Dreams for Democracy

Standing on Small Soapbox:
I have readers on both sides of the aisle so, whether or not your candidate won, we can all be proud that the US has elections like clockwork. This one engendered unprecedented national and world-wide excitement. Although, I have been emotionally invested in the outcome of every Presidential election since my first vote in 1980, I've never witnessed this depth of emotion. (Nor have I ever heard a more gracious concession speech. ) Even during this time of war, our country still enjoys a time-tested system of checks and balances and will we see in the New Year, a remarkably peaceful transition of power, the envy of many around the globe. What do you think?

And now, stepping off the soapbox and cranking up the old-tyme jukebox for your musicial enlightenment: Leonard Cohen, one of my favorite musicians, has a great poem/song called Democracy. Below is part of it:

Democracy

It's coming through a hole in the air,

from those nights in Tiananmen Square.

It's coming from the feel that it ain't exactly real,

or it's real,

but it ain't exactly there.

From the wars against disorder,

From the sirens night and day, from the fires of the homeless,

from the ashes of the gay:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

(This is just part of the poem. If you don't have any Leonard Cohen music, it should be on your must-get list - he also put the David and Bathsheba story to music in Hallelujah and of course many, many others. Here's a link to the full version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5g8CA5ltR8&feature=related -

Yes, indeed. Our President is always the leader of our country, and deserves respect, but he is not a savior. He, and all our elected and appointed officials, will need our prayers and importantly, our redoubled efforts and sacrifices to make our world a better place. There is much to be done. jkw