Monday, January 19, 2009

Welcome To My America, At Long Last

(image from cleveland.com/darcy/)

"I leave you now and you will write it. You will interpret it. That's your right. But as I leave you I want you to know — just think how much you're going to be missing. You won't have George W. Bush to kick around any more."

Okay. So I took a bit of a liberty with that quote. The Angel of Death didn't actually say it, Nixon did. But it's timely and it's fitting. Despite W's overall demeanor during his Farewell Tour, he's been more than a bit edgy from time to time, and he's never been shy about maintaining that he'll be more than happy to have History be his Judge. He should--and probably does--know better. After a momentary fugue by the legitimate press, he has been judged all along. And it hasn't been favorable, Fox/Faux News notwithstanding.

I've said plenty all along, with lots of other Democratic bloggers, and I'm probably not done, but that's not what this entry is about. This post is about my elation, my glee, at what is to come.

For too long, we've celebrated mediocrity in this country, led by a buffoon who crowed about his C average to the graduating class at Yale. The electorate punched their ballots for a "guy who they'd like to have a beer with," and they glorified an anthem with the lyric line of "we'll put a boot in your ass/ It's the American way." This administration was a big, dumb, self-righteous bully who thought it could wreak havoc during the week and by going to Sunday service, ameliorate all its sins and start over again on Monday. We all got bossed around by a bigassed Hemi-driving, hobnail boot-wearing, gun-toting, Bible-thumping, loudmouthed, blinder-wearing heehaw who was born on third base and grew up thinking he hit a triple.

But it's over.

I'm ready to celebrate the Return Of Intellectualism. Ladies and Gentlemen, a person who knows how to speak correctly is taking The Big Chair. This is a man who has corrected his subject-verb agreement on the fly. With a collective pronoun subject. I. Know. This is a man who is proud of his education. He speaks in measured tones and uses the spoken word as a tool to motivate, not instigate and provoke hostility. Civility will be making a comeback. The press didn't call him No Drama Obama for nothing. So far, even Maureen Dowd's worst barb has been to say that perhaps Obama is "neurotically reluctant to make enemies" and "prefers seducing...antagonists." Oooooh. (And W. called her "Cobra?")

Whatever. I'm all excited. It's cool to be smart; I've always felt it to be so. I'm just glad that now the rest of my country will come out of hiding with their fancy schmancy books and newspapers and >gasp< poetry and wine and stuff! Are we Elitist? Maybe not anymore.

Come out, come out, wherever you are. It's lovely--reading, sipping a glass of nice vintage, discussing books or politics, being pleasant and polite. Starting tomorrow, it's The American Way.

22 comments:

  1. It certainly will be nice to have someone charismatic and well-spoken as our leader. I have cringed SO many times when Bush spoke. And maybe we can finally get most of the world to stop hating us and our high-handed tactics now. One can only hope.

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  2. Anonymous4:25 PM

    Amen...and again...AMEN!

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  3. Amen! I am so looking forward to an era of raised expectations and higher standards. And no one can tell me that's too much to hope for. I've been approaching giddy. I have a new dress to wear tomorrow because it's a celebration.

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  4. Halle-freakin'-lujah!!!!!

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  5. Anonymous6:20 PM

    yes. Yes. YES!!! And, yes, for the fourth time in the history of presidential inaugurations, a poet will read. And a nation shall weep. For the return of intelligence, grace, dignity, and a host of other qualities that have not been seen in so many years of the Red Neck White House.

    My school is having the entire student body watch it live. If they hadn't decided to do that, I would have stayed home. (Note correct use of the 4th conditional, heh, heh.)

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  6. Anonymous6:47 PM

    Just in case you ever worry that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, just watch this video: http://politicalirony.com/2009/01/19/great-moments-in-presidential-speeches/

    -iron knee

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  7. I'm very happy for you :)
    (And indirectly, for us too)
    xo

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  8. Here's a Canadian who agrees with you wholeheartedly.
    I will be sipping coffee, but otherwise, I'm in.
    Even though we lately had a Prime Minister who joked that he could not speak either official language. Unfortunately, he was right. Ouch!

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  9. What can I say that you haven't. I feel like the tunnel we've spent the past eight years in was long, dark, damp and smelly. But finally there is light. Glorious light!

