Reflections on Election Night Responses Through Facebook: A New Direction in History with the Same Unfortunate Attitudes

Written the night of November 4th, 2008, after Obama was declared the winner.

Tonight those of us in the United States of America witnessed one of the most historic moments of our lifetimes. Barack Obama may not have been your choice for president, in fact just under 49 percent of you did not vote for Obama, but that should not diminish what this means for both our country and the world.

I write this now, before Obama’s acceptance speech because this age of technology where information is instant, Facebook allowed us to immediately communicate our excitement or despair of the outcome of this election.

In reading all of these status updates, the nearly even divide of this nation is clear. Those who support our president-elect post words of praise and excitement while those who don’t post that they will “flee America before it burns” and how we have “elected a terrorist” and how we will “soon be enslaved” by the Obama Administration.

See a problem here?

No matter whose side you are on; Republican or Democrat, do you honestly feel that the United States of America, a democratic nation revered by most nations on planet Earth would elect someone who would destroy her? Do you really feel you would be better off in any other country?

John McCain gave a good fight for what he believed in. No one disputes that! In his concession speech moments ago, he solemnly congratulated Senator Obama for doing the better job and winning the vote of the people of this nation. He then looked toward the future, telling the understandably disappointed crowd in Phoenix that it is indeed alright to share a moment of disappointment, but that as we continue on in our lives that we all need to come together to find compromises with those we have differences with in order to move our Country in a better direction.

But McCain’s words fell on deaf ears. While I can understand the disappointment of half our nation, people around the country have instead declared there is no future for our country, no hope, no dreams, and no chance to pull ourselves out of whatever issues are before us. That you would rather LEAVE this great nation known around the world as a symbol of hope and dreams just because “my choice didn’t win” One would hope, and pray, that this is just anger and disappointment talking. For in my lifetime, and your lifetime, we have moved as a country beyond these ideas of partisanship and petty differences.

I am saddened tonight, not by the results of this election, but in the fact that the true colors shown by the next generation of people, my generation of people, are still based on pettiness and in some cases even racism. In the tough times our country will surely face, and are currently facing, it is more important than ever that we come together in common purpose for one thing which we should all agree on: The United States of America.

I for one am looking forward with enthusiasm and anticipation to the future of this nation as I finish school and transition to the “real world”. It doesn’t matter who won tonight. While one fits my beliefs more and received my vote, I also believe that either man would have done everything in his heart which he thought was best for America. Yet some of you feel that the winner tonight, a black man from Chicago, is out to destroy this nation and that you would leave her before you give the man a chance to do something great for our country.

America will be stronger. America will conquer the challenges before her. The American People will come together and push undivided into the future. And I hope every single one of us wants to be a part of it!