Tuesday, November 04, 2008

On this day

* * *


This land is your land.
This land is my land.
From California, to the New York Island,
from the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf Stream waters,
this land was made for you and me.

As I was walking a ribbon of highway,
I saw above me an endless skyway.
I saw below me a golden valley.
This land was made for you and me.



* * *

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

on this day, history was made. and i took part in it. and i supported it. i voted for it.

we did it.

Anonymous said...

We won! We won! We won!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

After 8 years, we can start hoping again:

YES WE CAN!!!!

Anonymous said...

Erin,

Let me thank you for your continued engagement with this election. You raised issues, helped people talk to one and other, and did so with humor and intelligence.

We don't all have to agree about everything. There've been some pretty heated disagreements here. But that's good. That's discourse, that's exchange of ideas. That is a small, but very important way, is democracy.

Thanks, Erin. You done good. For all of us.

emmapeelDallas said...

Ohhhhhhhhh, YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!

We did it!

I am SO happy!

Anonymous said...

For all who don't know or realize, Erin has taken some horrific shots for her opinions and ideas and writing--mostly stemming from her newspaper columns. Personally, in this household, momentofchoice and I are raising a glass of somethin'somethin' in her honor. Here's to tough skins and tough, midwestern broads. Cheers to you and The Goat.

dean said...

1. I'm so fucking glad it's over.
2. The right guy won.
3. The party of negativity and fear got spanked almost as hard as I would have wanted.
4. I'm so fucking glad it's over.

Unknown said...

smiling from ear to ear, from sea to shining sea. :) proud we elected a great man - a gentleman - as our leader. :)

Velvet Fog said...

Now Sarah Palin can go back in her box. May we never see her again.

Amy said...

Good job Erin!

Anonymous said...

I also want to thank Erin for hosting this blog and thank everyone for their comments. It has been an island of sanity in the midst of this crazy season.

"Tonight, Change has come to America."

RJ

Anonymous said...

When i heard that Obama had won Ohio, i was like, OMG ERIN MUST BE SO PUMPED.

this is....amazing. it means i don't have to stay in Israel for the next four years, because i have a home country to actually (hopefully) be proud of.
*happy sigh*

Geoff Schutt said...

Lyrics to "Bound For Glory," by Phil Ochs, after Woody Guthrie:

He walked all over his own growin' land
From the New York island to the California sand
He saw all the people that needed to be seen
Planted all the grass where it needed to be green

And now he's bound for a glory all his own
And now he is bound for glory

He wrote and he sang and he rode upon the rails
And he got on board when the sailors had to sail
He said all the words that needed to be said
He fed all the hungry souls that needed to be fed

(chorus)

He sang in our streets and he sang in our halls
And he was always there when the unions gave a call
He did all the jobs that needed to be done
He always stood his ground when a smaller man would run
(chorus)

And its Pastures of Plenty wrote the dustbowl balladeer
And This Land is Your Land, he wanted us to hear
And the risin' of the unions will be sung about again
And the Deportees live on through the power of his pen
(chorus)

Now they sing out his praises on every distant shore
But so few remember what he was fightin' for
Oh why sing the songs and forget about the aim?
He wrote them for a reason, why not sing them for the same
(chorus)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this blog, Erin. It has been a joy to come here and see intelligent debate (mixed liberally with humor) throughout this neverending election season.

We did it! It actually happened!

Paul

Anonymous said...

When I saw Ohio go blue, I said, "Yeah, it's over."

Erin O'Brien said...

You can't know how much I appreciate everyone's comments, which is always true. But it is particularly sweet today to hear your words.

I've been called so many names in so many places, it spins my head. I've surely lost a few readers, maybe more. Maybe I've gained a few as well. Whatever the case, I was profoundly compelled to campaign in my own way.

It's amazing how many people Obama inspired, as he did me. I know he will continue to draw people inward and upward.

America voted in a good man last night. I have faith that his naysayers will soon come to know that.

Thanks to everyone. Thanks.

Heff said...

Blah.

Zen Wizard said...

I take vicarious delight in the celebratory bacchanalia you plebeians are enjoying in the wake of your new Caesar.

Erin O'Brien said...

You know, Zen, I purposefully made this post as quiet and unifying as I could so there would not be any "gloating" feel to it. Then I put it alone on the page for today to further dignify it.

Sure, people are free to come to the comment section, where the group is obviously happy about the election's outcome. But they have to come here on purpose. This is no "celebratory bacchanalia."

