Quotes of the Day
On the night before his death, Martin Luther King Jr. mesmerized a Memphis, Tenn., congregation with an address in which he said, "I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land" [Nov. 17]. On election night we watched as Americans from Virginia, home of the capital of the Confederacy, to California voted for a President not on the basis of the color of his skin but on the content of his character. Now we know what King saw from the mountaintop. We have overcome.
Alan B. Posner, ROYAL OAK, MICH., U.S.
Now that we've brought "change" by giving even more power to the party that forced bad loans and obstructed Fannie Mae reform while driving jobs overseas, it should not take long for Barack Obama to set the record straight on which party is actually pushing the "failed policies of the past." The only question is whether he will be able to continue blaming Republicans for the disastrous policies of Democrats.
Robert Moon, CINCINNATI, OHIO, U.S.
During John McCain's gracious concession speech, he had to pause to quiet his supporters as they booed at the mention of Obama's name. If McCain had conducted his campaign with the grace and honor he showed in defeat instead of stirring up the worst instincts among his party's right-wing base, the outcome of the election might have been different.
Bernadette Pruitt, WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, U.S.
I just turned 18 before this election. I did not follow politics at all and held some racist views. I volunteered briefly for Obama, knowing he offered the change our country needs. I now feel proud to have been part of this exciting milestone.
Lauren K. Cichon, ST. JOSEPH, MICH.,U.S.
I now have two heroes: J.K. Rowling, who made my children readers, and Obama, who made them voters.
Charles Hirschhorn, PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIF., U.S.
To the supporters of California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage: 1963 called — it wants its bigotry back.
Julie Heinze, SAN CLEMENTE, CALIF., U.S.
All of a sudden the media realizes what a disaster George W. Bush has been, not only for his country but for the whole world. Bush's incompetence should have been obvious from the very beginning of his cataclysmic presidency, and yet
nobody talked of impeachment even after it had become evident that the Administration lied about its motives to go to war. Bill Clinton almost lost his presidency because of an affair! It makes me sick to think that Bush will stay in office until Jan. 20. Remove him now, and let Obama start to repair the damage that has been inflicted on the U.S. and the rest of the world. Those eight years under Bush have not only been wasted, they have reversed the geopolitical evolution of the
human race.
Alexander Schneider, BRIXLEGG, AUSTRIA
Obviously Obama has heard the old adage about friends in Washington and went and bought a dog.
Pat Nolan, KILKENNY, IRELAND
The international verdict on the Bush presidency is clear: the victory of Obama has already brought more relief to the world than the fall of Saddam Hussein ever did.
Paul Wigelius, STOCKHOLM
The opening words of your lead article on Obama's victory are astonishing [Nov. 17]. Last week a conservative columnist in the British press complained that many commentators were comparing Obama with Jesus Christ, and I thought he was exaggerating. But then I read in TIME: "Some princes are born in palaces, some are born in mangers. But a few are born in the imagination, out of scraps of history and hope." Your writer thus places Obama on a more exalted pedestal than Jesus! Surely some sense of proportion is called for?
Michael Grenfell, VENCE, FRANCE
What will happen to president-
elect Obama's Senate seat? Here's an idea — replace him with Senator Obama. Michelle has certainly impressed during the campaign with her intelligence and commonsense, and she clearly knows how to campaign well. After eight years she could take a tilt at the Presidency.
Dr. John R. Errey, GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY
I am the son of a Yemeni-Jewish mother and a Turkish-Muslim father. I grew up in Germany. I met my Indian Hindu wife when I lived in London for some 20 years. I am often asked where I feel I belong. I always used to answer that I am a citizen of the world. I didn't have a better answer as I could never feel true patriotism toward any country. Obama's win has been like an open-armed welcome. Today, if someone asked me where I feel I belong, I would proclaim sincerely: "Ich bin ein Amerikaner!"
