GObama!!!

[Millerchip77]

Just wanted to wish all my American sisters and brothers a great day. I have been sobbing already this morning as they played a slide show of Obama's journey to the White House to a soundtrack of Sam Cooke's 'A Change is Gonna Come'. In this time of doom and gloom I really do feel hopeful that, with the end of the Bush era, things are gonna get better for America and for the world. Let's hope he starts off by closing Guantanamo swiftly followed by sorting out the Prop. 8 mess.

GObama!!!

[Redsbird]

I'm feeling pretty excited myself. I'm far away from the festivities, but have been listening to the radio and later this morning I'm going with some co-workers (and my wife) to our student union (I work at a Unviersity) to watch the inaguration. It's nice to feel excited about something like this and cool to see history in the making.

[maudmac]

I'm glad this country finally picked someone decent. That Bush crap was so wrong. And I'm glad the world can finally be happy with us. It's been a long time. I really do hope that things will be better in the world now, especially in the parts that have been most affected by Bush's delusions.

I've cooled on Obama since his "marriage is between a man and a woman" bullshit (even if that's not what he really thinks - see Ben's post in the Politics thread), but there is noooooooooo doubt that Obama is still a bazillion kajillion times better than Bush.

*raises coffee cup* Here's to making history and to making our future history better.

(Millerchip77! What in the world is in your avatar?!? I have stared at it and stared at it and I can't figure it out!)

[urnofosiris]

President wannabes have said and claimed things that they deemed would help get them elected a countless times before. I think he needed to say that, really, pro gay marriage talk would have distracted from all the other topics that are important as well. Even if he does feel that marriage should be between a man and a woman, I doubt he would bend over backward to prevent gay marriages like GWB would.

If one good thing has come out of 8 years of George Bush jr, it must be the fact that Barack Obama has gotten elected. Not for lack of ability of either, but I doubt that either he or Hillary would have stood a chance against a white republican male if Bush had not made such a horrible mess of things. This is a good and a very special day.

[writerfreak]

-raises a glass of wine- Today is a day that marks history everywhere. And me in true form, skipped work today as well like I have since Friday so that I could stay home and watch the inauguration and all following festivities. A friend and I were talking today and I just have to say this. Everyone is very worried that our hopes and dreams are going to be smashed because something is going to happen to President Obama and I agree there is a chance. I also know there is an 80% popularity vote in his favor. Were anything to be attempted, I think this is one President that 80% of Americans would step in for military or not.

I know an entire nation was holding their collective breaths at the same time when he got out of the car to walk the first time, and nearly fainted the second go round. I know I did. Btw the presidents limo rocks, did anyone else notice that?

writerfreak

[noho]

Welcome to the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/


make sure to check out the "Civil Rights" link

[Millerchip77]

I have to say that everytime they say "The first African-American president" I get goosebumps and I wonder when and if that might happen here. At the moment there is no chance as we only have a handful of non-white MP's, in fact we barely have any women - okay Thatcher but she wasn't human so doesn't count.

I love the way Obama refers to black American history without bitterness but by way of illustrating how far things have come.

Oh and maudmac - I was very drunk with a friend one night and we got back to her place and had no snacks. After ransacking the kitchen we finally found a tube of cupcake frosting and some of those edible siver balls. We decorated our index fingers and photographed before munching - ergo my avatar

[singgirl]

Just to brag a bit.... I WAS THERE!

[Millerchip77]

Don't just brag - share!!! Was it as amazing as it looked? For the first time in a long time I wished I was in America that day

[singgirl]

It was awesome... definately freezing (I got a bit of frostbite through 3 pairs of socks), we (my group) were at the mall about 5 hours before he was scheduled to be sworn in, and still ended up in about the middle of the crowd. The traffic was impossible, the temp was really low, but it didn't seem to affect most people; the atmosphere was absolutely jovial. It was like one huge street party. Here are a few pictures:

(my friends and I trying to spell O-B-A-M-A with our bodies and about 8 layers of sweaters )

[singgirl]

sorry for the double post... there was an error and silly me hit "refresh" Oh, the Westboro Baptist church showed up, I was kinda excited to see that freak show in person after writing a few papers about them.

So my friends responded to their hatred...
...with love.

[Redsbird]

Great pictures, singgirl! I have a friend who lives in DC who also braved the crowds. From your vantage point, it looks like you ended up in the roughly the same area!
What wonderful energy to be surrounded by!

[singgirl]

yep, it was like spooning with 2 mil people. Sadly, noone called me back the next day.

[Millerchip77]

I second the thanks singgirl - great photo's. Can't believe the Westboro Baptist Church showed up. I saw a programme about them a while back about how they turn up at soldiers' funerals to protest against 'fag America' or whatever - those people are mental. I feel that the American media (I did a lot of You Tube surfing after I saw the show) pays them too much attention - to ignore them would be the worst thing for them. Great to see your photo's of them though - they are fascinating.

Anyway thanks again for sharing - must be amazing to be able to say 'I was there'.

The more Obama does, the more I actually think that I love him

[Dorothy]

I know what's wrong with mormons... but can anyone explain what's wrong with sports and gay people??

[singgirl]

Umm, I think their stand on sports is that it "takes away from worship for God" and gay people... well if I weren't gay I'd want to be just so I could be special, but their response to my friends making out in front of them was "they have herpies" and "they're going to get mouth cancer." I thought that was kind of an intersting conclusion. They believe there should be a death penalty for homosexuality....

[Dorothy]

LoL, interesting... herpes and mouth cancer? making out is actually healthy LoL, boosts your natural defence against bad bacteria... I say Love is good.

God hates is impossible 'cause God is love, at least that's what the believers (art least the ones I know) say.

[singgirl]

Here here! I think I'm in love with a man. It's only been a few days since he took office and I'm already pleased as punch with what he's doing. Have you all seen Obama's stance on queer rights?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/

[Dorothy]

gobama gobama you're the best!
that's a long long list *reading it right now*

Great he's cool. Bit sad that the HIV thingy is put under homosexuality but I'll forgive him because the rest is so cool

If civil union becomes exactly equal to marriage it'll be at least ok for now :-) a nice way to work around the haters untill the USA is ready for full on quality.

[amazon]

Hi-Res image of EVERYONE at The Obama Inauguration:
http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscree ... 2b4b06233c

[Dorothy]

that's amazing! You could almost read the notes in the books of that band LoL, wonder what camera they used... I want it!

[singgirl]

that's really nifty. It's fun to look around and see how many people are rubbing their hands together or blowing on them. Is it just me, or does that wheel chair make cheney look even more evil?

[HC]

That's awesome!
Nice to seem how not-pleased Bush is looking there.
Also fun is looking along the seams where they've combined the images together to make the panoramic view and the seams aren't a perfect match because of slight movements of the crowd. There's a pair of legs cut off at the knees walking along without a body, among others...

[Millerchip77]

that's really nifty. It's fun to look around and see how many people are rubbing their hands together or blowing on them. Is it just me, or does that wheel chair make cheney look even more evil?

LOL Cheney definitely has the air of Mr. Burns about him...so good to see them all ousted. We watched the Dixie Chicks movie, 'Sut Up & Sing' at the weekend - I wonder how all those morons who told them to 'move to France' feel now?

[Millerchip77]

Just watched the interview Obama gave to Arab news station. He's a breath of fresh air. he said, re: the 'war on terror' that we have to be 'careful about the language we use' - wow, I doubt Bush would even know what that means. So good to hear a politician answering questions frankly without too much spin.