I waited until the major networks announced the race last night, then posted this and promptly fell to sleep. I still think it is the perfect post for the day.

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic night! Congratulations to all living in the US. If everyone continues to care and contribute to the discussion as they have so enthusiastically over these last few months, things will get better.

Velvet Fog said...

I had planned to comment here when Ohio went blue, but I started celebrating a little early and by that time I think I was lying face down in a pool of my own sick.

But it was worth it.
That's the way I roll.

Anonymous said...

I'm proud to be from Ohio, finally!
Yes, I celebrated a bit early and a bit much myself!

Anonymous said...

When he took California, I donned my fez, grabbed a couple cigars and walked to my corner bar. There I spent the evening on the patio in great conversation, our group included a black man, mid 40's, a white women in her 30s,a couple of white boomer guys like me, and an early thirties white guy who I think had voted McCain.

we concluded;
being the president sucks, aging factor 4 to 1 years average

Right man for the job is in.

how great to have our international rep be clear, concise, measured and eloquent. What will Letterman do with hilarious "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" now?

Obama was not jubilant, no gloating, feels the weight. The man looked tired, like a fighter who lasted extra rounds.

McCain put up a helluva fight in the end, grueling pace for anyone let alone 72.

If McCain had been the man giving the concession speech throughout the campaign, and not sold out by accepting that idiotic woman from Alaska, he might have made it.

As evidenced by Obama's appointees when he was head of Harvard Law Review, he will break ranks and cross division lines. Cabinet appointments are going to be interesting, Colin Powell already rumored to be Secretary of Edumacation.

Especially in poor communities, men have to return to their families, and raise their children. Period. Obama made this clear in Convention acceptance speech.

As Fannie Lewis observed, "there's money in poor folk." Time to bust up the fake justice system, the cabal of greed in administering welfare money and social services, the 501(c)3 scams which include some churches, the utter collapse of school systems gutted by deadwood and fatcats at the top. We have fantastic teachers in the trenches, time to unleash them.

Jesse Jackson is a phony ass, backstabbing motherfucker. I was in fact duped by the streaming tears segue, but our black brother adamantly argued that it was a front, reminding us of the " Obama ain't black enough, cut his balls off" crack Jackson got caught on. Jesse, racists like you, like the dyed in the wool
white racists, just have to go prepare for death now, you're played out, and the country has moved beyond you, suckas.

The internet was the accelerant on this populist fire.

And, whiskey is good.


Personal note; I am a fierce independent, I was for McCain before I was against him, in 2000 especially. He let fear enter his heart, he sold out, period. McCain revealed that his character is not sufficient to lead. Obama has shown he can swim through the slime of Chicago politics and racial division and resurface unscathed in his vision of a united country. It's a dirty job, hire the man who can clean the dirt from under his nails.

This election is not a Democratic mandate, it is the first victory of the American Independent Party.
Be forewarned, Democrats, you are being scrutinized as never before.

Godspeed, President-elect Obama.

Oh, and dubya? Just fucking sit there till the bus comes.

Anonymous said...

The party of negativity and fear got spanked almost as hard as I would have wanted.

Dean, I've got a few willing ladies' phone numbers for you if you want. ;)

Anonymous said...

Have no clue why but this popped in my head when I read philbilly's line about dubya.

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Dont it always seem to go
That you dont know what youve got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

RJ

Ken Houghton said...

Good call, but those of us in the Great White North are singing this one, and suggest you do to.

Anonymous said...

Now let's govern in a way that makes our children proud.

Anonymous said...

Ok, since it's sing along hour...
I need to at least offer a similar perspective, from a less...acoustic POV, if slightly more cautious.

(those of you who like softer music, disregard)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DWoJBHibhM

Enjoy

Anonymous said...

Jesse's close-ups and tears were an abberation. This citizen didn't fall for that awful thespian job. Jackson needs to quickly and quietly disappear from the political milieu.

Anonymous said...

He could go to Alaska and run for mayor of Wassila

Anonymous said...

It's Friday and this thread is probably dead but I just felt a need to revisit swines assessment of Jacksons tears. I think they were genuine. Like him or not hes been engaged in the battle for equality for a long time.
In processing my own feelings I've had conversations with my peers. Many of us thought that the idealism of the 60's was gone. Watching Obama in Grant Park was like validation for our beliefs. That the efforts of so many had not been in vain.
I suspect Jesse was experiencing those feelings too.

RJ