massive change accomplished by one man – I think not.
 

As I write

As I write this the Americans are going to the polls and we should, according to all the pundits, have the first African American US president-elect by the end of the day.


109-year old Amanda Jones, whose father was born into slavery, who paid a discriminatory poll tax for decades, and who was already middle-aged when Rosa Parks caught that bus, cast her vote this week. No prizes for guessing for whom she voted!

Politicians, at best, disappoint, and I'm far too much of a 'red' to pin much hope on a centrist like Obama. But the alternative of Republican McCain, and a VP like Ms Palin giving us years more Bush-style government are truly frightening.


But I do hope that this little girl lives to 109, and sees as much change for the better as Mrs Jones.