That's Just the Way It Was
I am sitting on the Japan Rail Thunderbird 82 train bound for Kyoto. It is 10:21 in the morning, November 3 and playing on my iPod is Bruce Hornsby and The Range's song entitled "The Way It Is".
That's just the way it is,
Somethings will never change,
But don't you believe them.
I said "hey little boy you can't go where the others go,
'cause you don't look like they do"
I said "Hey old man how can you stand to think that way?
Did you really think about before you made the rules?"
He said "Son,
that's just the way it is,
Somethings will never change,
That's just the way it is"
But don't you believe them.
Well tomorrow, November 4 Barack Obama will be elected President of the United States of America. The slogan used for the successful campaign was "Vote for Change". And that is what, finally, the world is getting. It is a fantastic accomplishment for anyone to be elected President but this one is particularly pleasing. The first black man elected to the post.
The world will hopefully see some changes from an embarrassing few years of the current presidency and will hopefully put the McCain/Palin possibility away in the drawer of improbable possibilities (and laughs). More importantly, though, will be the change that hopefully takes over in America. That the colour barrier will be broken and that the "old" man in Bruce Hornsby's song will change his ways along with the countless sons he has raised to think the same way. Well that at least some of them will.
Screw you "old" man.
Be proud new America.
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