Gan Amram-Oymak, BERLIN
My sincere congratulations to the American people. I look forward to Obama guiding America back to its rightful place as a respected superpower. However, the fact that Obama is an African American is irrelevant. He was elected (I hope) because of his abilities — he is a clear thinker who will do what is required to resolve the ills that bedevil the U.S. To focus on his race demeans him and detracts from why he was elected. He is America's new leader and his race has nothing to do with it. I understand why Kenyans are rejoicing, but as Americans you should just say "We have elected the right person for President." Let's forget about the man's race — I have.
Chris King, KWAZULU NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
While there are many people who are elated at the election of Obama, they may not have considered all the consequences. I used to think that status as a First or Third World country depended on economic indicators such as gross national product. It turned out I was wrong. Back in the days of apartheid, South Africa was regarded by the outside world as a First World country. When the black majority took over in 1994, however, it was instantly reduced by the press to a Third World country, although the economy performed better than before. So the designation seems to depend more on the skin color of a country's rulers than anything else. Following this logic, America has now, by the election of a black President, changed her status to that of a Third World country. I have no doubt that the developing world will gladly welcome the U.S. as its new leader.
Frederick C. Roberts, FAERIE GLEN, SOUTH AFRICA
Follow What Leader?
Michael Elliott's story on America's lost leadership was excellent [Nov. 3]. Yet one element is missing: the influence of U.S. culture, which we in Europe have imitated for years and which is still an overwhelming presence in technology, clothing, movies and casual Fridays. The American way of life may no longer be worshipped, but it is still admired. Even when laughed at or despised, America still sets trends as no other country does.
Sylvestre Bardet, BRICQUEBOSCQ, FRANCE
Adult Approach
I agree with Joe Klein that Barack Obama seems a grown-up in a nation badly needing some adult supervision [Nov. 3]. One of the qualities needed by the average American is the ability to reflect and question beyond emotionally programmed responses. While patriotism is happily viewed through emotional language and upbeat clichés, so too it should be seen as the ability to reflect critically and question. Too often Americans view these latter qualities as un-American, or being negative in a nation that prides itself on hope and optimism. I believe Obama and his team have the maturity to encourage this honest reflection on what works and what should be done better, and to have Americans own some of these problems and solutions. I hope the election is a clear sign of some collective reflection starting to happen. It is indeed a new beginning.
Karina Murray, BASEL, SWITZERLAND
Ted Stevens' Future
The past 15 years of post-apartheid South Africa have inured us to many things [Last Stand, Nov. 10], not least of which is the uncontrollable level of crime. If Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens is looking for a home, South Africa is just the place for him. And he will be a shoo-in for a Cabinet post. After all, a criminal record (preferably something fraudulent or involving corruption, the national pastime) is common in the top echelons. Recently, the very MPs implicated in defrauding the people of South Africa through an elaborate travel-voucher scam we call Travelgate (about 40 of them) voted to eliminate the country's most successful crime-fighting unit, the Scorpions. It was bizarrely ironic, even by our delinquent standards, because the Scorpions were the top cops who had brought charges against the Naughty 40 in the first place. Now we will never know what happened to all our millions. So just mosey on over, Ted. And don't worry about what you'll leave behind. You'll have it all back plus a private game park and a few wine farms within six months.
Llewellyn Kriel, ROODEPOORT, SOUTH AFRICA
Best Inventions
I was interested to read in "Best Inventions of the Year" [Nov. 10] that the Catholic Church had listed as one of its new deadly sins as "accumulating excessive wealth and creating poverty." This would presumably be the same Catholic Church that condemns a large portion of the Third World to continuing poverty due to its blinkered prohibition of contraception? And no doubt speaking from the opulent splendor of the Vatican?
Bob Bury, LEEDS, ENGLAND
No disrespect to the Québécois, but
the Bixi bike system has been in place in Paris for more than a year [Nov. 10]. I'm sure Parisians would be miffed to find that a city — Montreal — that appropriated its language is now getting credit for a bike system, known in Paris as Vélib', that has already met with much acclaim across Europe.
Jonah Peppiatt, BOSTON, U.S.
- Follow What Leader?; Adult Approach; Ted Stevens' Future; Best Inventions