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Hernando Today

A New America!

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By FRANCES EARL, Call to Patriots

Hernando Today

Published: November 5, 2008

Not since President John F. Kennedy has anyone opened the hearts of the American people and so filled them with hope — hope for the future of this great country, the great democracy known as the United States of America. Hope for a brighter future for our children.
When I was a child, my parents and the parents of my friends worked hard with a common goal in mind — that their children would perhaps have the chance to go to college and achieve dreams that were not available to most of them when they were growing up. They honored their country and when Pearl Harbor was attacked my cousins Bill and Joe McGrath enlisted, one in the Navy and one in the Army, to defend our nation. Bill and Joe were the only children of my Aunt Emma and Uncle Willie, but no thought was given to the possibility that they might both be killed — love for and defense of our country was a given. My only real memories of World War II are the day when it ended and the parade that I marched in, pushing my doll carriage, with my mom and dad.
We now find ourselves involved in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, neither one guilty of the attack on our shores of Sept. 11, 2001, while those guilty of the deaths of more than 3,000 of our citizens on that day of infamy build their armies and spread their radical doctrine. Barack Obama knows who the guilty are and will, finally, pursue our attackers and not the oil riches of Iraq. In his speech to a crowd of more than 150,000 in Chicago last night, Obama said, "This victory alone is not the change we seek." He calls for all Americans to be active and involved in our country. He also said, "I may not have won your vote tonight … but I will be your president, too." This great man has no message of hate for those who did not support him, but only the hope to now unite all of us as Americans to work for the growth of dignity and honor once again for the greatest democracy this world has ever known.
For far too long, our Constitution has been violated, our middle class has moved closer to poverty while jobs went overseas or to foreigners on work visas while wages remained static and costs for basic survival spiraled upwards. Millions of Americans are without jobs, while the wealthy receive more and more tax cuts. Now we seem to be at a point where banks are failing, the auto industry cannot sell cars and are going bankrupt and "trickle down economics" has not worked. This will now begin to come to an end. This country never achieved its greatness based on the sale of yachts and Cadillacs, but on the sale of Fords and Chevys, washing machines, toys for our kids and so many other things that now seem out of reach for many of the middle class.
And along came "the skinny kid with the big ears" and suddenly the light of those old dreams begins to burn again, brighter and brighter. A young man, father and husband, who loves this country and its people and would benefit those who supported him and those who did not. It is time for an end to hateful rhetoric and a joining together of all our people to revive the respect of the world we seem to have lost. President-elect Obama has said, "I promise you, we, as a people, will get there."
To his credit, Sen. John McCain made an early concession speech that was honorable and to his credit in every way. In today's newspapers, I read several columns lambasting Obama, one saying we should "take four years off," and I feel a great sadness that any American should suggest such a thing. If these are the people who supported McCain, it is no wonder that he lost.
It is time to support our new president-elect, a time to help him to bring this country back to honor, sound judgment and economic security. A time to end wars and bring diplomacy to our efforts to build a safer and better world for all. A time to unite as Americans for the future of our children and our world. A time to help Obama and ourselves for the betterment of all.
Obama told his two young daughters, "You have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." This is our president, this is our country — now let's all pull together to make the world the best place we have ever known.

Frances Earl, former vice chairwoman of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee, may be contacted at fearl@tampabay.rr.com.

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