Yes, Obama Can! Yes, Americans Can! Can We All?

December 1 - On the afternoon of November 5, my roommate suddenly cried out excitedly from in front of her computer, "Barack Obama has won!" I had not previously been attuned to American politics, but from that moment on, my curiosity towards the new president-elect could not be held back. Mr. Obama is, after all, quite good looking. More importantly, he has gained overwhelming support as leader of the world's most powerful nation. I became eager to find the reasons for his immense popularity.

To begin with, I viewed on the internet videos of his speeches. A true leader must be an excellent speaker. As I listened to the acceptance speech he delivered in Chicago the evening of his victory, I came to understand immediately why he has won so many ardent followers.

Barack Obama is a man with immense passion. Even though I am not American, I was moved by his speech. Repeating the phrase Yes, We Can, he generated a feeling of power and strength among those in the audience at hand, and among those listening and watching from beyond the shores, me included.

Mr. Obama is a man with progressive ideas. He is now calling for change. He is calling for a return of the original American spirit of democracy, equality, liberty, unity, and compassion. Obama is a Black man, but he does not emphasize the power of Black people. On the contrary, he is striving to unite Blacks, Whites, Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans. Obama is a Democrat, but he does not deny the Republicans a chance to participate in fixing the problems USA currently faces. Mr. Obama declared, "We have never been a collection of Red states and Blue states; we are, and always will be, the United States of America." This sense of cooperation and humility is needed now more than ever before in history.

Most importantly, Barack Obama appears to be a man who is sincerely concerned about the welfare of all people. I can feel his sentiments when he speaks. "There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college." He knows the hardships faced by people during financial crisis. "Let us remember that if this financial crisis teaches us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - In this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people." His compassion for ordinary people has captured my heart.

Apart from his speeches, I am also impressed by his background. We can see how his life is a manifestation of the American Dream - a dream that in recent years has become more myth than reality, but has now been proven once again to be very real. He was born of humble origins and grew, with persistent hard work and intelligence, to finally gain the success he deserves. Stepping from one milestone to the next in his long, assured strides, Obama graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and then became the first Black person to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. He went on to be elected junior United States senator, and then became the first Black presidential nominee, and culminated his rise by becoming the first African-American president in American history. His aspiring spirit has inspired millions of people around the world to rekindle their optimism in the future.

During my research, I found a song written by a member of the Black Eyed Peas, entitled Yes We Can, which was inspired by Barack Obama. While listening to the song, I lapsed into sober reflection. The people of the USA are reuniting themselves to share a common vision, including the "young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled." How about the rest of the world? I wonder when all human beings will be able to see beyond their differences and learn to cooperate with each other. I am thinking about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the conflicts between Palestine and Israel, terrorism, separatism, and poverty in all corners of the Earth. Perhaps Mr. Obama and his ideas will enlighten us all. Not only the United States needs change; the entire world is in dire need of it as well. Not only do Americans need unity, but so do all people of the world. It looks like the Americans can find the inspiration needed to unite. Can we all?