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  10. I love the word ameliorate!

    It is cool to be smart. I'm glad to see a smart man on The Big Chair!

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  11. There just are not enough words.

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  12. We will no longer be accused of "misunderestimatin'," or worry about "subliminable" behavior. But in this economy, I'm sure most of us will continue to work harder than ever before to put food on our families, and fervently hope for something more than a peance, freance Iraq.

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  13. I am so happy to have a President who is smarter than I am again! I hated being smarter than the President. It's just wrong. Especially SO MUCH smarter.

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  14. J@jj.com--I'll second that. And I'm also glad to give my eyeballs the rest from all the constant rolling upwards. LOL

    sputnik--we can always read the bushisms website when we long for...oh, who am i kidding? i'll never miss that slaughter of My Language again!

    nina--i know that there will be the inevitable Honeymoon Period for democrats; the republican radio morons have already begun their obligatory slams, but this feels very good. Very, very GOOD.

    jenomena--i love that word, too, and it's not often that i can sneak it in anything.

    J.--thank you. i really felt like i had to say SOMETHING although i know i was adding to the general din in the blogosphere.

    Mary G--I remember being in NotL right after the Second Election of the Dark Times, and a canadian couple said to me,"What in the hell are you guys doing down there!?" Now, I can hold my head up high, thanks to what we're doing down here! FINALLY!!

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  15. PotU--Thanks, and I'm sure you'll benefit, too.

    Iron Knee--I preach that philosophy constantly! Thanks for the link,and welcome to the Dept!

    Ortizzle--thank you for your flawless usage. i do hope that 43 takes his velvet elvis back to TX.

    FugueStateKnits--Thanks for the "witness!" And welcome to the Dept. Come back anytime.

    S--Even just the concept of "looking forward" is so refreshing! (What, no new SHOES!?)Welcome to the Dept. Come back again.

    apathy lounge--Sigh. I feel like we've gotten to the end of a marathon, don't you?

    Jan Ross--Exactly. The days of Cowboy Justice are gone. We can start being Real Grownups again. Hoo. Ray.

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  16. i could not agree more. im tired of not liking nascar, hunting, fishing, and knocking down trees and having people tell me that "thats america". no. sorry. it isnt. thomas jefferson, john adams, and CERTAINLY abraham lincoln are america. and none of those well educated, well read, well spoken, men would approve of what the idea of "america" has become.

    its time to take the country back for people with brains, thoughts, and ideas that they didnt buy at wal-mart. im tired of being made to feel like less of a man because i dont change my own oil, tell black jokes, hate homosexuals, and because i value women.

    a very close friend of mine who just so happens to be black called me today and said "i know its not original, and it applies to everyone, not just black people...'free at last, free at last, thank god almighty we are free at last". i think that sums it up nicely.

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  17. Anonymous12:02 PM

    "Collective pronoun subject." Wow. I'm getting all keyed up just thinking about subject-verb agreement.

    I like the new president too. : )

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  18. Breathing a sigh of relief with everyone else! I got to watch yesterday at work with a whole mass of happy co-workers. When I got home, I turned on the tube and to my horror, the local ABC station was going through Bush's 8 years again ... OMG ... WTF!?! Needless to say, I turned off the TV in horror until Obama was back at the mike later.

    I can only imagine what Bush would have done with "ameliorate" ... "Amelia ate what???" No matter ... pay no attention to that little man now in Texas ... he's out from behind the curtain. :-)

    I love Jared's last line from his friend the best. And, yes, I am white, and it totally applies. How many words of celebration, relief, praise, etc. can we come up with? Not enough to convey how good I am feeling about our new president.

    Shirley

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  19. Shirley--I feel really awful for all my bloggy friends who live in TX, don't you? Sigh.

    V-Grrrl--are you having me on a bit about my grammar fixation? Or are you really pleased about it, too?

    JPD--If you weren't related to me, and if I weren't already married, I'd be totally crushing on you because of your first two paragraphs. instead, as your mother, i'll just be proud of you.

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  20. President Obama, President Obama, President Obama. I just like saying it. President Obama.

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  21. Oh, my country 'tis of thee! : )

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  22. Nancy in A2--Oh, I KNOW!!! Me, too.

    Anali--are you wearing a totally ostentatious hat when you say that?

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